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1. Scope
The scope of this process involves the creation and structure of the company's product portfolio, aiming to facilitate organization and hierarchy. Additionally, it includes exploring different marketing functionalities provided by the system to leverage the full advantage of each of them.
Portfolio
Product Types
Categories Products
Catalog
Revenue Management
Pricing
Offer Management
Coupons
Analysis and Improvement
Analysis
Reports
1.1. Software Coverage
Portfolio
Product Creation
Product Types
Categories
Navigation
Typology
SKU (Stock Keeping Unit)
Products
Product Types
Physical Characteristics (Weight, Volume)
Graphics
Positioning
Catalog
Commercial (Prices and Volumes)
Filters
Catalog Sorting
Quick Purchase with Selectable Pickers
Product Tags: New, Discount, Free Shipping, and customizable generic tags
Revenue Management
Price
Lists
Rules
Offers
Product Cross-Selling Screen
Rules
Coupons
Offering through a rule engine.
Analysis and Improvement
Analysis
Reports
2. Definitions
It is essential to understand the main functionalities offered by the system to carry out effective product marketing and catalog management. Additionally, implementing the best strategies to attract the public's attention to the benefits and services offered by the company.
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Why are rules applied during the product purchase process? Rules are a set of conditions defined to execute a process or operation (e.g., when a person purchases X product, then offer a reward). In the sales process, rules allow for controlling and managing processes automatically based on specific conditions. This functionality is highly flexible in its application.
3. Highlighted functionalities
3.1. Products portfolio
Products: The platform offers various configurations for products based on the company's needs, facilitating better management, distribution, and administration of product portfolios.
Catalogs: Multiple catalogs can be configured according to the company's strategies and requirements (e.g., setting up catalogs based on specific countries).
3.2. Revenue management
Usage of Different Price Lists: Price lists can be configured to assign different product prices to the sales force based on their performance classification.
Application of Discounts: Applying discounts to products is a high-impact sales strategy. The system allows for various methods and strategies to implement these discounts, which can attract more customers and incentivize purchases.
Boosting Offer Management: The system supports the implementation of various offers to enhance marketing strategies and increase sales, such as applying coupons and cross-selling.
Applying Rules for Sales Processes: Rules enable the execution of additional functionalities, such as applying discounts to specific individuals or enabling special offers. The company can use this functionality to enhance and improve sales through various strategies.
4. Conditions
For the proper use of the software's functionalities, it is necessary to have the following technical and/or business elements defined beforehand:
Product Content: Define the focus and necessary objectives that the product content will encompass.
Categorization and Distribution of Products: Determine the type of content to be used (images, text, video) for categories and products.
Product and Category Structure Plan: Establish the grouping, structure, and distribution of the different products in the portfolio, for example:
SKU schema definition
Subcategory definition
And other related aspects
Image Repository for References: Predefine the catalog of images to be used for products and all related information.
Defining Specific Timeframes for Campaigns/Cycles: Set the start and end dates for the campaigns according to the business model.
Pricing and Offer Strategies: The company should have a clear understanding of pricing and offer strategies, including when and how to apply discounts or offers, to avoid cannibalizing its products.
5. Software Functioning
5.1. Journey
The Marketing team at ABC LLC, led by Brenda, needs to implement various strategies for a proper product structure and, additionally, apply different promotions or discounts to attract more customers and increase sales.
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By effectively implementing these strategies and utilizing the functionalities provided by the software, Brenda's team can optimize their marketing efforts and drive greater success for ABC LLC.
6. Configurable Elements
The following are the elements to configure in the software:
6.1. Main Configurations
Configuration of campaigns / cycles
Configuration of SKU categories
Configuration of SKU types (size, color, etc.)
Configuration of product categories and subcategories
Configuration of product creation by screen and by upload
Configuration of catalog creation by screen and by upload
Association of products to catalogs.
Price lists and discounts in product-catalog association fields
Configuration of business rules for discounts and promotions
Creation of coupons
Creation of offers.
