Pandemic lockdowns forced brick-and-mortar shops to close. They had to quickly switch to an online-only model. It was not surprising that newcomers to digital retail found it difficult to attract online shoppers, especially in the face popular events such as Amazon Prime Day. According to reports, this year's Prime Day was the largest ever hosted on the platform.Online retailers who have chosen to create their own sales channels often wonder how they will compete with Amazon.Amazon's unique selling point is its distribution network. This is the reason online retailers won't be able compete. It is important that they focus on the areas where they excel.Amazon's real selling point is its distribution network. Because Amazon's distribution network is so rapid, online retailers will be unable to compete on this point. Instead, it is important to concentrate on the areas where they excel without needing to become third-party sellers on Amazons platform.These seven tips are applicable to online retailers who want to retain and attract customers.Get a 360-degree view from your customerOnline retailers need to think about the experience they want to offer. Customers expect smooth transactions at every stage of their online shopping journey.One option is to create a consumer data platform that allows retailers to gain insight into their customers. This includes information about who they are, what they like, where they go and other pertinent information. This data can be used by retailers to target customers with advertisements for products that they will actually buy. Online retailers can use consumer data platforms to target customers across multiple platforms and in-store.Pre-sale transactions should be smooth and error-freeOnline retailers face many frustrations, starting with the website's performance. This includes everything from the time you get on the site to the moment when it closes. The customer will not return if there is a problem or a glitch in the purchasing process.This problem can be solved by extensive testing of the user interface in order to ensure a positive user experience. All e-commerce sections on a site should be tested, including the basket. A retailer can track lost sales and identify problems on their website by inserting tags at the end of each customer journey.You can choose from many payment optionsPayPal has seen a 36% increase in its payment volume year-over-year between Q3 2019 and Q3 2020. Despite PayPal's popularity, Amazon doesn't accept it as a method of payment.
