Generating Instant ROI Through Outsourced Ecommerce Management

You may be familiar with the term “Software as a Service”, or “SaaS” as it’s commonly known, but how about “Ecommerce as a Service”? Many successful brands are choosing to outsource their ecommerce management to take advantage of the flexibility and efficiency this offers.

Launched in 2020, Swanky Australia’s Ecom-as-a-Service team has grown rapidly, helping merchants to both survive the impact of Covid and develop a robust post-pandemic strategy. They can manage all or part your ecommerce operations in one comprehensive service – giving you a flexible, dynamic approach to your online sales.

Let’s find out what this service includes, what the benefits are, and how outsourcing their ecommerce management to Swanky is helping a real-life Aussie brand to thrive.

What is ecommerce as a service?

Our ‘Ecom-as-a-Service’ offering is a contracted ecommerce team that can handle all of your customer acquisition and retention, while developing long term strategies to increase revenue and strengthen your position in the market.

From improving the conversion rate (CRO) and user experience (UX) of your store, to branding, social media management or email marketing campaigns, every aspect of your ecommerce operations can be outsourced to experts in each field. Merchants who outsource ecommerce management can enjoy the benefits of an experienced team of web developers, digital marketers, strategists and content writers to provide support in any area of the business that’s required.

We take a very flexible approach, with a bespoke package to complement the strengths of your in house team, whilst also providing training and support throughout.

7 reasons to outsource ecommerce management

So why choose to outsource ecommerce management? Here are seven reasons why it’s becoming such a popular choice for merchants.

#1 Access to expertise and experience

Any in-house ecommerce team is going to be limited in what they can achieve, due to the size of the team, and the number of different roles required to grow your brand online. Outsourcing to a diverse team of professionals means you’ll have a wide range of experience and knowledge at your fingertips.

#2 Speed of ROI

If sales are floundering and cash-flow is tight, you’ll need a solution that delivers results fast. Our ecommerce team can get to work on day one to analyse your website performance, conversion rates and marketing campaigns, and offer immediate fixes that will see rapid improvements to your bottom line. Within weeks you can start to see the return on your investment (ROI), as our client Goondiwindi Cotton experienced first-hand (more on this later!).

#3 Test out D2C for the first time

The advantages of selling direct-to-consumer (D2C) are easy to see: more sales, better margins, stronger customer relationships and greater control over your pricing and brand image. But for many wholesale brands, selling online can be complex, especially if you’ve never sold D2C before. Outsourced ecommerce management gives you the chance to try out a new approach, without the long term commitments.

#4 Cost-savings

From digital strategists to developers, graphic designers, copywriters and ad campaign managers, there are numerous roles required to run a successful ecommerce operation. To employ all of these roles – even part-time – within your business is costly, factoring in things like salaries, holiday and sick pay, and recruitment, as well as office overheads.

And relying on a small number of staff can be risky, in case one of them moves on, leaving you with a gap in your staff team. A monthly retainer with an outsourced team will therefore give you security as well as saving you money.

#5 Flexibility

The beauty of choosing to outsource ecommerce management is the flexibility it provides. We’re able to continually adjust the services we provide, based on the client’s monthly needs. There are no limitations as to which services are provided within your retained contract.

The needs of every merchant are different, so our outsourced ecommerce management is designed to work around you, complementing your existing in-house team, and providing additional insights and guidance. You can call in additional short-term support to boost your capacity whenever you need.

#6 Efficiency

Our experienced strategists are able to analyse your brand’s needs, to then recommend and implement an approach that fits with your business. We prioritise all our suggested improvements in terms of cost and effectiveness, so you can get to work on the quick fixes and easy wins, before moving on to long-term improvements.

#7 Measurable results

At Swanky, we believe understanding company data is the first step to driving change. Through testing and tracking ecommerce data, we’re able to measure the success of every campaign, so you can rest assured that you’re getting the best possible ROI in each area of your sales and marketing strategy. Access to robust commercial data means you can make more informed business decisions and back up those decisions in your communication to stakeholders.

Goondiwindi Cotton – 12 months of outsourced ecommerce management

Twelve months on from the launch of Swanky Australia’s Ecom-as-a-Service team, let’s take a look at the impact this integrated solution has had for one of our longest standing Ecom-as-a-Service clients, Australian fashion brand Goondiwindi Cotton, and how working with us enabled them to grow by 210% in the first three months alone.

When the pandemic first hit in March of 2020, Goondiwindi saw their wholesale orders dry up almost overnight as retailers were forced to close. To survive those first few months of lockdown, they needed a rapid solution.

By choosing to engage Swanky, they immediately had a team of specialists at their disposal. There was no delay caused by having to recruit and onboard new staff. There were no teething issues while staff familiarised themselves with Shopify and the other tech solutions that Goondiwindi were using. And there was no lack of efficiency in developing processes – Swanky’s team dropped straight in and showed Goondiwindi exactly what to do, how and when to do it.

With Swanky, Goondiwindi were able to immediately leverage the knowledge and expertise that comes with an agency who run ecommerce brands on a daily basis.

What services to Swanky provide to Goondiwindi Cotton?

We provide a whole spectrum of services to Goondiwindi, including:

• Procedure and process based ecommerce strategy (covering everything from general business strategy and internationalisation guidance, to marketing and CRO strategic services)
  Graphic design (UX/UI and digital design)
• Front-end web development
• Copywriting – including email marketing campaigns, email flows, and search engine optimisation
• Ad management (Google/Bing and Pinterest)
• Digital architecting (customer service desk selection and implementation, assistance with ERP selection and configuration)
• HR guidance (role and KPI definition, reporting structures)

How has this benefitted Goondiwindi Cotton?

Goondiwindi engaged Swanky’s Ecom-as-a-Service team at the beginning of Q2 in 2020, and experienced an astounding 210% growth from Q1 to Q2, despite the global impact of the pandemic on trade. As other businesses struggled in a challenging new environment, Goondiwindi saw sales soar, growing a further 31% between Q2 and Q3.

By outsourcing ecommerce management to Swanky, Goondiwindi has had the flexibility to call on different services depending on their needs at each stage of their development. If they were to source these services themselves, they’d have been forced to commit to part-time – or potentially even full-time – employees in each of the roles required in an ecommerce team, in order to have the ability to act both proactively and reactively in the way that Swanky can.

Factoring in the potential salaries and additional costs they would have to provide, working with Swanky meant Goondiwindi would more than halve their potential outgoings on their ecommerce management.

But the biggest benefit for Goondiwindi of deciding to outsource ecommerce management to Swanky was the speed at which we were able to onboard them as a client and start offering real return on Goondiwindi’s investment. In a turbulent and uncertain market, we enabled Goondiwindi to adapt and reposition themselves. As a result, they’ve not only survived this last year, they have thrived, and continue to grow and develop as we move towards a post-pandemic world.

Hear more from the Goondiwindi Cotton team about their journey with Swanky here:

Outsource your ecommerce management

Are you looking for help with your ecommerce management? Our Ecom-as-a-Service team has the expertise and know-how to transform your online sales and deliver fast and sustained results. Whatever your business type, we work hard to understand your commercial needs and create a bespoke package to enable you to grow your business.

Get in touch today to speak to one of our strategists about how we can help.