The marketing team at ABC LLC, led by Brenda, is responsible for setting up and configuring various aspects of the platform to ensure effective product management and promotion. This includes defining campaigns or cycles, creating, and organizing product categories, setting up different SKU types, and configuring pricing and discounts. Additionally, they create and manage catalogs, associate products with catalogs, and implement business rules for promotions and discounts. The team also has the authority to create coupons and set up attractive offers to entice customers and drive sales. By effectively managing these configurations, Brenda's team can optimize their marketing efforts and enhance the overall customer experience.
6.2. Configuración de Módulos Relacionados
Configuration of currencies for handling monetary aspects related to products.
Configuration of warehouses for inventory control of products
Configuration of tax types
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By successfully configuring these elements, the marketing team can streamline financial operations, maintain accurate inventory records, and provide customers with transparent pricing information, ultimately contributing to the success of ABC LLC's marketing strategies.
6.3. Configuración del Módulo
6.3.1. Products
To create the product portfolio, the following configurations are necessary:
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By completing these configurations, the marketing team led by Brenda can effectively create and manage the product portfolio, categorize products for easier navigation, and apply appropriate tax rates and variations to meet the needs of different markets and customer preferences. This will contribute to a well-structured and efficient product catalog for ABC LLC, enabling them to showcase their offerings effectively to their target audience.
6.3.1.1. Product Categories (configuration icon)
This module facilitates the classification of products in the portfolio, allowing for easy separation and grouping of similar products. It enables the creation, modification, and deletion of product categories and subcategories. Additionally, the module supports bulk creation through the use of a flat file import.
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The mandatory field "CODE" should contain the name of the category or subcategory.
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Related Environment-Variables
Environment variables are another element that allows configuring the visualization and functionality of the software, to customize it according to user preferences. These variables are parameterized from the environment variables manager, by editing the "Value" field.
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Name | Description |
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LIMITATION_MASK_ADMINISTRATOR_CATEGORY_CODE | Define the number of characters valid for the code fields when creating a product category. |
CATALOG_FRIENDLY_URL | Define if the catalog uses friendly URLs |
6.3.1.2. Categories SKU (configuration icon)
Through this administrator, the company can establish the categories it will use to identify the various products it will manage.
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For example: If a SKU category is created to define the color, and it is defined that the color will be represented by positions 7 to 9, then assigning this SKU to a product with the code 50193SPAB1B5 will mean that "AB1" defines the color.
Additionally, this administrator allows the creation, modification, and deletion of SKU categories.
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SKU Types
This category is visible when creating the SKU type, as they are related to each other for proper functioning. It provides the necessary details for products in the catalog or the list in the e-commerce platform.
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6.3.1.3. SKU Types (configuration icon)
After creating the SKU categories, it is necessary to create SKU types, which represent the options within each SKU category. For example, if the following SKU categories were created:
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The SKU type is visible in the product details or in the catalog listing in the e-commerce platform.
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6.3.1.4. Visualization of products and SKUs
This administrator creates a relationship between an SKU category and a product category to show, in the web catalog filters and in the detailed view of a product, only those SKU categories that correspond or are relevant to the queried product category or the queried product.
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Suppose there are 4 SKU categories: Size, Color, Weight, Flavor
And two product categories: Clothing and Food.
If we associate the SKU categories Size and Color with the product category Clothing, and the SKU categories Weight and Flavor with the product category Food.
Then, when viewing the detailed view of a shirt, which belongs to the Clothing product category, it will show information about Size and Color but not about Weight or Flavor. Conversely, when viewing the detailed view of a powdered supplement, which belongs to the Food product category, it will show information about Weight and Flavor but not about Size or Color. This relationship helps to filter and display only relevant SKU categories for a specific product category or product, making it easier for customers to find the desired information in the catalog.
6.3.1.5. Additional related functionalities
6.3.1.5.1. Product cost
This module allows configuring the net cost value of the product, which can then be calculated along with other values applied to a product such as discounts, taxes, etc.
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By configuring the cost of products, the system can accurately calculate and manage the final price of a product, considering various factors such as currency conversion, commissions, incentives, and other relevant aspects.
