E-Commerce

Summary

Morten Schulz, Head of Ecommerce at Davidsen, discusses the company's approach to e-commerce, blending both B2B and B2C strategies. He emphasizes the dual purpose of Davidsen's online platform: providing detailed product information for customers and serving as a service hub for professional clients, especially in relation to climate data and CO2 emissions. Schulz also highlights challenges in omnichannel retail, the importance of customer feedback, and the evolving landscape of e-commerce technologies, including AI regulations. Davidsen continues to adapt, aiming to provide better service both online and in-store, with a focus on accessibility and user experience.

Takeaways

• 😀 Morten Schulz is the head of eCommerce at Davidsen, with a background in marketing and experience in advertising agencies.
• 😀 eCommerce at Davidsen serves as both a sales platform for customers researching projects and as a service platform for professional clients.
• 😀 The primary goal is to drive customers to physical stores for personalized advice and guidance, especially for larger projects.
• 😀 Professional customers have specific needs, including access to climate-related data for their construction projects, which Davidsen is working to provide.
• 😀 Davidsen's eCommerce platform separates professional and private customers, offering tailored experiences based on their needs and previous transactions.
• 😀 Professional customers receive special discounts based on negotiated agreements or volume purchases, whereas private customers do not receive immediate discounts.
• 😀 The company is working to improve its omnichannel experience, blending online and physical store offerings, including tools like 'Order from Store' to activate eCommerce as a sales channel in physical stores.
• 😀 Social media plays a dual role for Davidsen, with a corporate page for general updates and local pages for more targeted messages relevant to individual locations.
• 😀 Davidsen focuses primarily on Facebook and Instagram for organic social media marketing, as customer surveys show these platforms are most popular among their target audience.
• 😀 Feedback from both professional and private customers is collected through surveys and customer service interactions, helping the company improve and address pain points in their services.
• 😀 The eCommerce industry is rapidly evolving, with trends like AI and big data becoming increasingly important. Davidsen is focusing on complying with upcoming EU regulations like the AI Act and European Accessibility Act to ensure a secure and accessible shopping experience for all users.

Q & A

What is Morten Schulz's role at Davidsen?

Morten Schulz is the Head of E-commerce at Davidsen, where he has worked for the past three and a half years.

What is the main purpose of e-commerce at Davidsen?

The main purpose of e-commerce at Davidsen is to serve as a sales platform and provide valuable research information to customers, such as product prices, assembly instructions, and other data, to guide them before they visit the physical stores.

How does e-commerce contribute to Davidsen's professional customer base?

For Davidsen's professional customers, e-commerce serves as a service platform, offering essential documentation and data, particularly related to climate-related requirements, such as CO2 emissions data for the products they use.

How do professional customers engage with Davidsen's e-commerce platform?

Professional customers mainly use Davidsen's e-commerce platform for administrative purposes, such as checking invoices and delivery slips, and often prefer to visit the store in person to make purchases.

What distinguishes Davidsen's professional customers from private customers on the e-commerce platform?

Davidsen differentiates professional customers from private customers by providing them with special pricing and personalized offers based on their purchase volume or group affiliations. Professional customers also see tailored content when they log in, such as recent orders and offers for professionals.

What is the concept of omnichannel at Davidsen?

Omnichannel at Davidsen refers to integrating online and offline sales channels. This includes enabling store employees to use the e-commerce platform to sell products that are not physically available in the store but can be ordered online and delivered directly to the customer.

What tool did Davidsen develop for in-store employees to enhance the omnichannel experience?

Davidsen developed a tool called 'Order from Store,' which allows in-store employees to sell products through the e-commerce platform even if those products are not physically available in the store, offering direct delivery to the customer.

How does Davidsen use social media for marketing and customer engagement?

Davidsen uses social media both organically and through paid promotions. Their main channels are Facebook and Instagram, where they communicate news, offers, and stories about the company, including local branches and customer engagement.

How does Davidsen gather customer feedback and improve its services?

Davidsen gathers customer feedback through regular surveys, both for their professional customers and the general public, to evaluate their satisfaction and identify areas for improvement. They also gather feedback through their customer service department and focus groups.

What are some of the upcoming regulatory challenges Davidsen needs to address in e-commerce?

Davidsen needs to address upcoming regulations, such as the EU AI Act, which will regulate the use of AI in profiling customers, and the European Accessibility Act, which will ensure that e-commerce platforms meet accessibility standards for all customers, including those with disabilities.