# Personalized E-Commerce Tools The Communication and Sales Tool Merges In-Store and Online Shopping By Alyson Wyers | Published 2017-09-25 | Business Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/communication-and-sales-tool References: [betalist](https://betalist.com/startups/mergein) & [mergein](https://mergein.com/) This communication and sales tool aims to provide consumers with an in-store experience while they shop online. B2C startup MergeIn helps companies to connect with customers anywhere in the world via text, video and voice calls to give a more personal touch to online shopping. The new retail venture enables businesses of any size to contact customers or sales associates for updates, special offers, recommendations and more. Sales professionals are able to show customers new and exclusive products as well as provide [personalized suggestions and advice](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/perplexity-shopping-experience). You can also use the [e-commerce platform](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ecommerce-discovery) to place and receive orders, arrange pick-ups in-store and organize shipping. The communication and sales tool is an example of how retail technology can improve the customer experience. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 4.6/10 - Popularity: 53% | Activity: 78% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial, Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Business](https://www.trendhunter.com/business) > [Retail](https://www.trendhunter.com/retail) ## Key Themes ### Key Themes Behind This Trend - **Personalized E-commerce:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Incorporating personalized recommendations and advice in online shopping experiences. - **In-store Experience Online:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Bringing the interactive and personalized elements of the in-store shopping experience to the online realm. - **Retail Technology:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Utilizing advanced communication tools to enhance the customer experience in the retail industry. ### Where This Applies - **E-commerce:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Rethinking the traditional e-commerce model by incorporating personalized communication and sales tools. - **B2C Startups:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Developing platforms that enable B2C startups to connect with customers worldwide through personalized interactions. - **Retail Technology:** Disruptive innovation opportunity: Implementing cutting-edge retail technology to enhance customer engagement and create seamless shopping experiences. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Personal E-Commerce Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/klarna-virtual-shopping.md) - [Video Call Shopping Services](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/specialist-over-video.md) - [AI Commerce Platforms](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/imerchai.md) - [In-Chat Shopping Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/group-chat-interface.md) - [Live Chat Shopping Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/klarna-1.md) - [Conversational E-Commerce Features](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/attentive.md) - [Virtual Shopper Solutions](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/firework.md) - [Customer Communication Tools](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/alibaba-2.md) - [Community-Centric E-Commerce Initiatives](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/accessible-digital-tools.md)