Why Your E-commerce Strategy Needs Rakuten Viber: A Path to Success

Viber berina-tanovic
Berina Tanovic
Sales Director at Rakuten Viber
Why Your E-commerce Strategy Needs Rakuten Viber: A Path to Success

Businesses must explore new ways of growth and customer reach. One such avenue is the integration of Rakuten Viber into your e-commerce strategy. With mobile e-commerce projected to account for a staggering 42.9% of all e-commerce sales by 2024, the significance of leveraging communication platforms like Rakuten Viber is more relevant than ever. A 2023 report from business texting software company Text Request highlights that an impressive 69% of consumers now prefer receiving texts related to making payments, while 46% express interest in texting businesses for sales inquiries. This blog post delves into how Rakuten Viber can be incorporated into your e-commerce strategy for unparalleled success in today's competitive digital marketplace. 

Navigating Rakuten Viber: A New Frontier for Businesses

Rakuten Viber is a multifaceted messenger that not only serves individual users but also provides companies with the opportunity to reach their target audiences effectively. This globally popular app is available in over 190 countries and across multiple platforms such as Apple Store, Google Play, Huawei Store, and Xiaomi Store. This wide accessibility ensures that they can always stay connected regardless of your customers' devices. With over a billion downloads on Android alone, it's clear that Rakuten Viber has become a preferred communication choice worldwide. Learn more about Rakuten Viber’s product capabilities: 

Rakuten Viber Business Messages are a powerful tool for businesses to send targeted 1-2-1 messages and engage in meaningful dialogues with their customers. These messages can be personalized for specific campaigns or conversations, helping companies nurture leads, boost sales, and create a loyal client base.

Chatbots on Rakuten Viber have gained immense popularity for their ability to provide quick and automated customer service. Rakuten Viber Chatbots are user-friendly and can be created independently or with the assistance of messaging partners to perform a range of tasks. 

Rakuten Viber also offers advertising solutions to help businesses reach a wider audience and drive more traffic to their e-commerce stores. These include:

  • Native ads: These ads are seamlessly integrated into Rakuten Viber's user interface, making them appear as natural content, increasing user engagement and conversions.
  • Sticker packs: Businesses can create branded sticker packs to download and share, enhancing their visibility and encouraging word-of-mouth marketing.
  • Lenses: Branded filters provided by Rakuten Viber allow brands to express their identity in an engaging way, potentially going viral as users share these lenses with others.
Rakuten Viber for Business: a suite of solutions for your goals

Mastering E-commerce: The Rakuten Viber Advantage

Integrating Rakuten Viber into your e-commerce strategy offers plenty of benefits that can significantly enhance your operations. One of the key advantages is improved customer communication. Rakuten Viber allows businesses to interact with their consumers in real time, providing instant responses to queries and fostering a sense of immediacy and personalization.

Another significant benefit is the strengthening of customer relationships. Companies can create meaningful client dialogues through targeted messaging, personalized offers, and efficient client service. This not only helps in building trust and loyalty but also encourages repeat business.

Additionally, Rakuten Viber provides an excellent platform for direct marketing, allowing brands to boost their sales:

  • Personalized Campaigns: Businesses can send customized messages to specific customer segments, promoting their products or services directly to those who are likely to be interested.
  • Exclusive Offers: Sharing exclusive promotions and discounts via Rakuten Viber can incentivize purchases and increase sales.
  • Product Recommendations: Based on customer browsing and purchase history, personalized product recommendations can be sent to encourage further purchases.
  • Order Updates: By sending order confirmations and shipping notifications, businesses can keep consumers informed and engaged, enhancing their overall shopping experience.
  • Back-in-Stock Alerts: Informing customers of restocked items can minimize cart abandonment

Integrating Rakuten Viber into your e-commerce strategy can result in improved customer communication, stronger relationships, and increased sales.

Boost Your E-Commerce Campaign: Harness the Power of Rakuten Viber Integration

To successfully integrate Rakuten Viber into your e-commerce strategy, start by selecting a reliable messaging partner who will guide you through the process. Following this, your chosen partner will assist in setting up your Rakuten Viber business account via their interface. They should supply you with either a self-service outlet or a dedicated API that you can link to your existing CRM system. Once your Rakuten Viber account is set up, connect it to your e-commerce platform using the provided plugin. This typically involves entering your Rakuten Viber account credentials or API key in the plugin settings. 

Examples of official business accounts on Rakuten Viber

After the integration is complete, customize your Rakuten Viber environment to align with your e-commerce goals. Define the trigger events that will prompt Rakuten Viber messages, such as order confirmations, shipping notifications, or abandoned cart reminders. Finally, test the system by placing test orders or triggering the specified events to ensure that Rakuten Viber messages are sent successfully. Monitor the performance of your platform and make adjustments as needed to optimize customer engagement and conversion rates. 

