A More Fluid Ecommerce Experience

The ecommerce industry is growing at a rapid pace, with eMarketer predicting the market will reach $23.927 trillion in worldwide sales in 2015.

The industry's growth can be attributed to shoppers feeling more comfortable conducting business on the Web, thanks to both convenience and the improved experiences retailers are delivering. Not only are retailers catering to consumers on a personal level, but they are also working hard to make the transaction process as easy as possible. This, of course, can't be done without the right technology. While there are many technology providers available in the ecommerce space, Fluid is one that is taking what consumers want - personalizaton - and giving retailers what they want - increased conversion. 

Getting Personal

Personalization has been one of the top buzzwords in the tech industry so far this year, and for good reason. Data from Infosys' "Rethinking Retail" study, for instance, found that 86 percent of consumers say personalization plays a role in their purchasing decisions.

Fluid is an ecommerce software and services company that has been offering personalization solutions, such as product customization, for years. The company's Visual Mix and Match offering, for example, gives customers the ability to mix and match products (such as apparel, bedding or jewelry items) on screen to see how things like patterns and colors look together.

"There is a new movement in personalization where shoppers feel like they have control," said Fluid CEO Kent Deverel. "They have a reason to give data and to engage with the brand."

Home Décor retailer Serena and Lily, for instance, implemented Fluid's Visual Mix and Match software to enable consumers to mix and match bedding products. After implementation, Serena and Lily saw an average order value (AOV) increase of up to 88 percent, as well as a 115 percent increase in time on site and a 79 percent decrease in bounce rate.

Deverell notes that brands can also collect information from their customers' Mix and Match experiences to build robust customer profiles and more personalized marketing initiatives. For instance, an apparel retailer could target consumers who bought a specific pair of shoes with an email campaign that features a new matching dress. This campaign would be both relevant and personalized, and could drive engagement on the retailer's site, as well as sales. 

Reducing Friction

In addition to personalization, Fluid has taken on ecommerce checkout - with the company's service department helping clients remove trouble spots from this important section of thei website.

"Fluid has completely overhauled the checkout process, defining our own best standard for the industry," said Fluid Chief Experience Officer Andrew Sirotnik.

Sirotnik goes on to note that Fluid's overhauled checkout features better design and the removal of friction across devices, which is imperative in 2015. Fluid client Jones New York, for example, offers a one page, three-step checkout that requires shoppers to enter only important information, such as shipping address and payment information. Moreover, the page maintains a static column that showcases the order summary and offers a custome