E-Commerce Integration For Stores

𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗮 𝗰𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄, 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗜 𝗱𝗶𝗱𝗻'𝘁 𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁! So, this is what happened. For the first time, I ordered shoes online. Now, when it comes to shoes, I prefer a store for the look and fit factor. But this time I broke the trend! Let's be honest - their product video was pretty persuasive. 😜 So I ordered this pair of loafers from Yoho lifestyle, a young D2C brand. I ordered a 9, but that turned out to be too big for me. I placed an email request for an exchange. Got a reply on the same day to share a couple of pictures. After I did that, a return was booked. Within 2-3 days, the shoes were picked, and a pair of size 8 shoes were dropped at my place. Now, this again did not fit well for me. So, once again I sent out an email with a couple of pictures. The reply came within a few hours that a pickup had been booked. Again, within 2 days, the shoes were picked up. They informed me that they didn't have a size between 8 and 9, and hence a refund is being issued. Within a few hours, the complete refund hit my account. End of story? Not really! Because I will definitely check out their other products and if I get the same service, maybe even recommend the brand because I have the trust that if there is a concern, there are a group of people who are prompt, responsive and efficient in managing it. One of their products may not have been right for me, but they have got a crucial customer touchpoint covered and that makes me trust them. That's the thing with 𝗥𝗲𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗳𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘀. It is a very underrated element of the customer journey map, but it can make or break your customer relationship. Here is an easy framework (I call it A.S.R!) to optimize it: - - 𝗔𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗲: Be proactive about predicting possible concerns that may prompt customers to seek an exchange or refund. You may not get it 100% right but get started and keep updating it. - 𝗦𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺𝗶𝘇𝗲: Put in place clear systems and processes for returns and refunds. Empathy, Transparency, and Simplicity should be the three main areas of focus while designing the system. - 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗼𝗻𝗱: Be prompt with a response, esp when it is regarding a return or a refund. Your customers are mostly in a triggered or at least unhappy mood when booking a return/ refund. Every minute delayed leads to stress and possible escalation. A well-crafted Return & Refund strategy can not only salvage your customer relationship but also elevate your brand. If you found this useful, consider re-posting, and help a fellow business owner nail their return strategy! 🧡 #customercentricity #customerexperience #customerservice #customerjourney #vinaypushpakaran

Getting online returns back into the supply chain as quickly and efficiently as possible is a critical component to profitability and healthy working capital for retailers. In any given week, millions of unwanted online orders are sitting in car boots, hallways and gym bags, slowly winging their way back to retailers across the country, and every additional day is silently eroding profits. Indeed, £9.8bn worth of returns take over 10 days to be returned, in some cases missing peak resale windows, forcing markdowns, and adding to waste.   To put another way: 📉 15.5% of online consumers take more than 10 days to return items. 💸 That represents over a third (35.5%) of all returns, which are at risk of losing value.   Speed matters. The longer it takes, the less it’s worth. These delays pose significant risks for retailers, especially in fast-paced sectors like fashion, where item values decline if products miss peak sales periods during the returns process. Generational differences also affect return timings. Gen Z and Millennials take an average of seven days to return items, while Baby Boomers average within four days. Nearly half of Gen Z and Millennials place a high value on longer returns windows when selecting return methods for online orders. How can retailers fix this? ➡️ Optimise returns policies to encourage faster returns, addressing pain points for shoppers through streamlined processes. ➡️ Use AI to predict and manage return cycles. ➡️ Offer incentives for early returns to maximise resale value. With margins under so much pressure, addressing slow returns is not merely an operational challenge but a critical driver of financial performance and strategic agility. Products that miss peak resale windows experience accelerated markdowns, eroding margins and increasing inventory holding costs. More importantly, slow return cycles tie up working capital, limiting the ability to invest in growth. Leading retailers are reframing returns management as a strategic function. This transition not only minimises costs but also enhances customer experience by providing faster refunds and improved inventory availability. For those that get this right, it can become a competitive advantage. Those that fail to act risk falling behind in an increasingly dynamic and margin-sensitive market.   Download the Annual Returns Benchmark Report, conducted by Retail Economics in partnership with ZigZag Global, for full insights and strategies to reduce returns losses. >>📥 Click here to access free: https://lnkd.in/esPSSz9K   #Retail #Ecommerce #Returns #RetailTrends #CustomerExperience #ReverseLogistics #Sustainability #RetailEconomics

