In this blog, we will break down a specific data set from the report: the reality of reviews. We’ll cover the importance of reviews for purchase, the impact of negative reviews and the validity of unverified reviews.

Read on to learn more about the reality of reviews or read the full report here. 

The Impact of Reviews

While consumers often make purchasing decisions based on recommendations from people they know personally or online, ratings and reviews on the product detail page (PDP) are paramount. 

Reviews highly influence whether or not many consumers make a purchase. 36% of shoppers will not buy a product that has less than five customer reviews. Younger shoppers (53% under 35), however, are much more likely to distrust a product based on a lack of validation from other consumers. 

Consumer relationships to reviews vary but the majority (67%) of shoppers often or always read customer reviews before making a purchase. Of the 3% of shoppers who rarely or never read reviews, 46% cite reviews as being too polarized to accurately reflect a product. This outlines the need for verified, trustworthy reviews.

The Sway of Negative Reviews  

Not surprisingly, 46% of shoppers admit that negative reviews have a higher impact on their purchase decision than positive reviews. While only 2% of consumers will stop considering a product after one bad review, too much negativity in one sitting could derail a conversion. 43% of shoppers will not purchase a product after reading 4-5 negative reviews while 30% won’t make a purchase after reading 2-3 negative reviews. 

However, some shoppers need more proof of bad outcomes as 25% of consumers will still make a purchase despite reading six or more negative reviews for the product. According to research conducted by PowerReviews, shoppers depend on negative reviews to determine which products fit their needs — and which don’t. A staggering 85% of shoppers seek out negative reviews. In fact, when researching products, two-thirds of e-commerce shoppers filter for one-star reviews. These visitors still convert at 108% the rate of general web traffic.

Consumers look at negative reviews for various reasons, including to:

• Understand the biggest downfalls of the product product they’re researching
• Identify any specific factors that might not work for them (i.e. if a a product caused an allergic reaction)
• Learn how customers with negative experiences use the product
• Balance consumer feedback to paint a better picture of the review content.

This data indicates that negative reviews have significant impact for conversions. But it’s necessary to ensure the reviews your customers are seeing are verified.

The Validity of Unverified Reviews

Interestingly, not all reviews are actually written by people who purchased the product. 1 in 5 (20%) of shoppers have written a review or left a rating on a product they have never purchased or owned. 

Of that group:

• 59% left a positive rating or review on a product they haven’t purchased or owned to support a friend’s business.
• 18% left a negative rating or review on a product they haven’t purchased or owned to express opposition to the company.
• 3% left a negative rating or review on a product they haven’t purchased or owned to help a competitor of the business.
• 4% left a satirical/comedic review on a product they haven’t purchased or owned.
• 9% left a negative rating or review on a product they haven’t purchased or owned because of a previous bad experience with the company.

This response shows that the motivation for leaving a review can vary. But, the impact of negative reviews remains powerful no matter the impetus. 

Additional demographic data pulls show that men (22%) are slightly more likely to have written a review for a product they never purchased or owned than women (19%). Consumers above 45 are less likely to leave a false review (14%) than younger shoppers, with people under 25 being the most likely (34%).

Takeaways for Brands and Retailers

These insights clearly outline a need for verified, trustworthy reviews. Reviews are valued highly by consumers and are often necessary to secure a purchase. But, it’s crucial that brands are landing the right reviews. Reviews that lead to sales are verified, thorough and positive. How can brands ensure they’re getting the right content? UGC-powered review sourcing tools are an excellent way to land the right reviews. Brands can deploy solutions like PowerReviews to build a base of verified, positive reviews from real customers. Reach out to 1WorldSync today to get started or learn more here.

The post The Reality of Reviews appeared first on 1WorldSync.

Read on to learn how to create and distribute product content that reels in shoppers this Cyber Monday. 

 Why Cyber Monday Matters

Despite inflation expectations and tightening their metaphorical budget belts, consumers enter Cyber Week ready to spend. Deloitte’s 2023 Holiday Retail Survey found that average expected holiday spending will surpass pre-pandemic levels for the first time, with consumers spending an average of $1,652. Much of that spending will take place on Cyber Monday. 

Whether at home, around town, or at the office, shoppers will use their smartphones, tablets, and even work computers to compare prices, features, and brands. A 2023 1WorldSync study found that 96% of shoppers compare items before purchasing, and 89% shop across multiple sites. 

These behaviors are amplified further during Cyber Monday. According to Adobe Analytics, Cyber Monday spending reached $11.3 billion last year, 23.9% higher than Black Friday. If the trend continues, those numbers will be even higher in 2023. 

Cyber Monday content strategy matters. Below, we outline our top tips for ensuring your product content is ready for Cyber Monday.

Ensure Product Content Consistency

As of September 2023, 63% of consumers plan to do their holiday shopping with online-only retailers. They’ll be perusing product pages across multiple sites, comparing and contrasting information to find the perfect purchase. 

For online and omnichannel shoppers, your content is your product. They can’t know your product apart from your product pages and the content you give them. 

In an increasingly competitive retail market on the busiest shopping day of the year, your brand’s product content must be consistent across every channel. Having a great in-store display or a social media ad is not enough. Brands must prioritize product content across their trading networks, online stores, and brick-and-mortar presence. It’s crucial that a consumer looking for your product can find it –– and its key differentiators –– with ease. 

