Intershop IoT

Modern devices such as smartphones, speakers or watches transmit data to each other via the Internet. Put simply, everything that has an IP address is part of the Internet of Things. What does this mean for e-commerce? The data collected allows us to derive which products are preferred, what goods are consumed, or where we are located.

In the work environment, the process is the same. Data from machines reflects how high the consumption of goods or the wear and tear of materials is. This is where B2B e-commerce can benefit from the IoT: With a direct connection, consumables and spare parts are ordered automatically or a notification to reorder is triggered. Through direct M2M (machine to machine) communication, many industry processes can be automated - resulting in fewer errors and reduced costs.

As can be seen in our example video, special IoT technology is needed to allow machines to communicate with each other. However, this sensor technology, e.g. RFID chips, are already widely available. Intershop customers use IoT technology in smart factories, for example, to save money with predictive maintenance or to open up completely new revenue opportunities with innovative business models such as pay-per-use.

In our example video, you can learn how a special drill can be rented out and billed with a cryptocurrency based on run performance.

The use of IoT technology in e-commerce has many benefits, including:

• Optimizing shipping logistics: Via the Internet of Things (IoT), sensors can transmit data that can significantly improve the shipping of goods. Using RFID or GPS, you can monitor inventory levels and track deliveries - providing greater transparency and satisfaction for your customers.
• Improving customer relationships: Thanks to IoT technology, manufacturers can proactively offer spare parts, wear items or consumables and thus improve the runtime of machines. This increases trust in the customer relationship.
• new business models: The information transmitted via the Internet of Things is the basis for high-value services with large profit margins: remote monitoring, predictive maintenance and performance analyses for a specific product or certain product groups.
• better control of goods: wholesalers or manufacturers can not only monitor their inventory or track deliveries by connecting to the IoT, but also use sensors to check the optimal temperature of perishable goods - not an insignificant component for B2B marketing in this sector!
• more efficient e-commerce: manufacturers can dispense consumables in factories via IoT vending machines, which automatically reorder goods whenever they fall below minimum quantities.
• personalized B2B marketing: the more information you have collected in your e-commerce solution, the more personalized the assortments and prices you can serve to your customers. In this way, the IoT helps you increase your conversion rate and keep customers more closely connected with you.