The 2019 eCommerce Outlook for Brands5 things brands must do to accelerate eCommerce growth next year, based on the Protero / Kantar Consulting industry benchmarking surveyExecutive Summary What's Next?From building the foundation to accelerating growthWith global retail eCommerce sales expected to hit $3.5T in 2019, the digital transformation of shopping can no longer be denied. But are brands positioned and ready to capitalize on this change? Where do they see gaps in their ability to compete in eCommerce? Where are they investing most to win?Each year, Profitero surveys hundreds of eCommerce decision makers and influencers globally and scans thousands of LinkedIn profiles to get a pulse on how brands are evolving to tackle the eCommerce opportunity. This year, we collaborated with Kantar Consulting to gather even more insights and dive deeper into how brands are positioning for the futurepared to last year, we see even stronger signs that brands are initiating sweeping organizational changes toward eCommerce at a rapid pace. If 2017 and 2018 were about getting the foundation in place, 2019 will be all about acceleration.2019 is shaping up to be a blockbuster year for investing in eCommerce. With all of the activity surrounding eCommerce, ve key insights from our analysis stand out.“The rise of retail ecosystems governed by algorithms, and the ability to extract meaningful insights from data to provide channel and touchpoint uidity, is fundamentally changing the rules of engagement. To win, brands must break down the silos and work in cross-functional teams with marketing, sales, consumer engagement, eCommerce, stores, data analysis and supply chain all working in harmony.” Malcolm PinkertonVice President eCommerce its a central commercial function for brands. Consequently, Digital Analytics will be a critical area of focus and investment for companies in 2019 and for years to come. Incorporating data-driven insights as a fundamental part of the decision-making process could separate eCommerce forerunners from the also-rans.“Outperforming brands will be dened by their ability to leverage data to make meaningful connections with consumers, while creating seamless experiences in diverse channels.” Malcolm PinkertonVice President eCommerce & Digital Insights, Kantar Consulting“Monitoring performance and understanding which digital shelf levers to take action on become increasingly crucial as brands transition from establishing an eCommerce presence to accelerating growth and improving performance. Having an eCommerce data analytics solution in place and more importantly drawing relevant insights from the data to help drive outperformance can give brands a leg up on the competition.“ Andrew PearlDirector of Strategy & Insights EMEA, Profitero95. Focus on protability and exible selling modelsAs Amazon grows as a channel, managing intensifying price competition and selling profitably online has emerged as one of the biggest eCommerce challenges. In fact, more than half of respondents (55%) peg pricing and profitability as their #1 challenge to tackle. To overcome these challenges, brands must take a tougher stance on enforcing MAP policies with third-party distributors. They must also carefully manage promotional activity to avoid triggering “race to bottom” price matching across retailers.Another way to deal with profitability pressures is through 1P/3P hybrid selling, which more brands are already pursuing or exploring. A 3P model also serves as a handy backstop when a brands demand expectations exceed Amazon inventory levels or when 3P sellers consistently win the buy box. Becoming their own distributor will, however, require brands to manage the complexities of building their own delivery networks. In short, it may mean more cost. “Brands need greater focus on distribution and item-level economics to create efcient route-to-consumer solutions. Establishing supply chains exible enough to adjust in real-time based on sales results, and generate operational efciency by utilizing AI and Blockchain, all while enabling the inclusion of emerging technologies such as voice, will become the cornerstone of any successful business.” Malcolm PinkertonVice President eCommerce & Digital Insights, Kantar ConsultingHandling challenging pricing & protabilityscenariosMeasuring & reporting on how eCommerce isperforming as a distribution channelAttribution for online inuence on ofinesalesEstablishing a clear and well-understoodeCommerce strategyFinding more effective ways to partner withretailers to drive salesGetting budget approvalAttracting, developing & retainingdigital-savvy talent55%51%45%34%33%22%13%Top challenges brands face organizing for eCommerce (top 3 selected)Source: Profitero eCommerce benchmarking survey, 201810