From the Tech Trenches: 5 Questions with Cluster Chief Technology Officer

When the company was first launched in 2016, the mission for Algopix was seemingly simple, “To make eCommerce marketplace data more accessible and usable so online brands can make informed decisions.” It was able to aggregate marketplace data in real-time to help sellers research, source and launch their online businesses. 

Fast-forward to today (and throwing a global pandemic into the mix), eCommerce has been thrust into the spotlight – as a survival mechanism for brick-and-mortar and even restaurants, to accommodate social distancing mandates, and to get essential goods and services to those in unprecedented circumstances. 

Whatever the reason to shift to eCommerce, Algopix also began its own shift. As more and more enterprises and big brands started to pique their interest into learning more about what real-time data can do for their online marketplaces, we also had to pivot and create new products and services for a broader audience. 

And while the only certainty in eCommerce is change, we also know that: 

1. eCommerce/online shopping is here to stay (now that we’ve figured out how to buy groceries online, why would we want to go back?), and 

2. Data, analytics and technology can’t be static in a constantly changing world. 

So, here we went right into the trenches and caught up with our Chief Technology Officer Yaniv Cohen, with five top-of-mind questions to see what advice he uses to thrive and what technologies to watch going into 2022 and beyond:  

 

Q: What did you learn along your career path that you still use today?

COHEN: First, when you get the chance to build something from scratch, make sure you get it right the first time. This ensures you won’t face any issues with systems that someone else has built (especially if they didn’t do it right). 

Next, even if someone else is to blame, don’t use that as an excuse to report failure. Make it work by doing everything possible to get things moving in the right direction until it gets done. Try to help others around you become better at what they do, you’d be surprised how much improvement you’ll see in their performance. The most talented people I’ve had the pleasure to work with during my career are not those who have the best looking CVs.

Finally, leadership is never given by authority. Leadership is given to those who take care of others around them. 

 

Q: If you could go back and give yourself advice when you first started your career, what would that advice be?

COHEN: As a software engineer, you should have a very solid knowledge of the basics (data collections, algorithms and even design patterns). They apply to almost every development language you will use.

Additionally, make sure to surround yourself with highly professional and GOOD people. It will make you a better professional and a better person.

I started out in the industry when XML became all the hype and JSON hadn’t been thought of yet. Today, nobody would use XML if they can avoid it, so if I could go back to when I first started, I’d say, “Use JSON, not XML!”

 

Q: What advice would you give to any entry-level business/tech person today?

COHEN: What you do at the beginning of your journey will most likely lead to what you’re doing for the rest of your career. So, choose your first role carefully.

The majority of interesting, challenging and innovative positions are usually not found in high profile, large companies. It is usually at the smaller or digitally born organizations that are trying to build something new and innovative using the latest technologies.

 

Q: What resources do you use for continuing your education or learnings as technology continues to evolve and change.

COHEN: Online blog posts and technology-centered websites. But above all, I look to my colleagues and peers who I’ve become to know well during my career. I get to discuss new technologies with them especially if they’ve had experience with them already.

 

Q: What is the greatest piece of technology to watch?

COHEN: I think that quantum computers are going to change everything. Programming languages are going to change considerably in order to support this new technology.

 

Benefits To Using an API-First Strategy

Over the past few years, eCommerce businesses have had to deploy new digital technologies to better serve their customers and stay one step ahead of their competitors.

As such, many eCommerce providers have adopted application programming interfaces (APIs) to integrate their software with such shopping platforms as Shopify, Magento, eBay, Amazon, and more. This eCommerce API integration works as a data transfer bridge between the eCommerce shopping platforms and the eCommerce tools, enabling the vendors to provide their customers with the functionality of their platforms.

An API is a set of functions that lets an application interact with operating systems, microservices, external applications, or data. Put simply, APIs allow software to “talk to” and interact with each other. An API for an eCommerce website connects consumers and eCommerce companies by transforming data into valuable business information.

Participating in the API economy is critical to the long-term success of eCommerce vendors as it allows them to connect to tools that help them as well as their customers operate more efficiently. The key to this, however, is using an API-first strategy. 

 

Benefits of an API-first strategy

Generally, software vendors add APIs on top of their platforms, allowing customers to access some of their software’s underlying functionality but not all the functionality. The API-first strategy makes system integration easier. 

An API-first strategy ensures that customers can access all of the functionality of the vendors’ software through the APIs. This API-first strategy enables eCommerce vendors to create and extend the solution they need to develop to meet their needs as well as the needs of their customers. Not only does the API-first approach improve the development of a solution, it also makes the development process more agile.

Today, applications must not only be well-designed but they have to be on the market within six months. Another benefit of an API-first strategy is that it allows companies to get their products to market faster and it enables customers to derive value more quickly from those products. 

And an API-first model allows developers to customize the features of their solutions according to the business needs of their clients. API-first also makes it easier for developers to make improvements and adjustments to the solutions without having to re-architect the entire system to meet the ever-changing business needs of their customers

The following are benefits of an API-first strategy for eCommerce vendors:

  • Saves time and money on developing applications and rolling out updates. 
  • Changes to the API happen simultaneously across all applications. 
  • Enables automation, which accelerates production.
  • Developers don’t have to build new programs for each application.

