How can online store automation pave the way to success?

Your life can change in one click. What step will you take into the world of online store automation? Every tool is an opportunity to make your profits more predictable and your work easier. On this exciting journey, we will open the doors to the most powerful tools that will turn your business into a real success machine. Are you ready? Let's dive into a world where technology and innovation open up new horizons for your online business.

Glossary

• 🌐 CRM (Customer Relationship Management) - a customer relationship management system that helps organize and automate customer interaction and sales management.

• 📊 Goods accounting - program for inventory accounting , allowing you to monitor the receipt, movement and balance of goods in the warehouse.

• ☁️ Cloud accounting - electronic services that allow conduct accounting via the Internet without the need to install software on your computer.

• 📞 Call tracking - a system for tracking calls, allowing you to analyze the effectiveness of advertising and improve the quality of customer service.

• 📈 End-to-end analytics - a system that combines data from different sources to analyze marketing effectiveness at all stages of the sales funnel.

• 🤖 Chatbots - automated programs, who interact with site visitors, answering questions and assisting in the purchasing process.

• 🚀 Automatic sales funnel - a set of automated processes, aimed at attracting and converting clients into buyers.

• ✉️ Email newsletters - automated messages sent by email to inform customers about new products, promotions and discounts.

What it looks like without a CRM system

When I first started working with online stores, the implementation of automation systems remained beyond my attention for a long time. I remember how managing the client base and supervising the staff was a real challenge. The managers I worked with maintained databases in notepads and Excel spreadsheets. There were numerous sticky notes on the tables with phone numbers, order payment dates, and even random notes about customer preferences. 🤦♂️

At first this seemed quite acceptable, because we were coping with a small volume orders. But I began to notice that when the number of clients reached a critical mass, the system began to fail. I remember how one day we forgot to call an important client back, as a result of which he went to our competitors.

Here are a few problems that I have learned to recognize through my experience:

• 📉 Forgotten calls and order notifications.
• ❗ Confused deadlines and even incorrect deliveries.
• 🔄 Hours of delays due to managers not having time to process all the data.

As the number of customers grew, employees physically did not have time to record all the data, and this resulted in the loss of potential customers. Once we lost a whole batch of orders simply because we were unable to process all the applications received. The situation became critical, and I realized that this could not continue. 🚫

There weren't enough cards for each client that tracked the entire history of interactions, and we were faced with real chaos.

However, this experience was an important lesson for me. I realized that without the right tools, it is impossible to run a business reliably and meet all deadlines. I recommend that you pay close attention to customer management and do not ignore automation opportunities, otherwise you risk losing customers and profits.

What it looks like with a CRM system

With the transition to automation through the implementation of a CRM system, I noticed that the work of staff has changed for the better. Systems such as ELBUZ, SalesDrive and Uspacy began to manage customer databases: they reminded our sales managers about upcoming calls and orders, and also automatically ran loyalty and mailing programs. 📲

One of the first projects in which I applied this technology was the Internet -a clothing store. I can say with confidence that thanks to CRM we were able to significantly increase the volume of clients served without increasing the team. Each manager began to receive automatic notifications about important tasks, which made it possible to minimize the number of errors.

Here are some pros that I would like to mention:

• 🎯 Automatic reminder order fulfillment times
• 🎉 Support for loyalty programs, which increased repeat orders
• 📧 Automatic birthday greetings to customers, which increased our reputation

"Having a CRM system allows you not only to serve customers, but also to establish strong relationships with them." - Jonas Fells, eBay expert.

I am truly encouraged by how tools such as ELBUZ, SalesDrive and Uspacy can improve team productivity. The use of automation makes it possible to focus on important things and provide clients with a higher level of service. I strongly recommend that all online store owners consider implementing such systems.

In conclusion, I want to emphasize that the implementation of a CRM system is a powerful step towards successful management of an online store. I strongly advise you to study this issue in more detail and not miss the opportunities that modern technology provides.

Automation of goods accounting: What it looks like without goods accounting

I remember at the beginning of my career as an online store owner I was having a hard time due to the lack of a product inventory system. The best-selling item ran out during the height of the sales, and I lost a lot in sales. Imagine: customers come and grab the same product twice, and the staff is in a panic trying to remember what we have left in the warehouse. I remember that I came to the idea that something needed to change when, at one of these moments, employees began to take notes in notebooks and journals. It looked like chaos—essentially, they just couldn't control what was happening on the shelves.

