The Internet has changed the way buyers interact with medical companies. It has affected the way consumers research and buy goods. Nowadays, eCommerce is well-rooted in our lives, which is why B2B/B2C companies are inching towards online selling. Medical companies now know that profitable business is investing in eCommerce.
Any business is not about B2B or B2C; it’s about B2-Human. Engage your medical buyers in deep, relevant, & different ways to keep them from spacing out. Serve their self-interests; if done well, your company will be on the path to stupendous success in no time.
Embrace the holistic vision of engaging with your customers and change the way they look at you. Establish relationships and seek to nurture them well. This is becoming central to all marketing processes. Companies need to bring about a digital transformation if they wish to stay relevant.
Bespoke eCommerce tells you how more and more companies are rebranding and customizing how they do business. A switch made, to style themselves in sync with the needs of their buyers. They are developing and understanding buyer personas to be able to serve them better.
An honest effort by all types of medical branches be it Manufacturers, Distributors, or Retailers to reinvent their selling ways. Not relying only on a brick and mortar outlet but taking up omnichannel ways to unify their presence on every touchpoint. Start selling medical equipment online.
Most businesses are wondering – “Where to sell medical equipment online,” “how to sell medical equipment online,” and the “Marketing of Medical Devices.” A mindset that tells me that a revolution is happening which will change the way companies interacts with its audience.
Manufacturers
The D2C model helps you to sell seamlessly to consumers. Gain a better understanding of buyers, more control over the brand, and more freedom to innovate. Due to a direct interaction, you stand to save a percentage of total order value that was deducted by the distributors. Won’t have to go through intermediaries. A total win-win situation.
Savvy manufacturers look to lower distribution costs. With a cost-efficient supply chain, they can reduce overhead and direct sales costs at the same time. Modern manufacturers squeeze every ounce of the reduction to achieve the most profits. In the process, they even end up relying on Automation Tools.
Overcome the fear that serving customers directly could severe ties with the distributors/retailers. Instead, re-work your contractual agreement to include clauses that allow you to sell directly to civilians. Divide the sales regions and give them the ones that serve your least interest.
D2C strategy helps manufacturers to test the success of new products before pitching them to retailers. Start subscriptions plans for the same and deliver straight to your buyer. 49% of brands said D2C sales have increased brand awareness & created improved sales for channel partners - Forrester
Manufacturers are looking for advanced resources to cut-down their work heavy tasks. This also helps in employee retention, medical staffing & hiring new millennial employees. Latest gears in harmony with skilled workers will elevate productivity. Reliance on outdated machines can create a labor shortage.
Manufacturers are looking for the latest resources to cut-down their work heavy tasks. Which then helps with employee retention, medical staffing & hiring new millennial employees. Latest gears in harmony with skilled workers will elevate productivity. Reliance on outdated machines can create a labor shortage.
Distributors / Wholesalers
Medical Device Wholesalers have their own sets of challenges to conquer, if they are to survive the cut-throat competition. This is where eCommerce comes into the picture and streamlines the way they connect with their customers.
To realize their full potential, these suppliers cannot always stay offline. They must embrace eCommerce and do so in a manner that grows and supports their business. Failure to do the same, may result in business decay. Improve your sales by giving your buyers a better way to make their purchases.
Distributors are beginning to install eCommerce solutions to streamline; logistics, payment, inventory, client relationships and more. Omnichannel model is becoming the heart and soul of every distributor out there. They want their brand to live on every touchpoint possible.
Maximum visibility means a higher likelihood for order placements and that is what the suppliers want. No matter, how potent your SKU’s is, you will still need to market the same in buyer centric ways to keep the momentum in your favor. Client impression will decide the road ahead for your brand.
A comprehensive catalogue of products makes it hard for customers to find the exact item. Which is why you need modern eCommerce solutions in your business sphere. Display your large inventory with ease. Specs of medical equipment in rich detail. Have e-brochures and benefit in every which way imaginable.
Integrate 3rd Party eCommerce solutions to reduce complexity; online orders are processed automatically. Freeing your sales team to focus on value-adding client contact. If done well, your revenue will see a steep increase and continue to grow forever.