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6.3.2. Catalog
The catalog allows organizing and listing the products offered for sale in a specific period, such as a campaign or sales cycle.
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The creation of the catalog can be performed by the administrator, and once created, a catalog cannot be deleted. The catalog serves as a key tool for organizing and presenting the products available during a specific campaign, enabling efficient sales and order management.
Related Environment-Variables
Environment variables are additional elements that allow configuring the display and functionality of the software to customize it according to user preferences. These variables are parameterized from the Environment Variables Manager by editing the "Value" field.
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Name | Description |
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MINIMUM_AUTOCOMPLETE_CHARACTERS | This environment variable controls the threshold at which the product autocomplete feature will start querying products to display suggestions. It is only active in the "COMBOS" section. |
SHOW_DYNAMIC_COMBO | In the "Catalog" module, the option "Configure dynamic combos" is visible in the "Actions" button options of each product, but only when it is a dynamic combo. |
CATALOG_ENABLE_PRODUCT_SORT | It serves to show or hide the "Order products" button. |
PRODUCTDETAIL_SHOW_REFERENCES_WITHOUT_INVENTORY | It controls the sizes without inventory, they are hidden. |
CATALOG_SHOW_PRODUCTS_WITH_INVENTORY | It conditions whether to display all products or only those with inventory. |
6.3.2.1. Products association
Once the company defines the list of products, they are then associated with a catalog to extend the sales features such as prices, discounts, and other attributes. This way, the same product in a catalog can be listed at a regular price and can also be used in a combo or offer at a discounted price, all while maintaining the same stock unit or SKU.
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The products associated with catalogs are visible in the e-commerce platform based on the selected country. Additionally, the selection can also be made through the chatbot.
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6.3.2.2. Replicate catalog
Many times, companies have the same product portfolio in multiple campaigns or cycles.
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Catalog to be replicated.
New catalog
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6.3.2.3. Additional related functionalities
6.3.2.3.1. Initial Kits
The company can configure the option of conditional registration based on the purchase of a Starter Kit. This means that anyone who wants to become part of the company's sales force will become active once they have purchased this Starter Kit.
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The platform requires that the product to be offered as a Starter Kit is correctly marked at the time of creation. The product creation is done in the Marketing chapter.
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6.3.3. Campaigns
6.3.3.1. Channels
This module allows the configuration of different channels, which define the means that the company establishes to promote and sell the products of the sales force.
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These are related at the time of configuring the year for the campaign and for the state machine.
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6.3.3.2. Cycle Manager (Configuration icon)
Effective management of cycles/campaigns is essential as it helps control the dates for conducting the company's commercial operations. This module allows the configuration of campaign years, and it is recommended to create these on an annual basis.
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By effectively managing campaign years through the Cycle Manager, companies can align their sales activities with specific timeframes, making it easier to monitor and evaluate the success of their sales efforts. This approach empowers the company to plan and execute sales strategies more efficiently, leading to improved overall performance.
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6.3.3.3. Cycle Group
The "Group" feature in the Cycle Manager allows the company to define the month of the campaign, providing a structured and organized approach to the entire operational process of campaigns.
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By utilizing the Group feature within the Cycle Manager, companies can effectively organize their campaigns, ensuring that sales and marketing activities are executed in a structured manner. This helps in streamlining the overall campaign planning process and enables the company to achieve better results in its sales and marketing endeavors.
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6.3.3.4. Mail Group
The "Mail Plans" represent the date range within which orders can be placed for a specific campaign.
The "Mail Groups" are associations made between the Mail Plans and a geographical zone, defining the date range during which a specific zone can place orders for a particular campaign.
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The configuration of Mail Groups ensures that orders can be placed within specific date ranges, depending on the campaign and the designated geographical zone. This enables better management of sales activities, ensuring that orders are placed within the intended timeframe and according to the targeted regions.
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6.3.3.5. Mailplan
The "Mail Plans" are the date ranges within which orders can be placed for a specific campaign.