When video RPMs fall by more than half, publishers can't afford to stick to passive formats. Video monetisation is no exception to the accelerating pace of change in digital publishing. According to Google AdSense Publishers' report, publishers have experienced significant declines in their earnings and RPMs (revenue per thousand impressions) since late February 2024, with some claiming drops of up to 70% or more. This signals a critical shift for publishers relying on traditional placements. Passive video strategies can no longer sustain healthy revenue streams. But amid these challenges, three innovative content formats are not only holding their ground; they’re thriving. 1. Interactive Explainers: Say goodbye to linear storytelling. Interactive explainers are redefining how audiences engage with video content. These dynamic experiences allow viewers to click, pause, explore, and dive deeper into topics at their own pace. The result? Higher engagement, extended watch times, and improved retention, all of which translate into more substantial monetisation potential. When users feel in control of their journey, they're more likely to stay engaged and convert. 2. Shoppable Tutorials: The era of passive product placement is over. Shoppable tutorials offer a seamless blend of education and commerce by embedding real-time shopping capabilities directly within the video experience. Whether it’s a beauty tutorial featuring clickable products or a DIY guide with integrated tools, this format creates a direct path from interest to purchase. For publishers already invested in e-commerce or brand partnerships, this is a powerful way to turn viewer attention into actual revenue. 3. Annotated Archives: Don’t let your old content go to waste. By repurposing existing video libraries with expert annotations, timely updates, and targeted calls to action, publishers can see a remarkable increase in conversions compared to unedited replays. This low-effort, high-impact strategy allows you to breathe new life into evergreen content, without starting from scratch. Monetisation isn’t about views, it’s engineering value into seconds. Here are the key takeaways: ✅ Standard video formats are losing their monetisation power. ✅ Engagement-driven features, such as interactivity, utility, and relevance, are now key differentiators. ✅ Smart repurposing of existing content can be just as impactful as creating something entirely new. Now is the time to start experimenting. Identify where your audience already shows intent, then build immersive, value-driven content flows around those moments. Monetisation is no longer about where you place ads, but about how much value you deliver within the video itself. Which format will you prioritise next? A) Interactive Explainers B) Shoppable Tutorials C) Annotated Archives Let me know in the comments below! #VideoStrategy #ContentMonetisation #PublisherRevenue #DigitalPublishing #AudienceEngagement

How much time ⏳ do some Vendors steal from the channel? Today, efficiency is key, yet vendors requiring distributors and partners to use separate portals for quoting or ordering create a massive time and resource drain. Breaking this down: - Let’s say completing a quote takes 20 minutes on a vendor's portal (I know some are way worse) - Additional 30 minutes for duplicating this task internally - And add 20 minutes for revisions due to competitive pressures. This totals to a hefty 70 minutes per quote (and I haven’t included any other vendor's products that maybe needed on that quote!) Imagine a user processing just 10 quotes daily. This scenario translates to 700 minutes, or roughly 12 hours – far beyond a regular workday, dedicated solely to manual and repetitive data entry – for just 10 quotes 😱 So to be clear that is just a single user in a single day... Multiply that by all the channel partner users are across the globe are quoting in your products... (there is no Emoji scary enough to illustrate this statement) This process is not just time-consuming but prone to errors, leading to further inefficiencies. For international partners it, this inefficiency is magnified. They must constantly adjust quotes to account for fluctuating foreign exchange rates, adding another layer of complexity and time consumption. Such continuous recalculations exacerbate the already burdensome process, increasing the likelihood of errors and missed opportunities. Enter the solution: API integration (I know it's not even new tech 🙄😃!). By connecting systems, the need for redundant data entry is eradicated. Data seamlessly flowing between systems saves time, reduces errors, and adapts in real-time to market changes, including currency fluctuations. A quote entered once is automatically updated across platforms, cutting the time per quote from 70 to merely 20 minutes. This isn't just about time management; it's about strategic resource allocation. Time saved can be redirected to fostering customer relationships, strategic planning, and driving sales. In an era where time is money, API integration isn't a luxury; it's a necessity for competitive survival. Businesses can no longer afford the luxury of isolated systems; the future lies in interconnected, efficient ecosystems that optimize operations and enhance productivity. [PS Apologies for not adding the Distributor quote time cost in this calculation as well but I didn’t want to completely freak you out 😉] #revops #API #channelstrategy iasset.com 💬 comment 👍🏼 Like  📢 share  🔔 ring the bell

