Password Problems: Why We Still Have Them, and What to Do About It

The situation seems far fetched. Who would install old, easy-to-pick locks with missing spare keys to protect extremely valuable property? The answer: plenty of us, only the valuable property is our online data. Simply put, every time you reuse the same easy-to-remember password, you’re acting like the unwise homeowner discussed above.

Today, passwords protect everything from IRS tax returns to medical records and personal finances. Combined with the near-ubiquity of smartphones and other “smart” devices, this puts nearly all of us⁠—more specifically, our personal information⁠—in a perilous situation. There has never been more personal data online, and hackers are actively looking to exploit this glut.

Lazy Passwords are Not a New Problem

While it’s true that hackers and criminals hailing from all corners of the globe continue to grow in sophistication, there is one extremely simple behavioral change that can drastically reduce how effective such persons are⁠—and it’s been the same since computers became widespread.

Unfortunately, this simple change is something that we modern humans continue to struggle with. How hard could it really be to use longer passwords that don’t repeat? It turns out: quite difficult. Polls have indicated that somewhere between 60-80% of users admit to using the same password for everything. In one study cited in a recent PixelPrivacy article, the majority admitted to doing it even though the respondents knew that their identity could potentially be compromised from repeating their passwords.

While using the same password for everything has been bad security practice since passwords were first invented, the modern landscape of massive data breaches of everything from retail giants to state governments has added a layer of urgency to the situation. The Dark Web is, unfortunately, full of programs that scan these breached usernames and passwords against social media, email, and other logins. This means that the password you use to check your credit score with Experien could be giving hackers access to your Facebook account (or vice versa) if you’ve used the same password for both accounts.

The Good News: Password Tools Exist to Help

So what is to be done? Clearly, the problem is deep-seated if the vast majority of people are all making the same mistake on their computers and smartphones. Fortunately, several tricks also exist to help us overcome our password problems.

Technique 1: Make Strong Passwords. This is more of a precursor to the password management strategies below. Make sure your passwords are strong. Long, random phrases (we’re talking 20 characters) are hardest for computer programs to guess. Make sure you’re using numbers and special characters; there are a few ways to do this in a way that makes passwords stronger without being impossible to remember. For example, you could use old addresses combined with non-number/letter characters; for example, @123 South Main Street Everytown USA!.

Technique 2: Keep it Old School. In this method, you write your passwords down on paper. This technique is simple and easy to do, but you have to keep the paper with you. On the upside, the passwords won’t be found unless your physical home or office is compromised, too.

Technique 3: Use a Password Tool. Use a built-in tool like Apple’s Keychain or 3rd party apps like Lastpass to encrypt and store all of your new long passwords. The advantages: you only have to enter your new passwords once. The disadvantage is that Keychain or Lastpass requires just a single password to access all of your other passwords, so choose carefully.

It’s also important to understand how two-factor authentication works and enable it on your most sensitive accounts wherever possible. Essentially, two-factor authentication requires a second device to gain access to accounts. These days, some companies have moved to make this a standard practice when you’re setting up an account. Two-factor authentication greatly reduces the chance that a hacker will be able to access your bank account or primary email address, both of which could have particularly devastating consequences if hacked.

Strong Passwords are Good For Business

So now that the importance of having a strong password and not repeating it has been laid out in a personal context, it’s important to discuss why businesses need to make sure their employees are also participating in these password best practices. Most companies now use software for every element of operations, and this data getting compromised could have devastating consequences for the whole business, including customers.

Some IT departments now make all employees change their password every 90 days, which is one way to attempt to keep things fresh. Employers might also offer to purchase password management apps for organizations so that everyone’s 90-day password doesn’t just change from “password123” to password321,” which would essentially defeat the point of the exercise.

No matter which technique(s) you and your business use, it’s important to start using stronger password best practices now. It seems that we hear of a new data breach every month, and as mentioned above, the stakes have never been higher, given the outsize role that digital information now plays in our day-to-day lives. For more information on password security, check out this resource from PixelPrivacy.

If this article has you thinking about your business software and wondering if it’s secure enough, it may be time to consider an upgrade. When it comes to centralized business management software, look no further than aACE to provide the solution that your small business needs. Join a webinar today to see what aACE can do for your business.

Along with educating and encouraging all users to develop stronger passwords, aACE Software also recommends partnering with a dedicated firm like Critical Defense to help you not only stay above the competition but protect your valuable data while doing so.

Imagine that you have just purchased a large, million-dollar house. For security’s sake, you install locks on every external door, but they are the same simple locks that you’ve used at every house you’ve ever lived in. Furthermore, you’ve given out copies of the master key to loved ones,... Learn More

Imagine that you have just purchased a large, million-dollar house. For security’s sake, you install locks on every external door, but they are the same simple locks that you’ve used at every house you’ve ever lived in. Furthermore, you’ve given out copies of the master key to loved ones, some of which weren’t returned. You’ve even lost a key to the house when your bag was stolen next to you on the train.

