The evolution and current state of digital commerce, the challenges posed by multi-devices and the generation of user-centric strategies to optimize the value chain, were the pillars on which the seventh edition of e-Commerce Day was based, an event organized by the Chamber of the Digital Economy of Uruguay (CEDU) and the E-Commerce Institute of Latin America to bring together industry leaders.
The president of CEDU, Guillermo Varela, opened the cycle of conferences and plenaries with a reflection on the sector. "Any industry that is built needs workers, people working and requires a critical mass, decision makers and ambassadors who incorporate the digital economy in all processes," he said.
Meanwhile, Marcos Pueyrredón, president of the E-Commerce Institute, said that in the next five years there will be disruptive changes in all value chains. "To face them we must professionalize e-commerce and solve the complex in a simple way," he said.
E-Commerce in Uruguay represents 3.3% of total commerce and it is estimated that in Latin America and the United States it will grow at rates close to 20% in 2019.
"We have incorporated the digital world to all the actions of our lives and that has transformed the way we buy and will continue to do so," said Karen Bruck, Director Sales Corp Mercado Libre, referring to the evolution and the current situation of local and regional digital commerce.
The expert indicated that the most purchased product categories in Latin America through e-commerce continue to be commodities and highlighted the need to work on the operational ease throughout the process and interpret the information and data arising from visits, shopping experiences, market analysis and testing.
The Country Manager of Mercado Libre, Rafael Hermida, said that today's users are ultra-connected. "They use many screens and are always active and accessible. This creates new opportunities to sell," he emphasized.
Based on the experience of the company where he works, Maxi Romero, e-Commerce Manager at Arredo, provided the firm's keys to optimize customer acquisition. "It is important to identify where the interest of each user is to implement personalized pages based on their behavior and preferences," he explained.
On the other hand, Leonardo Álvarez, CEO of Fenicio e-Commerce and Secretary General of CEDU, referred to the classic online shopping discount day CIBERLUNES, defining it as a massive online sales event that is growing by leaps and bounds. "It has helped to professionalize the management of many companies. It is necessary to carry out joint actions to continue developing the online business ecosystem," he emphasized.
Sebastian Salveraglio, general manager of UES, pointed out that 20% of CIBERLUNES shoppers do not usually use online commerce, while Diego Hackard, CEO of TocTocViajes.com argued that the discount day will be as successful as the weakest link in the business model. "You have to prepare in advance to meet the high demand," he advised.
Nicolás Fernández, CEO of Supercomercio, emphasized the loading speed of sites as a determining factor to retain users. "47% of Uruguayans who browse online expect a website to load in less than three seconds and 40% of customers who wait more than seven seconds for a page to load abandon the purchase process," he illustrated.
María Rosario Espinoza, head of E-business & Digital at LATAM Airlines, said that the great differential of companies lies in the thorough market analysis and hyper-segmentation and micro-segmentation, a point on which Juan Pablo Goicoechea, manager of BI Analytics & Digital Strategy at Think Thanks, agreed.
Leonardo Silveira, CEO of woOw!, emphasized the role of e-Commerce in the democratization of information and the equalization of market prices. "At the end of the day, the differential value is in the experience," he concluded.
Meanwhile, Andrés Gil, director e-Commerce 5M Travel Group, highlighted the convergence of the various channels and the importance of enhancing strategic alliances. "We must use all possible technology but with human support," he summarized.
At the event there was also a space to present on the collaborative economy, new business models and their impact on the value chain to the final consumer. In this context, Yoel Kwacz, Chiel Logistics Officer of PedidosYa; Agustín Sartorio, Country Manager of Rappi Uruguay; and Alejandro Umerez, Business Development Manager of Uber Uruguay, agreed that the penetration of the Internet and smartphones contribute to make Uruguay an attractive market for this type of companies.
The meeting also included a series of workshops aimed at boosting online sales, creating multichannel communications, attracting new customers, unifying the customer journey and implementing digital means of payment.
También se entregó el premio eCommerce Startup Competition «Álvaro Lamé» a GoyPick, un servicio de tiendas robotizadas enfocado en resolver la entrega de las ventas digitales.
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