Most brands have a website, but many only showcase products, setting up a conversion dead-end. Additionally, a misconception exists around the idea that going Direct-To-Consumer (DTC) is the only way to drive eCommerce and capture consumer behaviors and preferences. It is becoming clearer today that the DTC-only model has passed its peak. Also, not every brand can sell directly to consumers, but are dependent on their retailer partners.
Where-to-buy solutions like MikMak Commerce for brand websites can electrify your brand’s shopping experience and push shoppers straight to checkout, online and in-stores.
Here are 10 reasons where-to-buy solutions can boost the value of your brand’s entire online experience and draw in more loyal consumers.
First, what is a where-to-buy solution?
A where-to-buy solution is a technology that brands can add to their website that lays out a list of retailers that sell your products. It can take the form of a ‘buy now’ button, to let shoppers click through and check out with the retailer they prefer.
Here are 10 ways where-to-buy solutions give brands an edge:
1. Generate incremental sales
Where-to-buy solutions give shoppers an easy route to purchase your products. And the fewer obstacles that stand between your consumers and checkout, the more often they’ll buy.
When consumers see they can buy through their favorite retailers, it accelerates the consumer’s decision cycle, pushes through more conversions, and leads to more impulse buying.
Bioderma, a leading dermo-cosmetics company, proves how dramatically where-to-purchase additions can impact sales. By adding where-to-buy options in 32 countries, they doubled Purchase Intent Clicks (the number of shoppers adding items to retailer carts from the brand’s site).
2. Provide a more seamless shopping experience
Shoppers want convenience. In fact, 66 percent of online shoppers say convenience is the biggest reason they pick a retailer. By offering where-to-buy choices, your brand clears the path to purchases and saves shoppers an extra Google search.
3. Beat the competition
Where-to-buy buttons and product locators prevent shoppers from heading back into the open internet, where they’ll be bombarded by competitor ads. These solutions provide a quick path to checkout that’s free of outside messages or distractions, so you can edge out competitors.
4. Give your shoppers more options
Consumers like choices. By displaying several options for checkout, brands reward consumers with the freedom to choose to buy where they want. Even if your brand sells directly to the consumer, it makes sense to give visitors a chance to buy where they’re most comfortable.
5. Keep selling when stock runs out
If you sell DTC, you always risk having products run out of stock. If you don’t have a backup option, shoppers could head to competitors. In fact, according to Statista, brands lose an estimated $71.4 billion a year to shoppers who go elsewhere for out-of-stock products.
Where-to-buy solutions give brands a backup option, so when stock runs dry, shoppers can still buy your products through another retailer.
For Olly, a leading personal care brand, using a where-to-buy solution as a fallback option paid off big-time. Within just seven months of using MikMak to add third-party checkout options on their brand’s site, they pulled in more than $28,000 on out-of-stock items.
6. Strengthen retailer partnerships
Negotiating with retailers can be tough, but where-to-buy solutions give you leverage. They show retailers you’re working for them. With the collected data, you can prove you’re generating purchase intent clicks, and qualified, ready-to-purchase shopper traffic for them. You’ll increase your brand’s value in retailers’ eyes.
When your brand funnels consumers to retailers, it saves retailers money on media campaigns. That can improve your relationship and give you a bargaining chip when it comes time to set up contracts.
7. Let your consumers research and locate products on their terms
Shoppers want to evaluate products in a familiar setting. They may prefer comparing products on Amazon, Target, or another retailer that they’re used to.
Retailer reviews also add a layer of legitimacy to your products. Letting shoppers consider your products in a setting they’re comfortable with increases trust and speeds up the decision-making process.
8. Gain actionable insights about your audience with first-party data
When shoppers click through to retailers from your site, you also capture important behavior data. Once you pin down what retailers your buyers prefer, you can identify re-marketable groups and target them with messages that highlight their preferred retailer.
9. Boost the overall SEO of your brand and make your products discoverable
The easier it is to find your brand during the search process, the more you’ll sell. And where-to-buy solutions help your brand’s site climb higher in search results.
Where-to-buy modules contain multiple value-added links that naturally enrich the SEO of your website pages. As a result, more shoppers can discover your brand and your products.
10. Use where-to-buy insights to drive marketing profitability
With the right technology, brands can draw in and serve shoppers better than ever. And MikMak’s platform can give you insights to accelerate sales, increase profitability, and drive down costs, all at once.
Our platform draws in insights from 7,000+ media and retail partners across the world to help you identify shopping patterns, improve marketing effectiveness, and grow your brand’s marketing ROI.
Check out our Sabra case study to learn how one business used MikMak insights to increase Purchase Intent Rate by 86 percent.
Want to see how MikMak can boost your brand’s growth? Request a demo today.