The situation seems far fetched. Who would install old, easy-to-pick locks with missing spare keys to protect extremely valuable property? The answer: plenty of us, only the valuable property is our online data. Simply put, every time you reuse the same easy-to-remember password, you’re acting like the unwise homeowner discussed above.

Today, passwords protect everything from IRS tax returns to medical records and personal finances. Combined with the near-ubiquity of smartphones and other “smart” devices, this puts nearly all of us⁠—more specifically, our personal information⁠—in a perilous situation. There has never been more personal data online, and hackers are actively looking to exploit this glut.

Lazy Passwords are Not a New Problem

While it’s true that hackers and criminals hailing from all corners of the globe continue to grow in sophistication, there is one extremely simple behavioral change that can drastically reduce how effective such persons are⁠—and it’s been the same since computers became widespread.

Unfortunately, this simple change is something that we modern humans continue to struggle with. How hard could it really be to use longer passwords that don’t repeat? It turns out: quite difficult. Polls have indicated that somewhere between 60-80% of users admit to using the same password for everything. In one study cited in a recent PixelPrivacy article, the majority admitted to doing it even though the respondents knew that their identity could potentially be compromised from repeating their passwords.

While using the same password for everything has been bad security practice since passwords were first invented, the modern landscape of massive data breaches of everything from retail giants to state governments has added a layer of urgency to the situation. The Dark Web is, unfortunately, full of programs that scan these breached usernames and passwords against social media, email, and other logins. This means that the password you use to check your credit score with Experien could be giving hackers access to your Facebook account (or vice versa) if you’ve used the same password for both accounts.

The Good News: Password Tools Exist to Help

So what is to be done? Clearly, the problem is deep-seated if the vast majority of people are all making the same mistake on their computers and smartphones. Fortunately, several tricks also exist to help us overcome our password problems.

Technique 1: Make Strong Passwords. This is more of a precursor to the password management strategies below. Make sure your passwords are strong. Long, random phrases (we’re talking 20 characters) are hardest for computer programs to guess. Make sure you’re using numbers and special characters; there are a few ways to do this in a way that makes passwords stronger without being impossible to remember. For example, you could use old addresses combined with non-number/letter characters; for example, @123 South Main Street Everytown USA!.

Technique 2: Keep it Old School. In this method, you write your passwords down on paper. This technique is simple and easy to do, but you have to keep the paper with you. On the upside, the passwords won’t be found unless your physical home or office is compromised, too.

Technique 3: Use a Password Tool. Use a built-in tool like Apple’s Keychain or 3rd party apps like Lastpass to encrypt and store all of your new long passwords. The advantages: you only have to enter your new passwords once. The disadvantage is that Keychain or Lastpass requires just a single password to access all of your other passwords, so choose carefully.

It’s also important to understand how two-factor authentication works and enable it on your most sensitive accounts wherever possible. Essentially, two-factor authentication requires a second device to gain access to accounts. These days, some companies have moved to make this a standard practice when you’re setting up an account. Two-factor authentication greatly reduces the chance that a hacker will be able to access your bank account or primary email address, both of which could have particularly devastating consequences if hacked.

Strong Passwords are Good For Business

So now that the importance of having a strong password and not repeating it has been laid out in a personal context, it’s important to discuss why businesses need to make sure their employees are also participating in these password best practices. Most companies now use software for every element of operations, and this data getting compromised could have devastating consequences for the whole business, including customers.

Some IT departments now make all employees change their password every 90 days, which is one way to attempt to keep things fresh. Employers might also offer to purchase password management apps for organizations so that everyone’s 90-day password doesn’t just change from “password123” to password321,” which would essentially defeat the point of the exercise.

No matter which technique(s) you and your business use, it’s important to start using stronger password best practices now. It seems that we hear of a new data breach every month, and as mentioned above, the stakes have never been higher, given the outsize role that digital information now plays in our day-to-day lives. For more information on password security, check out this resource from PixelPrivacy.

If this article has you thinking about your business software and wondering if it’s secure enough, it may be time to consider an upgrade. When it comes to centralized business management software, look no further than aACE to provide the solution that your small business needs. Join a webinar today to see what aACE can do for your business.

Along with educating and encouraging all users to develop stronger passwords, aACE Software also recommends partnering with a dedicated firm like Critical Defense to help you not only stay above the competition but protect your valuable data while doing so.

Explore Real-World Workflows in August aACE Webinars

Last month, we covered a range of topics from inventory to system administration to CRM and beyond. Here's what's on the calendar for August:

August 7th – Accounts Payable

Learn all about the A/P side of aACE Accounting. Explore how aACE handles purchase orders, disbursements, bill payments, and more.

August 12th – Drop Shipping and Special Orders

See aACE's drop shipping and special order workflows in action. Before the webinar, check out our feature highlight on this topic for a sneak peek.

