Ecommerce In Hospitality Industry: Personalization and Sales

Posted 2 years ago by Max Komonov

Ecommerce, also known as桂electronic commerce, is桂a桂means of桂trading or桂selling goods or桂services online. First created in桂the桂late 1970s, ecommerce has grown dramatically in桂the桂last 3桂decades. Companies like Amazon and桂eBay have become monsters in桂the桂ecommerce industry. While most everyday people are familiar with retail-based ecommerce, retailers are not the桂only ones benefiting. Ecommerce in桂the桂hospitality industry continues to桂grow as桂well, offering a桂strategy to桂sell services and桂products.

Ecommerce played an桂integral role during the桂lockdowns.桂 Even though many hospitality businesses were put on桂hold, ecommerce was an桂important tool to桂engage customers, activate consumer advertising, and桂increase sales safely.

This article will discuss the桂vital role of桂ecommerce in桂the桂hospitality industry.

The Role of桂Ecommerce in桂Business

Ecommerce is桂used in桂all types of桂businesses, big and桂small. Some advantages of桂using ecommerce include the桂following:

It桂reduces production costs
It桂allows for桂businesses to桂operate day and桂night (24/7)
It桂allows businesses to桂run more efficiently
It桂allows businesses to桂sell products to桂individuals in桂different states or桂countries
It桂allows for桂businesses to桂connect with more people than they could otherwise
It桂allows for桂payment to桂be桂sent instantly

When it桂comes to桂ecommerce in桂hospitality, the桂tourism industry is桂a桂major benefactor. While this sort of桂technology has been available for桂some time, the桂COVID-19桂pandemic encouraged hospitality business owners to桂embrace contactless services.

Hospitality industry websites now encourage individuals to桂buy tickets, book hotels, book Airbnb, and桂so桂much more directly with ecommerce. This creates less hassle for桂both customers and桂company employees.

The Benefits of桂Ecommerce in桂the桂Hospitality Industry

The great part about ecommerce in桂the桂hospitality industry is桂that it桂offers benefits for桂everyone involved. For instance, hotel ecommerce simplifies the桂process of桂booking a桂room, minimizing the桂headaches that come with traditional check-ins. Here are a桂few major benefits of桂ecommerce in桂the桂hospitality industry:

It桂offers a桂more personalized form of桂customer service

Ecommerce gives businesses the桂opportunity to桂access a桂customer�셲 personal information, including their name, gender, email address, phone number, birthday, previous purchases, and桂more. This information allows them to桂offer personal, special deals depending on桂the桂information they collect.

For instance, a桂business can email special birthday discounts to桂a桂previous customer. This opens the桂door to桂future purchases while working to桂establish a桂longer-term relationship. Based on桂previous purchases, a桂company can determine more specifically what sort of桂deal would appeal to桂them specifically.

It桂helps build relationships and桂promotes retargeting

Retargeting is桂an桂essential part of桂the桂hospitality industry. When a桂relationship is桂established with a桂customer, it桂is桂important to桂continue to桂keep them on桂your radar. In桂most cases, customers will not frequent a桂business without continued exposure, even if桂they like their services. Ecommerce allows businesses to:

Invite them to桂loyalty programs that may offer special deals and桂insider offers.
Use their information to桂figure out people with similar interests and桂backgrounds. This helps businesses find new customers to桂target via social media and桂marketing.

Dramatically increasing sales

The internet has made purchasing anything you want (at any桂time) incredibly easy. 20桂years ago, you would need to桂go桂to桂a桂movie theater in桂order to桂purchase a桂ticket. Today, when you are looking for桂a桂movie online, you can purchase a桂ticket immediately. The convenience and桂immediacy make a桂sale much more likely.

With ecommerce, you can use that to桂encourage even more sales. For instance, once the桂movie ticket is桂purchased, the桂movie theater can offer a桂special offer for桂a桂movie membership at桂a桂discount. This membership will encourage them to桂go桂to桂the桂movies more frequently and桂hopefully buy snacks as桂well. Some movie theaters even offer full meals delivered right to桂your seat. Theaters may offer discounts on桂specific brands that are affiliated with the桂theater itself.

It桂encourages and桂boosts virtual reality technology

Once viewed as桂an桂innovative way to桂play video games, virtual reality technology has now infiltrated the桂hospitality industry. With VR桂technology, businesses can create a桂virtual tour experience for桂potential customers.

Whether it�셲 a桂restaurant, hotel, amusement park, bar, or桂ice skating rink, offering a桂virtual experience allows potential customers a桂unique, 360-degree experience. Creating an桂exciting VR桂tour is桂a桂great way to桂inspire loyal customers.

Ecommerce can increase brand awareness

Having a桂recognizable brand is桂extremely important. The internet is桂perhaps the桂most useful tool for桂brand building in桂the桂world today. That�셲 another reason why ecommerce is桂so桂beneficial to桂the桂hospitality industry.

Since online sales can be桂completed anywhere, many businesses are able to桂cast a桂wide net. This effectively reels in桂new customers from all over the桂world. Through the桂use of桂social media and桂marketing, you can collect customers that can offer valuable information. After analyzing that information and桂learning what customers are looking for, you can meet people�셲 needs.

While building a桂brand may seem time-consuming and桂sometimes expensive, hotels like the桂Holiday Inn, Hilton, and桂Marriott have utilized the桂power of桂branding. This has allowed them to桂expand all over the桂world. Branding, alongside reliable ecommerce, can create long-term success in桂the桂hospitality industry.

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About The Author

Max has been working in the ecommerce industry for the last six years helping brands to establish and level-up content marketing and SEO. Despite that, he has experience with entrepreneurship. He is a fiction writer in his free time.

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