Hyper-scalable, could it be the end of the cloud commerce era in the online retail space? According to Brightpearl, it could well be.
“Alexa, order a monitor stand from Amazon”.
Sound like a familiar way of making a purchase?
If not, don’t worry, it doesn’t for me either.
But this is what retailers need to look towards as a new normal for online shopping.
According to Brightpearl’s 2021 Guide ‘The Hyper-scalable Era Explained,’ 57% of shoppers, aged 18-24, are increasingly shopping through alternative methods, such as Alexa, TikTok and Whatsapp.
But what does this mean?
Well as Brightpearl suggests, we’re now entering the Hyper-scalable Era.
What is the Hyper-Scalable Era
The Hyper-scalable Era is being defined by rapid, consumer-led expectations for speed, choice and novel retail experiences.
“This is the Hyper-scalable Era – and, if you’re a retailer, it’s time to get up to speed, or get left behind.”
– Brightpearl
Consumers are very much in control of the buying process today.
Shopping used to be a very linear experience, back in the 80s and 90s, popping down to the shops and buying your goods, however nowadays retailers have to combat rapidly changing consumer behaviours and follow the trends of the platforms they’re buying on.
As we stated before, 57% of Generation Z shoppers are shopping through alternative methods, and 70% of Gen Zers wish that retailers would make shopping through these channels easier.
Gone are the days of having a single channel retail operation back in the server era.
And we’re saying goodbye to ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) systems being the saviour to creating a unified platform for retailers to capture their data.
“90% of brands in the $5-50m revenue range agree that ERPs limit their ability to quickly deploy better shopping experiences, keep up with customer expectations and sell more.”
– Brightpearl
Now we’re looking at a world where consumers are buying clothes directly from Instagram photos, purchasing Kylie Cosmetics straight from TikTok and ordering their weekly shop via a voice-activated device from their sofa.
And it’s retailers’ jobs to make sure they have the right systems in place to keep up with these changing behaviours and manage the buying habits of their customers effectively.
Trends change, platforms rise and fall, and retailers need to be able to efficiently switch on and switch on and off the ones they need, as and when they need them.
Brightpearl states that we’re now in ‘the Hyper-scalable Era – and if you’re a retailer, it’s time to get up to speed, or get left behind’.
How can my online retail business survive in the hyper-scalable era?
By now you might be asking yourself what exactly that it is your retail business needs to do in order to survive in the Hyper-scalable Era.
The good news is that in Brightpearl’s guide, they give you a 3-step plan of action, a checklist for success as well as some tips to help you choose the right tech for your business.
And if you’re don’t think this is something you need to think about now, here’s what Cate Trotter from Insider Trends had to say:
“This is not only in the short-term. The Gen Z consumers who are used to engaging through an ever-evolving roster of apps and digital services are going to keep growing in purchasing power. Generation Alpha and subsequent generations will be even more digitally savvy.”
Head on over to Brightpearl now and download the guide to see what your business can do to survive in the Hyper-scalable Era.
If you’re using Brightpearl (or considering using Brightpearl) to manage your retail operation – and your delivering goods and products in your own fleet of vehicles, then speak to us about our Brightpearl integration.
Learn more about our Brightpearl shipping & fulfilment integration.