August 19th – Accounts Receivable

Take a deeper dive into the A/R side of aACE's Accounting suite. Learn how aACE handles invoice tracking, receiving customer payments, revenue recognition, and more.

August 21st – Recurring Transactions

Take an in-depth look at how aACE automates recurring transactions, allowing you to set up automated payments for bills you know are coming regularly. Check out our feature highlight on the subject for a sneak peek before the presentation.

August 26th – Commissions

Learn how aACE's comprehensive commissions tools can help you incentivize your sales team.

August 28th – Production

Your production process has a lot of moving parts, and your business depends on keeping them all running smoothly. Learn how aACE's Job Shop app can help.

We look forward to seeing you in our webinars! Sign up now to reserve your spot.

Whether you're a current customer looking to make the most out of your aACE solution or a newcomer interested in exploring what our powerful business management solution can do for you, our August webinars have something for everyone. Register today for the opportunity to ask questions, see aACE in... Learn More

Whether you're a current customer looking to make the most out of your aACE solution or a newcomer interested in exploring what our powerful business management solution can do for you, our August webinars have something for everyone. Register today for the opportunity to ask questions, see aACE in action, and learn how you can take your business to the next level.

Last month, we covered a range of topics from inventory to system administration to CRM and beyond. Here's what's on the calendar for August:

August 7th – Accounts Payable

Learn all about the A/P side of aACE Accounting. Explore how aACE handles purchase orders, disbursements, bill payments, and more.

August 12th – Drop Shipping and Special Orders

See aACE's drop shipping and special order workflows in action. Before the webinar, check out our feature highlight on this topic for a sneak peek.

August 19th – Accounts Receivable

Take a deeper dive into the A/R side of aACE's Accounting suite. Learn how aACE handles invoice tracking, receiving customer payments, revenue recognition, and more.

August 21st – Recurring Transactions

Take an in-depth look at how aACE automates recurring transactions, allowing you to set up automated payments for bills you know are coming regularly. Check out our feature highlight on the subject for a sneak peek before the presentation.

August 26th – Commissions

Learn how aACE's comprehensive commissions tools can help you incentivize your sales team.

August 28th – Production

Your production process has a lot of moving parts, and your business depends on keeping them all running smoothly. Learn how aACE's Job Shop app can help.

We look forward to seeing you in our webinars! Sign up now to reserve your spot.

Register Now to Save Your Spot in Our July Webinars

July 8th – Inventory Reorder Management

Ensure you always have the right number of products at the right time with aACE's smart inventory reorder management tools. And to get a sneak peek at this powerful feature, check out our feature highlight.

July 10th – Cost of Goods Sold

Demystify your cost of goods sold with aACE's advanced tools for COGS reconciliation. Learn about estimated vs. actual cost, how aACE handles products with multiple vendors, when and how to run the COGS process, and more.

July 15th – System Administration

Take an advanced look at aACE system administration. Learn how aACE makes it easy to manage system preferences, user access privileges, and system notices. Our powerful segregation-of-duties tools gives you full control over what your users can see and do.

July 17th – Scheduling (Calendar & Task Groups)

Time is money, so learn how aACE can help your team stay on-task and on-schedule in this webinar. And to get a sneak peek at our calendar and scheduling features, check out our feature highlight and success story on the aACE+ DayBack calendar.

July 22nd – Tax Profiles and aACE+ Avalara AvaTax

Tax season isn’t anyone’s favorite time of year. Fortunately, aACE has you covered through our out-of-the-box tax management infrastructure as well as the aACE+ Avalara AvaTax integration. Learn how aACE takes the guesswork out of tax time.

July 24th – CRM App & Sales Leads

Your sales team is moving fast to keep your customers and prospects engaged, and they need a solution that can keep up – even when they're on the go. Join us as we introduce our CRM App, and learn more about how sales leads move through aACE.

July 29th – Document Management

aACE's document management system allows you to attach files directly to records in aACE, ensuring that you always have the information you need right at your fingertips. And for large files, aACE allows you to link records directly to a folder on your server. Check out our feature highlight and demo video for a sneak peek.

We look forward to seeing you in our webinars! We encourage you to ask questions and join early so you don't miss a moment. Click the button below to reserve your spot.

aACE webinars give you the opportunity to explore real-world workflows, ask questions, and learn whether aACE may be a good fit for your business. Last month, we covered everything from accounting to inventory to timesheet administration. Join us for any or all of these great topics in July: July... Learn More

aACE webinars give you the opportunity to explore real-world workflows, ask questions, and learn whether aACE may be a good fit for your business. Last month, we covered everything from accounting to inventory to timesheet administration. Join us for any or all of these great topics in July:

July 8th – Inventory Reorder Management

Ensure you always have the right number of products at the right time with aACE's smart inventory reorder management tools. And to get a sneak peek at this powerful feature, check out our feature highlight.

July 10th – Cost of Goods Sold

Demystify your cost of goods sold with aACE's advanced tools for COGS reconciliation. Learn about estimated vs. actual cost, how aACE handles products with multiple vendors, when and how to run the COGS process, and more.