Sell used medical equipment online on any marketplace. For all your used medical equipment related needs, which may come to include spares, accessories & tools. Clients can order these equipment’s online with ease. B2B/B2C wholesale medical supplies sales will finally become a lot smoother.
Retailers
Medical Retailers can also bring about significant changes in the way they do business. Bespoke eCommerce solutions will transform the very essence of your business model. By setting up a medical device online store, retailers too will improve how they interact with their audience
From the comfort of their home’s consumers can now access product data sheets of medical devices. Access rich info/media of all the desired products. Retailers can decrease the cost of inventory Management and keep an eye on consumers buying habits. Operational costs come down like anything.
Expanding via Physical outlets is expensive; whereas a presence online involves less investment as the setting up cost is less. Bring in consumer and affiliate marketing to push your brand even more. Stay open 24/7, sell global, boost brand awareness, and easily remarket/retarget customers.
Easier to encourage an impulse buy and the ability to do cross-selling and up-selling. Gain customer data, scale quickly, and handle a high number of orders. In the end, be able to grow your business with enough relevant content. Expand your reach and dominate your industry.
Benefits of selling medical equipment online
Let’s look at some of the most significant benefits a medical business will get from digital presence:
- Omnichannel – Simply being on the web or having a brick and mortar shop is not enough. Nowadays, buyers are accessing your store from every device. Thus, you need to be on every touchpoint. Don’t lose the traffic you can get from the audience on mobile devices. Create cutting edge mobile apps.
Now, with tablets, smart devices, and wearables coming along, your buyer is not using a one-dimensional approach. They are relying on devices that offer the most convenience. An omnichannel strategy helps to get more visibility. Come up with a responsive website. - Automation – Keeping track of potential customers, leads, clients, orders, content can be a difficult task. Hence more and more companies are relying on Automation tools to simplify back-end processes. Manually tracking/logging this information is exhausting.
Companies need to find innovative ways to streamline these tasks, or else they’d end up wasting their resources here. Find CRM/ERP/CPQ in Microsoft Dynamics, Salesforce, Zoho CRM, and many more to ease up your workload.
Free your staff from these heavy chores and use them in places that’d help to grow the business and get more prospects. Even dedicate time to push for more investors in your brand. - Personalization – Your clients have come to expect tailor-made offers/promos. Dish out exclusive coupons, bulk shipping discounts, bundle-deals and so on. Consider various parameters of your buyer demographics and deliver suitable offers for the same.
A personalized touch tempts the buyer into returning to your brand. As they feel more valued and acknowledge the effort taken to study their buying behavior. - Presentation – Your inventory of SKU’s, no matter how useful; must be displayed stunningly to captivate your buyers. High-resolution images from every angle will reduce any uncertainty. The buyer can take quick decisions; leading to swift order placements.
Even integrate a corresponding video for the same. Ensure the templates and themes used at various places blend well with the content. Don’t make it hard for the users to comprehend information.
Rich media is the added help that gives your buyer a deeper understanding of the product. Which in turn boosts engagement and leads to a better user experience. - Artificial Intelligence / Augmented Reality - Use these cutting-edge tools to improve the way you do business. AI in chatbots will help to send customer responses 24/7 with ease. AR gives visitors the ability to view products (Bariatric Beds, Endoscopes, x-ray generators, etc.) in their personal space
Artificial Intelligence / Augmented Reality – Use these cutting-edge tools to improve the way you do business. AI in chatbots will help to send customer responses 24/7 with ease. AR gives visitors the ability to view products (Bariatric Beds, Endoscopes, x-ray generators, etc.).
Either one of them grants the owner an added space-age way of enhancing shopping experiences. AR lets your buyers pick the perfect gear in harmony with their environment. AI streamlines activities on various levels to achieve higher output with the least amount of effort and investment.
- Testimonials – Feedback from your loyal customers will change the way other visitors perceive your brand. A 5-star rating on Google, Facebook, and others can then be showcased to confirm the integrity of your brand. Win your buyers trust, and you will never be short on orders. Plus, an option like this also lets buyers express their displeasure – something, if worked on, will help the brand to grow.
