	Shopblocks	Shopify
Transaction Fees	ZERO! No transaction fees charged by Shopblocks	From 1.
Headquarters	UK (Stockport, Greater Manchester)	Canada
Transaction Fees	ZERO! No transaction fees charged by Shopblocks 3rd party credit card fees apply.	There's a "credit card fee" of 1. If you use a third party provider, you pay Shopify transaction fees plus the third party provider's fees.
Monthly Pricing	From £5/month for non-ecommerce and £39/month for ecommerce up to £199/month	From $29 to $299
Design Retraints	None.	Theme based platform.

SCA and the Deadline Extension - What Do You Need to Know?

Wed, 04 Sep 2019 23:00:00 +0000

At Shopblocks, we've been preparing for Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) for some time.

What is SCA?
In a nutshell, SCA is part of the Revised Payment Services Directive (PSD2) which was published in 2018.
It means online sellers will have to seek an exrtra level of validation to verify the authenticity of a payment before making the sale.
The news rules mean that payments must go through two independent sources of validation.
These extra validation checks must include one each from two of the three categories below:

Something the customer knows such as a PIN

Something they have like a card or a phone

Something that is a part of them such as their fingerprint or facial recognition

When's the deadline for being compliant?
The official deadline was given as the 14th September 2019.
This is because research suggests a lack of preparedness and the potential for large volumes of transactions to fail as a result.
However, the FCA's wording does not suggest this is the deadline moving, but more that implementation is being phased.
We interpet this as:

Ecommerce websites are expected to get ready as quickly as possible for SCA

Anyone not compliant on 14th September is unlikely to be penalised

All retailers are expected to be completely compliant at the end of the 18 month phased implementation period

What do Shopblocks Customers need to do?
Shopblocks customers don't need to do anything about it.

Amazon, Google or the High Street? Where Will We Be Starting our Gift Shopping this Christmas?

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Christmas may feel a long way off, but in the world of retail it's just around the corner and fast creeping up.

"When you're looking for a gift for someone, where do you most often start your search?

Our Findings in Summary

Amazon just pips the High Street as the primary place to start the process of gift hunting (30.
Amazon and the High Street, based on our statistics, are the clear winners with search engines like Google lagging behind with 22.
Social media channels do entice shoppers to start their search, but the overall numbers are still low

It's Different for Men and Women
When we break the data down by gender, we can see clear differences.
Women are far likelier to do their gift shopping (Christmas or otherwise) in a physical store (36.
Younger People Are Far Less Likely to Start their Gift Shopping Offline
We found huge variations in our gift shopping statistics on an age level.

Of those aged 18 to 24, just 20.
For the 25 - 34s, the most popular starting point for Christmas shopping is likely to be a search engine, with 28.
Search engines win again for those aged 35 - 44, with 26.
For all three age categories that sit at 45 and over, a shopping centre is the clear winner.

Here's the data.
It's largely a picture of growth since November 2006 with seasonal ups and downs along the way.

M-Commerce: How Smartphones Have Changed the Game
M-commerce isn't "the next big thing.
We shop on the go.
A This means desktop now makes up less than half of web traffic, highlighting how imperative it is for
86% of Brits shop on Amazon
26% have Prime accounts
70% of Amazon shoppers shop with the retail giant at least once a month
What does it mean for online retailers as we head into 2020?
There's still a clear growth pattern and while almost £1 in every £5 of retail spend is online (and increasing), there's still a significant amount of spend taking place offline.
It's a reasonable assumption looking at recent history, that the shift will continue towards online spend (particularly on mobile devices) and that highlights a phenomenal opportunity for businesses selling online into 2020 and well beyond.

Conversion Killers: Why Aren't Your Website Users Becoming Customers?

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

Winning website traffic is hard.

Problems on the website itself

The wrong sort of traffic

Trust or reputation problems

Product, pricing or offering problems

We'll delve into these categories and uncover key reasons users don't buy and what you can actually do about it.

Why Users Don't Buy - Our Survey Findings

In July 2019 we asked 1,000 people in the UK what might stop them from making an online purchase.

Almost half of those who responded to our survey said simply "not trusting" a website would prevent them from making a purchase

38.
35.
30.
26.
26.

1.
Buying on any

When Google Analytics Doesn't Tell us What's Going on

Google Analytics is often great at telling us what's happening on the site, but it can't tell us why.
Perhaps a dig into Analytics data reveals a problem with a page not loading during the check out process from time to time.
At this point, we need to go further.
Go right through the check out process yourself and rule out any technical glitches or problems, or misleading copy.
Tools like A 100 millisecond delay in your page loading could diminish On the other hand, if a user just happens across a link to your website or a blog post of yours on Facebook while they're watching videos or scrolling through photos, we might expect a lower conversion rate.
Of course, product specific ads on social media can yield excellent conversion rates with clever targetting so it's not to say all traffic from any given source behaves one way or another.

Understand where your traffic is coming from and where on your website it is going to

Ask yourself whether, with this in mind, those users are actually shopping or researching (or maybe neither!