July 15th – System Administration

Take an advanced look at aACE system administration. Learn how aACE makes it easy to manage system preferences, user access privileges, and system notices. Our powerful segregation-of-duties tools gives you full control over what your users can see and do.

July 17th – Scheduling (Calendar & Task Groups)

Time is money, so learn how aACE can help your team stay on-task and on-schedule in this webinar. And to get a sneak peek at our calendar and scheduling features, check out our feature highlight and success story on the aACE+ DayBack calendar.

July 22nd – Tax Profiles and aACE+ Avalara AvaTax

Tax season isn’t anyone’s favorite time of year. Fortunately, aACE has you covered through our out-of-the-box tax management infrastructure as well as the aACE+ Avalara AvaTax integration. Learn how aACE takes the guesswork out of tax time.

July 24th – CRM App & Sales Leads

Your sales team is moving fast to keep your customers and prospects engaged, and they need a solution that can keep up – even when they're on the go. Join us as we introduce our CRM App, and learn more about how sales leads move through aACE.

July 29th – Document Management

aACE's document management system allows you to attach files directly to records in aACE, ensuring that you always have the information you need right at your fingertips. And for large files, aACE allows you to link records directly to a folder on your server. Check out our feature highlight and demo video for a sneak peek.

We look forward to seeing you in our webinars! We encourage you to ask questions and join early so you don't miss a moment. Click the button below to reserve your spot.

Dive Into aACE with Our June Webinars

Last month, we covered a variety of topics from mobile apps and integrations to the ins and outs of aACE production. Here's what's on the docket for June:

June 5th – Accounts Receivable

Take a deeper dive into the A/R side of aACE's Accounting suite.

June 10th – Drop Shipping & Special Orders

Learn how aACE handles drop shipping and special ordered products. Before the presentation, check out our feature highlight for a sneak peek.

June 12th – Timesheet Administration

Discover the many ways to track and record time in aACE.

June 17th – Accounts Payable

Learn all about the A/P side of aACE Accounting.

June 19th – Credit Card Purchasing

You've seen Accounts Payable in action; now take a deeper look at how aACE makes it easy to use credit cards for purchasing.

June 24th – Serialized and Lot-Tracked Inventory

Get an in-depth view of how aACE makes it easy to track inventory by lot and serial numbers. Check out our feature highlight before the presentation, then join us for more real-world examples.

June 26th – Templates, Campaigns, and Rate Cards

Save time and prevent errors related to duplicate data entry with standardized orders, purchase orders, pricing, and more.

We look forward to seeing you in our webinars! We encourage you to ask questions and come early so you don't miss a moment. Click the button below to reserve your spot.

Interested in learning more about aACE? Join our webinars to see real-world workflows in action. Our biweekly presentations give you the opportunity to ask questions and discover how aACE can help streamline your business. Last month, we covered a variety of topics from mobile apps and... Learn More

Interested in learning more about aACE? Join our webinars to see real-world workflows in action. Our biweekly presentations give you the opportunity to ask questions and discover how aACE can help streamline your business.

Last month, we covered a variety of topics from mobile apps and integrations to the ins and outs of aACE production. Here's what's on the docket for June:

June 5th – Accounts Receivable

Take a deeper dive into the A/R side of aACE's Accounting suite.

June 10th – Drop Shipping & Special Orders

Learn how aACE handles drop shipping and special ordered products. Before the presentation, check out our feature highlight for a sneak peek.

June 12th – Timesheet Administration

Discover the many ways to track and record time in aACE.

June 17th – Accounts Payable

Learn all about the A/P side of aACE Accounting.

June 19th – Credit Card Purchasing

You've seen Accounts Payable in action; now take a deeper look at how aACE makes it easy to use credit cards for purchasing.

June 24th – Serialized and Lot-Tracked Inventory

Get an in-depth view of how aACE makes it easy to track inventory by lot and serial numbers. Check out our feature highlight before the presentation, then join us for more real-world examples.

June 26th – Templates, Campaigns, and Rate Cards

Save time and prevent errors related to duplicate data entry with standardized orders, purchase orders, pricing, and more.

We look forward to seeing you in our webinars! We encourage you to ask questions and come early so you don't miss a moment. Click the button below to reserve your spot.

Explore aACE in Our May Webinars

May 8th – CRM App & Sales Leads

Your sales team is moving fast to keep your customers and prospects engaged, and they need a solution that can keep up – even when they're on the go. Join us as we introduce our CRM App, and learn more about how sales leads move through aACE.

May 13th – Made to Stock Inventory

If you build products to stock according to anticipated consumer demand, this is the webinar for you. Learn how aACE handles MTS inventory.

May 15th – Drop Shipping and Special Orders

Selling products that you don't stock in inventory is a great way to expand your offerings without increasing the overhead cost of warehouse space. Learn how aACE makes it easy to handle drop shipments and special order products. Before the webinar, check out our feature highlight to get a quick overview.