As a Business Analyst, hearing “API” in a project used to feel like walking into a technical jungle. But here's the truth: you don’t need to be a coder to understand APIs – you need to be curious and structured. Here’s how I practically approach API documentation as a BA, and how you can too: 𝟏. 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 – 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐖𝐡𝐲 Most APIs begin with a summary: What the API does, which systems it connects, and what kind of data it deals with. Example: "This API allows you to retrieve order history from the eCommerce system." That’s your business value right there! 𝟐. 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 – 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐜𝐜𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬 Look for how this API is accessed. Is it using an API key, OAuth token, or something else? BA Tip: Note this during requirements gathering for security, integration, and UAT planning. Example: "Order History API requires a bearer token – means only logged-in users can fetch order history." 𝟑. 𝐔𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐬 – 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐬 Endpoints are URLs where you can send or receive data. Focus on: GET (retrieve data) POST (send data) PUT/PATCH (update) DELETE (remove) Example: GET /users/{id}/orders → retrieves orders for a user POST /orders → places a new order 𝟒. ��𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚𝐭 𝐑𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐏𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 – 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐍𝐞𝐞𝐝𝐞𝐝 What inputs does the API expect? Path parameters, query params, headers, or body? BA Tip: This helps in writing clear API requirement specifications. Example: GET /orders?status=delivered&fromDate=2024-01-01 → You now know the API can filter orders! 𝟓. 𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐑𝐞𝐬𝐩𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐚 – 𝐒𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐁𝐮𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐚 𝐋𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐮𝐚𝐠𝐞 Check what data is returned: fields, types, and formats. Example: { "orderId": 12345, "status": "delivered", "items": [ {...} ], "totalAmount": 150.75 } Now you can write user stories like: “As a user, I want to view my past order details including order status and total amount.” 𝟔. 𝐓𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐈𝐭 𝐔𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐒𝐰𝐚𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐫 𝐏𝐨𝐬𝐭𝐦𝐚𝐧 – 𝐃𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐁𝐞 𝐀𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐢𝐝! Tools like Swagger UI or Postman let you try it hands-on—no code needed. BA Tip: Use it during demos or to validate integration requirements. You’ll impress both devs and stakeholders. Bonus: Document What Matters to Business When you read API docs, your job is NOT to rewrite it—but to translate the technical details into business needs, integration flows, and clear user stories. 💁♂️Final Thought: API documentation isn’t a tech maze – it’s a blueprint that helps us connect systems, data, and users. The more comfortable you get with it, the better you bridge the gap between business and tech. If you’re a BA trying to learn APIs – start small, be consistent, and stay curious! BA Helpline

Everyone's talking about the future of AI in shipping, but while many are still drafting roadmaps and white papers, the Netherlands—a nation with salt water in its veins and centuries of maritime mastery—is already charting a bold course forward. From this seafaring powerhouse comes an incredible application of AI and robotics at sea developed by Automooring Solutions - AMS. Let's share this fascinating story with you. AIVision—the heart of the innovation AIVision combines machine learning with advanced image recognition to deliver ultra-precise mooring intelligence at sea. It sees what the human eye might miss: motion, distance, alignment and potential hazards. It scans, detects, calculates and then acts. With lightning-fast analysis and surgical precision, it becomes the eyes and instincts of two automated mooring systems. 1) Ship-to-Ship—the intelligent link between ships The STS fully automated mooring solution replaces the old, dangerous lines, fenders and winches with a symphony of cutting-edge technologies. At its heart, the STS uses robotic arms with powerful vacuum mooring pads that grip the hull like the steady hand of a giant—quickly, firmly and without a scratch. The ship's movements—heave, pitch, roll, and so on—are tracked and compensated for. Imagine two ships dancing a tango in rhythm on the deep ocean. And an extra: AI-guided bunker transfers! 2) Remote Payload Robot—The steel cowboy of mooring and bunkering This robotic arm can extend 15m outwards and 8m upwards. Without a crew on deck, it can perform the toughest marine tasks, such as handling mooring lines, high-voltage charge cables and bunkering hoses. It turns high-risk manual operations into push-button processes, paving the way for unmanned deck operations and autonomous vessels. Was it snowing, raining or foggy? Child's play for the RPR. Many advantages: The two systems redefine what it means to be safe on deck. By eliminating manual rope handling, the risk to human life is reduced to virtually zero. Gone forever are the ominous and deadly words of snap-back zones! The mooring process is faster, quieter and completely under control as the system adapts to the vessel's movement using motion compensation and real-time position referencing. No more human error, even in the most hazardous bunkering. Sustainability and efficiency take a leap forward. Ships dock in less than 5 minutes and undock in less than 30 seconds. Fewer engines and tugs mean less fuel consumption and lower emissions. Saving time means saving money. AMS is a Dutch pioneer in maritime technology, developing advanced robotic systems to automate mooring, bunkering and deck operations. With an in-house R&D team of engineers, AMS fuses AI-powered vision and modular robotics to accelerate the industry's transition to autonomous vessels and alternative fuels such as ammonia, LNG, hydrogen and biofuels. Disclosure: Pablo Rodas-Martini is a Contributor to Automooring Solutions - AMS. #maritime

