There is no shortage of tools for growing an e-commerce business. There is even a tool to identify tools. Insert a web address in Built with and learn about the site’s technology stack, such as e-commerce platform, content delivery network, host, analytics provider, plugins, etc.
I could list 50 apps for streamlining ecommerce operations or driving conversions. Instead, I’ll highlight five must-haves that, in my experience, can make or break a business.
Recover chargebacks
Frivolous credit card chargebacks can decimate profits. But disputing these chargebacks takes time and requires compelling evidence and explanations. Fortunately, solution providers can manage and automate the process.
The founder of Disputifier, a chargeback recovery provider based in Austin, Texas, recently appeared on a Practical Ecommerce podcast episode. Load flow is another option among many others.
Collections providers typically receive alerts from payment platforms about chargeback requests, then automate the response process with compelling evidence and, often, AI-driven responses. Many providers charge fees only for successful recoveries.
Customer service
Fast and reliable customer support is essential for conversions and repeat sales. Yet managing these queries can be tedious as it occurs across multiple channels such as email, chat, social media and phone.
This is the purpose of customer support software, aka “help desks”. Gorgias is an example. It is a support service for e-commerce businesses. It connects to major platforms – Shopify, BigCommerce, Magento, WooCommerce, etc. – and Zapier.
Gorgias synchronizes all customer histories and communications in a single interface. Support staff can view and adjust order information, refunds, loyalty points, and shipping details. Merchants can tag and automate rules based on this data.
Advertising attribution
Attributing advertising to sales seems to be a never-ending challenge for marketers. There are many analytics platforms that can help you. Google Analytics, for example, has built-in “data-driven” attribution features.
Triple Whale is another (paid) provider, although it is limited to Shopify stores. The app launched in 2021, shortly after Apple’s iOS 14.5 update. Shopify has since invested in the platform. Triple Whale centralizes ecommerce data into one easy-to-use dashboard, revealing ad spend versus revenue across all channels, such as Google, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and more.
Loyalty of the clientele
Acquiring customers is expensive. Long-term e-commerce success typically depends on retaining these buyers for repeat sales.
However, beyond retention, you need to know which customers could generate the most lifetime value. RetentionX is an analytics platform to help merchants understand customer purchasing behavior, such as frequency, category and order value.
RetentionX can reveal, for example, whether a customer is purchasing discounted items or premium products. Does the customer buy once a year or monthly? RetentionX data allows sellers to develop data-driven strategies to not only retain customers, but also focus on the most profitable ones.
Email and SMS Marketing
Scaling an ecommerce business requires more than quality products. This means establishing direct first-party relationships with existing and potential customers. That’s the value of an email or SMS subscriber list. It is one of the most important assets of any online business.
Direct access to customers eliminates middlemen, builds relationships and facilitates marketing automation. There are many email marketing platforms: Mailchimp, Constant Contact, MailUp, Sendlane and many others.
But Klaviyo is specially designed for e-commerce. Klaviyo focuses on Shopify stores, although it also syncs with other platforms.
Klaviyo’s eCommerce integrations make targeted email and SMS automation easy. Using Klaviyo, a merchant can send personalized, automated emails to shoppers based on their actions, such as browsing a product or purchasing specific categories.
Klaviyo pricing is based on the number of contacts. This can be expensive. Some Shopify merchants choose Sending routewhich charges by sending volume.
Klaviyo went public on the New York Stock Exchange two months ago. Shopify is a long-time investor.