There's immense value in having content on your website thatis informative rather than salesy (and the benefits of that are for a whole other post).
If you've seen a large influx of new traffic but it isn't buying, consider whether it's the right sort of traffic with shopping intent.

3.
The majority of consumers Reviews on your website itself

We know that negative reviews can be a turn off for a prospective buyer.
Contact and Business Details
Show users you're an authentic business.

Reassurance About Payment
Displaying the logos of the payment methods you accept shows users familiar brands they do trust.

Where Have You Been Featured?
If your products have been featured in well known publications, shout about it!
Our customer, iZettle is making the complicated world of payments in-store and on the go a whole lot easier.

Founded in Sweden, in recent years iZettle have changed the game for payments on the go by creating the first ever mini-chip card reader for mobile devices to go with a great (and free) point of sale app.

The tech allows for fast acceptance of chip, swipe, and contactless payments in addition to phone payment technologies like Apple Pay, Samsung Pay, and Google Pay.

Shopblocks x iZettle

There are three parts to the iZettle integration on Shopblocks: the products, the sales and the stock.

With the iZettle plugin installed on Shopblocks and linked to an iZettle account, payments taken in-store with the connected iZettle reader will appear in Shopblocks, seamlessly integrating stock levels to keep your online shop and physical shop in sync.

How does taking a payment on iZettle work?

Add a product to your shopping cart or enter an amount

Tap charge in the iZettle Go app and select Card as the payment method

Allow the customer to tap the card or phone to the reader, or insert the card to use chip and pin for higher value sales

Print the receipt or send it via text to the customer

Money is deposited in your bank account within 1-2 working days

Why iZettle is much better than the other card readers?

Easy set up in a matter of minutes

Free point of sale app (seamless integration with award winning Reader)

No lock-in contract or hidden fees

Safe encryption, strictest security standards

No cables

Contactless payments in under 5 seconds

8 hours battery life from full charge

Grow your business with iZettle Cash Advance

Payment methods accepted by iZettle

Visa, Mastercard

Visa Electron

V pay

Maestro

American Express

JCB

Diners Club

Union Pay

Discover

Apple Pay

Google Pay (formerly Android Pay)

Samsung Pay

Shopblocks Sits Down With… Jamie Anne Nutrition and Fitness

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 00:00:00 +0000

We sat down with Jamie Anne, to discuss how Shopblocks helps her business.

Jamie Anne’s professional fitness journey started 6 years ago when she first started working for PureGym in South Manchester.

Originally the nutrition aspect to the business wasn’t her main focus and was something she did as a side gig.

Jamie Anne’s day to day activity is filled with personal training sessions but she hopes to shift the focus of her business over to the recipe creation side of things and building up her social media presence.

When asked about the switch to Shopblocks Jamie Anne admits that ‘I was nervous at first but the process was so easy, they helped me change it over straight away’.

She expressed that what she loves most about Shopblocks is: ‘I can change things myself, which is the main thing I didn’t like about my previous website provider'.

The Jamie Anne Nutrition and Fitness business has a bright future ahead of it and Shopblocks is happy to help be a part of that.

If you want to check out the video, click below.

Shopblocks Sits Down With... Anthony Bingham, CEO, Jimbag

Mon, 01 Jul 2019 00:00:00 +0000

Jimbag is a company that provides stylish bags that have just the right mix of everyday fashion and fitness.

3D Secure 2: The Security System that is About to Takeover

Thu, 27 Jun 2019 10:00:00 +0000

Strong Customer Authentication is Coming, How Will it Affect Your Business?
With the e-commerce industry booming, the rise in credit card fraud threatens to damage consumer attitudes towards online purchases.
In a nutshell, it is a huge effort from the European Economic Area (EEA) to crack down on the rise of digital credit card fraud.
SCA is a part of the Payment Services Directive 2.

Something the customer knows.

Something the customer has.

Something the customer is.

So, what will it mean for your online business?
It is also important to know that there will be exemptions to this requirement.

3D Secure

You could say 3D secure 2.
The security system was originally created as 3D Secure but after it faced a few challenges it was later improved to become a better version of itself called 3D Secure 2.

How Does This All Work?
Well, it’s actually quite simple:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Secure Payment Terms You Need To Know

TRA - Transaction Risk Analysis is based on an algorithm (a set of instructions) that are able to see the card holder’s spending and behavioural habits.
PCI DSS Compliance- This stands for Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard Compliance.
ASV- An Approved Scanning Vendor is an organisation that uses a number of data security services to decide whether a company upholds the PCI DSS external scanning requirements.
Chargeback- This is when a customer’s money has been returned to them by the bank that they used to settle a consumer debt.
Friendly Fraud - This is when a customer files a chargeback instead of trying to first get a refund from the merchant.

