Digital Strategy

B2B ecommerce

As Contractors Consolidate Do Relationships Matter?

Chances are one of the service trucks you have seen drive by has recently changed hands. Private equity investors have purchased nearly 800 HVAC, plumbing, and electrical companies since 2022.

B2B ecommerce

“Why are we just doing this now?”

Not feeling ready to bring in an outside company is common. But waiting for internal perfection is a recipe for missed opportunities and prolonged inertia.

14 Focus Points - B2B eCommerce

Healthy Site Search is Business Critical

Everyone knows site search for an online store should work “well,” but how strongly does it impact revenue?

B2B ecommerce

Video

VIDEO: Beth Ladd From ASA at ASA Network 23

We talk with Beth Ladd about all the exciting things coming out of ASA including product data transfer between Manufacturers and Distributors.

Beth Ladd from ASA Shares the Innovation Horizon

14 Focus Points - B2B eCommerce

What is Search Intent?

Subtleties in eCommerce product searches can indicate a variety of meaning and desired results.

Search Intent- Browse Intent, Category Intent and Product Intent

B2B ecommerce

Video

VIDEO: Dean Mueller From DSG at ASA Network 23

We Talk to Distribution Expert Dean Mueller from DSG.

Dean Mueller from DSG shares insights from ASA Network 23

14 Focus Points - B2B eCommerce

Helping Clients with Product Data

Read about some of the tactics Layer One implements to help our clients achieve product data success.

B2B ecommerce

Video

VIDEO: ASA Network 23 Recap

See interviews and insights from ASA Network 23 in Orlando.

B2B ecommerce

Digital Strategy

eCommerce

Are we at a Disruption Point for PHCP Distribution?

Are we seeing a revenue shift away from distributors that don't have an eCommerce offering?

B2B ecommerce

Digital Strategy

DSG Guest Post: Are You Getting the Most from Your eCommerce Solution Partner?

Learn how to evaluate and select the right partner.

14 Focus Points - B2B eCommerce

Auto Sync Product Data Feeds to PIM

Getting product data from a 3rd party is a great way to provide value to your customers. But how much time and effort are you spending on every import?

14 Focus Points - B2B eCommerce

Optimizely

Optimizely Performance and Stability

Optimizely performance and stability are critical to successful eCommerce. These are the most common reasons for an underperforming or shaky site.

14 Focus Points - B2B eCommerce

Empower Search (Focus Pt. 4)

More than half of B2B buyers prefer search to navigation. Ensure you're making products easy to find and buy.

14 Focus Points - B2B eCommerce

Product Data Quality (Focus Pt. 3)

It's no secret that having quality product data drives sales. The priorities are accuracy, completeness, and consistency, but are you leveraging all dimensions of the data? Layer One takes a holistic look at product data quality with actionable optimization strategies.

14 Focus Points - B2B eCommerce

Iterative Thinking (Focus Pt. 2)

A stepped approach to testing and refining through a feedback cycle is key to digital success.

14 Focus Points - B2B eCommerce

Site Performance/Stability (Focus Pt.1)

If your site doesn't operate well customers won't use it and Google will bury it. Regardless of any other features and improvements, a site should first perform and be stable.

B2B ecommerce

Distributor eCommerce Now 20 Percent of Sales and Accelerating

Predictions of a post-COVID slump in online usage didn’t materialize for distributors. Instead, all those folks who got used to buying online when they didn’t have a choice have embraced the channel and – apparently – talked their coworkers into joining the digital customer club.

B2B ecommerce

Digital Strategy

User Experience

The Future of HVAC: Attending the 2023 Auer Expo

Attending the Auer Expo was a fantastic experience that provided insights into the latest developments in the HVAC industry. The event brought together a diverse group of engineers, dealers, industry experts, and manufacturers from around the world, creating a vibrant atmosphere for learning and networking.