Benefits of an API-first approach for eCommerce companies:

  • Lets teams identify design or programming flaws before rolling out applications to customers. 
  • User-facing information looks the same across all platforms. 
  • Website content can be customized to meet the needs of returning customers and website visitors.
  • Improves user experience, as APIs let companies offer customers more services in less time.
 

Importance of a product price API strategy 

Price monitoring software enables eCommerce companies to monitor the changes in their competitors’ prices in real time. It also gives them real-time insights into stock availability, promotions, and other information eCommerce companies can use to optimize their pricing strategies on the fly.

It’s important for eCommerce companies to use price-monitoring APIs that provide up-to-date eCommerce data that collects information from large retailers and eCommerce marketplaces. This includes information about the top-selling products, product availability, shipping costs, and more. 

Price monitoring APIs also allow eCommerce retailers to trace the pricing history of any product for a specific time period. In addition, the automated price tracing capabilities help organizations save time and money on competitive analysis.

Conclusion

By adopting an API-first development strategy, eCommerce vendors will have agility to meet ever-changing customer expectations and remain competitive in the market. An API-first strategy gives online retailers more control over the selling experience and offers them more options when it comes to scaling up and improving services. APIs also help online retailers get more insight into their customers so they can offer them products customized to meet their needs.

API tools enable online retailers to build more scalable and robust eCommerce platforms that are critical in today’s business climate.

The Importance of Detailed Product Attributes in eCommerce

We all know that as people we have characteristics that set us apart from one another and make us unique. But the products customers buy on eCommerce websites also have attributes that define them — attributes that affect consumer decisions about which products they purchase.

Put simply, eCommerce product-related attributes are specific product characteristics that define a particular product or group of products. However, these aren’t just general descriptions of a product but rather they point to the value of a product and detail what makes it unique. 

There are two types of product attributes:

  • Tangible attributes: these are the physical characteristics of a product, such as size, height, weight, material, smell, quantity, color, that customers care about when they’re searching for or purchasing a product.

  • Intangible attributes: these are the characteristics that customers can’t physically touch or see, such as the quality, reliability, and aesthetics of a product. However, intangible attributes still help buyers decide if a particular product is right for them or if they should look for something else.

Although eCommerce product attributes don’t change, the attributes sellers choose to show consumers will change based on a particular marketing campaign, the brand, and/or the customer.

Product attributes are important because they give buyers extensive information about your product. And the more detailed you make your product attributes, the better chance you’ll have of convincing consumers to purchase your product. 

Product information management (PIM) systems enable you to collect, store, and manage all the attribute data about your product that you need to sell online. A PIM tool lets you centralize all the product information and digital assets in one place that can then be distributed through various sales channels.

Why Product Attributes Are Important

Good eCommerce product attributes can help you increase your sales by helping you:

Set Your Product Apart From Competitors’ Products

If people view your product’s attributes as unique, they will serve as distinguishing characteristics that will set your product apart from your competitors’ products. When consumers see the information that you’ve provided and understand the value that it offers, those individuals will likely become buyers. 

If you want to be a smart seller in today’s digital world, then you must provide consumers with a top-notch digital experience and that includes giving them the information they need to make informed purchasing decisions. 

Since buyers do most of their product research online, they need accurate, comprehensive information at their fingertips — information that they can find easily. That means you must tell them what your product is, offer information about its qualities and features, any details about its suitability for specific occasions, e.g., birthdays or anniversaries, and why shoppers should buy your product. 

Enhance Your Recommendations

In eCommerce, personalization has to do with matching potential buyers with products that trigger positive responses. Typically, that revolves around sending consumers product recommendations in emails or in ads in sales channels. However, those recommendations are really not very specific. For example, some recommendations might be based on similar items, e.g., showing more pants to a person who has purchased pants in the past or maybe recommending shirts to someone who has purchased pants.

However, if you bring together an in-depth knowledge of eCommerce product attributes with an understanding of the way customers behave and then use data science to figure out what drives your customers, you could make more personalized and smarter recommendations. For example, you could make recommendations based on such factors as particular size or color preferences. And more personalized recommendations will likely result in more sales.

Reduce Returns

Product attributes let consumers find, understand, and compare products. When you sell online not only do you have to offer the best product, but you also have to provide the best descriptive information you can about your product. Offering customers accurate attribute data about your product means they’ll be less likely to return their purchases. And that’s good for you as well as for the environment as shipping items back and forth creates additional greenhouse gas emissions. And fewer returns mean fewer products that end up in landfills.

Use Real-Time Data To Help You Win the Order

To be successful, you must understand the relationship between your customers and your product. PIM systems synchronize data in real-time to ensure all the data is up to date and consistent across channels. Having in-depth knowledge of your customer data and your product attribute data will enable you to serve your ideal customer, deliver better customer experiences, and generate more revenue by increasing conversion rates, the size of customers’ orders, and customer lifetime value.

Conclusion

Providing consumers with detailed eCommerce product attributes enables them to better understand your product, making them much more likely to purchase from you. And having accurate product attributes in place can give you exactly the boost in sales that you’re after.