10 Terrific E-commerce and Digital Customer Experience Insights: E-commerce Link Digest

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Howdy, Big Thinkers! No fancy setup this week. Instead just a quick list of 10 terrific e-commerce and digital customer experience insights to carry you through the weekend. Enjoy:

1. A recent episode of Thinks Out Loud, our weekly e-commerce and digital strategy podcast, looked at “What Amazon’s Jeff Bezos Can Teach You About Digital Marketing.” Which, to be fair, is mostly about disruption. As Bezos once famously said, “Your margin is my opportunity.” The key is to ensure he doesn’t disrupt you.
2. While we’re talking about Amazon, Business Insider reported that “Amazon Plans to Open up to 100 Pop-Up Stores in US Shopping Malls by Next Year” to shorten the time it takes to put products in their customers’ hands. This is a really big deal, actually, as it helps Amazon solve for the “last mile” and same-day delivery problem.
3. And, on a highly-related note, the Wall Street Journal has a fascinating article that shows “E-Commerce Is a Boon for Rural America, but It Comes With a Price.” Very interesting read.
4. One last Amazon story from Bloomberg says that “Amazon Wants Live Sports Streaming Rights.” This is likely a sign of how important Amazon consider Prime membership to its business since, according to GeekWire, “members spend $1,500 a year on average, compared to non-members who spend about $625 a year.” I’d be investing like crazy in content too.
5. Shifting gears ever so slightly, Econsultancy has a great piece that asks “How Can Retailers Create More Engaging Mobile Experiences In-Store?” Very well worth your time.
6. Speaking of customer experience, McKinsey created “The CEO Guide to Customer Experience” that you’ll want to check out — and that you’ll want to share with your CEO.
7. Continuing with this theme, another recent episode of Thinks Out Loud asked “Is Customer Experience the Future of E-commerce?” The quick answer is “yes,” but be sure to give a listen to the whole thing to see how it applies in your world.
8. Of course, getting customer experience right takes some work. As CMS Wire just said “Digital Customer Experience Isn’t Child’s Play. Just Ask Lego.” Good stuff.
9. Another Thinks Out Loud episode explained “How to Connect Customer Data and Customer Experience” in some detail. Be sure to give it a listen.
10. Finally, let’s wrap up this list of 10 terrific e-commerce and digital customer experience insights with one last Thinks Out Loud entry on this same topic claimed “The Future of Digital Arrived Last Week.” Why not give it a listen to see what that means for you?

If you want learn even more about how your customers’ changing behavior shapes e-commerce and marketing, be sure and register to receive a special report I’ve produced in conjunction with hotel marketing firm Vizergy, “Digital Hotel Marketing in a Multiscreen World.” While it’s targeted specifically at hotel and resort marketers, the lessons apply to just about any business. You can get your free copy of the report here.

You can also check out these slides and video from my recent webinar, “Digital Marketing Directions: Three Key Trends Driving Your Marketing Next Year”:

Finally, you might enjoy some of these past posts from Thinks to help you build your e-commerce strategy and your digital success:

• 6 Mobile Commerce and Strategy Insights: E-commerce Link Digest
• Content is Still the King
• The Digital Strategy Myth
• Why Mobile Payments Will Rule
• Driving Seamless Experiences in 2016 (Thinks Out Loud Episode 149)
• Mobile is So Much Bigger Than You Think (Thinks Out Loud Episode 140)
• It’s Not “Mobile First.” It’s “Customer First.”
• 8 Killer Entries About Improving E-commerce Experience: E-commerce Link Digest