What is Unified Commerce?

Unified commerce is an advanced retail system that allows merchants to consolidate their business operations—such as sales channels, inventory management, order fulfillment, and marketing—into one platform. This integrated approach enables businesses to efficiently manage diverse aspects of their operations, whether it’s balancing B2B and direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales or coordinating domestic and international shipping. The core benefit of a unified commerce system is its ability to centralize data from various business activities, providing merchants with a comprehensive view of both customers and inventory. As a result, businesses can make more informed decisions and create a more cohesive shopping experience for their customers. ¹

Today’s consumers frequently use multiple channels to make purchases, whether engaging with an online store, a promotional email, a shop-floor assistant, or social media. Unified commerce platforms facilitate a seamless shopping journey across these touchpoints, allowing customers to easily switch between channels. For instance, a customer might purchase a product online and pick it up in-store, or they might try a product in person before deciding to buy it online. ¹

The Business Potential of Unified Commerce

The financial stakes of optimizing the customer experience are immense. There is a staggering $3.3 trillion global opportunity for businesses that adopt unified commerce strategies, given the contrast between the revenue lost due to negative shopping experiences and the gains from positive ones.² Unified commerce is not just a retail solution; it is a transformative technology applicable across industries, from online and brick-and-mortar retail to entertainment and hospitality. By embracing this integrated approach, businesses can expect more streamlined interactions and greater agility in global expansions.

Unified commerce is poised to revolutionize how businesses operate and how customers shop. It provides the tools for businesses to not only meet but exceed customer expectations by offering a cohesive and adaptable shopping experience. For companies looking to thrive in the modern retail landscape, unified commerce is a crucial strategy to consider.

Omnichannel vs unified commerce: Key Differences

In the past, most sales occurred in physical stores. Today, commerce spans websites, apps, social media, and pop-up events. Omnichannel marketing emerged to provide consistent branding and product information across these varied channels. However, it often leaves back-end systems disconnected, leading to data conflicts and limiting flexibility in shopping options.

Unified commerce takes this a step further by integrating all sales channels, payment systems, and customer interactions into a single platform, enabling businesses to create a seamless and cohesive customer experience. Unlike omnichannel strategies, which focus on front-end consistency, unified commerce provides a fully integrated approach that enhances both operations and customer insights.¹

While omnichannel remains effective, it can lack the deep integration necessary to provide comprehensive cross-channel insights. Unified commerce, on the other hand, offers a complete view of customer behavior, helping brands resolve issues faster and offer personalized recommendations, ultimately leading to a more connected shopping experience.²

The Benefits of Unified Commerce

Unified commerce platforms provide a single view of inventory, orders, and customer data, enabling businesses to monitor operations in real-time. This streamlined approach allows customers to enjoy up-to-date product information and the flexibility to shop, pay, and receive orders in a way that suits them best. Here are six key advantages of using a unified commerce platform:

1. Flexible Buying Journey: Businesses can offer multiple checkout options, such as adding items to online carts, applying discounts, and choosing in-store pickup. Real-time updates from point-of-sale (POS) devices keep both customers and staff informed, improving the overall shopping experience.
   
   
2. Customer Interaction Tracking: Unified platforms make it easy to track customer journeys across multiple touchpoints, such as social media ads, online stores, and in-person interactions. This allows businesses to respond with targeted actions like sending promotional emails or invitations for in-store visits.
   
   
3. Personalized Shopping Experiences: Retailers can use customer data to customize marketing efforts and shopping experiences. For instance, frequently viewed items can be highlighted upon a customer’s return, and loyalty rewards can be tailored based on shopping habits.
   
   
4. Real-Time Product Updates: A unified system helps prevent inventory discrepancies, which can damage customer trust and result in lost revenue. By synchronizing inventory and pricing across all channels, businesses can better manage stock and avoid issues like overstocking and stockouts.
   
   
5. Convenient Returns: Unified commerce facilitates a smooth post-purchase experience by allowing returns at any location, regardless of where the item was purchased. This flexibility boosts customer satisfaction and encourages repeat business.
   
   
6. Efficient Staff Management: A single platform simplifies employee onboarding and reduces the risk of errors. Automated updates to inventory and customer data mean less manual entry, and tracking sales performance becomes easier, helping to identify training needs and improve service quality.¹

The Future of Commerce is Unified

With around 60% of shopping experiences beginning on one device and concluding on another, commerce is becoming more multichannel than ever. Unified commerce empowers merchants to manage every aspect of the modern customer journey seamlessly, regardless of the number of channels involved.¹

Adopting a unified commerce strategy is essential for businesses aiming to enhance customer experiences and streamline operations in today’s complex retail environment. If you’re ready to elevate your business and embrace the future of retail, Tidal Commerce is here to help. Our comprehensive solutions are designed to support your unified commerce journey, ensuring you stay ahead of the competition and maximize your growth potential.  