Key Dates For 3D Secure

Three-domain Secure (3DS) was first created nearly 15 years ago [14].
With Strong Customer Authentication coming into place in September, banks will start to decline payments that need strong customer authentication and are not able to give at least two of the three elements mentioned earlier.
Why was 3D Secure 2.
Over the years the e-commerce industry has been on the rise with the decline of the high street.
So it was decided that a new system needed to be introduced to tackle this problem.
Also, customers spoke about their concerns about having to constantly create a new password that had to be longer than the last and remember it each time[17].
The Benefits Of 3D Secure 2.
The main improvement made by 3D Secure 2.
There is also no need for customers to use static passwords anymore and also no sign-up system while the customer is shopping online[19].
It’s also quite convenient because of its added mobile, in-app and digital wallet payment methods which the original 3D Secure did not provide.
Before 3D Secure 2.
With ‘Verified by Visa’ the merchant will no longer receive a chargeback on their own account.
There are also interchange benefits.
This all results in a main benefit of an increase in customer confidence online which in turn leads to more online shopping.

How Secure Payment Influences Customer Behaviour On Websites

Being able to shop online securely is the number one concern for online consumers.
Chargebee.
Similarly, Chargebee.
A study by Econsultancy.
The results show that consumers trust in online security is often more about familiarity than it is about technical security.
Is My Payment Method 3DS2 Ready?
Yes
Stripe - Stripe already has 3D Secure 2 in use and put it to use when it’s supported by the cardholder’s bank, and fall back on 3D Secure 1 when the new version isn’t supported yet PayPal - 3D-Secure authentication is used along with other efforts that Paypal take to further support the security and simplicity of the consumers payments Worldpay - Worldpay has all the tools you need to help you manage SCA, qualify for exemptions and maintain Strong Customer Authentication compliance Barclays EPDq - They have taken the necessary steps to ensure the 3DS 2.
Payzone - Payzone payment gateways also use 3D Secure authentication as additional security for online payments

Coming soon.
Sagepay-Sagepay are in the process of upgrading their gateway to support 3DS2 and to make changes for contactless card machine transactions.
Klarna- Klarna have not yet got 3D Secure on their system.
After taking in all the benefits for the customers and merchants, there’s no reason why you wouldn’t want to welcome 3D Secure 2.
Instead of waiting for the big day, why not stay ahead of everyone else and begin to use 3D Secure 2.

Four Effective Strategies for Building Brand Awareness

Wed, 07 Nov 2018 16:00:00 +0000

What is brand awareness?

Cart Abandonment: Why it Happens and How to Reduce It

Mon, 05 Nov 2018 09:30:00 +0000

Trust is key when it comes to improving the online checkout experience.

7 Ways to Increase Mobile Conversions

Fri, 02 Nov 2018 12:00:00 +0000

Mobile users have long outnumbered those browsing on desktops and laptops, but finally, online stores are seeing an increase in mobile purchases.

Get Your Online Shop Ready for Black Friday 2018

Thu, 01 Nov 2018 13:00:00 +0000

Black Friday has become increasingly popular over the past few years.

How to Deliver an Outstanding User Experience

Wed, 31 Oct 2018 14:00:00 +0000

UX stands for User Experience, which is just another word for customer experience.

Shopblocks

A UK Alternative to Shopify

Shopify vs Shopblocks: In a Nutshell

Shopify vs Shopblocks: Pricing and Transaction Fees

No Design Restraints

Getting Your Technical SEO Right

Easy menus

Why build your restaurant website with Shopblocks? Try before you buy Drag and drop menu builder Custom design for your business Take bookings and payments online Mobile-friendly website Google Analytics Secure hosting UK support E-commerce

Would you like to know more?

Business strategy

Opportunities

Marketing

Inventory

How Fast Are the Websites of the UK's Biggest Retailers?

Shopblocks Recruiting Digital Jobs in Greater Manchester

The Risks for Amazon Vendors

The Risks for Amazon Marketplace Sellers

A Wider, More Rounded Approach

SCA and the Deadline Extension - What Do You Need to Know?

What do Shopblocks Customers need to do? Shopblocks customers don't need to do anything about it.

Amazon, Google or the High Street? Where Will We Be Starting our Gift Shopping this Christmas?

Our Findings in Summary

M-Commerce: How Smartphones Have Changed the Game

Conversion Killers: Why Aren't Your Website Users Becoming Customers?

Why Users Don't Buy - Our Survey Findings

When Google Analytics Doesn't Tell us What's Going on

Shopblocks Sits Down With… Jamie Anne Nutrition and Fitness

Shopblocks Sits Down With... Anthony Bingham, CEO, Jimbag

3D Secure 2: The Security System that is About to Takeover

3D Secure

How Does This All Work? Well, it’s actually quite simple: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Secure Payment Terms You Need To Know

Key Dates For 3D Secure

How Secure Payment Influences Customer Behaviour On Websites

Yes

Four Effective Strategies for Building Brand Awareness

Cart Abandonment: Why it Happens and How to Reduce It

7 Ways to Increase Mobile Conversions

Get Your Online Shop Ready for Black Friday 2018

How to Deliver an Outstanding User Experience

Why build your restaurant website with Shopblocks?

Try before you buy

Drag and drop menu builder

Custom design for your business

Take bookings and payments online

Mobile-friendly website

Google Analytics

Secure hosting

UK support

E-commerce

What do Shopblocks Customers need to do?
Shopblocks customers don't need to do anything about it.

How Does This All Work?
Well, it’s actually quite simple:

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Secure Payment Terms You Need To Know