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Using Marketo for eCommerce Applications

Marketing operatioins professionals around the world over know that Adobe Marketo Engage is the premier choice for B2B marketing automation and is usually used to facilitate lead management strategies with a CRM like Salesforce.

But what about the possibility of using Marketo to support the eCommerce lifecycle in a whole different manner? Let’s think about that for a minute.

As we know, Adobe has a great suite of potential options like Magento and Adobe Campaign, but it is possible and Automate 2 Inspire has implemented this approach many times using Marketo Engage. And, we are not the only ones helping companies use Marketo to drive eCommerce conversion. A majority of stores using Marketo are using Magento, Shopify and WooCommerce, just see this breakdown below.

Marketo Customers Using eCommerce Engines Breakdown


The eCommerce Customer Lifecycle

While B2B and eCommerce have some similarities in approach, their configuration and orchestration of Marketo are quite different.

  • First, the idea of a lead management process is secondary to cart conversion and retail sales.

  • Immediate connection with cart and site functions is critical whereas with B2B the focus is really on high value pages and social media.

  • Understanding the nuances of the persona coming to the site is equally fascinating in both cases, but in eCommerce it can make the difference between actual revenue in that moment or lost sales.

  • Another key differentiator is the customer timeline for purchase. In the typical B2B environment it can be 90-360 days or more, whereas in eCommerce it can be minutes or hours.

By understanding the differences from eCommerce and B2B customer lifecycles, you will be able to approach your campaigns in a different, more effective method.

How to Map the Customer Lifecycle

That said, it is important still to map the customer lifecycle. Below is an example of how Automate 2 Inspire thinks about the customer lifecycle. This approach makes sure that no potential cart conversion gets left behind. What’s more, you can easily see connection points and opportunities for best practice programs.

Marketo Set-up and Configuration Considerations

Many marketing operations professionals would cringe at the idea of not doing traditional best practice lead scoring or not creating typical nurture strategies. However, in the case of eCommerce it is important to seize the moment and focus on shorter time horizons which can alter the typical B2B implementation approach.

A few things to consider when doing an eCommerce setup and configuration include:

  • Integrations with potential 3rd parties such as Digital Agencies

  • Integrations with Google, Bing, etc.

  • Integrations with Cart provider

  • Integrations with billing systems, if needed

  • Lead scoring for high AOV leads that need to be touched by Customer Support

  • Triggered programs needed for Abandoned cart, Win Back and Loyalty programs

  • Creating influencers with a solid strategy

  • Using advocacy, affiliates, and marketplaces to drive revenue

Of course, understanding the data model, the necessary integration points and ensuring proper discovery is completed are all precursors to doing anything in Marketo Engage for eCommerce customers to ensure conversion and customer user experience is optimized.


The Bottom Line on Building eCommerce on Marketo


Long story short, building out an eCommerce connection using Marketo has many moving parts and should not be taken lightly. Experience and complete discovery are no exception to the rule. Ensuring business keeps running and systems keep driving revenue is a delicate process that must be managed by consultants who have been there. Make sure and ask your consultancy how many eCommerce installs they have done and really get into the weeds to ensure they understand the complexities of the entire project.


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