Brands and retailers using the platform will be able to set up ads on SourceKnowledge and Microsoft. Plus, Amazon's embedded Prime checkout is launching widely this month.
BigCommerce is kicking off 2023 with a trio of new partnerships that will expand capabilities for merchants that set up stores through the platform to integrate with other services. Let’s take a look at what’s new on the open SaaS platform for B2C and B2B brands and retailers:
In an integration announced on Tuesday, brands and retailers will be able to automatically set up ads on open web ad network SourceKnowledge.
The SourceKnowledge Shopping Ads app empowers retailers to instantly create ads that are based on a product catalog. This is designed to extend the reach of campaigns beyond the walled gardens of Google, Facebook and Amazon. Once the app is installed, a retailer’s site will automatically be tagged with the SourceKnowledge pixel to serve ads to the store’s visitors, and they can start generating incremental sales.
The app automatically generates a product feed from the store’s catalog to run a variety of listing ads, including retargeting ads to shoppers who have shown interest in products. The feeds include titles, descriptions, images and prices.
“BigCommerce has made it easier for B2C and B2B merchants to sell their products online and we believe that advertising those products should be just as turnkey,” said SourceKnowledge cofounder and CRO Hector Pantazopoulos, in a statement. “The SourceKnowledge extension for BigCommerce helps advertisers expand beyond the natural saturation point of walled gardens advertising and access high-converting traffic on the open web.”
SourceKnowledge also tracks sales, revenue, average order amounts, new customer acquisition, return on ad spend (RoAS) and cost-per-acquisition (CPA).
It offers an advertising solution for the post-iOS 14.5 landscape, which made changes to attribution that affected many in ecommerce, and DTC brands running stores on platforms like BigCommerce in particular. For its part SourceKnowledge tracks sales through a mix of first-party data shared by retailers and probabilistic attribution. While it is harder to properly attribute mobile sales via iOS following the App Tracking Transparency changes of 2021, SourceKnowledge shows that it is not impossible.
A new partnership with Microsoft will enable BigCommerce merchants to integrate their stores to reach customers searching on the Microsoft Advertising Network. This provides reach to Microsoft Bing, MSN, Microsoft Edge, as well as syndication partners such as AOL and Yahoo.
Called Microsoft Ads and Listings in the BigCommerce Marketplace, merchants can synchronize to the newly-launched Microsoft Merchant Center, creating shopping campaigns and track performance.
“The Microsoft Advertising Network connects BigCommerce merchants with people who have greater purchasing power, engage more with ads and are more likely to make a purchase online,” said Jason McKay, senior director of global partner sales at Microsoft Advertising, in a statement. “With Microsoft Ads and Listings, BigCommerce merchants can connect with customers in new ways, achieving a strong return on spend to drive long-term growth.”
Last year, Amazon rolled out Buy with Prime, a new service that allows brands and retailers to embed Amazon checkout and offer Prime shipping and returns on websites outside of Amazon.com. With the ability to offer access to Amazon’s network to sellers outside of the ecommerce giant’s vast fulfillment network and ubiquitous membership program, it had many mulling whether it would be a game-changer for direct-to-consumer brands. But it was available by invite only. That’s about to change.
On Tuesday, Amazon said the feature will move into wide release on January 31. With this, BigComemrce will launch an app that allows merchants to add Buy with Prime, with no code required. This includes the ability to add a Buy with Prime button to products, as well as adding a Buy with Prime badge and activation of Amazon Display Ads that are available to merchants that use the service.
“With BigCommerce and Amazon’s Buy with Prime, merchants can now reach new high-intent shoppers, drive higher conversions by directly offering the Prime delivery promise on their storefront and remarket to these new shoppers to drive higher customer lifetime value," said Sharon Gee, VP of revenue growth and general manager of omnichannel at BigCommerce, in a statement. "This integration is the first of its kind and is a game changer for omnichannel merchant and partner growth."
Applications are open for startups interested in the 12-week Store Nº8 dCommerce Base Camp.
Walmart incubation arm Store Nº8 and Web3 accelerator Outlier Ventures are teaming up to support retail startups.
The organizations opened applications this week for the Store Nº8 dCommerce Base Camp accelerator. The virtual program will offer education, funding and mentorship to startups building solutions in Web3 that are designed for the retail and commerce experience.
Focus areas for selected startups will include decentralized infrastructure, data and growth solutions, immersive experiences and the metaverse and the intersection of AI and blockchain technology.
“We think dCommerce represents a huge opportunity to unbundle ecommerce into its constituent parts, and into a more decentralized and composable stack of protocols to create a more efficient, equitable and improved experience for retailers and consumers from CRM to last-mile delivery," said Outlier Ventures CEO Jamie Burke, in a statement. "There is clearly no better partner than Store Nº8, as Walmart's incubation arm, so we are thrilled to launch this accelerator program together.”
Beginning in mid-August, founders will take part in a 12-week program. The cohort members will receive funding and access to subject matter experts from Store Nº8 and Outlier Ventures. They will also receive support from industry mentors in areas such as product roadmap development, the token economy and fundraising.
“Decentralized commerce has the potential to unlock new value in the global commerce ecosystem, so we are excited to partner with Outlier Ventures to support and engage with entrepreneurs building at the forefront of this technology on their path to scale," said Store Nº8 VP Thomas Kang, in a statement.
The new program arrives in the year after Web3 and the metaverse saw a spike in interest from brands and retailers, as the arrival of immersive platforms opened up new digital environments where consumers gathered. Walmart entered the metaverse through an activation on Roblox, and also introduced a platform for digital collectibles. But it remains a nascent space, so there’s room for startups bringing fresh ideas to help larger enterprises develop capabilities. Alongside connections that help startups move forward, such learning is one potential outcome of the accelerator could last beyond the 12 weeks.
Applications for the accelerator are available here.
