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Combining hard and soft data in e-commerce for a better shopping experience

David Kucak Aug. 22, 2023

In the digital age, where data dominates our everyday lives, we often come across the terms "Hard Data" and "Soft Data" Both of these terms play a key role in data analytics and help us better understand the world around us. How do these two types of data differ and what value do they bring to different aspects of our lives?

Hard Data 📈

Hard data is quantitative data that can be measurably recorded and analysed. They are numbers, statistics, percentages and any concrete data that can be expressed mathematically. Examples of hard data in e-commerce are sales numbers, campaign success rates, number of visitors to a website, financial results, and so on.

Hard data is easy to measure and is often obtained from reliable and structured sources, such as a company's ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system. In business, hard data can provide clear and unambiguous information on product performance, the effectiveness of marketing campaigns and the state of the market.

Soft Data 📊

On the other hand, we have soft data, which is more subjective and harder to quantify. These data include people's perceptions, evaluations, insights and opinions. Examples of soft data are customer reviews, social media feedback, sentiment and interactions.

Soft data is important because it reveals people's emotions and attitudes. They help us understand how customers really feel about products, brands or service experiences. Despite their subjectivity, soft data can provide valuable insights on how to improve products, communication and the overall shopping experience.

Symbiosis of both data types

It is important to note that hard and soft data are not independent. Combining them leads to a deeper understanding of the situation. For example, analysis of hard sales numbers can reveal trends, while soft data in the form of customer reviews can give us insight into why these trends are happening.

The symbiosis of these two types of data is important for a variety of industries, from business to politics to science. By combining hard and soft data, we get a comprehensive and balanced view of reality.

The power of merged views

Together, hard and soft data give us deeper insights into the world around us. While hard data gives us measurable facts, soft data reveals human emotions and perspectives. Their symbiosis allows us to make the right decisions based on the full picture. In everyday life and in the world of analytics, both types of data are invaluable.

Combining hard and soft data in the world of online shopping:

When shopping online, it is crucial for customers to make informed decisions. What helps iim to make successful purchases is a combination of two types of data - hard and soft. At first, these concepts may seem disparate, but combining them creates a powerful tool for increasing conversion rates and improving the overall customer experience.

Hard Data reports the facts

Hard data, numbers and statistics play a key role in providing objective information. When shopping online, hard data tells us a lot about a product. For example, finding out how many units of an item have been sold can give us an indication of its popularity and trustworthiness among customers. Complaint rates can be an indicator of the quality and customer satisfaction of a product.

Soft Data reveals emotions and experiences

On the other hand, there is soft data that reflects the feelings and experiences of customers. Reviews, comments and feedback provide us with the valuable opinions of those who have already tried the product. Soft data tells us what emotionally attaches to a product, how customers feel after buying it and what they really care about.

Combining the two types of data produces a complete picture

The symbiosis of hard and soft data creates a complete picture of the product. Customers get not only the facts about the product, but also the opinions of real people who have tried it. This connection allows customers to make informed decisions. For example, when choosing between two similar products with the same hard data, soft data can tip the scales in favor of the one with more positive reviews and greater customer satisfaction.

Increasing conversion rates and improving customer experience

This combination of hard and soft data has a significant impact on online shopping. Customers can feel more confident in their decision making because they have more types of information to choose from. This increases conversion rates because decisions are backed by real experiences and numbers.

At the same time, the overall customer experience improves. Quality soft data allows customers to feel connected to the products and to the brand. Transparency of product performance and accessibility to other customers' experiences creates trust between consumers and the brand.

Symbiosis for informed purchases

The combination of hard and soft data is a powerful link between facts and feelings. This symbiosis allows customers to make purchases with confidence and conviction. This strengthens the base of loyal customers who feel that their decisions are backed by real information and experience.

Informed shopping with the Rewora platform

Hard and soft data are key ingredients for informed online shopping. Together, these two types of data form a complete picture of a product, enabling customers to make better decisions and ultimately increasing sales and improving the customer experience.

Rewora works with this data together to provide a comprehensive picture of the product. On one side are product reviews and on the other is hard data from Business Intelligence (BI)

Advantages of displaying BI data on the Product Card 🛒

Imagine looking for something as mundane as batteries - a product that rarely triggers the need or motivation to write reviews. Enter BI, which delivers substantial value. By analyzing hard data such as sales numbers and complaint rates, BI can provide significant insights to prospective buyers. These insights become a compass that guides you through the endless choices. It's an innovative approach, especially for products where reviews can be limited.

The main benefits of BI Data on the product card 📈

  1. 1. Informed decisions: BI data provides an unbiased view, helping in decision making, even when reviews are missing.
  2. 2. Navigating choice: The wide variety of products can be confusing. BI data acts as a personal shopping advisor, showing products with proven results.
  3. 3. Current relevance: hard data provides up-to-date information that reflects the product's current position and performance in the market.
  4. 4. Quality verification: BI data quickly reveals product quality. Low complaint rates and high sales are a sign of customer satisfaction.
  5. 5. Hassle-free purchasing: with the BI data available, purchasing becomes a convenient and enjoyable process.

Rewora brings you unbiased product numbers while sharing authentic reviews and experiences from real customers.

If you want to improve your results and empower your customers to make informed purchases, Rewora is here for you. Together, we combine the power of facts with the voice of community to ensure your online shopping experience is guided by trust and knowledge.

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david-kucak
David Kucak
Marketing Specialist
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