Digital Retailing: Branding on the Web (Interactibility and Trust)
When a company can make an impression online it moves Digital Brand, in this aspect it tells everything about what a brand is and what it stands for a brand concept is defined overtime in order to tell a story narrating the very essence in which it thrives this than sets it up for the future to attain its own Brand Identity. But before getting into that let’s understand digital retailing, at its most basic level it is a sequence of experiences in which it allows the consumer to engage and maneuver with the website at different stages of each individuals purchasing journey. As a journey can differ from person to person the words in which they describe their experiences remain impactful for years to come.
Brand Identity
An identity is always more than it seems and more than meets the eye and there is a reason for this. Take Amazon, for example, their efforts in the ventures they partake in go further than what people can see and know. Did you know Amazon is big on sustainability? They have a whole page dedicated to it that goes into depth about the plans they have but also the current impact they are making in the world (https://sustainability.aboutamazon.com). But they sell products online, yes and even though the first thing that comes to your mind is a delivery service or an online selling company but that’s the point that is Brand Identity. Amazon has big plans for the future and it includes 100% renewable energy by the year 2030. Their very brand identity has built their brand platform their roles and personality have grown but their concept and who they are at the core remains the same, a delivery company. With that in mind understanding that Amazon has built a strong and trusting E-brand is an understatement “Amazon is already capable of offering same-day and next-day delivery to 72% of the total U.S. population, including almost all of the households (95% or more) in 16 of the wealthiest and most populated states and Washington, D.C., according to a report published in March by RBC Capital Markets.” (Kim, 2019)
Interactivity and Trust
It goes to show the interactivity and trust they built over the years has made people want to choose amazon as their delivery company. They have created an immense amount of credibility for their consumers and simply due to the increased word of mouth, as Jeff Bezos spoke himself about the future being in the hands of the consumer “The balance of power is shifting toward consumers and away from companies… in the old world, you devoted 30 percent of your time to building a great service and 70 percent of your time to shouting about it. In the new world, that inverts.” (Neudecker, 2019)
But mainly in this aspect Amazon has a new standard on other e-retail companies but especially in digital retailing. This new standard comes from being a company that stands at the expectations of what the consumer wants and when they want it. The very concept shifted the desire towards convenience thus creating a flood of e-retail companies thus somewhat shifting from traditional stores but not completely as majority of the people still refer to traditional retail versus online as discussed in my previous article that comes with security reasons and the fast-paced changing world which the online world isn’t always able to keep up with. The role of interactivity and trust is a key component in determining the success of digital retailing a very important aspect for a company that isn’t based traditionally. For brands that exist strictly online, their identity becomes everything and the review they receive and the word of mouth that is spread is key whether they will make it or break it.
Amazon has earned our trust and it isn’t for naught their seamless service of allowing one to get the shipment within a day and soon they might just take over the world with their shopping method even covering for other third party websites. There is a key lesson here on how to earn that trust and Amazon has a dome a great job in creating that interactivity and trust with their consumer. “Amazon convincing so many individuals to sign up for its Amazon Key service, which lets a delivery person open your front door and drop off a package inside your home. By offering accurate product suggestions online, Amazon became a reliable advisor. By surfacing credible reviews from our peers, Amazon gives us peace of mind during our purchasing decisions. From convenience to price, product selection and overall experience, Amazon has mastered the customer relationship. In doing so, it has set up a new type of interaction model for consumers.” (Smith, 2017)
E-Service
What really encompasses their brand is their service, they have grown and expanded soo much that they are able to keep up with their customer wants and needs, so what are they doing exactly to provide this. Let’s get into detail shall we, let’s start with their website design, no matter the American or Canadian website, it becomes catchy enough to look at their advertisements and see what is currently trending and if one noticed anything about Amazon they always stay up to date in the current trend. Even if one isn’t willing to browse the advertisement (let’s call it promotion) they can seamlessly go the topic of their desired choice this simple format isn’t complicated and it's quite navigatable in the way they are meant to represent as a digital retailer. Their second aspect to their E-service metric is their security, today Amazon is one of the most secure website one can ever come across when it comes to purchasing product, and if that isn’t enough Amazon will gladly replace a product that has gone missing or it was never replaced this, in turn, allows Amazon to keep their relationship with consumers healthy. The third on the metric is their ordering system which is flawless because of every time an individual log’s into their account the website is designed to target products based on the previous purchase, this creates a unique webpage tailored to the individual making ordering their product right at the tip of consumers fingertips. A style not many can compare. To add a bit more spice to it Amazon excels at the delivery system as discussed above Amazon covers most of United States consumers within a day as it is exactly what made Amazon propel forward and thrive in the upcoming years is due to their delivery system. As of last on the list but not the least, the Amazon team is always prepared to communicate on any concern. When Amazon is involved in the purchase they will comment and respectfully fix the situation and or concern in order to reach customer satisfaction but also ensure the intractability the company is willing to maintain.
In Conclusion
Amazon is not only an example of how the future digital retail will follow in their footsteps but also the future they will partake in to shape it and direct in the hands of the consumers. As everything designed online today is due to the word of mouth but also due to the growing trend of wanting services and products instantaneously. The expectation is set into the world to maintain such services but also setting a tone for traditional retail to shift into multiple spectrums rather than just remain brick-and-mortar as audience disperses in how they go about making a purchase it isn’t fully ready to move into digital retail 100%. The small steps taken by each company will revolutionize how shopping is looked at in the eyes of the future generation, but in the eyes of the marketing, mix Amazon contains everything it needs to be considered a top Digital Retailer and everything it stands for Amazon has it figured out.
References:
Eugene. K (May 51 2019). Amazon can already ship to 72% of US population within a day, this map shows. CNBC. Retrieved from https://www.cnbc.com/2019/05/05/amazon-can-already-ship-to-72percent-of-us-population-in-a-day-map-shows.html
Smith. A (November 16, 2017). What Amazon key teaches us about trust in customer relationships. Forbes. Retrieved from https://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonysmith/2017/11/16/what-amazon-key-teaches-us-about-trust-in-customer-relationships/#1894e6a977d0