Type of ASN ( Advanced Shipment Notices) in #EDI .  1. Pick and Pack ASN Structure: Shipment → Order → Pack → Item Used when each order is picked, packed into cartons/pallets, and shipped together. Common in retail and automotive industries. Includes detailed packing hierarchy (cartons, pallets, items).  2. Standard (Shipment-Level) ASN Structure: Shipment → Order → Item Simplest ASN format—no detailed packaging information. Used when packing details are not required. Only item-level information is shared.  3. Pack-Level ASN Structure: Shipment → Pack → Item Focuses on carton/pallet-level packing without order breakdown. Used in scenarios where shipment contains multiple cartons/pallets but order-level details are not critical.  4. Mixed ASN Structure: Shipment → Mixed Packs → Items from Multiple Orders Used when cartons/pallets contain items from multiple purchase orders. Common in consolidation shipments.  5. Pallet ASN Structure: Shipment → Pallet → Item Used for palletized shipments. Often uses License Plate Numbers (LPN/SSCC) for tracking pallets.  6. Drop Ship ASN Structure: Shipment → Customer Direct Delivery → Item Used when the supplier ships directly to the customer on behalf of a retailer or distributor.  7. Cross-Docking ASN Structure: Shipment → Cross-Dock Location → Item Used in cross-docking operations where goods are not stored but transferred immediately.  8. Consolidated ASN Combines multiple shipments into a single ASN for easier processing. Often used in 3PL or hub-and-spoke logistics. For more refer . https://lnkd.in/gee2W8hu #API #Integration

What if every step of your Shopify order — even the service itself — was powered by AI? That’s exactly what we built for a client. Their challenge: 👉 They sold a service through Shopify, not only the delivery was manual, inconsistent, and hard to scale, but also the service itself was manual. Our solution: ✅ Orders automatically flow from Shopify into an AI workflow ✅ AI handles onboarding, client intake, and scheduling ✅ The service itself is delivered by AI — no human bottlenecks ✅ Clients instantly receive tailored results, confirmations, and follow-ups 📉 Cost to build? Under $20K. 📈 Impact? They scaled from fulfilling 100 orders a day to 775 orders a day (and it’s still not the full capacity). The client’s words: “We didn’t just automate fulfillment — we unlocked an AI-powered service engine.” ⸻ 💡 Takeaway: If you think AI is only for backend efficiency, think bigger. AI can replicate your services, sell, fulfill, and deliver your service end-to-end. #AI #Automation #Shopify #ScaleWithAI #DigitalTransformation