All retail is omnichannel. If shoppers are coming to your site looking for a particular product, chances are they’ve engaged with your brand elsewhere or have been influenced by similar items in-store. Cyber Monday shopping might be accomplished on a phone, tablet or other mobile device. But, your content must be optimized for both online and in-person shopping experiences, and it must be consistent. 

Consistent product content is essential to increasing Cyber Monday sales. Accuracy and consistency across channels ensure you 

• Deliver a unified experience 
• Create trustworthy touchpoints at every stage
• Earn conversion built on confidence 
• Increase recognition and recall 

Shoppers (and retailers) expect consistency. Deliver omnichannel consistency and streamlined experiences to set yourself apart this Cyber Week. 

Offer a Deal They Can’t Refuse 

Consumers know they’ll reap serious discounts if they shop on Cyber Monday. That’s why they open their wallets the Monday after Thanksgiving. They expect to land on your product pages and snag a deal. Don’t disappoint with meager discounts that can’t compete. 

Standard Cyber Monday discounts reach roughly 30% here in the U.S. Shoppers come to you expecting these numbers reflected at checkout. Take time to understand the discounts you can apply to your products that will increase volume without decreasing your bottom line. 

Conduct market research to see how the industry has applied discounts in the past and what makes the most sense for your brand. Remember that holiday pricing should attract new customers to your products rather than just enticing your brand loyalists. 

Offer shoppers a deal they can’t refuse. Cyber Monday can be your ticket to earning new customer loyalties that last long after the holidays. 

Cross-Channel Promotion

Omnichannel retail requires omnichannel marketing. Cyber Monday content only works if you’re engaging shoppers with it. And that requires you to know where your consumers shop. 

Whether out-of-home, social media or print ads, you have opportunities across channels to bring your brand to potential customers looking for a deal. 

Show up in Their Inbox

Don’t underestimate the power of a well-timed Cyber Monday email campaign. People are in the shopping mindset. They’re thinking of what to buy (and where). A well-crafted subject line arriving in their inbox between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday can pique interest and bring shoppers down the funnel to your product pages. Recent research found that 2022 Cyber Monday welcome emails saw a 63.38% conversion rate. You can’t argue with that data. 

Shoppers are primed to buy. Sometimes, they need a nudge in the right direction. A single email can be the difference between a sale made and a customer lost to the competition. 

Leverage Product Bundling

When Cyber Monday rolls around, it’s not a question of if consumers will buy, but what they will buy and how much they will spend. When they find the perfect product bundle that allows them to bring home multiple perfect gifts at a discounted rate, there’s no question: they’re clicking “add to cart.”  

Leveraging product bundling as part of your Cyber Monday marketing attracts shoppers who want a deal –– and every shopper wants a deal. Suggesting a complementary item to a shopper who already has your product in their cart exposes that individual to more of your product line, building on the positive emotions of their shopping experience. Relevant bundles enhance the consumer experience with your brand while increasing your average order value. Increased cart sizes, better customer experiences, established trust and loyalty: you have every reason to make bundling a core component of your Cyber Monday content strategy. 

Lead with High-Quality Content

The quality of your product content informs the consumer’s experience with your brand, and on days like Cyber Monday, first impressions are everything. Shoppers hunting for the best deal will quickly move on if your product content is insufficient, low quality, or otherwise causes them to hesitate with their purchase. 

1WorldSync’s recent report on consumer product content benchmarks found that content quality is a top factor for shoppers, even outweighing brand recognition in their purchase decision-making: 73% of consumers claim that low-quality content causes them to leave a product page or site.

However, quality content does the opposite. When you deliver an exceptional product content experience, you engage the consumer and earn their trust. And earning trust is the first step in driving conversions. 

Conclusion

Cyber Monday is just days away, and shoppers are ready to buy. It’s time to prepare your content for what could be your highest sales day of the year. 

Experience confident commerce with high-quality, consistent product content and sales promotions that deliver results. The product content experts at 1WorldSync are available to help your brand excel in the omnichannel battle today, on Cyber Monday, and every day of the year. Let 1WorldSync help you take your product content to the next level just in time for Cyber Week. Get started with a customizable content plan today. 

The post Preparing Your Product Content for the Cyber Monday Rush appeared first on 1WorldSync.

With our November release, we want to highlight some of the latest and greatest happening across 1WorldSync’s platform. Behind every change is our commitment to helping users be more efficient in their roles and to enable accelerated sales growth.

In the world of product content, consistency and transparency are at the core of delivering content that increases conversions. In fact, a recent survey of over 1,500 shoppers discovered that 84% of shoppers value product content over brand recognition when shopping online.

These updates help users streamline their processes, get real-time feedback on their content, and shorten their time to create and syndicate content that increases engagement and conversions.

Automate your content creation with Generative AI-powered tools.

We’re excited to see Gen AI being used as a tool to help our users do things faster and with much less stress. Here are a few tools you can take advantage of when creating new product content:

• NFP Generator: Need nutritionals populated, and fast? Our Nutritional Fact Panel (NFP) Generator, uses AI’s OCR (optical character recognition) and machine learning to instantly generate your NFPs, giving you a quick turnaround time to populate your product content straight from your packaging.
• Writing Assistant: This AI tool helps you write SEO-driven, marketing product descriptions for your products. This will save you time and energy to focus on other aspects of your business.
• Hero Image Creator: Need additional imagery for your image carousel? Our damn errr… DAM (Digital Asset Management) tool now has an AI hero image generator that takes your product images and adds graphics to highlight certain aspects of your product better. 

Increase your productivity with new Item Management and Retail E-Commerce Analytics functionalities.