Often employees went out to sell without knowing when and how many goods were needed. Disorder, confusion, dissatisfied clients - I have experienced it all myself. In fact, I was ready to quit this business! 😩 I began to study how other online store owners dealt with this problem, and came to the conclusion that I needed a system for automatically accounting for goods.

"You can't manage what you can't measure." – Peter Drucker.

I highly recommend to every online store owner pay attention to automation. Competition is growing every day, and more and more customers expect that they will be able to immediately see the availability of a product - otherwise they will simply “abandon their cart” and go to competitors. How to retain customers when goods are running out?

Table: Useful actions and errors

Automation of goods accounting: What it looks like with a goods accounting program

I remember the day when I finally implemented an automation system for accounting for goods in my online store. This was a real discovery! It's rare that I'm so pleased with the changes. Now, the systems automatically placed orders from suppliers, and there was always plenty of stock in the warehouse. I was surprised how much it improved the business.

Thanks to the built-in analytics, I was able to order more popular items and significantly reduce the volume of goods, which did not generate demand. First of all, integration with online cash registers simply saved my team. The sold goods were immediately written off from the warehouse balances, and we no longer needed to manually recalculate, which also relieved additional burden on the staff.

Some popular goods accounting services, such as ELBUZ, Ordage , DNTrade and Torg Soft , became my best friends. 🌟 I started using their capabilities more actively and quickly learned that working with them would make my inventory management tasks much easier.

I would advise you to pay attention to ELBUZ,. This is a system that optimizes all processes: from goods accounting to order automation. If you need to quickly respond to changing customer requests, this is exactly what you need.

"The quality of management is your most important resource in business." – Steve Jobs.

Table: Automation Best Practices

With my online store now truly under control, I highly encourage you to consider automation to make your business more efficient.

💻 What it looks like without electronic accounting

Recently I had the opportunity to analyze how accounting is done in online stores that do not use electronic accounting systems. Most likely, you are also familiar with this situation. Many online store owners resort to outsourcing the services of accountants, sometimes collaborating with small agencies or even turning to friends for help in completing paperwork.

A huge part of such businesses have problems with the tax authorities. I watched as an entrepreneur I know spent several weeks trying to fix his returned tax returns. 📄 Incorrectly completed documents ultimately led to additional charges and fines. I think it's funny when we talk about wasting time and money due to lack of proper control.

Let me give you one specific example: I worked with a store that, at first glance, had the idea of doing your own accounting. However, when the time came to submit the reports, they were faced with repeated refusals from the inspector, which aggravated the financial situation. As a result of this approach to the issue, the business not only lost money due to fines, but also wasted nerves. I can say this with confidence: by switching to an electronic accounting system, they would reduce their costs and increase the transparency of their operations.

So, I'll sum it up a little:

📊 What it looks like with electronic accounting

Perhaps you have already felt the difference, but let me share my experience. I connected electronic accounting for my online store, and it was one of the best decisions. At a simple level, the system can generate financial statements based on primary documents, which greatly simplifies our work.

Imagine, by connecting to the service, you can forget about filling out declarations and submitting reports. The entire process was automated, and the program itself extracted data from current account transactions. 📈 At the end of each period, I simply received a notification that returns had been filed and taxes had been paid. Convenient, isn't it?

I wouldn't mindlessly recommend any system. I leave this up to your discretion, but examples like Dilovod or Smartfin.ua are really worthwhile. Receiving automatic updates about tariffs and changes in legislation gave me confidence that everything was done correctly.

I am sure that using such platforms gives you the opportunity to focus on what is most important - your business, and not on routine paperwork.💡 Therefore, if you do not yet have an electronic accountant, consider connecting it.

In the end, the efficiency of your online store directly depends on proper financial accounting . Don't forget about the opportunity to improve your sales by introducing additional products, which will also help increase your profitability!

Call tracking

When I started my journey into the world online stores, one of the biggest challenges for me was understanding where my customers were coming from. I realized that simply recording sales was not enough; you need to know which advertising channels work and which don’t. This realization led me to explore call tracking, a powerful tool that has changed the way I approach advertising and analytics in my business.

When installing call tracking systems, I immediately noticed the main advantages. For example, the ability to see where phone calls are coming from allows you to not only track traffic, but also associate it with specific advertising campaigns. I used services such as Ringostat and Phonet, which gave me a deep understanding of the ROI of advertising. Now I could see which channels were the most effective and which were just draining my budget.

Using call tracking, I could determine which of my marketing efforts were performing better. For example, after one successful social media campaign, I saw that my phone received twice as many calls compared to contextual advertising. This was a real confirmation for me that I should strengthen my presence on social networks.