May 20th – Production

Your production process has a lot of moving parts, and your business depends on keeping them all running smoothly. Learn how aACE can help.

May 22nd – Pick App & Shipping

Your customers depend on you to get them the right products at the right time. Learn how aACE streamlines the pick, pack, and ship process with our Pick App and shipping integrations, and take a sneak peek by checking out our feature highlight.

May 29th – Credit Card Integration

Payment processing can be a hassle, especially if you still rely on manual data entry. Learn how aACE's credit card integration makes payment processing a breeze.

We look forward to seeing you in our webinars! We encourage you to ask questions and come early so you don't miss a moment. Click the button below to reserve your spot.

aACE webinars give you the opportunity to see aACE in action, ask questions, and take a deeper look at some of the workflows that can help you streamline your business. Last month, we covered a range of topics from the very basics of aACE to our integration with AvaTax to aACE System Administration... Learn More

aACE webinars give you the opportunity to see aACE in action, ask questions, and take a deeper look at some of the workflows that can help you streamline your business. Last month, we covered a range of topics from the very basics of aACE to our integration with AvaTax to aACE System Administration and beyond. Here's what's on the menu for May:

May 8th – CRM App & Sales Leads

Your sales team is moving fast to keep your customers and prospects engaged, and they need a solution that can keep up – even when they're on the go. Join us as we introduce our CRM App, and learn more about how sales leads move through aACE.

May 13th – Made to Stock Inventory

If you build products to stock according to anticipated consumer demand, this is the webinar for you. Learn how aACE handles MTS inventory.

May 15th – Drop Shipping and Special Orders

Selling products that you don't stock in inventory is a great way to expand your offerings without increasing the overhead cost of warehouse space. Learn how aACE makes it easy to handle drop shipments and special order products. Before the webinar, check out our feature highlight to get a quick overview.

May 20th – Production

Your production process has a lot of moving parts, and your business depends on keeping them all running smoothly. Learn how aACE can help.

May 22nd – Pick App & Shipping

Your customers depend on you to get them the right products at the right time. Learn how aACE streamlines the pick, pack, and ship process with our Pick App and shipping integrations, and take a sneak peek by checking out our feature highlight.

May 29th – Credit Card Integration

Payment processing can be a hassle, especially if you still rely on manual data entry. Learn how aACE's credit card integration makes payment processing a breeze.

We look forward to seeing you in our webinars! We encourage you to ask questions and come early so you don't miss a moment. Click the button below to reserve your spot.

See aACE in Action in Our April Webinars

April 1st – System Administration

Today’s webinar offers an advanced look at aACE system administration. Learn how aACE makes it easy to manage system preferences, user access privileges, and system notices.

April 3rd – Recurring Transactions

Take an in-depth look at how aACE automates recurring transactions, allowing you to set up automated payments for bills you know are coming regularly.

April 8th – aACE Basics

If you’re brand-new to aACE, this is the webinar for you! Learn how aACE’s system-wide conventions make it easy for new users to interact with the solution.

April 10th – aACE+ AvaTax Integration

Tax season isn’t anyone’s favorite time of year. Fortunately, aACE has you covered through our Avalara AvaTax integration. Learn how aACE and AvaTax seamlessly integrate to make sales tax a snap.

April 24th – Inventory Counter App

Learn how aACE can help you keep your inventory counts accurate and up-to-date with the aACE Inventory Counter app.

April 29th – Scheduling (Calendar and Task Groups)

Time is money, so learn how aACE can help your team stay on-task and on-schedule in this webinar. And to get a sneak peek at our calendar and scheduling features, check out our feature highlight and success story on the aACE+ DayBack calendar.

We look forward to seeing you in our webinars! All webinars are at 3pm ET, and we encourage you to join early so you don’t miss a moment! Click the button below to reserve your spot.

aACE webinars are a great way to see how the workflows your business relies on every day could be made easier in aACE. Last month, we covered a variety of topics ranging from inventory management to the aACE Job Shop app to accounting for multiple entities in a single aACE solution. This month... Learn More

aACE webinars are a great way to see how the workflows your business relies on every day could be made easier in aACE. Last month, we covered a variety of topics ranging from inventory management to the aACE Job Shop app to accounting for multiple entities in a single aACE solution. This month we’re bringing you more great presentations designed to show you how aACE can work for your business. Check out our upcoming webinars below, and sign up today to reserve your seat!

April 1st – System Administration

Today’s webinar offers an advanced look at aACE system administration. Learn how aACE makes it easy to manage system preferences, user access privileges, and system notices.

April 3rd – Recurring Transactions

Take an in-depth look at how aACE automates recurring transactions, allowing you to set up automated payments for bills you know are coming regularly.

April 8th – aACE Basics

If you’re brand-new to aACE, this is the webinar for you! Learn how aACE’s system-wide conventions make it easy for new users to interact with the solution.