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Configuring Mail Plans is essential for managing the order placement period during a campaign. By defining specific date ranges for orders, the company can effectively control and organize its sales activities within each campaign, ensuring that orders are placed within the designated timeframe. This helps streamline operations and ensure a smooth flow of orders during the promotional period.
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7. Detailed Scope
7.1. Products Portfolio
The product portfolio is used to ensure proper management of the products that the company offers. It represents the complete list of products and/or services provided by the company.
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By maintaining a well-organized product portfolio and managing it efficiently, Brenda and the company can effectively showcase their products, streamline sales processes, and ensure a consistent and successful marketing strategy.
7.2. Product Types
There are different types of products based on their management:
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These different types of products allow the company to manage a diverse range of offerings, including physical items, services, and bundled packages, catering to the specific needs of their customers and maximizing their sales and marketing strategies.
7.3. Categories
Categories allow the classification and grouping of products in the portfolio based on certain shared characteristics.
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For example, a shirt with the same reference but in different sizes can be presented to the user as a single product on the e-commerce platform, and the user will have the option to select the size or color when making a purchase.
7.3.1. Products
Products refer to the physical units of inventory that the company has, which can be classified in multiple ways for the purpose of presenting them to consumers or generating reports within the marketing or sales team. Categories are used for this classification.
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Currency settings
SKU structure
Product categories
Categories in Joomla navigation menu
Product configuration/loading
Catalog configuration/loading
Catalog assignment to campaigns
Catalog UX configuration Styles/Modes Pickers/Lists
7.3.1.1. What has to be defined in the product?
Each product must define 4 dimensions of information, which are:
Physical characteristics
Tax characteristics
Graphic characteristics
Positioning characteristics
Phisical characteristics
Within the physical characteristics, the following definitions can be found:
Name: The product's name, which should be clear, descriptive, but not overly long.
Description: This allows adding basic information about the product. Both the name and description can have a primary and a secondary language in rich text format, along with images or videos.
Weight/Volume: These are attributes of the physical product and can be used by logistics and operational modules for freight calculations, among other things.
Product Unit: The primary unit in which the product is managed.
Minimum Quantity: This informs logistically about the minimum quantity at which a restocking alert should be generated.
Graphic characteristics
Images/Videos: Allows adding multiple images and videos to each product.
Tax characteristics
Tax Category: A code that will later allow defining whether the product has taxes at the time of sale and enables the calculation of the tax amount.
Positioning characteristics
SEO positioning for each product with tags, title, and description is used to optimize search engine indexing.
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To configure the products, you need to go to the product manager located in the left-hand side menu of the back office. Then, open the modal to create a new product or edit an existing one, and fill in the fields with the relevant information. This includes adding appropriate tags, a well-crafted title, and a descriptive description to enhance the product's visibility and ranking on search engines.
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7.3.1.2. Product Management
Loading & Exporting of products into the system
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User ratings for products: Managing user feedback and opinions about products is crucial for marketing purposes. The marketing team has the ability to control the visibility of information on the website to ensure it aligns with the company's image and values. This includes moderating and filtering user-generated content to avoid any inappropriate language or content that may not be suitable for the company's brand. By actively monitoring and managing user ratings and reviews, the marketing team can maintain a positive brand image and enhance the overall user experience on the website.
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7.3.2. Catalog
The catalog allows organizing and listing products offered for sale in a specific period, such as a campaign or sales cycle. Additionally, users can locate and learn more about the products or services the company sells or uses for its commercial function. The catalog can also include incentive products or prizes.
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To configure catalogs, you need to go to the "Catalog" tab in the catalog manager, located in the left-hand side menu of the back office. Then, open the modal to create a new catalog or edit an existing one, and fill in the required fields. This process allows you to set up the necessary information, including product listings, pricing, discounts, and other attributes for each catalog.
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7.3.2.1. Filters
In this component, users can find the filters they have configured, displayed either vertically or horizontally. This option greatly aids in finding a specific product, either based on its characteristics or category.
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Furthermore, the filter bar also provides an option to choose how many products the user wants to see per page, offering a personalized viewing experience.