"Every call is a new opportunity. Call tracking shows how to turn them into sales." - Vitaly Kulik, ALLO company expert.

After implementing this system, I was able to set up an advertising budget more efficiently. Having abandoned contextual advertising, which did not bring results, I directed resources to more productive channels. This simple but important adjustment brought me a 30% increase in sales in just three months.

What it looks like without call tracking

Imagine the situation: a sales manager is sitting on the phone and taking calls, but he has there is no information about how the client learned about the company. The lack of data about which advertising channel is working makes decision making difficult. This is what happens when information is distorted:

• The manager is unable to clearly answer the client's question about where he got the phone number.
• Having to rely on random answers or intuition makes the process difficult.
• Budget direction can be wrong, and a profitable channel may go unnoticed.

I remember at the beginning of my career practitioners have encountered a similar situation. Every time a businessman asked where a client came from, I either had to guess or rely on the client’s memory. As a result, this led to me not having a clear vision of the effectiveness of advertising.

What it looks like with call tracking

Now imagine that you have implemented a call tracking system. Every time a call comes in, you automatically receive information about where the client came from and can draw appropriate conclusions. Here are some of the benefits I've noticed:

• Automated inbound call analytics allows you to track ad performance in real time.
• I could analyze which campaigns worked best and what to give more weight to.
• This allowed me to optimize my advertising strategies based on the results of each campaign.

Today systems such as Ringostat and Phonet , help in automating this process.

I would recommend that you pay attention to call tracking if you are looking to make your business more efficient. Without this tool, you may miss out on many opportunities to optimize costs and increase profits.

As I continued to explore the possibilities of call tracking, I noticed that clients were increasingly interested in my products and services. And I was sure that the adjusted marketing approach was the reason.

How what it looks like without end-to-end analytics

Working without end-to-end analytics can feel unmanageable: “Like I'm in a dark room trying to find a way out without knowing where the light is coming from.” I've experienced this more than once when trying to figure out which advertising channels actually work for my online store. Every time an application came in, I realized that I didn’t know where this client was coming from. Understanding this was a real art - I seriously felt like a telepath.

When we started advertising our online store, we had many channels: social networks, contextual advertising, email marketing... At the same time, new applications came in every week, and not one of them left me any clues about their source. I raised advertising budgets without understanding which campaigns were making a profit and which were just taking away money. Somewhere in the shadows, other channels were competing, and I couldn't figure out which ones were actually working.

Here's an example: I've often had to invest in different sources, including paid posts and affiliate programs, without having a clear picture of their performance. I took full responsibility for making decisions about budgets, and believe me, this was stressful and resource-intensive. I didn't know how much it cost us to acquire one client, and it was akin to playing by feel. Amazed by this, I abandoned my emotions and began to look for a solution...

What it looks like with end-to-end analytics systems

I remember the day when I finally implemented an end-to-end analytics system. My perception of how an online store works has changed dramatically. I saw the whole picture and, frankly, it was like discovering a new world. Instead of guessing where clients were coming from, I was able to quickly and efficiently gather all the information I needed. And it was just great!

The end-to-end analytics system collects data from various platforms and shows the results directly on the screen: where the client came from, how much it cost us, and a lot of other useful data, such as the cost of acquiring a client and return on investment. This opened up new horizons for me. I was able to identify weaknesses in advertising campaigns on the fly and optimize budgets as much as possible.

I would recommend paying attention to tools such as ELBUZ, Ringosat, Promodo and Perfectum. Each of them has its own advantages, and I was pleasantly surprised by the simplicity of the ELBUZ interface. I remember that on one of my projects, after spending 1,500 euros on advertising, I was able to notice that the Facebook audience brought the most clients, but Google Ads did not live up to expectations. Without analytics, I would simply increase the budget there, not knowing about the inefficiency.

End-to-end analytics is actually more than just a technology tool. This is your opportunity to turn your investments into results and make informed decisions. In my experience, choosing the right analytics tools can lead to some pretty impressive results for your online store!

What it looks like without a chatbot

When I was just starting to automate online stores, and I came across the usual picture. Imagine a situation: a client visits a website, selects a product and begins placing an order. At this moment, he has a question - maybe something is unclear about delivery or payment. He is waiting for a response from the manager, but... “Sorry, all chat operators are busy right now. The first available specialist will answer you.” Time drags on, and the client begins to lose patience. In such situations, many would likely choose a competitor who clearly answers the questions. I always thought: how many clients are lost due to insufficient communication? This is worth talking about in more detail.