This integration allows you to utilize Rakuten Viber for client service, which can significantly enhance your brand's responsiveness. This not only boosts customer satisfaction but also fosters trust and loyalty. On the marketing front, Rakuten Viber serves as an effective tool for promotional activities. Its features allow companies to broadcast business messages, launch new products, and share exciting offers. Furthermore, you can use Rakuten Viber's sticker packs and interactive content to engage your audience in a more dynamic and fun way, enriching their shopping experience.

Engaging rich media content on Rakuten Viber

Leveraging Rakuten Viber for Remarkable Business Results: Insights from Apple and Primer Group

Several companies have successfully integrated Rakuten Viber into their operations, with Apple being a notable example. In an effort to attract new users to Apple Music and Apple TV+ and engage previously registered users, Apple has partnered with Rakuten Viber specifically in the CEE, CIS, and APAC regions. They've offered Rakuten Viber users free trial periods of up to three months, with a two-month free trial incentive for existing users to promote service renewal.

To achieve these goals of customer acquisition and retention, Apple and Rakuten Viber implemented a strategic plan. Rakuten Viber created a dedicated Chatbot that enables consumers to redeem their three-month subscription in just two clicks. This Chatbot was publicized using Rakuten Viber Ads, combining native Ads in various placements and localized banners on the Explore screen. Furthermore, a specific CRM campaign was launched to target all eligible customers in selected markets within the specified regions. Rakuten Viber also leveraged its social media channels to reach the relevant audience.

Apple's collaboration with Rakuten Viber in this campaign yielded remarkable results. The integration brought in over 600k subscribers to the Chatbot within just the first half-year. Impressively, nearly a quarter (over 23%) of all chatbot subscribers activated the free trials. Furthermore, over 25% of users continued with the services at the total price once their free trials concluded.

Incentivising subscriptions for Apple services via Rakuten Viber

Likewise, the Primer Group of Companies, a Philippine retailer distributing various consumer goods brands, also utilized Rakuten Viber to enhance their business. Faced with pandemic-induced quarantine restrictions, Primer shifted its focus online, leveraging Rakuten Viber Business Messages to establish an online footprint. In collaboration with Rakuten Viber's messaging partner, Infobip, Primer facilitated online purchases for its e-commerce store, Bratpack. They used digital vouchers sent via Rakuten Viber Business Messages. This strategy led to a significant 401% increase in sales and a 53% code redemption conversion rate, further validating the effectiveness of Rakuten Viber integration.

How Primer facilitated online purchases via Rakuten Viber

Mastering Rakuten Viber Integration: Enhancing Marketing Campaign and Ensuring Customer Trust

The effective implementation of Rakuten Viber into your business strategy requires deliberate planning, similar to any other communication channel. Rakuten Viber can be leveraged to supplement different marketing initiatives and develop a comprehensive marketing campaign. Here's how to accomplish this:

  • Use Rakuten Viber Ads, branded Lenses, and Stickers to attract consumer attention and guide them toward an engaging Rakuten Viber Chatbot.
  • Utilize the chatbot to deliver bespoke offers and stimulate interest in certain services or products.
  • Implement Business Messages to assist consumers in making a purchase.
  • Provide post-sales support to convert a one-time customer into a loyal, repeat client.

It's also crucial to disseminate relevant and valuable information that aligns with the needs and interests of your audience. Maintain a balance between promotional and informative content, such as industry updates, tips, and insights. This strategy helps position your brand as a trustworthy source of information and cultivates loyalty.

Additionally, it's vital to prioritize privacy measures to protect your customers and uphold their trust. Rakuten Viber has robust features built into its platform to ensure secure communication, including:

  • Prioritize Security: Rakuten Viber's default end-to-end encryption for private and group chats and calls sets a high standard in security measures, guaranteeing that the content of the chat is only accessible to the sender and the receiver.
  • Secure Brand Communication: Rakuten Viber uses encryption in transit for Rakuten Viber Business Messages, providing an exceptionally high level of security during the data transmission process and safeguarding your brand-user communication.
  • Respect User Privacy: By sending Rakuten Viber Business Messages only to users who have consented to receive business notifications, Rakuten Viber respects user privacy and prevents unsolicited chats.
  • Enhance Security Measures: Rakuten Viber further bolsters its security by not storing messages on servers and using secure HTTPS connections exclusively, reducing the risk of data breaches and ensuring the safe and secure exchange of information.

Empower Your E-commerce Strategy: Unlock the Potential with Rakuten Viber Integration

The integration of Rakuten Viber into an e-commerce strategy fosters an enriched customer experience, enhances communication, and optimizes marketing efforts. The successful case studies of Apple and Primer Group highlight the potential of Rakuten Viber, demonstrating its capability to boost consumer acquisition, retention, and sales. With its robust security measures, Rakuten Viber also ensures the protection of user data, fostering trust among consumers. Businesses should, therefore, consider leveraging this globally popular platform to remain competitive in today's digital age. Harnessing the power of Rakuten Viber can lead to significant growth, stronger customer relationships, and remarkable company results.

Start your journey with Rakuten Viber now and witness the remarkable impact it can have on your brand's success.