2020 was a big year for eCommerce. Consumers spent $861.12 billion online with US merchants—up 44% year over year. That’s the highest annual US eCommerce growth in at least two decades. While COVID-19 certainly helped boost online shopping, experts believe that trend will continue to grow. And with more and more people shopping online, having a reliable, user-friendly eCommerce platform is a must.
That’s where Salesforce Commerce Cloud comes in.
Commerce Cloud can take your online business to the next level. The innovative solution enables you to scale, globally expand, and unify your customers’ buying experience across all channels. This article will explain the features and benefits of Salesforce Commerce Cloud and how it can help your business flourish in this digital world, so let’s get started.
What is Salesforce Commerce Cloud?
First, let’s give you the backstory. It all started back in 2016 when Salesforce acquired eCommerce provider Demandware. Bringing these two powerhouse technologies together transformed how eCommerce companies connected with their customers. Using the Demandware technology, Salesforce created what we now know as Salesforce Commerce Cloud within its Customer Success Platform.
So what is Salesforce Commerce Cloud? It’s a cloud-based commerce platform with a variety of features, tools, and commerce portals that allow people to build an online business. It makes it easy to streamline the purchasing process, create mobile-friendly shopping experiences, and personalize each and every part of the shopping experience.
What Type of Companies Use Salesforce Commerce Cloud?
A typical configuration of Commerce Cloud includes everything needed for end-to-end, unified commerce, but it’s also available in two stand-alone products: Salesforce B2C Commerce and Salesforce B2B Commerce.
B2C (business to consumer) and B2B (business to business) organizations have different needs and customer expectations to create, so it’s only natural that they require a specific set of tools for each.
B2B Commerce is designed to satisfy business buyers’ needs. These are people who make large purchases and often have complex requirements. B2C Commerce, on the other hand, can manage eCommerce websites for your average consumer, plus the traffic that comes with the larger number of guest shoppers B2C websites typically have.
Features of Salesforce Commerce Cloud
Salesforce Commerce Cloud comes with a plethora of features for managing every type of eCommerce business. Even better, Commerce Cloud is a part of Salesforce Digital 360, an integrated platform that allows you to sell and engage with your consumers across all digital channels.
Let’s break down some of its features and functionalities:
Commerce Cloud Digital—Create fully responsive eCommerce websites that allow you to present your online store on social media, optimize mobile payments and search, create branded mobile apps, and more. Everything is designed to meet your customer where they want to shop, providing a better customer mobile experience.
Commerce Portals—Build long-term relationships with your customers through account portals and loyalty programs. Follow them along their shopping journey and provide them with personalized content to help educate them on your products and services, all at the right time.
Storefront Reference Architecture—Salesforce Commerce Cloud’s advanced framework allows you to build a professional eCommerce website without an advanced coding degree. Customizing and maintaining your website becomes much easier with the help of pre-designed wireframes and integrations.
Commerce Cloud Endless Aisle—Provide your customers with a frictionless purchasing experience whether they’re in-store or online. This feature gives your in-store associates access to the customer database and information about online inventory. With data on your customers’ wishlists, you can even present special offers, helping to spark those magical moments that turn customers into brand ambassadors.
Order Management—Optimize the process of fulfilling and delivering orders across the world, automate payment processes, and manage returns and cancellations with ease.
Benefits of Using Salesforce Commerce Cloud
Customers experience many benefits from using Salesforce Commerce Cloud, but we wanted to highlight three of our favorites.
Unified Shopping Experiences
By connecting a customer’s digital shopping experience from marketing to purchasing, you can personalize their journey and offer products and content to help drive sales. With Commerce Cloud, creating a customer-first business model becomes a snap.
Mobile-first Approach
Today’s shoppers are transacting on mobile. So if you don’t have a mobile-optimized eCommerce store or branded mobile app, you won’t be able to deliver on today’s customer expectations. Commerce Cloud is designed with a mobile-first approach to help you create apps that can streamline your employees’ work and deliver customers the experience they expect.
Automatic Scalability
Commerce Cloud helps you scale traffic, data, products, and transaction volumes seamlessly. Let’s say a crazy traffic spike hits your site. No worries. Just implement the new technologies you need, and Commerce Cloud’s automatic scalability has got your back.
Getting Started with Salesforce Commerce Cloud
Salesforce Commerce Cloud will set your business apart in the crowded and competitive eCommerce market. So are you ready to start delivering first-class customer experiences? If so, we can help.
Let our senior-level Salesforce consulting team be your implementation partners. We’ll start with a discovery that uncovers the roadmap for your business. After that, we’ll work with your team on implementation, performance optimization, training, and support. Need help with another type of Salesforce project? We’ve still got you covered.
Contact us today to get started.