One of my first projects was a small online pharmacy. While working, I noticed that the average wait time for a client response is about 15 minutes! This is the time when a potential buyer can easily switch to another seller. This situation was common. I studied the statistics and came to the conclusion that 70% of clients simply did not return to the site after such delays. The ability to communicate quickly is a key characteristic of a successful online store, and the lack of a chatbot makes this process much more difficult.

I am sure that the importance of prompt interaction with clients cannot be overestimated. As they say, time is money. The faster I could provide a solution to this type of situation, the more attractive the store would become.

What it looks like with a chatbot

Since the introduction of a chatbot into an online store, everything has changed. In seconds after the client contacts, the bot is able to give clear and quick answers, providing information that interests him. Once I implemented a chatbot in my pharmacy, the wait time dropped to almost zero. He responded instantly, processing questions about delivery, cost and availability of goods. And this worked not only for one client, but for several at once.

Imagine how many customers you could retain! I was truly amazed by the results. The day after activating the chatbot, I received a report that the number of completed orders had increased by 40%. Customers did not wait longer, so they were less likely to go to competitors. The chatbot could instantly process many requests, and only in extreme cases transfer them to a live specialist.

I highly recommend considering platforms such as ELBUZ, Netpeak, BotsBand and SendPulse - they are easy to use and offer many features to automate communication. Make sure your chatbot is able to integrate with instant messengers and social networks, which expands the possibilities of interaction with customers.

Chatbots have become an integral part of my automation strategy. I am confident that the implementation of this technology will significantly improve the level of service for your online store.

Automation: what it looks like without an auto funnel

When When I first started working with an online store, I encountered a situation where users simply left the site. I remember one customer who came in looking for a new smartphone and soon closed the tab without making a purchase. At that time, our store did not have an auto funnel, and this played a cruel joke on conversion. The user was left to his own devices - he could throw the cart and leave without much effort. It was overwhelming, especially when I realized how many potential clients were slipping through the cracks simply because of a lack of control and engagement.

So, at the moment when I was analyzing this problem, it came to mind several factors that could deter the user. Maybe it’s worth increasing the staff of managers to actively work with clients? I just couldn't believe how perfect this was. It would require a significant investment, but the more I thought about it, the clearer the answer became - I needed an automation system.

I often looked at stores where they used tools to recover abandoned carts, but couldn't find a suitable solution right away. So I spent a lot of time searching for the best software, which was far from easy. However, realizing that unattended visitors simply disappear was the first step towards change.

The most common mistakes without an auto funnel

• Lack of engagement: The user can simply leave without leaving a contact.
• Insufficient information: The online store does not provide the user with confidence in their choice.
• Ineffective contact management: Without a support system, managers are unable to respond to requests.

So once I realized that do, the time has come for constructive changes. More on this later.

Automation: What It Looks Like with an Auto Funnel

When I finally implemented an auto funnel into my online store, the transformation was absolutely amazing. At some point, the user visited the page with the selected smartphone, and instead of simply leaving it, a pop-up window appeared on the screen offering a discount. This immediately caught his attention! He clicked the “Get Discount” button, and the system redirected him to the next stage, where I offered to register to receive bonuses. It was incredible!

I remember one of the users who found himself in the same situation was hostile, but it was at that moment, when he filled out the contact form, that he immediately gained access to his personal account. It contained information about promotions and discounts. It just made him want to buy!

The system even offered him additional products that were ideal for his new smartphone - headphones, a protective film and a case. We must not forget about time: the countdown timer indicating the limited supply worked very effectively.

I really saw how automation contributed to our business opportunity and customer retention through a whole set of techniques that worked for us, not against us. Overall conversion increased by an astonishing 30%. This was a good sign.

This is what I learned about using the funnel

• Retention Automation: The system itself reminded to maintain the attention of potential customers.
• Effective Discounts: Offering instant discounts increased the likelihood of completing a purchase.
• Personalized offers: The obtained user data helped to customize unique offers.

Thus, thanks By introducing auto funnels, I was able to take things to a whole new level. It wasn't just an honest success - it was an approach that quickly became an integral part of our online store.

Online store automation: Automated email newsletter services

When I first started my journey into the world of online trading, one of the biggest problems I faced was the need to send a huge number of emails manually. Every time I needed to remind a customer about an abandoned cart or bring back a customer who had left, I had to spend hours preparing and sending emails. Not only did I get tired of this routine work, but I also realized that it was extremely ineffective. This was time that I could have spent on more important tasks like growing my business or communicating with clients.

