Online shopping has become a significant part of the retail landscape, and in recent times, due to the global pandemic, it has become a necessity for many. Since the early days of the internet, businesses have conducted transactions online, though not at today’s level. In its beginnings, e-commerce lacked personalization and good customer service, and challenges related to sharing personal data and credit card information made transactions even more difficult. It took businesses considerable time and effort to build their reputation and gain customer trust. However, despite initial skepticism, e-commerce has proven that online retail can not only meet high standards but also provide a highly convenient and time-saving solution that is competitive—and in many cases can even outperform traditional retail chains. SAP offers a range of solutions that have helped businesses make e-commerce more efficient, provide better experiences for customers and employees, and drive business growth.

ZALORA Fashion Continues 30% Annual Growth with S/4HANA

ZALORA is an online fashion retailer that delivers millions of orders across Southeast Asia, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. The company offers over 30,000 products, including clothing, shoes, and accessories from major brands like Mango, Dorothy Perkins, and Superdry, as well as ZALORA’s in-house labels and smaller local brands. Their fast delivery—within as little as three hours in some markets—and flexible payment options are key parts of their strategy to become a leading retailer. Since its founding in 2012, ZALORA has maintained a growth rate of 30% year-over-year. To support this expansion, they needed to automate and streamline their processes and delivery models across the eight countries in which they operate. To address this, they implemented the S/4HANA Retail solution for merchandise management, enabling significantly faster order reconciliation. As a result, customers could enjoy timely deliveries as well as pre- and post-payment options, including cash on delivery. This flexibility boosted sales. The real-time reporting and analysis capabilities of S/4HANA have helped ZALORA stay ahead of trends and offer customers an exceptional shopping experience. S/4HANA provided the scalability needed to expand their product range and introduce cross-selling opportunities to better meet customer needs. This helped ZALORA build strong partnerships not only with major suppliers but also with local designers, aiding their expansion into new markets. With S/4HANA’s capabilities, ZALORA optimized resource distribution and streamlined IT and financial processes, reducing payroll costs in finance and other administrative expenses. Additionally, ZALORA benefited from improved visibility, process standardization, and a single source of truth, enhancing workflow management, supplier payment transparency, and cash management.

Frucor Suntory Digitalized with SAP

Frucor Suntory has been supplying beverages to customers in Australia and New Zealand for 50 years, serving businesses of all sizes—from large supermarkets to small corner stores. As digital markets evolved, Frucor Suntory recognized the rising expectations and demands of their customers, prompting the company to join the online space and develop e-commerce capabilities. To meet the challenge of offering online services, Frucor Suntory implemented the SAP Customer Experience solution. Customers can now conveniently complete their routine orders from any device, at any time of the day. This self-service option has improved Frucor Suntory’s visibility into customer behavior in real-time and enhanced its B2B sales and ordering processes. With the integration of the C/4HANA suite, Frucor Suntory’s sales teams can access customer data and online orders relevant to their respective regions. The company now benefits from an integrated view across all departments, which tracks retail demand and availability, allowing teams to better meet customer needs. The Order-to-Cash system, which combines Commerce Cloud, Sales Cloud, and SAP ERP, has reduced manual work and errors, allowing employees to focus on more strategic tasks.

The Future of Online Shopping

As business software and hardware continue to evolve, we are witnessing increasingly innovative approaches to meeting customer demands. Companies are experimenting with drone deliveries and warehouse robots, while consumers receive targeted advertisements through search engines and email marketing. Some businesses are even striving to make virtual reality shopping mainstream. Social shopping is also gaining traction through platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube, while tools like Idealo, PriceGrabber, and Kelkoo help consumers conveniently compare prices from home. The variety of products available for online purchase now extends to groceries, restaurant meals, educational courses, and even allergy tests. It’s clear that e-commerce is here to stay, and we look forward to seeing more from S/4HANA and SAP solutions in the world of digital retail.