Unified Commerce is the New Standard for Brands: Here’s How to Achieve It

Unified Commerce is the New Standard for Brands: Here’s How to Achieve It

By Chris Crutchley on July 31, 2024
Unified commerce makes brands more connected & agile than ever. Learn how.

Nowadays, collecting data throughout your supply chain is paramount to retail success. Omnichannel resources have made this easier to do — yet, when data is collected through various sources and stored in different places, it can be difficult to manage.

Enter unified commerce, a concept that is streamlining retail operations and helping customers and retailers alike. 

With unified commerce, instead of collecting data and operating different sales channels separately, you are connecting all sales channels so that every single piece of data ends up in one place.

Now, how do you achieve this? Unified commerce isn’t one specific product or bundle of products you can buy. Rather, it is the implementation of one centralized platform that all your sales channels funnel into.

Of course, not all software will easily connect to store data in a centralized way. That’s why you need to follow a few steps:

  1. Assess your current systems for compatibility with unified commerce
  2. Integrate all order fulfillment systems
  3. Test, review, and revise

Let’s get into the details.

Read about CBIP's Adaptable 4PL Logistics Services

Why Unify?

Like omnichannel, unified commerce involves using various sales channels simultaneously to grab the attention of customers shopping in different places.

However, unified commerce goes a step further. Instead of working with various disparate parts, unified commerce has you connect your back-end systems directly with your customer-facing sales channels. 

Why is this better? Well, when you do this using one centralized platform, things get a lot easier. Things like:

  • Processing payments and refunds from all channels on one platform
  • Consolidating reporting for your accounting team
  • Giving you customer data from all markets and channels in one place
  • Streamlining inventory control and improving restocking accuracy

The rationale for unified commerce is pretty straightforward: It provides better customer service for the shopper, and it gets you better data in one place to help you manage your brand.

Plus, the research shows that retailers who use a unified approach can increase revenue by three to six percent. So how do you make it happen? Three simple steps.

Assess your current systems

One of the top goals in unified commerce is to provide better service, so get started by assessing the current status of your brand’s customer service.

Assess how unified your current system is in a few ways.

Simulate the customer journey 

Things may seem like they are running smoothly, but you may not be as in touch with views from the customer’s perspective as you think.

To figure out where there may be customer-experience bottlenecks, conduct customer surveys, and simulate a typical customer journey.

 Asking your customers and having testers shop your stuff and give you honest feedback is the easiest way to find out where there may be holes in customer service.

Look for siloes

Any old systems will not only slow you down in the short term, but they will also bar you from creating an agile system for success in the long term.

Older systems may rely on email and Excel spreadsheets to collect and spread info. Newer systems make use of API connections to make it simple for them to connect. 

As your business grows and evolves, you may need to make big organizational changes to keep things running smoothly. If you are working with an old system, it will be very hard to make a change. Whereas with a new system, you can connect using APIs quickly.

Related: How to Use Data Analytics to Improve Your Supply Chain

Integrate your systems

In order to have a truly unified commerce experience, you need to make sure that all your systems are integrated. This includes:

  • Point of sale system (POS)
  • Inventory management system (IMS)
  • Customer relationship management system (CRM)
  • E-commerce sites
  • Mobile apps
  • Brick-and-mortar stores

There are plenty of different platforms that you can use (a quick Google search will show you that), but the key thing you should look for is a platform that can connect with all your tech and collect data from all sources. 

Testing and collecting data

Once you have integrated all of your systems into a unified system, it’s time to test them and see how everything works.

This will require you to work closely with any third-party tech providers or in-house people responsible for your technology platforms.

Work with a tech-enabled 4PL to get data from all your providers

As a 4PL, we work with dozens of different logistics providers around the world to deliver the services our e-commerce clients need.

For this model to work seamlessly, we’ve developed our own platform that connects to all of those providers. That way, when each client logs into their CBIP platform, they can access data and updates from every part of their supply chain, all from the same platform.

We’re proud to say that we have the best of both worlds: we put customer service and personalized partnerships first, but we also offer a centralized tech platform to guide your brand agilely into the future of e-commerce.

Want to learn more? Reach out today for a free consultation with me or another one of the CBIP partners. 

About Author

Chris Crutchley

Chris Crutchley is CBIP’s director of operations and finance. He has over a decade of corporate finance and operational expertise throughout the Asia Pacific.

In logistics, Chris strives to continuously innovate and challenge the industry’s norms in order to offer clients world-class service that emphasizes clear communication.

Why CBIP

Powered by the latest in logistics technology

Asia’s first carbon-neutral 4PL firm

We are an extension to your in-house logistics team

Our Service

E-Commerce Logistics

Full-Service Logistics

Consulting

Subscribe Now

Get the latest insights from the CBIP team on global logistics & supply chain.

Grow your business with a partner that puts your needs first. Schedule a Call Today

Please enter a valid business email.










FAQs

Every e-commerce brand or seller is a little different. So, the best way for us to provide you with a detailed quote is to fill out our online questionnaire here and from here we can walk you through the various options available to you with CBIP Logistics.

No, we do not charge the higher fee associated with long-term storage. No matter how long the goods remain in our warehouse. They are charged the same rate for inventory storage.

Yes! We can store your inventory and replenish Amazon as necessary, helping you adhere to Amazon’s strict rules and regulations for packaging, labeling and shipping.

We charge for storage by either cubic meter, sqft or per pallet / racking space per week. It depends on the request from the customer as one-size doesn’t fit all. It would be better if you schedule a call with us

We provide a variety of services in the logistics landscape which includes Ocean Freight, Airfreight, Domestic Delivery, Warehouse & Distribution and Customs Clearance & Brokerage.

We offer several types of warehouses that are tailored to your requirements and vary among countries, e.g. Bonded Warehouse, General Warehouse, Consolidated Warehouse and Distribution Center.

Yes, you can track it from our platform by using the “Log In” function and access to “B2B” which is dedicated to track any shipment you have with us. This is a real-time platform which integrates with some major carriers so from here you can get the visibility of vessels on the globe map.

  • Origin Management: digital PO management and connected suppliers supported by agnostic 3PL vendor management capabilities.

  • Shipment Tracker: real time tracking also vessel tracking to let you know where the goods are.

  • Destination Management: platform manage the delivery to Distribution Centre and update frequently on platform.

  • Paperless Handling: we centralize the document hub on the platform for shipment-by-shipment. From here you can get the full documentation of a particular shipment within a click.

We offer the consulting services to enterprises who looking for either:

  • Optimizing their existing operations for cost, operation & performance effectiveness.

  • Scale their B2C or B2B business

Yes, our consulting services range from completing assessments on existing business, strategy & planning, tendering & RFP development, vendor selection and transitions & special projects.

Every business, we have a dedicated Account Manager who is the focal contact point that you can get in touch for daily operation.

Greenhouse gases (GHGs) are any gases that contribute to climate change through the effect of global warming (carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and more). As more of these gases are released, the atmosphere traps more heat from the sun every year. This is causing the climate to change. GHGs and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are often used interchangeably with carbon emissions when talking about the climate.

Like most websites CBIP uses cookies in order to optimize your experience and deliver a more responsive user experience. These cookies are safe and secure, and we only use this data within the CBIP Organization. Privacy Policy