This realization pushed me to look for better solutions. I was looking for services that would automate the process of email newsletters, and soon I found several suitable tools. I chose eSputnik and Unisender. Their advantages have made my work much easier. 📧✨

Working with these services quickly became a real salvation for me. I was able to set up automated mailings that worked 24 hours a day without my participation. I enjoyed the fact that I could now tailor content to different segments of my audience and receive performance reports several times a week. For example, I created a series of emails for customers who left their carts unfinished and saw how many of them came back to complete their purchase. This not only saved my time, but also brought me profits that I had never even dreamed of before!

Here are a few points I would like to highlight for those who are not yet using such services:

• 🚀 Automation: No more manual emails - everything happens automatically;
• 📊 Adaptability: Scheduled letters, segmentation and analysis of results allows you to interact with clients as efficiently as possible;
• 🕒 Time saving: You can focus your efforts on more important aspects of your business.

What it looks like without an email newsletter service

I remember the time when the managers of my Internet - the store sent letters manually. It was a job that no one wanted to do, and frankly, there was no joy in this mundane task. Long hours spent writing letters to clients required significant salary costs, and the effect was questionable. The managers' anger and fatigue from this endless process was evident.

As I watched them work, I realized that we urgently needed something something to change. I decided it was time to automate. Every time I heard phrases like, “I need to remind the client again,” I was perplexed. In fact, this simply shouldn't happen - I was well aware that automated solutions could make this easier.

What it looks like with an email newsletter service

As soon as I implemented automated email newsletter services, the entire process of interacting with clients changed . Smart programs not only send letters, but also conduct real correspondence. I was amazed to not only see how quickly old tasks went away, but also how communities of customers responded to personalized offers in their inboxes.

Using the Unisender platform, I was able to create messages that were tailored to the client's interests. 💌 For example, when customers completed their purchases, they received emails offering discounts on newly released products in their favorite categories. This changed their opinion about my store and many liked to receive such offers in a convenient and pleasant form.

Here's what else became possible thanks to automation:

• 📩 Automatic division of clients into segments;
• 🎉 Use of many formats: text, graphic, video and many others. etc.;
• ✉ Accurate and timely notifications about new arrivals or promotions.

Review of practices

Learning and using automation has yielded significant results, and I am confident that your life will become much easier if you try these tools. Try them and I am confident that you will feel the same explosive growth and liberation from routine work that I did.

Experience Allegro

Company Allegro is a dynamically developing online store offering a variety of products for home and leisure. Since its founding in 2018, Allegro has quickly gained popularity due to its high-quality service and wide selection. As of 2024, the company has more than 100,000 active customers and stable revenue growth of 40% per year.

Goals and objectives

• Main Objectives:

  • Optimization of inventory management processes.
  • Increasing the level of customer service through automation.
  • Increasing the effectiveness of marketing campaigns.

• Problems :

  • Implementation of CRM system for managing client data.
  • Integration of a commodity accounting program to minimize losses in inventory management.
  • Using end-to-end analytics system to accurately track sales and promotional ROI.

Main problem

In the early stages of its development, Allegro faced problems coordinating the work of different departments. The lack of a unified system for collecting data meant that customer and inventory information was often out of date, which in turn reduced customer satisfaction and revenue.

Target Audience Characteristics

Allegro's target audience includes active shoppers aged 25-45 who are interested in online shopping. They value fast service , affordable prices and quality products. Allegro has developed a loyal circle of customers who often return for new purchases.

Key Points

• 🤝 Competitive advantage through implementation of a CRM system:

  • Allowed Allegro to increase sales by 30% in 6 months.

• 🏷️ Goods accounting program:

  • Reduced product losses by 15%, which further increased profits.

• 📊 Implementation of an end-to-end analytics system:

  • Ensured transparency of advertising costs, which allowed optimization of marketing campaigns.

"Automating processes allows us to focus on the customer and his needs. We see results - increased conversion and increased loyalty." - Justyna Bialek, Allegro representative.

Project results

The Allegro online store automation project achieved significant results, including:

Thus, the experience of Allegro demonstrates how automation of an online store can significantly increase business efficiency, improve customer service and increase profits.

Often FAQs on the topic: How can online store automation pave the way to success?

Thank you for reading and for becoming more experienced! 🎉

Now you are a real pro in online store automation! All these tools are not just books on the screen, but real magic wands for your business. Every piece of advice I've shared is a brick in the wall of your success. The secrets that I discovered and tested on my projects are now available to you. Just imagine how much easier and more useful your work will be with this knowledge! Feel free to share your thoughts and questions in the comments below. Your opinion is important to me! 🚀

— Roman Revun