Issue 97: Operations Drives Profit: A Logistics Opportunity
Hello, MyFBAPrep Sellers!
Today we’re excited to share an eye-opening discussion with Kathleen Sullivan Garman, an operations consultant to brands and B2B businesses alike. Kathleen dives into how to use operations to boost profit, among many other exciting topics.
Then, we have some product photography tips and website monitoring advice to help ensure consistent conversions with compelling pics and a seamless shopping experience.
Operations Drives Profit: A Chat With Kathleen Sullivan Garman of SullyGarman & Associates
In this video, Rachel Go chats with Kathleen Sullivan Garman, Founder and CEO of SullyGarman & Associates and operations consultant to multiple brands and B2B companies. Rachel and Kathleen talk about the importance of operations in tandem with sales and marketing, the perils and opportunities of returns, and what to automate at different growth stages.
5 eCommerce Photography Tips For Better Conversions
Creative product photography is a powerful tool to make your products stand out, engage your customers, and drive sales. Here’s what we recommend:
- Plan out your photoshoot (ex. concept, theme, lighting, background)
- Invest in quality equipment (ex. camera, lenses, tripod, lighting)
- Use props to set context around your products
- Focus on composition (ex. rule of thirds, symmetry, framing, depth)
- Post-processing and editing (ex. sharpening, background removal)
Get all the details for better product photos.
Stay on top of logistics no matter what changes come your way
Optimize your inventory placement, make returns less of a headache, get a resilient supply chain, and consolidate all of your needs under one point of contact with MyFBAPrep.
Use MyFBAPrep for your one-stop logistics shop.
The Role of eCommerce Monitoring in Optimizing Your Site for Conversions
After enhancing the buyer’s journey and creating personalized marketing campaigns to boost conversions, technical issues or hiccups in the customer journey can directly influence their shopping experience. Website errors can hurt your conversions and sales. Proactively monitoring your site for any glitches or errors in the user experience can help you reduce their negative impact and prevent further damage.
Some common mistakes that hinder conversions:
- Broken images
- Slow loading times
- Too many plugins or integrations
- Broken links
- Checkout page problems
- HTTP and JavaScript errors
Learn how to implement continuous experience monitoring for consistent conversions.
Top Industry News
TikTok Streamlines eCommerce Offering in New Partnership (Chain Store Age)
The TikTok Shop Connector by Celigo solution is designed to keep data current and synced across various applications, including product data management, order management, fulfillment and accounting. The application also provides retailers operating TikTok storefronts with access to automated insights designed to help drive informed decision-making. Data includes intelligence about market trends, consumer behavior and product performance.
Turkish Startup ikas Attracts $20M for its eCommerce Platform Designed for Small Businesses (TechCrunch)
E-commerce platform ikas has raised $20 million in a Series A funding round as it seeks to expand its operations into new markets in Europe. The company currently operates in Turkey and Germany, and says its platform simplifies store management for companies that want to have a digital presence.
Shipster and Ordorite Partner to Transform eCommerce and Retail Logistics (Parcel and Postal Technology International)
Software innovators Shipster and Ordorite have announced a strategic partnership that will automate and streamline the packing and shipping process, helping to transform e-commerce and retail logistics for the furniture and soft furnishings sector. The new alliance will enhance operational efficiency, minimize errors, accelerate order fulfillment, increase customer satisfaction and support business growth.
Alexis Asks: The Surge of E-Commerce Shipping (Supply & Demand Chain Executive)
In a recent report by UPS Capital, merchants reported a 30% increase in shipping volume driven by e-commerce growth over the past two years. Why? Look at online shopping, which is expected to continue to boom, growing by more than 10% annually through 2027. This new dawn has ushered in its own set of challenges, including the always looming risk of lost, delayed and stolen packages — threatening merchants and customers alike, and often ruining relationships that strip away the chance for repeat buys.
Amazon Tries to Win Back Key Customer Group it Lost During Covid (The Street)
Amazon’s shift to offer consumers more household items during COVID created opportunities for rival retailers. You could argue, in fact, that the short-term change opened a door for pet supply company Chewy (CHWY) , as Amazon was not stocking many pet essentials during that period. That forced people who were already Amazon customers, who may never have considered shopping anywhere else, to sign up for Chewy. Amazon Pet Day is essentially a massive sale on the online retailer’s pet supplies inventory designed to win over pet parents. It’s basically a more focused version of its Prime Day promotions, except that it’s open to all Amazon customers, not just Prime members.
Fulfillment Startup Stord Expands With Logistics Acquisition (Wall Street Journal)
Fulfillment services provider Stord is acquiring another third-party logistics company as slowing e-commerce growth pushes firms to find new ways to boost revenue. Stord, which provides end-to-end fulfillment services to help merchants compete on shipping speeds with big retailers such as Amazon.com and Walmart, said on Friday it has purchased ProPack Logistics, a company that provides warehousing for small- to medium-size businesses.
ShipBob Partners with Maersk and ECU Global to Expand Freight Capacity (Digital Commerce 360)
Between the two transportation companies, ShipBob will gain access to more routes for clients. Those include guaranteed ocean freight sailings, air freight and domestic freight from most locations around the world to ShipBob fulfillment centers for its retail clients. Both ECU and Maersk travel on the most popular ocean trade routes, along with LCL, full container load (FCL), air freight, and other shipping services. For ShipBob clients, the most popular shipping lanes are between Asia and the U.S., and Asia and the U.K.
Until next time,
Rachel Andrea Go
Marketing Director, MyFBAPrep