The core solution of the 1WorldSync platform, Item Management has seen a lot of changes over the last few years. We’re thrilled to share a new look and feel that ties to the 1WorldSync branding, as well as highlight some new capabilities and enhancements over the last few months:

• Load Sheet: If you’re an enterprise in need of auditing tools, the FUSE load sheet allows you to import and export your content quickly and effectively. Recent changes have sped up the process for a smoother export experience, no matter the size!
• Item History: Whether you have 1 SKU or 10,000 recent enhancements to Item History, you can see all historical events since item creation. This is especially helpful for reviewing your item status.
• 90-Day Audit Trail: Have multiple end-users operating in Item Management? Our 90-day audit trail records who has made content changes or how (e.g. FUSE Load Sheet, API).

Retail E-Commerce Analytics – Sell with retailers like Walmart or Target? Now you can get price and keyword insights on your products and (wait for it…) your competitors! Additionally, with Product Content Match you can easily identify content discrepancies between Item Management and your trading partners.

Save time with enhancements across our platform.

Digital Catalog – Whether you need insight on how your sales team or service desk is leveraging your product collateral, enjoy real-time data that easily displays asset performance. Additionally, to save time for repetitive tasks take advantage of the following:

• Template Creator – No more starting from scratch! DC’s template creator allows you to create and save unlimited templates to refine the attributes displayed per audience, generating future sales assets even quicker! (Your sales teams are going to LOVE this!)
• Auto-Populated Lists – Providing real-time PDPs to your sales teams, trading partners and website is no small task (to put it mildly). Now, you can feed your item lists, hands-free! Simply set rules like product category, brand name, or any combinations of our filters and you’re set.

Rich Content – With 89% of shoppers visiting multiple sites before making an online purchase, you want to make your PDP count with rich, engaging content.

• Drag & Drop Content Builder – Gamechanger. With a modernized drag and drop builder, you can quickly create and edit your below-the-fold pieces in no time! Grab from a webpage, desktop or shared drive with ease.
• Amazon Import – Have great A+ content on Amazon? You’re just clicks away from managing this directly in 1WorldSync’s Rich Content Builder. Now you can view in Digital Catalog, Item Management, PIM and sync updates to Amazon and your other trading partners. 

Expand your reach with updated open-source catalogs and API connectors.

• Content1: 1WorldSync’s marketplace catalog now has over 2 million (you read that correctly: MILLION) products that can be viewed by approved retailers, trading partner agencies, bodegas and more.
• New Read API: The ability to include or exclude attributes in a fetch call is now right at your fingertips! Retailers (and now suppliers) can view an increased amount of supplier-published items and additional attributes more quickly and efficiently. 

Upcoming – API pilots with strategic retailers

As 1WorldSync continues to lead the way in product content orchestration between brands and retailers, we are excited to share that we are performing API pilots with strategic retailers that will enhance the experience for both sides of the product content syndication relationship.

ICYMI – PowerReviews is now part of 1WorldSync

“Adding PowerReviews to our suite of technology and solutions makes 1WorldSync the only provider that can help brands and retailers orchestrate all areas of the content you see on an online product detail page (PDP),” said Steve Sivitter, CEO of 1WorldSync. “User-generated content, whether ratings and reviews, Q&A, images or videos are critical to the e-commerce shopping and buying experience.”

PowerReviews enables organizations, such as Post Consumer Brands, L’Oreal, Albertsons Companies, Target, and Walmart to generate better-quality customer product ratings and reviews in larger volumes and then analyze and benchmark the data to optimize their UGC programs for conversion, while improving product quality and customer experience.

The post 1WorldSync Product Spotlight: New AI-Powered Tools, Content Audit Enhancements and an Updated Look in Item Management appeared first on 1WorldSync.

Below is a detailed recap of the event. You can also watch the recording here.

The Essential Role of Product Content

The session kicked off with a critical observation: the vast majority of consumers engage in extensive online research before making purchasing decisions. This consumer behavior trend reinforces the need for reliable product content. Brands face the challenge of not only being present across various channels but also ensuring that their content is compelling and credible enough to build consumer trust swiftly.

Drawing from the Consumer Product Content Benchmark Report, Todd, TJ and Randy discussed five major trends brands and retailers should be on the lookout for in 2024. They are detailed below.

Trend 1: The Omnichannel Consumer

As the first of the five trends discussed, presenters noted the acceleration of omnichannel shopping behaviors. Data suggests a continued increase in the number of shoppers who use multiple channels for product research, with a significant number using their smartphones even while physically in-store. The conversation centered on making product content not only visible but also compelling across all touchpoints. The key takeaway was that consistent, detailed and truthful product content substantially impacts purchase decisions.

Trend 2: The Rising Tide of SEO

With nearly half of all pre-store visit research being conducted through search engines, the webinar’s second trend highlighted the essential role of SEO. The data underscored the relevance of SEO not just for online purchases but for driving foot traffic to physical stores as well. The presenters reminded attendees of the significant journey a consumer takes before reaching the point of purchase.

“When you spend on social, tv, etc., you’re most likely driving views to your PDP. If your PDP isn’t optimized, you’re wasting those dollars.” – Todd Hassenfelt, Colgate-Palmolive Global Digital Commerce Senior Director

 

Trend 3: The Imperative of UGC

Trend three emphasized the growing significance of user-generated content, particularly reviews. The stats were telling: a considerable fraction of shoppers hesitate to purchase products with fewer than five reviews, and negative reviews can significantly deter potential buyers. The session stressed the importance of a robust review process and the credibility that verified reviews and user-submitted images provide in building consumer trust. Also emphasized was the timeliness of highlighted reviews on the PDP.