I've been emphasising on long-form content, and the single most important metric for success is "watch time." While short-form content has its place, YouTube's watch-time-driven algorithm presents the best opportunity for meaningful product integration and sustained brand visibility. My analysis of successful campaigns has shown that viewers are most engaged during specific windows of video content, and strategic product placement within these windows significantly impacts both brand recall and conversion rates. The data consistently demonstrates that the traditional approach of relegating sponsorships to the beginning or end of videos limits exposure and effectiveness. From my experience testing various placement timings, I've found the best approach for maximising exposure and retention is typically integrating the product within the first 40 seconds, with a secondary reinforcement at the 5-7 minute mark to maintain engagement and recall. This timing strategy helps ensure your brand message reaches the widest audience before potential drop-offs occur. Core Strategy Platform-Specific Approach YouTube Long-Form Focus: Prioritize 8-15 minute videos, as watch time is the key driver of algorithm performance. Strategic Short-Form: Use YouTube Shorts to tease or reinforce long-form content, serving as awareness drivers that maximize cross-channel engagement. Integration Timeline Early Mention (0-40 seconds): Introduce or tease the product naturally to ensure high visibility. Primary Integration (1:30-2:30): Provide a full product introduction, aligning it with the main content. Reinforcement (5:00-7:00): Include a secondary demonstration or mention to strengthen recall. Call-to-Action (Final 30 seconds): Deliver a clear CTA with an exclusive offer or unique code. Audience Retention Optimization Seamless Integration: Ensure the product naturally fits the creator’s style and content format. Content-Product Alignment: Align product features with the video’s theme for smooth, organic transitions. Performance Tracking: Use unique affiliate codes and tracked links to measure each creator’s impact. Why This Model Works? * Algorithm Alignment: YouTube prioritizes videos with higher watch times, increasing their chances of being recommended. Placing product mentions at key engagement points maximizes visibility. * Better ROI Tracking: Tracked links and codes provide precise attribution, making it easier to measure creator impact, optimize spending, and identify the most effective content formats. * Scalability: Continuous analysis of watch time and conversions enables a data-driven approach—scaling high-performing influencers while phasing out lower-performing ones for maximum efficiency. This approach not only aligns with YouTube's algorithm but also builds a scalable, high-impact strategy that maximises brand awareness, sustains audience engagement, and delivers measurable business results. Would love to know what strategies have worked for you!

"Why should I use App Builder and API Mesh going forward with Adobe Commerce implementation?" This question is what a couple of people from our Adobe Commerce Community asked me via DM and WhatsApp. I have been discussing this since the launch of App Builder and API Mesh, emphasizing the need to ensure that all customizations and integrations are moved there to create a future-proof eCommerce solution. Our customers who are starting to use it are already seeing an uplift in performance and a decrease in maintenance. Through this post, I aim to provide clear bullet points and reasoning as to why this should be the sole approach going forward for all #AdobeCommerce Cloud PaaS or SaaS implementations. 1. Decoupling and Maintainability - App Builder lets you move custom logic, connectors, and integrations outside your core Commerce codebase. This dramatically reduces technical debt, simplifies upgrades, and lowers cost of ownership because you don't need to re-test and refactor PHP custom modules during every release/patch cycle. - API Mesh orchestrates multiple backend APIs (Adobe, 3rd party, or internal), consolidates them into a single unified GraphQL endpoint, and handles transformations, authentication, and business logic at the edge—outside Commerce core. “The more we can decouple our in-process functionalities and put them in a third-party service like App Builder, means that your core code base is less complex, which then means in future upgrades, you have less to QA, less to dev, and less to test. Over time…your future upgrades should just get easier and easier.” https://lnkd.in/gTv-7KkC 2. Unified API Layer, Security, and Flexibility - API Mesh lets frontend devs consume all backend systems from one place (single GraphQL endpoint), reducing integration complexity and frontend maintenance. - Enhanced security: API Mesh manages secrets and logs all transactions centrally. - API Mesh can add edge caching, schema stitching, and transformations, so if a backend API changes, you can adapt it at the mesh/gateway rather than updating all consuming frontends. - Supports REST, GraphQL, SOAP, and external APIs—no need for each backend to match Commerce’s protocol. 3. Performance, Scalability, and Composability - Serverless microservices (App Builder) scale automatically, run event-driven integrations, and leverage global infrastructure. - API Mesh now runs at the Edge (200+ global regions), minimizing latency for any channel and providing robust, #composablecommerce architectures. 4. Future-proof Strategy - #Adobe is investing in extensibility tooling, event frameworks, and integration starter kits—all built on App Builder and API Mesh foundation. 5. Lower Cost, Faster Time-to-Market - App Builder and API Mesh replace the need for costly third-party middleware or custom API gateways. Are you using #AppBuilder and #APIMesh?