
The Landscape of E-commerce | Part II
This article is a second part of the series, seeking to explore the undergoing changes in the ever-changing landscape of e-commerce. First part presents a breakdown of the big industry players, from a fees and logistics angle, whilst the second one concentrates on image and brand community engagement.
“The more technologically advanced our society becomes, the more we need to go back to the basic fundamentals of human communication.” — Angela Ahrendts
As new technology comes and goes, some things stay exactly the same: the primal human need for social interaction: belongingness, accurate recognition of self, and a following up factor — respect. Moreover, what stems from all of this, is a constant application of self-actualization, which comes in the shape of creativity, problem solving, morality and putting one’s passion(s) to practice. Therefore, it often is rewarded with a sense of accomplishment, which for most, psychologically holds one of the greatest values.
Market Overview
With more and more people acknowledging the harm, caused by addictiveness of technology (which can become even more dangerous when combined with shopping), and a higher number of brands adapting the ‘Digital Wellbeing’ principles, crafted by Google, claiming that “technology should improve life, not distract from it”, it is becoming increasingly important for brands in the e-commerce industry to harness the ‘humanistic’ side of their products and services, and help their customers to focus on the most important aspects of shopping, whilst at the same time fueling peer-to-peer connection, and rewarding community engagement.
Brand Image
Brand image is becoming a close second to the actual reason of shopping, with the core reason being the satisfaction of a need, at a convenient price. It is that je ne sais quoi that surrounds certain brand, and plants an unwilling seed of ‘need’ in our brains. Most importantly, it is the main reason why one brand gets chosen over another, even though the product features are more or less the same. All of this is further boosted by the bountiful combination of advanced data analytics and speedy delivery mechanisms in creating a constant stream of algorithmically refined goods and services, accurately anticipating and satisfying customer longings before they are even aware themselves. Thus, we are heading towards a future, where any deliberate decision making is progressively becoming extinct. It could be considerably relieving, but it also allows space for complete manipulation and deceit. However, it does require exhaustive trust, which is very much lacking in current times, and the deliberate want to be associated with the brand one is using. That particular want most often derives from the values, initiatives, and the fundamental vision, and mission of the brand, and how well the afore-mentioned things are communicated to the public.
From the brand point of view, it is also important to understand, that it will require a somewhat considerable shift on how success is currently being measured. In addition to the fiscal mindset, which is unarguably crucial to any kind of business, brands will need to include such metrics as ‘data collection’, and ‘return on inspiration’ to further improve their offering, and assess image and initiatives undertaken.
Community Engagement
Customers are getting increasingly demanding, with a recent survey revealing that 66% of consumers are likely to switch brands if they feel treated like a number, as opposed to an individual human being (source: Salesforce). Moreover, the demanding gestures are clearly seen throughout the whole shopping process. People know that they can vote with their wallets, and choose the products they want at a best price for them. From the brand point of view, it can either be embraced or try to be counteracted. Amazon, for example, is undertaking the latter strategy: following its purchase of the Whole Foods, it was granted a patent that would help the brand to stop shoppers using their phones to compare prices when they are shopping in store. The new technology will be able to detect when a visitor is comparing prices and deploy preventing tactics accordingly. However, such analytical ‘what’s best for me’ behaviour is not likely to disapper anytime soon, and forbiding people their right to choice, seems nor a wise, nor a sustainable move.
Where does CONGO stand?
Inspired by the likes of CMS platforms, such as WordPress and Magento, assisting in the process of letting businesses thrive by connecting buyers to sellers directly, Congo goes one step further by providing an infrastructure and interface, powered by blockchain, that allows sellers to take back control of their pricing, products and customer relations using Congo infrastructure to build their own decentralised online stores and marketplaces.
We hope that by creating a product, which flows with ease of setting up an online shop, we are opening up new markets and product verticals, which equals to new gates of self-actualization to new audiences, such as housewives, students, retirees, unbanked populations, to start selling and trading goods via internet. As a matter of fact, by creating the opportunity to brand, create and market personally-branded pages, we hope to encourage a generation of entrepreneurs online.
A store built on Congo infrastructure will allow users to build lasting ties with their customers. They can incorporate rewards discounts or sales by opening direct marketing channels to their buyers, whilst leveraging low service charges to provide better value than anywhere else online.
To encourage further skill sharing, coins will be awarded for such elements as design, software development, troubleshooting, legal or content work. At scale, skill sharing will enrich users of Congo by increasing the overall knowledge base of a decentralised, worldwide community.