B2B ecommerce

Digital Strategy

User Experience

What Engineers Want from a Manufacturer’s Website

The B2B buying market has changed radically for almost all professions, and engineers are no exception. Here's what engineers said they wanted in their shopping experience, and what may happen if companies don't adapt.

B2B ecommerce

Digital Strategy

Personalization in B2B eCommerce

B2B buying is complex and involves various departments, all while customers want to minimize the time and effort it takes to make purchasing decisions. Learn how to understand your customer on a deeper level using the right data for B2B, B2C, and B2X buyers alike.

Software Architecture

Processing JSONL

Quick demonstration of JSONL, a data format that is appearing in more and more systems.

User Experience

Software Architecture

The Pitfalls of JavaScript Libraries

JavaScript libraries have revolutionized web development by providing developers with powerful tools, frameworks, and pre-built components to expedite the creation of interactive and feature-rich web applications. However, a growing trend of incorporating an excessive number of JavaScript libraries into projects can introduce pitfalls that developers need to be mindful of.

Sitecore

Dazzlingly Easy Sitecore Content Comparison with Razl

This post introduces a tool called Razl, which is very helpful in moving Sitecore items between environments.

Software Architecture

What you need to know about event driven architecture

There are many architectures available to the development teams; in this post we take a look at event driven architecture. Whether building a new system or maintaining an existing system, we'll examine the basic components and the benefits of the design.

Sitecore

The Differences Between JSS React Developer Modes

With multiple development modes available, we review the pros and cons to working in disconnected, connected, or integrated mode.

Sitecore

Getting final Sitecore configurations anywhere, anytime, with Sitecore ConfigBuilder

Sometimes you need access to the final Sitecore configuration file, but you can't make use of ShowConfig.aspx

User Experience

Sitecore

Umbraco

Providing Content Customization

Content Authors deserve more flexibility. Here is how we provide a more dynamic experience.

Sitecore

Creating your first JSS React application

A step by step guide laying the foundation to building your first Sitecore JSS React application.

Security

Sitecore

Content Security Policy Management in Sitecore

Our new Security Header Accelerator allows marketers to run experiments with an agile mindset more easily.

Security

Web Experience Platforms

Prevent XSS Attacks with a Nonce in the Content Security Policy

Cross Site Scripting attacks can be a danger to visitors of your website. This post explains how to prevent them using a nonce in your Content Security Policy.

Sitecore

Screencast - Triggering Marketing Automation Campaigns

Sitecore's Marketing Automation engine is a powerful tool in your toolbox. We will cover how to trigger an automation campaign in this screencast.

Sitecore

Screencast - Installing Sitecore Forms Extensions

Sitecore Forms Extensions allows for 9.0 - 9.3 Sitecore customers to quickly capture xDB contacts. This screencast covers how to install Sitecore Forms Extensions and configure your first form to capture the data.

Sitecore

Screencast - How to Publish a Sitecore Form

Sitecore Forms is a powerful WYSIWYG form editing tool. This video covers the flow to publish a Sitecore Form.

Sitecore

Screencast - Introduction to SXA Rendering Variants

SXA Rendering Variants allow for rapid, iterative development. Learn more about Rendering Variants in this screencast.

eCommerce

Sitecore

Digital Strategy

Webinar - Strategies for Maturing Your Ecommerce Experience

Navigating the commerce space is harder today than it has ever been. How do you know where you are compared to your peers? What is a logical next step? How much will it cost? In this webinar your hosts from Layer One and Sitecore will begin to answer these questions for you.

Web Experience Platforms

Security

HTTP Header Series: Feature-Policy

In our opening to this series, we discussed some of the reasons for Security Headers. In this post we will describe in more detail the (currently experimental) Feature-Policy header which provides a mechanism to allow and deny the use of browser features.

Web Experience Platforms

Security

HTTP Header Series: Referrer-Policy

In our opening to this series, we discussed some of the reasons for Security Headers. In this post we will describe in more detail the Referrer-Policy header which controls how much information is sent in the Referrer HTTP header.