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Ecommerce in the future

ECommerce encompasses a variety of concepts, such as cross-border commerce, borderless business, and international online retail. But beyond these definitions, the reality is clear: eCommerce is no longer a luxury or just one strategy among many. It has become a necessity for businesses, both B2B and B2C, looking to thrive in the modern marketplace. By 2024, approximately 2.71 billion consumers are expected to shop online, highlighting the urgency for companies to embrace eCommerce as a core business model.¹

What is Global eCommerce?

Global eCommerce refers to the sale of products or services across geopolitical borders, originating from a company’s home country. This involves selling into non-native markets through online sales and marketing strategies. The benefits of expanding into international eCommerce, especially within B2B eCommerce trends, include easier access to foreign markets, a faster product-market fit, shorter B2B sales cycles, and quicker establishment of an international presence, all while facing relatively low barriers to entry. Notably, the global B2B eCommerce market is projected to reach $36 trillion by 2026, while B2C eCommerce trends show growth to $5.5 trillion by 2027.²

Ecommerce Trends 2024: Market Size and Growth

The global eCommerce market is anticipated to reach $4.8 trillion by 2025, demonstrating steady growth as borderless eCommerce continues to gain traction. By 2027, about 23% of total retail sales are expected to occur online, making eCommerce an increasingly profitable option for retailers worldwide.²  As eCommerce trends evolve in 2024, companies will need to navigate complexities such as where to invest, which countries offer the best product-market fit, and how to attract non-local buyers. B2C eCommerce trends, including social commerce, will play a critical role, alongside B2B strategies in the expanding global market.

Trends in ecommerce and Top Global eCommerce Statistics

Staying informed about eCommerce trends in 2024 is crucial for optimizing revenue in both B2B and B2C markets. Here are some key statistics highlighting the importance of these trends:

• LATAM eCommerce Growth, Latin America, including countries like Peru, Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico, is expected to see a 22% growth in eCommerce between 2023 and 2026.³ By the end of this period, combined online retail sales in the region are projected to surpass $700 billion. This growth is driven by a rising middle class and increased disposable income.⁴

• The Philippines’ eCommerce market is the fastest growing in the world, with a 24.1% rise in sales in 2023. ⁵ This market is expected to continue expanding, driven by rising disposable incomes and consumer spending, making it a key market for B2C eCommerce trends.

• The global B2C eCommerce market, which was valued at $4.8 trillion in 2023, is projected to grow to $9 trillion by 2032, with an annual growth rate of 7% between 2024 and 2027.⁸ This sustained expansion presents brands with increased opportunities for international growth. Platforms like Shopify Markets are equipped to help businesses manage localization, regulatory compliance, and international payment methods all in one place.
  

• As of January 2024, the average eCommerce conversion rate stood at 1.88%, reflecting a 0.14% increase from the previous year.⁷ This trend underscores the importance of continuous improvement in website design, user experience, pricing, marketing strategies and product offerings as companies focus on boosting conversion rates in both B2B and B2C markets.

• In 2023, the global social commerce market reached $945.92 billion and is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 30%, potentially reaching $13 trillion by 2033.⁹ This rapid expansion is fueled by the integration of social media platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook into eCommerce, particularly through the rise of livestream shopping and short-form video content.
  
  

• According to Deloitte’s 2024 Global Retail Outlook report, 89% of retailers anticipate a revenue increase of between 1% and 9% for the year, reflecting optimism for the retail sector despite ongoing economic challenges.¹⁰ Following the disruptions of COVID-19, retailers have successfully adapted to shifts in consumer behavior, particularly the rise in online shopping. European retailers, in particular, are more likely to expect revenue growth in the 5% to 9% range as markets stabilize and consumers resume their regular spending patterns.
  
  

• In 2023, 97% of companies worldwide restructured their supply chains, underscoring the importance of adaptability in the face of challenges such as geopolitical tensions, fluctuating demand, and cost pressures.¹¹ Businesses are increasingly focused on mitigating risks by adopting new technologies, diversifying suppliers, and taking advantage of government incentives to create more resilient and efficient supply chains.
  
  

• As of April 2024, the global lead time for production materials averaged 79 days. This is a notable improvement from the peak of 100 days in July 2022, though it remains higher than the pre-pandemic average of 65 days in 2019.¹¹
  
  

• By February 1, 2024, shipping rates for transporting goods from China to the East Coast of the United States had surged to $6,589 for a 40-foot equivalent unit, marking a 193% increase since October 2023. This sharp rise highlights the persistent challenges in global logistics, driven by supply chain disruptions, capacity shortages, and geopolitical tensions.
  