7.3.2.2. Catalog sorting
The catalog sorting involves organizing products in the web catalog based on selected tags, such as "New," "Generic," and "Free Shipping."
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By utilizing this feature, customers can easily filter and view products based on their preferences, such as seeing the newest items, generic products, or items eligible for free shipping. This enhances the user experience and makes it more convenient for customers to find products that meet their specific criteria.
7.3.2.3. Selectable pickers
The system allows for parameterization to show or hide product colors, displayed below each product reference. Additionally, it supports quick purchasing of the selected color.
This feature enables a more personalized and user-friendly shopping experience. Users can easily view available colors for a product and make a quick purchase without the need for navigating to separate product pages. The system's flexibility in configuring color display and the seamless purchase process enhance customer satisfaction and streamline the buying journey.
7.3.2.4. Tags in the products
The system allows creating different tags for products, such as "New," "Free Shipping," "Discount," and a customizable generic tag.
To activate the "New" and "Free Shipping" product tags, you can do it from the "Additional Information" tab in the "Add Product to Catalog" modal. In any of the four "Feature 1, 2, 3, or 4" fields, you can type the name of the tag you want to assign to the product. To mark a product with the "New" tag, you would write "isNew" in any of the four feature fields. Similarly, to mark a product with the "Free Shipping" tag, you would write "FreeShip" in any of the feature fields.
The "Discount" product tag can be activated from the "Mandatory Information" tab in the "Add Product to Catalog" modal, using the "Activate discount" checkbox. If you want to mark a product with the "Discount" tag, simply check this box.
After adding the tags, they will be reflected in the web product catalog and the detailed product view.
Example:
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7.3.2.5. Carousels
On the website's homepage, there is a carousel of featured products. The software provides the option to indicate how many products you want to display in the carousel of featured products.
To achieve this, you need to make two configurations. The first one is from the catalog manager, specifically from the "Add Product" modal. You will need to enable the "Featured Product" switch for the products you want to showcase in the carousel.
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The configured number of products will be reflected below the detailed view of a product in the carousel.
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7.4. Revenue management
Revenue management is a responsibility of marketing, although in some companies, it is shared with the finance department. Its main objective is to maximize the profits of the portfolio by adjusting the marketing mix appropriately. The platform facilitates this by enabling the following:
Managing price strategy: The platform allows for flexible pricing strategies to optimize revenue generation based on market demand, competition, and other factors.
Discounts: It provides tools to manage and apply discounts effectively to attract customers and boost sales without compromising profitability.
Offers: The platform allows creating and promoting special offers and promotions to incentivize customer purchases and increase revenue.
Coupons: Coupon management features help in running targeted marketing campaigns, attracting new customers, and retaining existing ones.
Cross-selling: The platform supports cross-selling efforts by suggesting related or complementary products to customers, increasing the average order value.
Offering through a rule engine.
These functionalities empower marketers to optimize revenue, achieve business goals, and enhance overall profitability by making informed decisions and implementing effective marketing strategies. Collaboration with the finance department ensures alignment with financial objectives and long-term sustainable growth.
7.4.1. Pricing
Many organizations define different price lists for each of their distributor levels. These price list assignments can be as simple as automatically assigning a price list based on the distributor's level or range. In more complex cases, the price assignment may depend on various variables, such as the geographical region and the sales levels achieved in the last month.
7.4.1.1. Pricing lists (defined by rank)
Price lists allow for segmentation and the implementation of commercial strategies based on the performance classification of the sales force.
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In summary, the S4DS platform offers a robust solution for managing price lists and allows organizations to implement tailored pricing strategies to achieve their revenue and sales targets.
7.4.1.2. Discounts
For commercial strategies, such as seasonal promotions or to increase turnover, the company can assign additional discounts to products with the aim of stimulating sales.
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By offering visible discounts on the E-commerce website, the company can attract more customers and encourage higher sales volume. This strategy can lead to increased customer satisfaction, improved customer loyalty, and overall revenue growth. Moreover, the ability to easily apply and display discounts in the online store helps create a more transparent and compelling shopping experience for users.