“Quality is important, quantity is important, but so is recency.” – TJ Waldorf, 1WorldSync Chief Marketing Officer

“In the past the reviews available on Amazon that people could see were the ‘most helpful’ but some of these could have been 6-7 years old. Now, it’s the most recent reviews that people are seeing,” shared Todd. “Consumers are seeing what the buying experience is like in as close to real-time as possible.” 

Trend 4: The E-Commerce Shift

Shoppers have shown an increased comfort level with purchasing online in categories traditionally dominated by in-store sales. The fourth trend underscored the necessity for product content to match consumer expectations to foster trust. With a noticeable shift of purchases to major e-commerce sites and away from auction platforms, the data indicated a consumer preference for the reliability and content accuracy of established retailers. Nevertheless, the presenters noted that this trust could be quickly undermined if the returns process is not smooth, underscoring the need for clear and honest product descriptions.

Trend 5: The Slow Emergence of AI

The final trend acknowledged that while AI is a topic of interest and speculation within the industry, it hasn’t yet become a major factor in the shopping journey. The presenters questioned how AI could potentially influence the shopping experience differently than other technologies, such as those used in the Metaverse, where shopping is still not commonplace. Todd noted that it’s possible consumers aren’t aware of the ways in which AI is involved in their shopping journey as some of the tools are seamlessly integrated. Randy discussed a new beta capability 1WorldSync is testing that deploys AI to draft product descriptions that rank high for keywords.

End-of-Year Product Content Audit

Finally, Todd, TJ and Randy shared tips on how to best audit your product content. Todd described how the below image can be used as a checklist for your organization. These buying drivers and blockers show consumer behavior and can help brands prioritize PDP features.

“The top three here are absolutely table stakes for the consumers. You’re not going to tackle all these things overnight, but start with the ones that have the most impact for consumers and you’re going to solve a lot of problems,” advised Randy.

Q&A

Todd, TJ and Randy wrapped up the session with an informative Q&A session. Watch the full recording of the webinar here to hear all the insights.

Final Takeaways

The webinar was not just a presentation of data; it was a call to action for brands to be more strategic in their content delivery. The webinar provided a roadmap for brands seeking to navigate the evolving landscape of consumer preferences.

For those who missed the opportunity to attend or are seeking additional information, the benchmark report serves as a vital resource, offering detailed insights that could be instrumental in shaping a successful content strategy. As brands look to the future, the importance of consumer trust, facilitated by authentic and strategic product content, remains clear. The lessons from the 1WorldSync webinar are a call to action for all brands aiming to thrive in a competitive digital ecosystem.

Download the Consumer Product Content Benchmark report

The post Unveiling the Future: Insights from 1WorldSync’s 2024 Product Content Trends Webinar appeared first on 1WorldSync.

Read on as the content experts from 1WorldSync explore the most effective ways to prepare and implement great content this holiday season. 

Revenue-Driving Product Content: The Gift that Keeps on Giving  

You can have the best product at the best price point, but if your content doesn’t deliver, shoppers won’t buy. Consumers will not buy a product if there’s a lack of content on your PDPs. Providing rich, high-quality content is the key to compelling users to purchase. 

E-commerce sales depend on product visuals, descriptions, and other data. With users doing most of their shopping online, they need product information that drives them to an informed purchase decision. 

Recent research from 1WorldSync found that 38 percent of consumers spend more time studying product content than a year ago. This increased focus on content is due to 

• Considering tightened budgets (67%)
• Discerning if they genuinely want or need the product (56%)
• Understanding the product to ensure it will meet expectations (49%)
• Ensuring value alignment (38%)
• Seeking social proof (33%) 

These considerations –– plus others –– have consumers poring over product content. Every piece of your content either draws shoppers in or drives them away. Follow our tips below to ensure your product content is ready for the 2023 holiday season and into the new year. 

1. Roll Out Holiday Content Early 

Holiday shoppers start early, with eager gift givers checking off lists as early as the summer. You don’t have to celebrate Christmas in July, but your content needs to be ready once fall rolls around. 

Retail giants like Walmart, Target and Amazon have already begun holiday promotions. With timetables moving up every year, early October signals the start of the holiday gift-buying season. If you wait until December to prepare or publish your content, you’re behind –– perhaps too far behind to make up for lost time. 

Roll out your holiday product content early: earlier than you think. As shoppers decorate for Halloween, they’re already making mental lists and checking them twice. Engage them with holiday content and give them the impetus to take care of their gift-buying early. 

2. Get Cheery with Email Campaigns 

Email marketing can have a bad reputation for filling users’ inboxes with irrelevant content they don’t want to read. But when email marketing is done well, you serve the shopper and proactively help them tackle their holiday to-do list. 

Email campaigns require meticulous intentionality at every step. From the sender to the subject line and all the content in the message itself, all aspects of your holiday email content must work cohesively for you to see results. 

Every engagement matters. Well-timed emails not only remind consumers it’s time to start shopping, but they also provide an excellent opportunity for you to creatively highlight new products and provide quick access to your PDPs. 

When you create content for emails, think outside the box. Your content provides a unique opportunity to remind shoppers that the time to buy is now. Holiday-themed content simultaneously endears customers to your brand while creating touchpoints that lead to sales when it matters most. 

