The data intelligence model ZERCA!MB analyzes the assortments of small businesses and local producers to dynamically adjust their digital offerings to market demand. Successfully tested in Spain, it has now been registered with the US COPYRIGHT OFFICE.
E-commerce moves at a rapid pace, adapting to the rhythm of a highly fluctuating market. Having valuable information from all involved parties (sellers, buyers, products, market conditions, etc.) is key to guiding e-commerce towards sales.
In Spain, the e-commerce platform zerca! has shaken up the market with its disruptive business model. Firstly, this online store aggregates the offerings of thousands of small local shops across the country. zerca! brings this "physical" offering into the digital realm, providing users with a more personalized and differentiated proposal than what giant e-commerce platforms can offer.
As a distinguishing element, zerca! has implemented its own data intelligence model called ZERCA!MB ("zerca moneyball"), drawing parallels with the "MoneyBall" case. Billy Beane led a baseball team in Oakland when he developed the "MoneyBall" system, based on advanced statistics, to sign key players at the right time and for the best price. This led to significant sporting successes that positioned his team alongside others with much larger budgets.
According to Leandro Lasheras, head of e-commerce and technology at zerca!, "zerca has gained business traction that has exceeded all expectations because it has developed an added value model in data analysis and the approach to conclusions derived from it. It's about finding the best-performing products from its sellers' catalog; we call it ZERCA!MB because of its parallel with Billy Beane's story." Lasheras explains, "certain processes have been defined and implemented to score the products. We use what is known as MoneyBall, but instead of applying it to players, we apply it to our catalog, to introduce products into the market that are interesting to users when they need them."
The head of e-commerce and technology at zerca continues: "there are many variables that determine the product's score, such as the time of year, the level of interest shown by the user, competition, product weight... By giving them internal logic, we optimize our offering and match it with demand in a dynamic way."
The methodology has been registered by zerca! with the US COPYRIGHT OFFICE, which in January accepted the documentary support justifying the differentiation and uniqueness of this analytical model.
More about zerca!
The online store zerca.com offers a more sustainable digital purchasing model based on local economy and responsible logistics. It is the reference e-commerce platform in its category, with over 150,000 sales and a turnover exceeding €5,000,000 in 2023. In the company's own words, "at zerca.com, you buy from small producers, distributors, or local stores, optimizing the usual logistics of Correos (postal service). That's why your purchase is economically and environmentally sustainable. zerca.com is part of zerca!, a 100% nationally-owned company that pays all its taxes in Spain and reinvests all its profits in growing and generating new jobs and more digital opportunities for local sellers." As for its commercial offering, zerca.com guarantees the best online price on thousands of items, free shipping, payment in three months without interest, and the security of an average buyer rating of 4.7 out of 5 on Google and 4.8 out of 5 on TrustPilot.
