NAVER Launches Commerce Solution Market Beta Service, Connecting SMEs with Tech Startups for Mutual Growth
NAVER Launches Commerce Solution Market Beta Service, Connecting SMEs with Tech Startups for Mutual Growth
NAVER Launches Commerce Solution Market Beta Service, Connecting SMEs with Tech Startups for Mutual Growth
- Commerce Solution Market to offer various third-party solutions for SME business operations and increase productivity
- Platform to support SMEs’ potential to scale up and strengthen digital competitiveness through advanced technology such as data analysis and AI
- NAVER to become a growth platform for developers and tech startups by increasing opportunities to reach new customers and expand tech ecosystems
2021-01-27
NAVER Corp. (KRX: 035420) has launched a new Commerce Solution Market beta service for small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that established their businesses on NAVER Smart Store. The platform supports Smart Store sellers to scale up by partnering them with tech startups to offer a suite of advanced technology services that automate and outsource business operations.
NAVER introduced the NAVER Commerce Solution Alliance to build relationships with developers and tech startups to discover innovative digital business solutions and offer them to Smart Store sellers. The company expects to foster the advancement of sellers in the rapidly changing e-commerce landscape and provide new growth engines for tech startups by launching Commerce Solution Market.
Diversifying SME digital business solutions through tech partnerships
NAVER has continuously provided cutting-edge technologies to SMEs, offering convenient ways to take their businesses online and grow. These technologies include Smart Store builder tools that help sellers set up online stores for free; Shopping Live, an interactive live streaming service that has become a new customer touchpoint in socially distanced environments; and NAVER Fulfillment Alliance (NFA), which assists SMEs with logistics, allowing them to concentrate on other aspects of their businesses.
The Commerce Solution Market beta service is NAVER’s latest effort to support new Smart Store sellers to scale up their businesses through accessible and innovative technology solutions. The platform provides unique technological solutions for Smart Store sellers to overcome challenges at all stages of business development.
It will also create more growth opportunities for internal and external developers and tech startups who are part of Commerce Solution Alliance by increasing exposure for their services to Smart Store sellers.
Outsourcing and automation to improve Smart Store competitiveness
With the launch of the digital business solution platform, SMEs without dedicated IT specialists can expect an increase in business competitiveness as the platform allows them to effortlessly utilize NAVER’s advanced technologies. SMEs can operate their businesses more effectively and seize opportunities for sustainable growth in the competitive e-commerce landscape as the Commerce Solution Market makes it easy to apply and manage artificial intelligence (AI) powered tools or data analysis.
For example, Smart Store sellers can increase their marketing efficiency with the CLOVA Message Marketing to automate customer service functions. It uses AI to identify target audiences and generate personalized messages to keep customers updated on Smart Store news and offers. NAVER also has a CLOVA Live Chat that analyzes frequent customer inquiries and generates personalized answers so that they can save time and effort and improve customer satisfaction.
The beta service offers 10 different tools. Once the service is fully launched, it will gradually include various other tools from tech startups that can increase business efficiency at each stage of business, such as product management, marketing, order/payment, delivery/logistics, customer service and business operation. All beta services will be available free of charge in the first half of this year until the official launch.
Commerce Solution Market to act as a bridge between sellers and developers
NAVER is also focused on connecting SMEs with third-party developers to encourage mutual growth through the Commerce Solution Market.
The company is working with technology startups on innovative solutions that will be introduced on the Commerce Solution Market and plans to create a dedicated space for developers within the platform to share open APIs this year. NAVER will further strengthen its support for investments and growth programs through NAVER D2SF, its technology startup accelerator, to better nurture fledgling SMEs and help solve their toughest challenges.
“NAVER’s Commerce Solution Market will create an environment in which SMEs can easily access and utilize advanced technologies to power their online entrepreneurial pursuits by removing barriers, such as lack of funds or business size,” said Lee Yoon-sook, Head of NAVER Shopping.
“It will foster mutual growth where SMEs can enhance their digital capabilities and allow tech startups to seize new business opportunities. In the future, we will build an ecosystem that will enable NAVER to grow into a solutions marketplace that offers a variety of tools to all online business operators, including Smart Stores and Brand Stores,” said Lee.
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