Web Experience Platforms

Security

HTTP Header Series: Content-Security-Policy

In our opening to this series, we discussed some of the reasons for Security Headers. In this post we will describe in more detail the Content-Security-Policy header that allows web site administrators to control resources the user agent is allowed to load for a given page. This header is critical is defending against cross-site scripting attacks.

Sitecore

Four things you wanted to know about Sitecore JavaScript Services

There are lots of great reasons to choose a Sitecore JSS site. From a software development perspective, Sitecore JSS embraces the most modern development practices and paradigms.

Web Experience Platforms

Security

HTTP Header Series: The "Xs"

In our opening to this series, we discussed some of the reasons for Security Headers. In this post we will describe in more detail some of the security headers that still bear the “X” prefix

Web Experience Platforms

Security

HTTP Header Series: HTTP Strict Transport Security

In our opening to this series, we discussed some of the reasons for Security Headers. In this post we will describe in more detail the need for the HSTS header.

Web Experience Platforms

Security

HTTP Header Series: Security Headers

Understand how defining these HTTP headers can help reduce your site vulnerability and make the user experience more secure.

Digital Strategy

Privacy

The European General Data Protection Regulation Change Is The Biggest Since 1995

Layer One Media’s clients do business worldwide. As such, they are constantly collecting data on their customers and website visitors. Recently, the EU and Parliament adopted new regulations that will not only effect third party cloud providers but the companies that collect data as well. Following is a bulletin we think you’ll find helpful in preparing for the change

B2B ecommerce

Sitecore Commerce Accelerator leverages Sitecore Commerce

Sitecore Commerce is ready for manufacturers and distributors. We've pre-built the features most B2Bs are looking for Multi-Featured Homepage and search, Multiple Payment Processing Options, Welcome and View Personalization, Product Category, Listing and Detail,Cross-Sell, Up-Sell products and more!

Sitecore

B2B ecommerce

Webinar Download: Personalized B2B eCommerce

This webinar will explore pre-sales, sales and post sales personalization tactics that will make your company easier to do business with and build digital brand loyalty.

Web Experience Platforms

Umbraco

Configuring Dependency Injection in Umbraco

This webinar will explore pre-sales, sales and post sales personalization tactics that will make your company easier to do business with and build digital brand loyalty.

Web Experience Platforms

Umbraco

Decreasing Umbraco Feature Development Time with Models Builder

ModelsBuilder is a tool that is built into the Umbraco platform since version 7.4. What it does is allow the development team to use the Umbraco back office to define the necessary document types for a feature. Then the tool will generate the files necessary for the developer to begin interacting with the document types in the code.

B2B ecommerce

Digital Strategy

Why is B2B Commerce so difficult?

Manufacturers and Distributors are hearing the call from their customers – “lower costs and be easier to do business with!” For most, this means providing a streamlined digital commerce experience from relevant information to fulfillment and post-sales support. So what do I keep hearing from manufacturers as to why B2B digital commerce is so hard?

Web Experience Platforms

4 key considerations for integrations

Creating meaningful integration is where the distinction between creating business value and busywork lies. Poor integration adds to maintenance, may cause your site to load slowly and more to keep track of in the long term. So, the question becomes: how do you determine what provides the most meaningful business value that becomes most useful to integrate with?

B2B ecommerce

Digital Strategy

Managing channel conflict with extended supply

Since the early 90s, the trend in mid and large size B2B companies has been to consolidate their decentralized procurement groups and streamline their supply chain operations optimizing their buying power, supplier relationships and of course, reduce cost. This optimization typically lends to procurement groups purchasing product and services for multiple ship-to locations.

B2B ecommerce

User Experience

Post-Sales: B2B Digital “Ease of Doing Business”

In the second post, we reviewed digital pre-sales for digitally servicing your customers and the third focused on sales phase. As the fourth and final in a four-part series, we will review the critical post-sales phase for Digitally servicing B2B Customers.