April 10th – aACE+ AvaTax Integration

Tax season isn’t anyone’s favorite time of year. Fortunately, aACE has you covered through our Avalara AvaTax integration. Learn how aACE and AvaTax seamlessly integrate to make sales tax a snap.

April 24th – Inventory Counter App

Learn how aACE can help you keep your inventory counts accurate and up-to-date with the aACE Inventory Counter app.

April 29th – Scheduling (Calendar and Task Groups)

Time is money, so learn how aACE can help your team stay on-task and on-schedule in this webinar. And to get a sneak peek at our calendar and scheduling features, check out our feature highlight and success story on the aACE+ DayBack calendar.

We look forward to seeing you in our webinars! All webinars are at 3pm ET, and we encourage you to join early so you don’t miss a moment! Click the button below to reserve your spot.

Join Our Webinar On How aACE Makes Drop Shipping and Special Orders Easy

Feature Highlights

Our tools make managing drop shipments and special orders easy and accurate by automating key aspects of the processes and reducing the need for manual data entry. Customer orders can be flagged for drop shipping directly to their addresses, and Invoices and bills are automatically generated upon shipping. Users can also implement flags to prevent drop shipping from specific suppliers or to certain customers, allowing another layer of quality control. For special orders, aACE’s system automatically generates purchase orders, shipping and receiving notifications, and invoices.

About Our Presenter

Our partner and presenter of this session is Len Levin, owner of Business Systems Consulting, a full-service consultancy specializing in IT services for the small- to medium-sized business market. Len’s 30-year background in outsourcing and procurement management, as well as process and workflow development, give him a unique perspective on implementing these solutions.

Use the button below to register for our upcoming webinar on February 20th at 3 p.m. EST!

Drop Shipping And Special Ordering Join our February 20th webinar at 3 p.m. ET to learn about drop shipping and special ordering. These features allow you to offer a wide range of products to your customers without the overhead costs of storing and managing inventory. Feature... Learn More

Drop Shipping And Special Ordering

Join our February 20th webinar at 3 p.m. ET to learn about drop shipping and special ordering. These features allow you to offer a wide range of products to your customers without the overhead costs of storing and managing inventory.

Feature Highlights

Our tools make managing drop shipments and special orders easy and accurate by automating key aspects of the processes and reducing the need for manual data entry. Customer orders can be flagged for drop shipping directly to their addresses, and Invoices and bills are automatically generated upon shipping. Users can also implement flags to prevent drop shipping from specific suppliers or to certain customers, allowing another layer of quality control. For special orders, aACE’s system automatically generates purchase orders, shipping and receiving notifications, and invoices.

About Our Presenter

Our partner and presenter of this session is Len Levin, owner of Business Systems Consulting, a full-service consultancy specializing in IT services for the small- to medium-sized business market. Len’s 30-year background in outsourcing and procurement management, as well as process and workflow development, give him a unique perspective on implementing these solutions.

Use the button below to register for our upcoming webinar on February 20th at 3 p.m. EST!

How eCommerce Automation Improves Your Bottom Line

This valuable and hard-to-come-by resource is: Spare time. It seems there’s always too little of it available in a given day to tackle all the tasks that need to be completed.

This is where automation comes into the picture.

Between store operations, fulfilling orders, and marketing a website, there are never enough hours in a day to run a business and maintain a well-rounded life outside of it. But, by automating as many processes as possible, e-tailers can focus their time on higher priorities while still seeing an increase in sales and customer loyalty as a result.

There’s a reason why 91% of businesses agree that automation is vital to their overall success.

It has saved them 200 million decisions and 1.6 million hours of work, per Shopify. eCommerce automation has also generated $2 billion in pre-scheduled sales.

Here are 7 immediate benefits of eCommerce automation that you should consider implementing today. Doing so will help you get the highest return on investment for your time.

Make the Most of Email Marketing

Email marketing is still the No. 1 growth channel for eCommerce, according to the latest reports from BigCommerce. It is a fast and free way to connect with your customers and leads. According to recent studies, you will connect with them; research finds that people check their inboxes at least 15 times per day.

There are some easy ways to incorporate automated email marketing, such as welcome emails, drip campaigns, newsletters and “thank you” emails. Each serves a unique purpose to draw customers to your site, too.

Don’t forget to personalize the emails you send. Research from Aberdeen finds that personalized email messages improve click-through rates by an average of 14% and conversions by as much as 10%.

Set-and-Forget Social Ad Campaigns

Social media is one of the most effective ways to drive consumers to your online store and has proven to be a powerful marketing and branding tool for e-tailers.

These recent statistics show how valuable social channels can be for eCommerce:

• Facebook influences over 52% of consumers' online and offline purchases (The Drum, 2018).
• Link clicks account for 92% of all user interaction with Tweets (HubSpot, 2018).
• 50% of Instagrammers follow brands, making them the social networkers who are most likely to do so. (Brandwatch, 2017).
• 93% of Pinterest users visit the site with an intent to purchase (Marketing Land, 2015).
• 74% of consumers use social networks to make a purchasing decision (ReadyCloud, 2018).