  

• As eCommerce matures, 47% of retail leaders identified eCommerce profitability as a primary driver of operating margin growth in 2024.¹⁰ In the early stages of eCommerce expansion, businesses often sacrificed margins due to high investments in infrastructure, logistics, and digital transformation. However, with these systems now established and technology costs stabilizing, retailers are shifting their focus toward optimizing operations for increased profitability.

Staying informed about eCommerce trends 2024 is critical for businesses to stay competitive and capitalize on growth opportunities in both B2B and B2C markets. The evolving B2B eCommerce trends emphasize efficiency and global expansion, while B2C eCommerce trends highlight the rise of social commerce and shifting consumer behaviors. As eCommerce trending factors like technological innovation and global market growth continue to shape the landscape, understanding these trends in eCommerce will help businesses develop strategies that drive revenue, enhance customer satisfaction, and secure long-term success.

For businesses looking to scale their eCommerce operations and embrace digital transformation, Tidal Commerce offers comprehensive solutions tailored to support your growth. From optimizing your digital storefront to streamlining back-end processes, Tidal Commerce helps companies navigate the complexities of global eCommerce, ensuring you stay ahead of the competition while achieving sustainable scalability in this rapidly evolving marketplace.

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The Top 7 Trends Shaping the Consumerization of Enterprise Technology

In the early 2000s, technology underwent a significant transformation, reshaping both consumer and business landscapes. The debut of consumer-friendly devices like the iPhone, coupled with the rise of the “consumerization of IT,” marked a turning point. As individuals began introducing personal technology into the workplace, expectations shifted, and employees started to demand user-friendly, consumer-grade design in professional tools.

Before this shift, tech companies primarily sold their products to organizations, with decisions often made by executive leaders, leaving the end users with little input. However, as personal computers became more accessible and smartphones evolved, consumers began driving market trends, even in enterprise technology. The rise of web and SaaS applications further accelerated this change, offering users better tools outside of work than inside it.

This growing influence of consumer preferences in the workplace sparked a long-lasting transformation in enterprise technology. Although the movement started years ago, the interplay between consumer technology and enterprise solutions continues to shape both markets. What began as a shift in user expectations has evolved into a broader trend that encompasses various aspects of modern technology adoption.

Trends of consumerization

Consumer-Grade UX

In the past, user experience (UX) was not a primary concern for enterprise technology companies. They typically sold their products to executives, leaving end-users with limited options and little influence over which tools were chosen.

However, as people encountered more intuitive, consumer-grade UX in their personal devices and software, they began to expect the same ease of use in their workplace tools. Executives soon recognized the benefits—improved productivity and morale—when employees could work more efficiently with user-friendly systems.

This shift in expectations forced enterprise tech companies to adapt. They started developing mobile apps, investing in A/B testing, and building design teams capable of creating products that could rival those of consumer giants like Apple. Design tools such as Sketch, Framer, Abstract, and Figma emerged, making high-quality UX not only possible but essential for enterprises.

By 2015, research from the Design Management Institute revealed that 16 publicly traded design-driven companies outperformed the S&P 500 by 211%. With consumer UX continually advancing, enterprises are now in a broader competition to develop the most effective, user-friendly products.

As a result, even the largest enterprise technology firms have embraced design thinking and user research, striving to create products that satisfy users both as professionals and as consumers.

Product-Led Growth

In the past, when enterprise technology companies sold software, the product itself was often secondary to the promises made to decision-makers. The focus was on outcomes that could convince company leaders to adopt and implement the software across their organizations.

With the advent of cloud computing and SaaS, this approach shifted. Now, technology companies can grow from the ground up, driven by end-user adoption rather than executive decisions. Companies like Slack, Zoom, Notion, and Airtable exemplify this model, offering products directly to end-users—often for free—who then advocate for broader organizational use.

By emphasizing consumer-grade UX, enterprise tech companies can cater directly to the needs of end-users and leverage their influence to secure larger, enterprise-wide sales. Product-led growth strategies typically involve free trials, freemium models, or affordable single-user options to encourage initial use, allowing end-users to explore and champion the tools within their companies.

This model allows enterprises to connect with users who often have deeper insights into the product’s functionality than executives, collectively holding significant influence over purchasing decisions. Atlassian, with its flagship product Jira, is a prime example of this approach. Targeting software developers—an especially influential group—Atlassian successfully leveraged product-led growth to expand its market reach.

Democratization of Enterprise Tools

Improved UX and the rise of product-led growth have led to the democratization of enterprise tool usage. Increasingly, end-users are taking greater control not only over which tools they use but also how they use them.

