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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."
The partnership brings together subscriptions and shoppable content.
A Wendy's ad on Roku. (Courtesy photo)
Roku and DoorDash are teaming up to connect TV and food delivery in one experience.
The news: Roku and DoorDash announced a new partnership that will allow people to order food delivery from a shoppable ad on their TV. Along with the capabilities being put in place by the tech platforms, Wendy’s is also adding shoppable content that will provide a discount on ordering at launch.
How does it work? For Roku account holders, there are three parts to the partnership:
DashPass: DoorDash is providing a complementary six-month DoorDash subscription. Called DashPass, this provides $0 delivery fees on orders from restaurants, grocery and retail stores on DoorDash’s marketplace.
Shoppable ads: Roku viewers will be able to click from their remote to order straight from ads on Roku via offers provided through DoorDash. For the first year, DoorDash will be the exclusive ad solution provider for restaurants on its marketplace to buy shoppable ads on Roku. With this, restaurant advertisers will also be able to work with DoorDash to attribute, target and measure TV streaming ads.
Wendy’s: The companies said Wendy’s also upped its digital capabilities as part of this partnership. The chain will make offers available through the shoppable ads. At launch, it will provide $5 off any Wendy’s purchase of $15 or more.
Key quote from Rob Edell, GM and head of consumer engagement at DoorDash: “While this offer unlocks DashPass benefits and perks for Roku users everywhere, it also provides our merchant partners with an opportunity to promote DoorDash offers through TV streaming. Consumers can conveniently and affordably get the best of their neighborhood delivered to their door, while brands can reach diners at the right time and drive instant conversion from the comfort of the living room.”
The partnership is a sign that several different strategies being employed in digital media and commerce are converging:
Streaming and delivery: Watching TV and ordering food is a common behavior. In fact, Roku research indicates that one in three users order takeout or food delivery weekly. The partnership shows how there is room for the platforms that provide each of these distinct services to work together. It's a reminder not just to monitor how customers use your product, but what other products and services they use with it.
Shoppable ads and subscriptions: As digital commerce grows, there’s interest in reducing the steps between when a user thinks about making a purchase, and when they actually click “Buy.” This partnership does that in a couple of ways. With shoppable ads, Roku viewers can order directly from their TV, and even within the show they are watching. Switching devices may be a barrier, however small, to a sale. On DoorDash’s side, putting a subscription in place means users don’t have to think about logging in or consider delivery fees. This shows how introducing more interactive capabilities to streaming can open up new opportunities for commerce. Roku data shows that 36% of its users are interested in receiving interactive offers, such as a scannable QR code or text message. Such capabilities allow users to take action without switching screens.
Retail media and CTV: On the advertising side, the partnership is connecting DoorDash’s ad network with Roku’s content capabilities. DoorDash operates as a marketplace, while Roku serves ads during streaming content. Both have powerful customer data. DoorDash has purchase-level, or first-party, data. Roku has data on millions of customers, and the ability to reach them while they are doing the common activity of watching TV. The platforms also both have the ability to target users and measurement capabilities that can make this whole system even more powerful. While this partnership sets out one way the companies will work together immediately, it’s a safe bet that the partners will find other areas of mutual benefit to explore.
Further reading: It’s just the latest move by Roku to bring shoppable content to the platform. Last year, the streamer partnered with Walmart to pilot direct ordering straight from shoppable ads.
Is Amazon next? Break down the individual parts of this partnership: Subscription, delivery network, marketplace, streaming platform, advertising capabilities. Amazon owns each of these, and it even has a restaurant delivery partnership with Grubhub. Will it put these parts to work in a similar way? The better question may be, how long until it does so?