Due to changing consumer behavior during the Covid-19 pandemic, the shift from brick-and-mortar retail to online shopping in the United States has been accelerated by approximately five years. According to Digital Commerce 360, online spending represented 21.3% of total U.S. retail sales in 2020 – an increase of 44% from the previous year. The skyrocketing rise of digital shopping in 2020 represents the highest annual e-commerce growth in the U.S. over the last two decades. 88% of respondents to a recent consumer survey said they would continue to shop online in the future, even after a cure for Covid-19 is discovered.
Cost-Effective Advertising Medium
The recent boom in e-commerce spending offers a great opportunity for new and emerging B2C e-tailers to build brand loyalty by offering branded merchandise to their customers. Promotional products are a cost-effective advertising medium for increasing brand loyalty and improving customer retention – something that is more important than ever for e-commerce companies, according to Shopify’s annual report on ecommerce trends. The most recent version of this report found that due to a spike in digital advertising costs – including PPC ads – many brands are prioritizing customer retention by “rewarding and incentivizing existing customers to spend more.” Shopify includes “free gifts” as a core strategy for rewarding customers that e-commerce businesses can utilize to improve customer retention and increase average order value.
Print On Demand Services
Metron Branding’s on demand printing services allow you to easily offer branded merchandise and custom apparel to your employees and customers. This includes promotional apparel items – such as logo t-shirts and hats – which are always popular gift options for customers. Promotional headwear and apparel items also help promote your brand by generating thousands of impressions throughout their lifetime. Because Metron Branding handles screen printing and embroidery in-house, we are able to ensure your customers receive their apparel and other branded merchandise on demand. Because we are able to quickly print nearly any design your customers desire, “moment merch” and seasonal or holiday merchandise lines, such as Valentine’s Day or Christmas-themed merchandise, can be distributed to your customers in a timely manner.
Effortless Drop-Ship Distribution
Some businesses choose to give away promotional merchandise to reward and incentivize customers. Other companies focus on selling popular promotional products, such as apparel, to their most loyal customers who are eager to help promote their brand. The latter approach gives young businesses the opportunity to create a new revenue stream and grow brand recognition at the same time. Because Metron Branding will distribute and manage your branded merchandise for you via an online platform (aka online company store), adding promotional merchandise as a new revenue stream for your business is a nearly effortless process with minimal setup and no maintenance required on your end. An online company store also makes it easier for any business to distribute promotional giveaways which reward customers and employees, while also improving brand awareness and loyalty.
We Help Improve E-Commerce Brand Loyalty and Customer Retention
Allowing Metron Branding to set up and manage your line of custom branded merchandise saves valuable staff time and avoids unforeseen costs from over ordering (resulting in unused inventory), misplaced items, and inventory storage space requirements. Besides saving staff time sourcing, ordering, receiving, and storing promotional merchandise, coordinating shipments to events and recipients is simple with an online company store. Lower inventory and direct shipment from a single location will simplify the management of your promotional budgets and spending.
With digital advertising and customer acquisition costs higher than ever for e-commerce companies in an increasingly competitive industry, finding ways to set your brand apart and improve customer loyalty is vital to your company’s success. An online company store is the quickest, most streamlined way to offer promotional products to your customers via promotional giveaways and branded merchandise sales.
To get started with setting up a line of custom merchandise to promote your e-commerce brand, contact us or fill out the form below.