Each social channel has its own advertising capabilities, but they all allow you to set campaign start and end dates. This means that promoted posts can align with any other campaigns you set and forget. It’s true social automation that saves you time, effort and money.

Auto-Launch New Products

By using an automated launch system like Shopify’s Launchpad, you can release new products at set times. This takes the stress out of debuting products on your site, so you can focus on other areas of managing your business.

Shopify’s latest report is centered on Frankie’s Bikinis, which auto-launched a new line and realized a return of over $150,000 in revenue in a single hour, with a popular style selling out in under two minutes. As you can see, the powerful nature of automated product launches is undeniable.

For total optimization, sync product launches with automated emails and social advertising to watch a holistic campaign effortlessly come to life.

Keep Inventory Up-to-Date

Inventory is a tricky business when you’re an e-tailer. There is a delicate balance you must maintain between having enough of each product so that it doesn’t sell out and in not keeping so much that it wastes valuable storage space.

The good news is that are are solutions to automate your inventory management, such as aACE Software. Inventory is integrated seamlessly throughout the entire aACE solution. The additional company-wide visibility allows each of your departments to plan more productively and accurately, eliminating costly mistakes and reducing the need for excess inventory. For aACE client Restylers’ Choice, that streamlined inventory management freed up 2,000 square feet of warehouse space and allowed them to eliminate a conveyor belt in each warehouse.

Create Flash Sales & Coupon Codes

More than 90% of shoppers have responded that they’re always on the hunt for deals online. What better way to draw them in than by hosting an event in your store that is full of bargains for them to explore? You can also get their attention by featuring coupon codes, which 68% of consumers say generate brand awareness and loyalty.

Flash sales are easy to automate. Simply set the discounted prices of items to only apply between certain dates and ship off the announcement in your next big newsletter. Given the aforementioned email marketing stats, you’re assured engagement, click-throughs and conversions by offering these valuable deals to your existing customers.

Retarget Abandoned Carts

Right now, cart abandonment costs retailers an estimated $4 trillion per year, and Baynard found the average cart abandonment rate is at almost 70%. However, with the right tools, you can automatically bring back consumers who were just shy of checkout on your site.

One such tool is the Facebook Pixel, which serves up advertisements across the Internet to consumers who have visited your site. This retargeting is done automatically, once the tool is installed, and will bring shoppers back to your site while delivering key metrics that you can use to improve your automation efforts.

Another way to retarget potential customers is by sending them a retargeting email. Though capturing someone’s email may be more difficult to do, it is well worth it, and it can be automated with tools like OptinMonster. SaleCycle reported $8.21 in revenue generated with every retargeting email sent.

As proven by statistics, automated retargeting really works. So make sure you add to your list of to-dos when trying to put your online store into autopilot.

What eCommerce Industry Members Say About Automation

"aACE software is easy to use, intuitive, logical, and easily customized. It is clear that the architecture of aACE has been very well thought out. We were able to automate some previously manual processes that is resulting in literally 100’s of saved labor hours each month." —Daniel Chapman, Founder & CEO, Redd Remedies

“Every eCommerce brand should prioritize their automation, whether that’s automated emails or on-site campaigns. It’s the name of the game and one that you’ll need to do without sacrificing too much of the human touch to execute it well.” —Kayla Lewkowicz, Marketing Manager, Privy

About the Author

Taylor Gilliam is the Director of Social Media at ReadyCloud, a cloud-based CRM solution built for your eCommerce world. She enjoys covering eCommerce topics and playing with her dog, Charlie. You can find her work on ReadyCloud’s Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter or give her a shoutout on her LinkedIn.

There is one commodity e-tailers have very little of regardless of their product catalogs. There is likely even less of it than the inventory of their most popular items that they can’t seem to keep in stock. This valuable and hard-to-come-by resource is: Spare time. It seems there’s always... Learn More

There is one commodity e-tailers have very little of regardless of their product catalogs. There is likely even less of it than the inventory of their most popular items that they can’t seem to keep in stock.

This valuable and hard-to-come-by resource is: Spare time. It seems there’s always too little of it available in a given day to tackle all the tasks that need to be completed.

This is where automation comes into the picture.

Between store operations, fulfilling orders, and marketing a website, there are never enough hours in a day to run a business and maintain a well-rounded life outside of it. But, by automating as many processes as possible, e-tailers can focus their time on higher priorities while still seeing an increase in sales and customer loyalty as a result.

There’s a reason why 91% of businesses agree that automation is vital to their overall success.

It has saved them 200 million decisions and 1.6 million hours of work, per Shopify. eCommerce automation has also generated $2 billion in pre-scheduled sales.

Here are 7 immediate benefits of eCommerce automation that you should consider implementing today. Doing so will help you get the highest return on investment for your time.