Craft emails your shoppers want to read. If the message and product are relevant and exciting, they’ll click on the message and read it, bringing them one step closer to their purchase. 

3. Recreate the In-Store Experience with Rich Product Content

Prioritizing rich product content on your PDPs and sales channels gives consumers the information they seek to confidently make a purchase decision. Unlike traditional product visuals, rich content immerses the shopper in the product. A few examples of rich product content include

• Hot-spot imagery 
• 360-degree spin photography 
• AR-enabled product content interactions 
• How-to videos 
• Comparison tables 

Shoppers want something reminiscent of an in-store experience without leaving the couch. These content types allow shoppers to evaluate your product even when they can’t grab it off a physical shelf. The more a shopper feels knowledgeable about and comfortable with your product, the more likely they are to buy it and keep it, reducing your return rates.  

4. Create Holiday Urgency 

Good product content informs and builds confidence. But it also sends a message. Use your product content to create urgency among your shoppers and nudge them along in the buying process. 

Update your product descriptions and calls to action to communicate that time is running out on the opportunity to purchase for the holidays. Limited-time offers are especially effective around the holidays because customers feel pressed for time. 

Use your product content to highlight what the shopper already knows: time is running out; now is the time to buy; don’t put off holiday gift purchases another day.

5. Deliver Consistency Across All Channels 

In the rush of holiday shopping, consumers compare products across multiple channels to ensure they get the best product at the best price. Eighty-nine percent of shoppers visit more than one site before committing to purchase, and ninety-six percent look at multiple products. 

Shoppers are evaluating your products against others across many channels. As they do, consistent, accurate data is crucial. Consumers expect a consistent content experience across every touchpoint on all channels where the product is sold. 

Delivering consistent product content is essential, especially as you prepare for the holiday shopping season. Consistency breeds confidence and signals the quality of your brand and the items you sell. 

6. Bundles Must-Have Gifts to Streamline Shopping 

Relevant product bundling is a busy holiday shopper’s dream. Bundling done right can help consumers with the following: 

• Find compatible accessories 
• Discover new products 
• Find products they didn’t know they wanted or needed 
• Streamline gift buying 

With long lists of family and friends to shop for, consumers want to take advantage of product bundles to get the products they want at discounted prices. 

Savings –– especially during this time of year –– appeal to shoppers striving to get the most value from their purchase. All the while, bundles increase your average order values. Relevant bundles are a win-win for the shopper and the seller. 

Ring in the Holiday Cheer with Content Solutions from 1WorldSync

Your product content drives your sales during the holiday shopping season and all year long. No matter where you distribute your content, consistency, quality, and relevancy are nonnegotiable, especially when competing with every retailer vying for holiday shopping dollars. 

Partnering with 1WorldSync allows you to create product content that sells. Content creation, distribution, and management: you can do it all effortlessly with our suite of content tools. Our solutions make content simple no matter what you sell. The holidays are approaching, and the time to prepare is now. Contact us at 1WorldSync today to learn more about how we can streamline product content execution so you can see higher revenue than ever.

The post ‘Tis the Season to Prepare Your Content for the Holidays  appeared first on 1WorldSync.

The 1WorldSync Community platform is a one-stop resource center and peer-to-peer discussion forum, that connects brands with their retailer and distributor partners. It also empowers successful product content strategies via education, training and support from 1WorldSync experts. Customers can connect and expand their product content knowledge. 

As members of the Community have likely noticed, there have been a few significant updates to the platform over the last month. In addition to branding changes, the 1WorldSync team created landing pages that make it easier to view all the information across the Community clearly as well as a new way to create and manage support tickets. 

With these updates, the 1WorldSync Community is growing at record speed. The user community has expanded significantly with increased ease of use and new resources.

Check out an overview of the Community here and discover all the new features below.

Breakdown of New Community Features

Below is a list of new training options in the 1WorldSync Academy Space.

Item Management Training

Digital Catalog Training

Kroger Training

The Technology & Release Updates > Release Notes & Updates page has also been updated.  Members can subscribe to this area in the Community to see real-time updates when our systems encounter any issues. 

The JIRA integration project is now complete which provides users a way to create and manage tickets in the Community. This is a milestone in making the Community a true 24/7 support hub for 1WorldSync customers. Community members can now create, manage and respond to current tickets while having access to look at their historical tickets opened after the Community integration. The new ticketing system is user-friendly and aggregates related information to the ticket creator to streamline solutions. This integration provides users with another tool to ensure all support, training and communication needs are met in a one-stop location. 

Members can look at “Your Support Tickets” in the menu bar and check out this Blog Overview of how to use this easy tool to create and manage tickets.

Additionally, non-Legacy 1WS tools including Content Cast, Data Source, Partner Access, and the Retailer Programs have been added to the Community.  Any IM-based customers who use those tools can access updated content and training as well as open tickets for these tools in the Community. The product team is working to add access for users of these applications and once complete, the community will be their source for support content, training, etc. In the coming months, customers will see other applications added to the Community as well.

New to the 1WorldSync Community?

If you are new to the platform, simply log in at community.1worldsync.com using your Item Management, Product Introduction, or User Management credentials to get started!

The post New in the 1WorldSync Community Platform appeared first on 1WorldSync.

In this blog, we will break down a specific data set from the report: the influence of influencers. We’ll walk through how influencers are infiltrating popular culture, how relevant influencer recommendations are and what the takeaways are for brands and retailers. 

Read on to learn more about influencer data or read the full report here. 

