Smartphones and tablets are changing the way consumers shop, and ecommerce retailers need to be ready with mobile shopping solutions. Shopgate is a leader in developing mobile websites for smartphones and tablets, and also produces special apps for iOS and Android devices. Founded in 2009 by the two CEOs, Ortwin Kartmann and Andrea Anderheggen, and Dieter Kartmann, CSO, the firm now serves around 5,200 merchants. “We create the mobile store for the merchant,” explains Wladimir Baranoff-Rossine, CMO. “We provide access to six mobile platforms, including mobile websites for phones and tablets, and native apps for iOS and Android. Studies show that 20 to 25 percent of traffic comes to a website via mobile, and if you don’t have a proper mobile strategy, you are losing money.”
Greater satisfaction & conversion
To increase customer satisfaction and conversion rates, Shopgate employs a data driven approach. By analyzing the mobile shopping behavior of millions of monthly unique visitors to its platform, the firm incorporates what works best on mobile to increase speed and ease of shopping. Shopgate has been known to increase conversion rates as much as 900 percent.
Getting set up with Shopgate is easy, Baranoff-Rossine notes. The firm has around 50 shopping cart connectors, including Magento, Shopify, Volusion and all the major players, and can sync automatically to merchants’ websites and import all products into Shopgate. “We have also created apps with loads of great features that can’t be used with desktop websites,” Baranoff-Rossine continues. “We have barcode scanning and catalog scanners, and an app that allows you to take a photo of an advertisement in a print magazine. It automatically detects the product, store finders, deals of the day, and mobile coupons, and many of these things can only be done with native app technology.” More than 5,000 merchants, large and small throughout Europe and the U.S., are taking advantage of the Shopgate platform. The firm has created mobile stores here for Game Day USA, the Phoenix Suns, NFL, NBA, hockey teams and many more.
Plans from $9 a month
Several plans are available, and pricing is based on a monthly charge plus transaction fees. “We have plans that start as low as $9 a month,” Baranoff-Rossine notes. With the basic plan, the transaction fee is 8 percent. When merchants pay a higher monthly rate, they pay a lower transaction fee, which can be as low as 1 percent. “Choosing the right plan depends on what retailers are selling and their margins,” Baranoff-Rossine states. “For example, with electrical devices the margins are quite small, and a merchant might want to pay a higher monthly fee. Small merchants might want to start out with the $9 a month plan, and when they grow they can change that.”
Shopgate can often be implemented within 24 hours, depending on the complexity of the store, how many products it offers, if graphic design support is needed, and other factors. The company also offers unlimited phone and email support. “We assist with graphics, setup and how to use the software, and we are very customer support orientated,” Baranoff-Rossine stresses. “We are experts, and here to make sure our customers succeed.”
Shopgate Inc.
2225 E. Bayshore Road, Suite 200
Palo Alto, CA 94303
Toll free: 800-490-2467
Website: www.shopgate.com