- Payment Options - Being online, means the number of payment processors that are available to you also go up. Small startups can’t always afford to have a massive chunk of their profits deducted by payment channels. As such, they must settle with discounted options.
- Credit Cards, PayPal, Skrill, Bank transfer, Wallets – each bring their specific charges. A variety of such payment methods also helps your buyer to pick the one that is best suited for his needs (security, ease, and costs). B2B transactions involve large payments; thus, encryption is a significant concern.
Paying for goods and services should not become an exhausting task. Quick and simple checkout + payment will lead to higher-order placements. Be wary of this and introduce only those processors that bring the right balance of convenience, speed, security, and charges.
- Analytics – Your incoming traffic is dropping hints; your visitor’s buying + browsing is telling you something. Use this data to work out your next move. Marketing campaigns should consider these metrics before heading into any investment.
Use Search Engine ranking, Review Bounce rates, CTR, viewership, short tail/ long-tail keywords and their volumes, organic traffic, meta tags, retention times and browsing sessions to determine the next step in building your brand. Your SEO work will be more effective if it stems from these parameters.
Data mining on this scale creates a more customized solution for your buyers. Tailor your work to their demands and requirements – making your effort more impactful. Even run A/B tests, where possible to decide which version brings the highest conversions. - Marketing – Being online gives any medical equipment company the power to target consumers in many ways. From PPC ads to Mailer Campaigns, you can connect with every prospect within a matter of seconds. Even stay active on Social media and other relevant forums/ boards to improve your visibility.
Use content, influencers, loyalty programs, cross-selling, upselling, and other innovative tactics to grab leads. Make Post-purchase follow-ups to keep old customers. Make Cart-abandonment follow-ups in the form of polite reminders; to push for more clients.
Engage, educate, and reward your customers - giving them more reasons to stay with your company. A “keep in touch” attitude will make your buyers feel more worthy and have them in the loop always. From industry trends to new offers, hit them up now and then, to stay connected. - Global Penetration – Accessibility is the key to investing in eCommerce and why you should start selling medical devices online. Your “local-territorial” sales approach only leads to limited orders. A worldwide viewership will translate into more eyes; which in-turn will bring more traffic and more conversions.
Of course, you will have to follow the strict regulations, policies and certifications; if you plan to deal in the global landscape. But, just by going digital you will catch the attention of various buyers who may keep you in mind for future opportunities.
Some may approach you from places, where the paperwork and criteria to do business is less complicated - thereby opening doors to clients from all over the world. - Shipping - Shipping is an essential component in successful B2B & B2C medical device companies. eCommerce lets you Ship in a variety of ways. Let’s you pick all the different aspects upon which you want to decide the final shipping cost: product weight, dimensions, commodity, destination, and more.
Offer flat rate, table rate, or variable shipping. Allow discounts above a certain order value. Go for standard shipping, expedited shipping, freight shipping or in-Store pickup. Even lets you ship free to a few selected regions. Show delivery time and give customers the ability to track their consignments.
State all the delivery charges, be it for shipping, handling, packaging, processing, and more. Introduce Shipping labels and Insurances to optimize customer experience. Have order management and return procedures in place to handle any unwarranted situation. Integrate Shipping API’s into your online store to streamline the checkout and order fulfillment process.
Retailers can even rely on Dropshipping, so they wouldn’t have to stock their goods and can instead work with a wholesaler who will deliver directly to the customer. 45% of customers have abandoned a shopping cart because of unsatisfactory delivery options. So, whatever your Shipping carrier; FedEx, UPS, DHL, or any other ensure you always bring convenience to the customer.
What are the Challenges?
Most medical companies still rely on legacy solutions for their workforce & processes. Thus, making a switch to the latest methods will be a challenge. A medieval model that is being followed and resulting in decent results is continued - rejecting the need for any evolution.
The costs and training needed to blend with the modern tools will also serve as a reason to not figure out modern solutions. Resistance from investors; especially if they feel that a new tool changes very little; in terms of output will make it hard to bring new changes.