The Introduction of the Influencer

Consumers have often looked to others for product recommendations. Historically, this meant hearing about brands and products through word-of-mouth. Shoppers generally made purchase decisions based on the recommendations of people they knew and trusted. Then came celebrity endorsements through paid advertising. Shoppers see familiar famous faces pushing products in multimedia ad campaigns every day. Now, social media has created a new type of recommendation; through influencers. According to Medium, “The rise of influencer culture is driven by several factors including the accessibility of social media, changing societal norms, and the growth of e-commerce.”

The Influence of the Influencers

Today, consumers follow influencers on social media and are constantly bombarded with paid and organic product recommendations. Popular culture indicates that influencers have a hugely significant sway in purchase decisions. But the data shows it’s not that big of a factor. 

Of the seven purchase factors shoppers ranked as most important in their shopping decisions, influencer recommendations scored last. Furthermore, just 40% of shoppers have made a purchase in the past 12 months based on an influencer’s recommendation and only 23% have done so more than once. The majority (61%) found that the recommendations of influencers do not or only sometimes accurately reflect the product. 

While it’s clear that some consumers are shopping with the input of influencers in mind, it’s also true that an influencer recommendation can only take a shopper to a product page. The strength of the product content will still make or break the sale. 

Demographic Breakdown

While we know the power of influencers is not overwhelming, it does vary across demographics. 

Women are slightly more likely to make a purchase from an influencer than men. 42% of women have made an influencer-recommended purchase in the past 12 months compared to 38% of men.

People in the US are more likely to make a purchase based on an influencer’s recommendation with 43% of American survey respondents having done so in the past year compared to 31% of Canadians.

The biggest indicator of a shopper who is likely to be influenced by an influencer is age. According to the data, younger shoppers are more likely to shop based on influencer recommendations. 66% of 18-24 year olds have made a purchase based on an influencer recommendation in the past year compared to just 36% of shoppers above 24. This means that Gen Z shoppers make up the vast majority of consumers listening to influencers.

What’s Actually Driving Purchase

Social media will remain a prominent way that brands and retailers promote and advertise products to a targeted audience. So what type of posts are most likely to drive a purchase? The data shows that when shoppers look to social media posts for product promotion, they trust people they know personally most, followed by posts from the brand itself, then unpaid organic posts, then influencer posts, and finally posts from celebrities. 

While the public conversation continues to highlight the sway of influencers, it’s clear that the strongest product referrals come from people shoppers know and trust. What’s interesting is that posts from brands are still valued more than posts from third parties like influencers and celebrities and even more valued than that are ratings and reviews right on the product detail page. These findings again highlight the need for exceptional and consistent product information across platforms. 

The Road Ahead for Brands and Retailers

The influence of influencers should not be downplayed entirely. They play a pivotal role in raising awareness and driving initial interest. However, as the data suggests, the journey from product discovery to purchase is complex.

Brands must recognize that while influencers can guide consumers to the product, the real conversion lies in the product’s authenticity, quality and the trust it builds with the consumer. Having a robust online presence, maintaining transparency, and offering quality consistently will always hold precedence.

In this ever-evolving digital era, trust remains the cornerstone of consumer decisions. While influencers can introduce and advocate, the real decision-making power rests in genuine experiences and peer recommendations. To learn more about creating brand content that resonates with consumers and the power of personal and online reviews, explore the rest of the 2023 Product Content Benchmark Report here or dive into 1WorldSync.com.

The post The Influence of Influencers appeared first on 1WorldSync.

Why Your Product Detail Page Content Matters 

Winning the digital shelf requires brands to execute exceptional product content strategies. It’s not enough to merely list your products. Your content is the determining factor in making a sale or losing out to a competitor. And in today’s retail climate, competition is intense. 

1WorldSync’s Product Content Benchmark Report found that seven out of ten shoppers will abandon their purchase if the product page content is lacking. But when you deliver content that goes above and beyond to solidify consumer confidence, you’ll secure customers for purchase today and far into the future. Whether you’re capitalizing on Halloween sales or want to establish a robust, scalable content solution for tomorrow, your product content will be at the center of all you do. 

When shoppers rely on content to inform their purchase decisions –– and brand loyalty –– you must take every step to create, distribute and maintain product page content that ticks every box for the shopper. 

10 Tips for Frighteningly Effective Product Detail Page Content 

Many factors contribute to a results-producing product detail page. Your content is the information about your product that customers want and need to know, including descriptions, specifications, features, images, pricing and more. Optimizing this content is the primary way to drive traffic, engagement, and sales. 

Read on to learn more about revenue-driving product page content strategies that are so good it’s scary.

1. Create Content Users Want to Consume

In an endless pool of online retailers, your content provides the perfect opportunity for you to differentiate yourself. Remember the essential element of effective product page content: users must want to engage with it. 

Every aspect of your product pages must center the customer and address these questions:

• Is the copy clear and free of jargon? 
• Does your imagery accurately represent the product? 
• Have you included specs and unique product details? 
• Are reviews easy to find? 
• Are you employing rich product content that tells your product/brand story? 

Professionalism, accuracy, and originality: these components make spooky-good product content for all products in all seasons. Create content shoppers want to engage with and stand out from your competition as you navigate the digital shelf.   

2. Present Product Bundles that Make Sense  

If you’re managing your own e-commerce shop or marketplace, know that relevant product bundling allows you to solve problems your shoppers didn’t know they had. By pairing complementary products at a reduced cost, you introduce shoppers to items they’ll want at prices they wouldn’t dare pass up. 

