4 Benefits That IoT Brings to the E-Commerce Sphere
Purchasing goods from the internet has never been easier. You go on your phone or laptop, click on your favorite e-commerce app or site, input your order, and poof! The product is on the way to you. This innovation beats the traditional long lines of purchasing items in a physical store and, not to mention, the hassle of just going to the store itself.
The advent of e-commerce–– commercial transactions performed online–– has brought with it a new age of connectivity between the shopper and the merchant, giving you more personalized recommendations, up-to-date knowledge on stock availability, and notifications on maintenance and warranty. All these advantages are possible due to the integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) into the e-commerce industry.
IoT enables you to connect several smart devices, whether short- or long-range to create an ecosystem that has internet access and enables intercommunication. The introduction of IoT to the e-commerce industry changes the game altogether and brings several benefits to both the consumer and the merchant. Here are 4 benefits that IoT brings to the e-commerce sphere:
Smart Logistics and Supply Chain Management
Real-time updates are provided to customers and suppliers
Through IoT, both customers and suppliers are enabled to receive accurate and detailed information on the whereabouts of an item as of this moment and how fast it travels. Products are now able to move from one place to another smoothly, giving the supplier step-by-step information on the products, which includes location, condition, temperature personnel identities, weather, and so much more. This goes beyond what we can imagine with IoT offering real-time data for the location or position of goods, and whether or not they have already been dropped at the customer’s doorstep. Supply chain management and logistics are now more efficient than ever and reduce the issues of missing shipments significantly.
All of these data are collected and reported through the use of Long Range, Wide Area Network (LoRaWAN) gateways, like the RAK7200, RAK7258, and RAK5010.
Long-range communications among assets are available
With the use of LoRaWAN, different connected smart devices, including sensors, RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags are now able to perform long-range communications at a low bit rate. LoRaWAN gateways enable very long-range transmissions with very low power consumption. The sensors that work with the gateway offer multi-year battery lifetimes and utilizes non-cellular communication protocols that can send small amounts of data over long distances a few times per hour from different environments. The incorporation of LoRaWAN to your logistics will ensure that your shipment reaches the customer at its designated time with little to no issues.
Luckily, you can get your own gateway from RAKwireless, one of the leading LoRaWAN® gateway and IoT solution providers in the world. Among their LPWAN gateways, always known as high performing and highly reliable, are as follows:
Asset Management
More accurate inventories are prepared for enterprises
The same IoT sensors mentioned earlier may also be utilized in organizing your inventory. In fact, IoT makes the act of inventory management as automatic and void of human error as possible. With the use of smart devices, suppliers ensure the quick maintenance of their products. It is now possible to predict and analyze the performance of products throughout their lifespan. The technology gives businesses information on a product’s usage and reports poor functioning. The company can then call or inform the customer to suggest repairs or replacements before they face any serious difficulties from using the product.
If you want to experience this advantage for yourself, RAKwireless also offers end-devices, like nodes, for LoRaWAN® that quickly give you updates of your assets:
Better lost-and-found systems are designed for the customers
Apart from this advantage, IoT provides an opportunity for customers to find things that are lost or stolen. Wouldn’t it be nice if you didn’t forget your keys before stepping out of your home? What if, just as you’re ready to leave your home, you get a notification that says you left them at home? This notification system will make it convenient for customers to find lost items. You never have to fumble around outside your house trying to look for your spare key ever again! These solutions are currently worked on by developers using RAK devices, like the RAK4600 LoRa +BT.
Conclusion
Automation, marketing, and promotions can all be done via IoT. It saves time, money, and gives the merchant more detailed, aggregated data about the customer. It provides the customer with a seamless customer experience from purchase to maintenance. With the e-commerce industry getting more and more competitive, staying ahead by utilizing IoT technologies will ensure you are always ahead of the game.