In the past, end-users were passive recipients of software, simply expected to use it as directed. Today, thanks to niche SaaS solutions, users are becoming more like power-users, shaping how they interact with technology. For instance, enterprise accountants are no longer just “users” but see themselves as critical players in their workflow, demanding software that meets their specific needs. This shift reflects a broader trend where users expect tools to be tailored to their expertise and preferences.

Low-Code and No-Code Tools: Empowering Non-Developers and Accelerating Innovation

A long-standing challenge for enterprises has been the scarcity of development resources. According to a 2018 study, about 23% of developers’ time is spent managing technical debt, a burden that grows with the size and age of the company. This often leaves larger enterprises at a disadvantage compared to agile startups, whose developers can focus on innovation.

Low-code and no-code tools offer a powerful solution to this problem. These platforms allow non-developers to create software solutions without needing extensive coding expertise. As a result, non-technical employees can rapidly build applications tailored to their specific needs, while developers are free to focus on more strategic and complex projects.

In many cases, non-developers are closer to the business challenges they’re addressing, enabling them to build solutions that are more aligned with immediate needs. By adopting low-code and no-code tools, companies can accelerate their development cycles, reduce time to market, and increase their overall agility in a competitive environment.

For enterprises looking to embrace the consumerization of IT, leveraging these tools is a key step toward empowering employees and boosting innovation while optimizing development resources.

Generative AI: Transforming Enterprise Innovation

Generative AI has quickly become a pivotal force in enterprise technology, and its influence is only growing. According to recent research by a16z, enterprises invested an average of $7 million in generative AI in 2023, with nearly all reporting promising outcomes. Many businesses plan to double or even quintuple their AI investments in the coming years.

One of the most valuable applications of AI for enterprises is its ability to make sense of vast amounts of unstructured or semi-structured data, such as emails, chats, videos, and web content. As highlighted by Lightspeed Ventures, large language models (LLMs) excel at processing this data, providing enterprises with powerful tools for information access and analysis.

Generative AI is enabling businesses to automate essential processes, enhance customer experiences, and boost revenue. As these technologies continue to advance, enterprises will have even greater opportunities to leverage AI-driven insights and create transformative applications that drive growth and efficiency.

For companies embracing the future of AI, the potential to reshape business processes and harness data-driven solutions is becoming a key competitive advantage.

Self-Service Support: Empowering Users and Enhancing Efficiency

Complementing the rise of product-led growth, self-service support enables users to resolve software issues independently, fostering a sense of empowerment and efficiency. This trend is a natural extension of consumer-grade UX, where professional users increasingly view themselves as power-users, preferring to solve problems themselves rather than immediately turning to IT support.

Research from Tidio highlights this shift, with over 67% of customers favoring self-service options over interacting with a customer service representative, and 73% preferring to use a company’s website for support rather than social media, SMS, or live chat apps.

For many enterprises, the idea of minimizing customer support interactions may seem counterintuitive. However, for many users, no matter how excellent the support, the best experience is not needing it at all. Self-service options, such as discussion forums, knowledge bases, and customer portals, allow users to troubleshoot and solve issues independently before seeking external help.

Enterprises that implement self-service support systems not only streamline operations but also increase customer satisfaction, making it a win-win for both the business and its users.

First-Party Data and Personalization: Enhancing Marketing Effectiveness

Enterprise marketers have long faced the challenge of balancing the need to collect data for personalized marketing with the complexity of managing an overwhelming number of tools. The pressure to gather data for better campaigns often led to tool sprawl, making it difficult to capture, organize, and utilize the wealth of data available.

To address this, many enterprises are now shifting their focus toward first-party data collection. By building transparent data-gathering processes, secure storage systems, and clear communication with customers about the benefits of personalized features, companies can more effectively leverage data for marketing. This approach not only enhances personalization but also builds trust, demonstrating to customers how the use of their data leads to a more tailored and valuable experience.

Prioritizing first-party data allows enterprises to streamline their marketing efforts while providing better customer experiences, ultimately creating a more impactful and efficient marketing strategy.

Key takeaways

In the context of consumerization, enterprise technology providers must prioritize consumer-grade user experience to meet evolving expectations and enhance productivity. Embracing product-led growth strategies, such as offering free trials, can drive end-user adoption and align with the consumerization trend. Empowering users with customizable tools and low-code/no-code platforms will facilitate faster innovation in response to consumerization demands. Integrating generative AI can automate processes and improve customer experiences, while investing in self-service support allows users to resolve issues independently. Finally, focusing on secure first-party data collection will enhance personalized marketing efforts, ensuring better engagement and satisfaction in a consumerized marketplace.

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