Create relevant bundles that make sense to the shopper. Implementing interactive content like hot spot imagery shows consumers how your products can enhance their purchase –– and life. 

Bundles add value to the shopper’s experience and your sale. When you know how to do product bundling correctly, you’ll increase average order values, move more inventory, and create positive brand experiences that will benefit your business far beyond October 31st. 

3. Don’t Skimp on Quality Visuals 

Perception is reality. While this isn’t true at a costume party (thankfully!), this is true as you build your product page content strategy. Shoppers just your product according to your product imagery, including 360-degree images, lifestyle shots, and how-to videos. 

Including various types of high-quality images and videos on your product pages gives shoppers a realistic and informed understanding of the item when they can’t physically examine it for themselves.

4. Give Your Review Management Strategy the Attention it Deserves  

Product ratings and reviews are the most critical factor impacting online purchase decisions. As a result, social proof must have a place in your product page content strategy. 

Recent research from PowerReviews finds that 98% of shoppers say reviews are an essential resource when making purchase decisions. Creating and implementing a robust review management strategy ensures you receive optimal feedback that potential customers rely on when choosing your product over your competition’s.

5. Don’t Leave the Writing to Just Any AI Tool 

Strong on-page copy does more than inform; it convinces the reader to buy. If your product page copy is bad, shoppers will also believe your product is bad. 

Create copy that’s fun, relatable and readable. Many companies rely on generative AI to create product page copy. If you utilize generative AI tools for your product page copy, ensure it is able to access and understand the many attributes that make your product your product. Absent that, you’ll have a tough time generating great descriptions at scale. Once you engineer your prompts properly and ensure all descriptions are accurate, AI can be your friend, but it can’t completely replace the human touch.  

6. Write Product Descriptions for All Readers 

As you consider copy and how you want to present your products, keep all consumers in mind. Some individuals want to go on a journey as they read product descriptions. Others want to get to the nitty-gritty to decide if the item is right for them. 

Creating a long and short product description for your PDPs helps engage all shoppers who land there. The short description can be available as soon as a person navigates to your page, while the longer description can be opened with a click after users have established their initial impression of your brand or product. 

Both descriptions are helpful at various stages in the buyer’s journey and support your SEO efforts.

7. Proactively Answer Buyers’ Questions 

Doubt and uncertainty will kill your sales. Cultivate confidence among shoppers by answering their questions before they can ask them. 

Every product page should include an FAQ section where shoppers can find more pointed information about the item that might not be included in the product description. A well-thought-out FAQ section combined with thorough product copy and visuals puts consumers at ease and cultivates comfort with your brand. And comfy consumers turn into satisfied customers who’ll shop with you repeatedly.

8. Deliver Consistent Content Experiences  

At 1WorldSync, we believe if content is king, consistency is queen. Maintaining content consistency across your product pages –– and all channels where you sell –– matters; our research found that 81% of consumers want and expect a seamless content experience everywhere they interact with a brand and its products. 

That’s why we specialize in content consistency across all touchpoints. Your sales depend on it. 

Content consistency among and within your product pages communicates that you’re the real deal, and so are your products. Leave no room for doubt. Take every measure to ensure consistency so you can build trust and sell more.

9. Push Purchases with Time-Sensitive CTAs 

Urgency moves product. When shoppers think the clock is ticking down, the adrenaline kicks in, and they’re more likely to click “buy now.” Experiment with calls-to-action (CTAs) and add elements that create urgency to increase product page conversions. 

Use CTAs that reflect your brand. For example, if your brand is whimsical, snarky, serious or dry, maintain that voice in your CTAs while communicating that the time to purchase is running out. 

Additionally, where you place your CTAs is just as important as what you say. Place essential information near your CTAs on your product pages, including 

• Pricing
• Availability 
• Shipping information 
• Return policy 
• Basic product information (color, size, etc.) 
• Reviews

Use CTAs and verbiage that compels shoppers to buy sooner rather than later, and you’ll find that they will.

10. Ensure Instant Content Delivery to Retail Partners 

Your content won’t drive revenue if users can’t find it. Ensure your content arrives at its destination with the tools from 1WorldSync. 

Our ContentCast platform empowers brands to operate from a single source of truth, seamlessly delivering content in real-time to retailers across the globe. Ensure your content remains consistent, meets regulatory compliance where applicable (e.g., GS1 Standards), and syndicates to a massive pool of global retail partners, all with a single click. 

Do Product Page Content Right 

In digital retail, your product page content is your product in the consumer’s mind. When shoppers can’t hold a product in their hands, evaluating your content is the next best thing. That’s why getting your product page content right is a must, both at Halloween and into other seasons with fewer goblins and ghouls. 

When you partner with 1WorldSync to create, distribute, and manage your product content, you can access industry-leading tools and resources that help you optimize every aspect of your PDPs. Connect with us today to create relevant, consistent, accurate content that brings in more revenue for your organization. 

The post 10 Scary Good Strategies We’ve Seen for Product Page Content appeared first on 1WorldSync.

This new dataset covers topics across commerce such as impactful product detail page (PDP) features, the cause of returns, the sway of influencers, the most trustworthy shopping channels, the validity of reviews and more. 

“In today’s retail landscape, online and in-store shopping experiences are intrinsically intertwined, each bolstering the other to meet the evolving demands of modern consumers,” said Steve Sivitter, CEO of 1WorldSync. “The boundaries between digital and physical retail channels are dissolving, giving rise to a ‘phygital’ shopping era where consumers seamlessly merge online and in-store shopping to make informed in-store purchases and vice versa. This interconnected ecosystem reflects the future of retail, demonstrating the complementary and indispensable relationship between online and brick-and-mortar platforms in enhancing customer experience and choice.”