Sitecore

SUGCON EU 2017 - Day 2

It was very exciting to see how far Stephen Pope has come already to now release v2.0 of the Sitecore Publish Service built on .NET Core. It is now to the point that the recommendation from Sitecore is to add it to ANY Sitecore instance! I've downloaded it already and can't wait to dive in!

Sitecore

SUGCON EU 2017 - Day 1

My first trip to SUGCON EU was full of honors and humbling. First, simply to be selected and make the list of only around 60 or so speakers out of a large pool of talented speakers and sessions. Second, simply to see all the other sessions and the innovation that is taking place across the Sitecore ecosystem at such an amazing rate.

Sitecore

eCommerce

Digital Strategy

User Experience

B2B ecommerce

All about the Sitecore Commerce Profile System

The Sitecore Commerce profile system is one of the remaining legacy Commerce Server sub-systems, and like the other Sitecore Commerce systems is incredibly flexible but somewhat complicated. This post will give you the run down on the what, how and why so you can familiarize yourself with designing or developing against the system.

Sitecore

User Experience

Digital Strategy

Sitecore Personalization - Why and How - Part 1

Why is personalization so important? Simple, you want to provide the best possible experience to your prospect or customer. This is absolutely critical. You want every interaction with your customer to be as effective and efficient as possible, this requires at least a certain amount of knowledge of your customer but obviously, you can never have too much data from which to make decisions.

Sitecore

B2B ecommerce

Five things you wanted to know about Sitecore Commerce

Is your organization thinking about the new release of Sitecore Commerce announced at the National Retail Federation show earlier this year? It doesn’t matter if you are in the world of B2B or B2C, online commerce platforms are significant in myriad ways to businesses and that is why Sitecore has invested so heavily in the platform. As one of the 19 Global Sitecore Commerce MVP’s, I’d like to take a moment to answer some of the top-level questions that people often have about the platform.

B2B ecommerce

Digital Strategy

User Experience

Converting B2B Customers through Digital Sales Services

As the third in a four-part series, I want to discuss delivering sales phase capabilities involved with the “Being-Serviced” B2B Customer. In the first post, I introduced the “Being-Serviced” B2B Customer as those that will have matured beyond requiring superior “Self-Service” capabilities to those that will want to “Be-Serviced”. Understanding what this means within your industry, to your Partners and End Customers will be critical.

Digital Strategy

Marketing Analytics and Measurement Approach

Metrics are a hot button topic and companies are constantly being told how they can improve workflow, engagement, return on investment and just about anything with the right data. Let’s be honest, simply gathering and even gathering and analyzing metrics does absolutely nothing if you’re not looking at the right metrics and data points. Which begs the question, what ARE the right metrics?

B2B ecommerce

Digital Strategy

User Experience

Pre-Sales Servicing of B2B Customers

As the second part of a four-part series, I want to talk about delivering on-line pre-sales capabilities involved with the “Being-Serviced” B2B Customer. In the first post I introduced the “Being-Serviced” B2B Customer as those that will have matured beyond requiring superior “Self-Service” capabilities to those that will want to “Be-Serviced”. Understanding what this means within your industry, to your Partners and End Customers will be critical.

Sitecore

Hosting Sitecore in Azure: A guide to the basics

There is a lot of discussion of public cloud based solutions right now. In this article we'll try to cover the basics on hosting things like Sitecore customer experience platform using Microsoft's Azure solution.

B2B ecommerce

Beyond Self Service in the B2B world

This is the first, in a four part series. There is no doubt that providing a superior self-service experience can differentiate your organization and create a competitive advantage for Business to Business (B2B) companies. However, the Business to Business (B2B) environment is also about building trusted relationships. Deals of the future previously landed on the golf course will need to be forged digitally, on-line. Providing on-line “Self-Service” will not be enough. For the future B2B Customer, it will be about “Being Serviced”.

