VELI.store's Data-Driven Approach to E-Commerce Success: Interview with Giorgi Berechikidze
In this interview, we speak with Giorgi Berechikidze, Chief Digital Marketing Manager at VELI.store, a leading e-commerce platform in Georgia, to learn more about their approach to selling online. He discusses their business values of a data-driven approach, technological precision, flexibility, speed, and top-notch customer support, and how they translate into various components of the company.
He also shares insights into their marketing strategy, including how they use social media, influencers, and Google to reach new customers, and the marketing tools and metrics they use to measure success. With their focus on quality, attention to detail, and exceptional customer service, VELI.store has become a Lovemark brand and a go-to place for clients seeking outstanding service in the Georgian e-commerce market.
Can you tell us about your approach to selling to customers in the e-commerce space?
There are several aspects to remember when a company sells products online. Among its business values, VELI.store safeguards a data-driven approach, technological precision, flexibility and speed, and top-notch customer support. All of these pillars translate into various components, which help the company itself to fulfil those values.
The website/application itself comes first. From 16 product categories, customers can easily find desired products or discover new ones on the platform.
Customer experience isn't just about a great platform - fulfilment also plays an important role. By integrating cutting-edge technology with VELI.store's in-house development team, VELI.store's process management systems ensure 100% accuracy when ordering and delivering items.
The customer support team at VELI.store is highly skilled and committed to offering a customer-centric approach that prioritises the needs of the consumer. The staff at VELI.store goes above and beyond to make sure that every customer is happy with their experience, whether it be by answering questions, resolving issues, or offering support. The level of focus on quality, attention, and everyday conversations with our customers has made VELI.store known as the go-to place for clients seeking outstanding service in the Georgian e-commerce market.
How do customers find veli.store? What channels do you use?
Veli store, being an e-commerce store, finds its customers in all the digital channels actively used by Georgian customers.
A social media presence is one of the best ways to reach new customers. Using social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Tiktok, Veli marketing engages with customers with relevant, consumable, and shareable content. A strong, consistent brand presence coupled with high-quality content increases brand recognition and loyalty.
Going beyond owned channels on social media, relevant influencers are the best way to be seen by new target audiences. Influencers having a large base of followers helps us increase brand awareness and drive sales.
Being the largest search engine in the country, Google is one of the powerful sources from where new customers discover veli.store. With extensive ongoing Google search engine optimization (SEO) efforts, VELI has become widely available for most searchable products, categories, or solutions.
Veli has been in the e-commerce market for just over a year. In this short period of time, the company managed to become a Lovemark brand. Word of mouth is one of the most powerful ways Lovemark brands spread their influence, and Veli is no exception here. Having received the best experience, customers often share their experiences with friends on social media, posting reviews, stories, and photos. Some of our frequent customers are even becoming “brand ambassadors''.
What tools or technologies have you invested in to support your marketing strategy?
For technologically advanced companies like veli.store, the marketing tools used should be technology-heavy as well. Data is the basis for every marketing decision made by a company. Our data warehouse is the heart of everyday operations. The team behind the platform has invested in numerous tools to monitor the company's progress, track the product's life cycle from entering the warehouse until delivery, and study customer, employee, and partner satisfaction.
Veli platform is connected and exchanges that data with every marketing tool company uses, including:
- Google products (Google ads, merchant center, Display and video 360),
- Meta advertising;
- Analytics tools, like GA4, Hotjar;
- Marketing automation and campaign management tools;
- CRM software;
These connections help us, as marketers, to automate a large part of advertising, making our efforts more efficient.
What kind of metrics do you track to measure your marketing team's success?
Once again, data-driven decision-making is crucial to the team’s success, and our marketing team’s performance is assessed by several measurable key metrics. Growth marketing metrics include customer acquisition cost (CAC), number of new customers, and conversion rate (CR). We measure and select platforms for advertising based on traffic and conversion rates from referral sources. Return on ad spend (ROAS) and average order value (AOV) determine the success of product sales campaigns. Among the metrics we monitor for brand performance are awareness, reach, and share of voice (SoV).
As a result, all these parameters contribute to the team's assessment and improvement of its wide range of key directions, thus contributing to the growth of the company as a whole.