The Key Takeaways

Read the Full Report

1WorldSync’s 2023 Product Content Benchmark report clearly shows that major e-commerce retailers are continuing to win the bulk consumer attention, commerce continues to grow across channels, influencers aren’t as influential as commonly thought, reviews are hugely impactful on sales, fast fashion is growing in sales and polarization and much more!

To read the full report, download it here.

The post 1WorldSync’s 2023 Product Content Benchmark Report Outlines Latest Consumer Trends appeared first on 1WorldSync.

101 Basic

101 Basic courses allow 1WorldSync customers to build a foundation of each solution. Customers can catch a live webinar and ask real-time questions or watch a how-to instructional video to sharpen their skills. Here is a brief overview of just some of 1WorldSync’s Basic 101 offerings.

101 Basic: Item Management Loading Workshop

Attend this course and learn how to seamlessly set up, manage, enrich and syndicate all your product attribution and content from one central location to meet the requirements of your retailers, distributors and trading partners.

The Item Management Loading Workshop is proven to be an essential course for new or current users of 1WorldSync’s Item Management platform responsible for product data management at their company, or for companies looking to improve the efficiencies of their master data management workflows.

Register now!

Course Details:

• Weekly
• 1-hour duration
• Basic
• Free

101 Basic: Item Management Tips & Tricks Workshop

Attend this course and test your knowledge of Item Management with eight troubleshooting scenarios to ensure accurate and proper product data synchronization to your retailers and trading partners.

The Item Management (IM) Tips & Tricks Workshop is an essential course for those IM users who have mastered some of the basics in adding, cloning, linking and publishing product data in IM, and are ready to learn more specific details about item publication processes and how to troubleshoot scenarios if errors occur.

Register now!

Course Details:

• Monthly
• 90-minute duration
• Basic
• Free

101 Basic: Digital Catalog Getting Started Workshop

Join 1WorldSync experts for a live, instructor-led training. Users get to practice in Digital Catalog and ask questions with our product content experts! This training is intended for supplier users new to Digital Catalog (DC). Users will log in in the last 30 minutes and create a template or add their logo/branding (or more!) in Digital Catalog. The instructor is ready to answer questions live.

Register now!

Course Details

• Monthly
• 1-hour duration
• Basic
• Free

In addition to the resources listed above, 1WorldSync customers can explore a wealth of other 101 Basic videos and quick sheet step-by-step guides. Everything at the 101 Basic level is included at no additional cost and available via the 1WorldSync Community Platform. Some examples of currently available videos include:

• 101 Basic Item Management How to Add a New Item
• 101 Basic – Product Introduction for Kroger How to Enter Hierarchy Level Data 
• 101 Basic – Digital Catalog Studio Editor & Template Creator 

Visit  1WorldSync Community to learn more. 

201 Advanced

201 Advanced: Mass Upload with the Load Sheet (FUSE)

Use the Load Sheet (FUSE) tool to add, modify, link and publish items more efficiently from one single point.

Suppliers who are tasked with uploading mass numbers of Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs) can do so more efficiently through the Load Sheet (FUSE) to maintain a MASTER version of data they want to incrementally add, link and publish to IM from 1 single point of upload. Gain a live demonstration of how to upload and export the Load Sheet (FUSE) via IM to meet individual product data needs throughout the full item lifecycle.

Register now!

Course Details

• Monthly
• 90-minute duration
• Advanced
• $300

201 Advanced: Product Introduction for Kroger Workshop

Learn how to best meet Kroger data requirements to get your products to market faster across Kroger’s digital e-commerce channels and on physical shelves.

201 Advanced – Product Introduction for Kroger Workshop is a premium session course during which attendees review the Kroger data sync program and then focus on the item submission process using the Kroger Vendor Item Portal (VIP). Attendees gain common lessons learned and best practices of syncing with Kroger using VIP. Additional topics covered (as needed) include an overview of both GDSN and GDSN-plus methods of entry, depending on a supplier’s subscription and needs.

Register now!

Course Details

• Monthly
•  90 Minutes Duration
•  Advanced
•  $250

301 – Expert

301 Expert: Content Syndication for Commerce Professionals (CSCP) Certificate

Learn how to master your product content synchronization like a pro so that your workflow processes become second nature.

In this 2-day training session, you won’t just explore the value of efficient product content synchronization. You will gain real-time, instructor-led practice sessions and troubleshooting time to help you address immediate content errors, instill confidence in your commerce activities and drive product sales and brand loyalty. In addition to quizzes and assessments, registrants receive a free invite to the 201 Load Sheet (FUSE) training, as well as one hour of personalized training all included with course fee.

Register now!

Course Details

• Monthly
• 2-day course
• Expert
• $1,200
• Credly certification

Getting Started

Each of these training opportunities offers 1WorldSync customers a chance to expand their knowledge of the solutions and their mastery of product content orchestration. Learn more and sign up today at https://community.1worldsync.com/t5/1WorldSync-Academy/ct-p/academy or visit the 1WorldSync store.

How to Access the 1WorldSync Store

Log into the 1WorldSync Store > Training > Class > Date > Add to Cart.

To access the 1WorldSync Store, use your Store-issued login. Don’t have one? Retrieve yours here.

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