Digital Strategy

Avoiding Marketplace Commoditization

Most Business-to-Business (B2B) Manufacturers have been contemplating strategies related to B2B marketplaces. This is not a new dilemma for many B2B companies. B2B marketplaces have existed, in different capacities, since the mid to late 90s. In fact, the growth of “Super” Distributors such as Grainger have provided large online industry marketplaces with multi-manufacturer offerings or, should I say, multi-commodity offerings since this timeframe.

B2B ecommerce

B2B eCommerce Success the “First Time”

The demand for On-line Business-to-Business (B2B) eCommerce is growing at a tremendous rate and it is no longer an option, but a necessity. But for those getting started there are pitfalls that should be avoided when beginning the journey. The following summarizes 10 keys areas to consider when embarking on your B2B eCommerce journey.

Digital Strategy

Actionable Digital Strategy playbooks for Manufacturers and Distributors

Initiatives in the playbook take into account corporate objectives, customer business drivers, culture, organization, process, capabilities and technology factors. The playbook initiatives are supported by metrics, execution timelines, costs, risks and resources.

Digital Strategy

Privacy

The EU, GDPR and Umbraco CMS

With data breaches happening on an almost weekly basis, the EU Parliament seems to have taken the lead by approving the General Data Protection Regulation which goes into effect May 25, 2018. And the fines for non-compliance are serious - sure to get every corporations attention. So, it only makes sense that Umbraco CMS, version 7.9 and Forms 7.0, address new GDPR-friendly enhancements.

Marketing Automation

Pardot Engagement Studio

Salesforce’s Pardot recently rolled out a new platform feature - The Engagement Studio. In addition to being more visually pleasing and user friendly, Marketers using the platform will get much better insights into each step of the customer journey… and it can all be viewed in one spot.

Sitecore

Sitecore & hCard Microformat

The business benefits of using these microformats is the fact that they provide a much wider array of compatibility across browsers and devices.

Digital Strategy

Personas, Profiles & Scoring Models: Marketing Automation

I’ve written past blogs about the different components of Marketing Automation. That topic is made up of 1) E-mail Marketing 2) Dynamic Landing Pages 3) Scoring Models and 4) CRM Integration or at least the ability to send leads to sales. Let’s focus on Scoring Models.

Marketing Automation

1:1 Marketing

Watch and analyze lead preferences and then, when the timing is right, present them with an offer to try your product using 1:1 Marketing.

Marketing Automation

Prep Your Website For Marketing Automation

Are you planning for Marketing Automation this year? Whether you’re just beginning or making headway through establishing your approach, there are some decisions you need to make regarding your current website and how they integrate with forms and tracking the customer journey.

Marketing Automation

The Four Stages of Marketing Automation

Embarking on any new project or initiative has its phases and the world of Digital Marketing is no different. In this article I will discuss the various stages that companies and marketers undergo when exploring setting up a Marketing Automation Platform for their company.

Marketing Automation

Is There ROI for Marketing Automation?

A Return on Investment is the most important piece of any business project. The sum of a good project’s parts are built with the end goals in mind. What does that look like for Marketing Automation?

Digital Strategy

What's on your Digital Marketing Roadmap?

A new competitive threat emerges and its time to review your eCommerce strategy. The who, what, where, and when questions emerge and its obvious the strategy has not been updated in some time. That 3-5-year strategy was developed, first year or two executed, then it ended up shelved on some far off distant file share. Somehow tactical advances continued, but the strategy has not evolved and has long been forgotten.

Marketing Automation

The Top Three Segmentation FYI's For Marketing Automation

Over the past few months at Layer One Media, I’ve been talking with several companies about what Marketing Automation is and is not. I’ve found that it’s certainly a buzz word right now.

B2B ecommerce

10 B2B eCommerce Strategy Considerations

Master Data Management

Product Information Management

MDM or PIM for B2B?

There are many considerations to be taken into account when determining which discipline should be pursued for most B2B companies. It is not always one or the other. Sometimes both are needed and they feed each other.