Recognize the tools that bring about major changes, will prove fruitful in the long run and thus may be worth investing in. Keep track of advancements in your industry and discover all the crucial tools that will be beneficial for your business. The best way to leap ahead of your rival is by buying every relevant-tech tool.
New-customer acquisition cost, marketing ways, sales/ lead management, order flow, and more; must now become more efficient. Else your automation tools serve no purpose. The new tools must, cut out the slack and relax your approach for better results.
Adapting to the latest demands/requirements and integrating the corresponding solutions for the same into your business; at the earliest will be the biggest challenge. Avoiding internal conflicts and coming to terms for bringing major changes is vital for your company’s growth.
Platforms
The correct eCommerce platform will be critical to your success. Take a moment to study the intricate details. Contemplate, and discuss if need be. Draw up a blueprint. List all the key areas and then settle on a solution. A lot of thought goes into picking the right platform for a medical organization
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The experts at Virtina will help you to guide and choose the right platform. Each platform brings its own set of SEO friendliness, the ability to scale, payment options, Plug-ins, Checkout options, Marketing Scope, Security, and more. Make a rigorous assessment of every platform before you start pooling money.
For Fully Hosted platform, you should opt for Shopify. Rich in user experience and comes with an array of responsive and stunning templates/themes and other features. Shopify has its own set of themes that are suitable for any medical business. Eye-catching skins, cross-browser compatible, WPML ready, well documented and fully responsive.
If you are looking for a simple, content-oriented and resources-loaded website with the ability to sell your SKU’s, then WooCommerce is the best option. Comes with exclusive medical Equipment themes that contain powerful drag and drop functionality. Multi-purpose retina ready themes that are packed with plenty of widgets, social sharing features, mega menus, customization options and more.
For an open-source free to download alternative go for Magento Community Edition. Is apt for small-scale businesses/start-up stores not requiring huge investments. The development costs may be high as you end up relying on external resources.
you could also try the Magento Commerce Edition, which is part of the same Magento eco-system. A paid and premium platform that comes with an array of inbuilt customization & advanced features. Making it the best choice for leading high-end enterprises.
If finances are not holding you back, then definitely choose this eCommerce solution provider. Where you have an enormous warehouse, then a premium package would be the best choice. A trade-off will need to be made depending on your requirements. Don’t fixate over a specific eCommerce platform.
There are plenty more options in BigCommerce, Volusion, Prestashop, and more. Keep in mind to set the platform around your business. Don’t blindly pick a platform – choose the one that matches your business fundamentals. Shape the website to your preferences and your customer demographic.
Conclusion
Medical device companies are going through a phase, where they realized that a one-dimensional selling wouldn’t be enough. The landscape is harsh, which is why they must find compelling ways to attract & keep customers. Find ways to revamp their selling practices. Even sell used medical equipment online or old-refurbished medical devices without any concern.
Do not underestimate the need to connect with your buyers. Take out innovative-personal schemes to engage them, measure the engagement, and then redesign your approach. Medical companies must offer a world-class experience akin to B2C throughout the customer lifecycle.
Embrace eCommerce and streamline your backend processes, buying, selling, marketing, and more. The road ahead is simplified, allowing you to focus on growing your organization. Be future-ready for the online medical industry struggles. Now, selling medical devices online won’t be such a tedious task.
Take a data-driven eCommerce approach to draw maximum ROI. Hear from your buyers & customize the online experience to suit their interests. A tailor-made interface that delivers on all the requirements will lead to the best conversions. In the current setup, ignoring eCommerce will prove costly.
Virtina can craft the perfect medical equipment online store that will create a seamless experience for your buyers. Streamline your selling ways and make a better impact on your B2B/B2C audience. Our expert developers/consultants have served many clients in the medical industry.
Get in touch with us and gain the highest ROI. We will glue your brands model with customer needs. Increase the traffic to your site, the demand for your products. In turn, elevate the sales and bring-up the revenue for your business. Your ideal partner for a better future in medical eCommerce.
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