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7.4.2. Offers
7.4.2.1. Cross selling
Cross-selling is one of the marketing techniques used to increase the average order value by suggesting related products to customers.
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By utilizing cross-selling techniques, companies can effectively increase sales, enhance customer satisfaction, and maximize the revenue potential of each transaction. It enables businesses to offer customers a more personalized and enticing shopping experience, thereby increasing the chances of customers purchasing complementary products or related items.
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7.4.2.2. Coupons
Coupons are a way to attract traffic and increase user interaction with the brand, but they need to be handled carefully to avoid cannibalizing the more profitable portfolio.
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By incorporating these various conditioning options, the platform enables flexible and targeted coupon campaigns, empowering marketing teams to implement effective and customized promotional strategies that align with their business goals and target customer preferences.
7.4.2.3. Gift cards
It is possible to create gift card products with different monetary values that can be used as a payment method on the website. These gift cards are represented by unique codes and can be used by the recipient as a form of payment for future purchases. They function like bearer instruments, and various gift cards can be created for different occasions, such as Mother's Day, Women's Day, Birthday Cards, and other special moments that customers consider significant for their target audience as part of their marketing push strategy.
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Additionally, there will be a designated field where you can write a personalized message for the recipient. This message will be included along with the gift card when it is sent to the recipient's email address.
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7.4.2.4. Business rules
Sometimes, businesses require the flexibility to apply discounts, promotions, or commercial actions that involve a higher degree of complexity. To meet this need, the S4DS platform contains a robust Rules Engine that allows the operation of business conditions and the execution of actions on orders, products, or almost any stored data.
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The Rules Engine empowers businesses to create sophisticated and tailored promotions, discounts, and incentives based on specific business conditions and criteria. It enables marketing teams to design dynamic and effective campaigns that respond to customer behavior and business objectives, optimizing the overall user experience and driving sales.
Here are the translations of your examples of commercial strategies through a rule engine:
Example 1:
We offer you $50,000 for purchases over $150,000 on the Online Store. From January 22nd to January 24th.
For purchases equal to or greater than $150,000 COP, we gift you $40,000 COP to redeem immediately in the same purchase. The discount is applied automatically at the time of payment. Bonuses cannot be accumulated with each other."
Example 2:
"You can promote specific products that you want to give visibility to or need to clear inventory for selected references, offering specific discounts for the purchase of 2 or more units: Buy 'x' reference and get 50% OFF on reference 'y.' Or buy 'x' reference and get 50% OFF on the second unit of the same 'x' reference. Buy one item, get the second at 50% off. The discount applies to the lower-priced item."
Example 3:
"We can promote a specific category of products to incentivize their purchase. We can offer that for the purchase of 2 products from category A, you can buy a product from category B at 50% OFF."
Example 4:
"It is possible to establish a rule that allows offering free shipping when purchasing a specific product. To achieve this, you first need to configure a condition (IF) that checks the presence of the product in the order, specifying that this condition is met when the quantity of that product in the order is greater than or equal to one. Then, in the parameters, you should specify the SKU of the particular product that must be present in the order for the rule to apply.
Next, in the conclusion section (THEN), you should configure the 'shipping value' option and set its value to zero (0). This way, when the specific product is present in the order, the shipping cost will be automatically reduced to zero, allowing the shipping to be free."
Example 5:
"It is possible to configure a rule that allows applying a specific discount to a particular product when purchasing another specific product. To achieve this, you first need to configure a condition (IF) that checks the presence of a product in the order, specifying that this condition is met when the quantity of that product in the order is equal to one. Then, in the parameters, you should specify the SKU of the particular product that must be present in the order for the rule to apply.
Next, in the conclusion section (THEN), you should configure the 'Grant discount for SKU' option, where you can specify both the amount of the discount granted (in this case, it is 50%) and the product on which this discount will be applied."
7.4.3. Reports for analysis
The teams responsible for managing the company's strategy, whether in marketing or sales, require the ability to analyze the information collected by the system to plan future strategies that have a greater impact in the market.
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