When we talk about a tech stack, we refer to the integration of different apps and platforms in one eCommerce space. Instead of an all in one suite from a single provider, you get to pick the right solutions for your business and choose the best-of-breed for each service.
As these SaaS providers offer entry points for every need and every budget, best-of-breed caters for brands functioning at all levels. It’s cost effective, customisable and, since each solution is designed by experts in a particular niche, they outperform those found in a generic integrated system.
First and foremost, it offers a greater return on investment than alternatives like an all in one suite solution. With the latter, you often end up paying for services you don’t want, that aren’t customisable to your individual needs, and offer limited functionality.
With a best-of-breed tech stack, you can choose the best platforms for specific objectives and benefit from their seamless integration with each other. It’s a strategy with a proven return value.
On top of that, the best-of-breed approach comes with multiple benefits:
We’ve been doing a lot of research on this lately, talking with our own customers, partner agencies and fellow service providers, and the combination of Shopify Plus, Klaviyo, LoyaltyLion, REVIEWS.io and Gorgias has been the common thread. So what is it about these tools that’s resulting in such an uptake?
We should point out here that there are of course alternative solutions for each of these services, including review collection (some providers more trustworthy than others!)
But this particular set up has come up in conversation time and time again, the consensus being that they’re such an effective combination because:
Each provider offers a range of plans suitable for all budgets, with a feature rich platform and good customer support.
Using each solution in combination covers the whole buyer journey - your eCommerce platform, automated marketing, loyalty programmes, review collection and customer service.
Integration across this tech stack is seamless. All of these platforms work incredibly well together, automating processes to create the optimum toolkit.
As a case in point, take LoyaltyLion and REVIEWS.io. The integration offered between these two platforms allows brands to collect valuable UGC, build trust and grow consumer loyalty:
Brands choose to work with platforms such as REVIEWS.io and LoyaltyLion because they understand the power of using user generated content to drive conversion. They see how they can use the two tools together to make the collection of that content easier and less time consuming, whilst also making that advocacy far more rewarding for customers.
Fiona, Head of Marketing
Loyaltylion
Of course, we completely agree. But we also wanted an outsider’s perspective on this particular set up as a whole, so we approached Daniel Höhnke, DACH region Managing Director at digital commerce agency OVERDOSE.
Daniel explained how the best-of-breed approach is new territory for DACH merchants, but it’s gaining momentum, and the tech stack he recommends is the same combination that we’ve seen grow in popularity ourselves.
I saw the opportunities very fast in the best of breed approach… bringing tools to work together where opportunities were nearly endless.
Daniel Höhnke, Managing Director- DACH
OVERDOSE
So how does it work in practice?
We spoke with one of our partner agencies, Stylewise, whose client list is very much aligned with the best-of-breed approach. Using the combination of Shopify, REVIEWS.io, LoyaltyLion and Klaviyo, brands like Judas Sinned, Golden Equation, and Bellfield Clothing are driving customer acquisition and retention.
For them, it’s all about building on positive brand sentiment and using it to full effect, sharing social proof in the form of UGC, and making use of the ways Klaviyo supports review collection
REVIEWS.io is our gateway tool. It's the glue that holds everything together, and bridges the gap between both new and returning customers. All feedback is re-purposed on-site, in our Klaviyo flows (especially the browse abandonment) and also Facebook advertising.
Rohan Anand, Director
Styleiwse
We also had the privilege of hosting a video Q&A with Kevin Urbaum of VAAY. This particular brand faces some tricky obstacles owing to the restrictions around their market, and finding the right tech stack has been both challenging and crucial to their success.
Unable to promote their CBD and hemp products, they turn to the customer voice to educate, inform and attract new business. Again, they do this through the use of Shopify Plus, REVIEWS.io, LoyaltyLion and Klaviyo.
These tools form the foundation of their communications. Reviews are collected and used to educate their audience, customers are rewarded in return for their feedback, and all interactions are automated and personalised through Klaviyo flows.
VAAY are one of the many brands expanding their approach to rewards, customer acquisition and retention, something which LoyaltyLion are very much championing:
It's really great to hear that people are thinking beyond loyalty and discounts, that's a huge topic of conversation for us this year!
Fiona, Head of Marketing
Loyaltylion
These use cases prove just how powerful a best-of-breed tech stack can be. Essentially, if you’re using any one of these tools you should seriously consider using them all to improve your customer experience and boost profitability.
We reached out to Shopify expert agency Noughts and Ones who explained how, when recommending tech stacks to their clients, they place a huge focus on tech partners that not only have planet-conscious credentials, but have the flexibility to be built out in a low-impact way. That’s why they favour REVIEWS.io over other online review platforms.
‘REVIEWS.io gives us the perfect level of customisation, from widget styling for theme-led projects to totally custom review sections for our custom projects. This also means that we can build our Shopify stores as consciously as possible.’
Tom Locke, Creative Director
Noughts & Ones
You can easily incorporate our widgets and social proof features without code, and our tools are designed to meet the needs of our customer base. As an example, our new customisable product review widget gives both brands and those on our agency partner programme the functionality they need to make effective use of customer reviews without a single line of code.
Of course, that’s what we have to say about our platform. And as a review collection provider, it’s only right we share feedback from those that are using REVIEWS.io as part of their own tech stack:
OVERDOSE share our company ethos in that they look to be the best at what they do by offering a service that’s unrivalled. For Daniel, it’s all about having a product he’s proud to pitch to clients:
REVIEWS.io makes publishing easy, have good features for social media and they have thought about how to make it easy for merchants to use by being agnostic.
Daniel Höhnke, Managing Director- DACH
OVERDOSE
Whilst OVERDOSE are new to the review space, we’ve been working with Stylewise for many years, over which time they’ve consistently used our platform to drive both customer acquisition and retention for the brands they support:
REVIEWS.io is usually one of the first recommendations we make to all clients - it's an essential piece of the jigsaw when building your brand.
Rohan Anand, Director
Styleiwse
A lot of the brands we work with have switched over to us from another provider. This was the case with VAAY, who were looking for better customer support and increased functionality:
Your team is really reachable, works super fast and easy to integrate.
Kevin, Head of Tech
VAAY
Then there’s our integration partners - those who form part of this best-of-breed solution. What makes this tech stack so powerful is that each service provider recognises the significance of the other:
If you're not yet using a reviews provider, then you are missing out on the opportunity to build trust with consumers you have not yet met and may incur greater acquisition costs as a direct result. Equally, you are missing the opportunity to turn reviews into powerful onsite or social content that could drive the conversion of both new and existing customers.
Fiona, Head of Marketing
Loyaltylion
A powerful tech stack is a critical piece of the puzzle for any brand looking to grow. With the right tools working together, you can streamline operations through automation, understand your market on a deeper level, and gain a holistic view of business performance.
For eCommerce brands in particular, choosing the best-of-breed approach allows you to create an authentic customer experience that carries fluidly across the entire buyer journey. Your storefront, customer support, reviews, loyalty programmes and marketing efforts all work together harmoniously, driving sales and giving you a greater return rate on your tech stack investment.