Make the Most of Email Marketing

Email marketing is still the No. 1 growth channel for eCommerce, according to the latest reports from BigCommerce. It is a fast and free way to connect with your customers and leads. According to recent studies, you will connect with them; research finds that people check their inboxes at least 15 times per day.

There are some easy ways to incorporate automated email marketing, such as welcome emails, drip campaigns, newsletters and “thank you” emails. Each serves a unique purpose to draw customers to your site, too.

Don’t forget to personalize the emails you send. Research from Aberdeen finds that personalized email messages improve click-through rates by an average of 14% and conversions by as much as 10%.

Set-and-Forget Social Ad Campaigns

Social media is one of the most effective ways to drive consumers to your online store and has proven to be a powerful marketing and branding tool for e-tailers.

These recent statistics show how valuable social channels can be for eCommerce:

• Facebook influences over 52% of consumers' online and offline purchases (The Drum, 2018).
• Link clicks account for 92% of all user interaction with Tweets (HubSpot, 2018).
• 50% of Instagrammers follow brands, making them the social networkers who are most likely to do so. (Brandwatch, 2017).
• 93% of Pinterest users visit the site with an intent to purchase (Marketing Land, 2015).
• 74% of consumers use social networks to make a purchasing decision (ReadyCloud, 2018).

Each social channel has its own advertising capabilities, but they all allow you to set campaign start and end dates. This means that promoted posts can align with any other campaigns you set and forget. It’s true social automation that saves you time, effort and money.

Auto-Launch New Products

By using an automated launch system like Shopify’s Launchpad, you can release new products at set times. This takes the stress out of debuting products on your site, so you can focus on other areas of managing your business.

Shopify’s latest report is centered on Frankie’s Bikinis, which auto-launched a new line and realized a return of over $150,000 in revenue in a single hour, with a popular style selling out in under two minutes. As you can see, the powerful nature of automated product launches is undeniable.

For total optimization, sync product launches with automated emails and social advertising to watch a holistic campaign effortlessly come to life.

Keep Inventory Up-to-Date

Inventory is a tricky business when you’re an e-tailer. There is a delicate balance you must maintain between having enough of each product so that it doesn’t sell out and in not keeping so much that it wastes valuable storage space.

The good news is that are are solutions to automate your inventory management, such as aACE Software. Inventory is integrated seamlessly throughout the entire aACE solution. The additional company-wide visibility allows each of your departments to plan more productively and accurately, eliminating costly mistakes and reducing the need for excess inventory. For aACE client Restylers’ Choice, that streamlined inventory management freed up 2,000 square feet of warehouse space and allowed them to eliminate a conveyor belt in each warehouse.

Create Flash Sales & Coupon Codes

More than 90% of shoppers have responded that they’re always on the hunt for deals online. What better way to draw them in than by hosting an event in your store that is full of bargains for them to explore? You can also get their attention by featuring coupon codes, which 68% of consumers say generate brand awareness and loyalty.

Flash sales are easy to automate. Simply set the discounted prices of items to only apply between certain dates and ship off the announcement in your next big newsletter. Given the aforementioned email marketing stats, you’re assured engagement, click-throughs and conversions by offering these valuable deals to your existing customers.

Retarget Abandoned Carts

Right now, cart abandonment costs retailers an estimated $4 trillion per year, and Baynard found the average cart abandonment rate is at almost 70%. However, with the right tools, you can automatically bring back consumers who were just shy of checkout on your site.

One such tool is the Facebook Pixel, which serves up advertisements across the Internet to consumers who have visited your site. This retargeting is done automatically, once the tool is installed, and will bring shoppers back to your site while delivering key metrics that you can use to improve your automation efforts.

Another way to retarget potential customers is by sending them a retargeting email. Though capturing someone’s email may be more difficult to do, it is well worth it, and it can be automated with tools like OptinMonster. SaleCycle reported $8.21 in revenue generated with every retargeting email sent.

As proven by statistics, automated retargeting really works. So make sure you add to your list of to-dos when trying to put your online store into autopilot.

What eCommerce Industry Members Say About Automation

"aACE software is easy to use, intuitive, logical, and easily customized. It is clear that the architecture of aACE has been very well thought out. We were able to automate some previously manual processes that is resulting in literally 100’s of saved labor hours each month." —Daniel Chapman, Founder & CEO, Redd Remedies

“Every eCommerce brand should prioritize their automation, whether that’s automated emails or on-site campaigns. It’s the name of the game and one that you’ll need to do without sacrificing too much of the human touch to execute it well.” —Kayla Lewkowicz, Marketing Manager, Privy

About the Author

Taylor Gilliam is the Director of Social Media at ReadyCloud, a cloud-based CRM solution built for your eCommerce world. She enjoys covering eCommerce topics and playing with her dog, Charlie. You can find her work on ReadyCloud’s Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter or give her a shoutout on her LinkedIn.