Most companies are undergoing a transformation to being “A data company that does [insert their business] better than anyone else”. Modern companies are not only data, digital, and cloud native, but they find ways to differentiate through their data and are monetizing it as an additional revenue stream. Further, the only way to stay at pace with the rapid evolutions in AI and machine learning (ML) will require strategic investments in stabilizing the underlying data infrastructure. But what happens when the immense amount of data held today isn’t properly managed?
Imagine trying to find a specific book in a library, without knowing its location, title or even who the author is. Oh, and there is no tool or person to ask, so you go around asking anyone else in the library for help hoping they point you in the right direction or just give you a book. Similarly, unmanaged data buries itself in a dark corner of a ‘library’, but in most cases it no longer resembles the book it once was, and the author is unknown. This often happens through data silos, redundant or duplicate platform services, conflicting data stores and definitions, and more, all driving up unnecessary costs and complexity.
While the ideal scenario would be to ensure that all data assets are discoverable in the first place, there are ways of untangling the mess once it’s happened. But this is something every enterprise struggles with. Individual teams often have their own access to infrastructure services and not all data events – including sharing, copying, exporting, and enriching – in those platforms are monitored at the enterprise level. Consequently, the challenge persists, expands, and the library of data continues to grow without consistent governance or control.
The cost of data lost
The consequences of unfindable data may be profound. It can heavily impact an organisation’s operations and strategic goals, impair decision-making, compromise operational efficiency, and heighten vulnerabilities to compliance and data breaches. For decision-making, insights essential for informed choices are often described as untrustworthy or inaccessible.
This lack of visibility and trust leads to delays in identifying and acting on trends, customer needs, and responding swiftly to market changes, ultimately hindering competitiveness and agility over time. When data is scattered across unmonitored silos or duplicated in disparate cloud services without centralized oversight, it’s like having books in various corners of a library without a central catalogue system.
Moreover, the inability to locate and secure sensitive data increases the likelihood of unauthorized access or inadvertent exposure, further exacerbating risks related to privacy breaches and intellectual property theft. Ask any engineer or analyst, and they’ll probably already point to the challenge of governing data that can be exported to spreadsheets. Solving the download problem should be harder than knowing what data is in that platform in the first place: At least then you can see a download happened and by whom to help with any post hoc auditing.
Righting the wrong
For organizations that need to course correct, one of the most scalable solutions is to ensure “compliance as code.” Put simply, this is to ensure that every data event – from the provisioning of services to enriching data within them – is logged, monitored, and traceable. Most importantly, these events are visible to any stakeholder that is accountable for data protection or oversight.
By ensuring these events are transmitted to a common metadata catalogue, such as by being pub-sub’d and enriching an enterprise catalogue, companies can monitor and audit their data more effectively. Any non-compliant resource should, in theory, be immediately deleted by the enterprise, thereby reducing the chance of losing data or making it unfindable. So, anyone spinning up an object store, compute services, etc. are all logged for auditability, events available for lineage and traceability, and ideally a path towards data provenance.
When already lost, tools like BigID act like a sophisticated library catalogue, instrumental in providing a bottom-up view of the ecosystem, helping organizations understand what data is where and what systems are using it. Tools that provide governance and compliance for a data glossary and workflow management and adopting patterns like utilizing Iceberg format will not only enable lower switching costs today and tomorrow, but also make it easier to integrate the many functional catalogues and platforms across the business. The goal here is to quickly create value while in parallel making it simpler to manage data in the future.
Companies must gain insights into their data landscape, identify potential compliance issues, and take corrective actions before data becomes unmanageable, let alone set up a system to better scale. This will always be the accountability of a central team, or at best shared with functional leaders when fully democratized. To be clear, not all these tools are required to start. Rather, understanding the nature of your current state (or starting point) will dictate how to quickly prioritize the use cases by which will be used to prioritize the modernization. You should balance quick wins and changes with large foundational changes which enable transformations to progress faster in the mid-term to keep momentum and continuously build trust.
An effective parallel strategy is to also build microservices or bots that constantly scan, audit, and ensure compliance. These microservices can perform a range of functions, from base compliance checks to full anomaly detection around asset utilization compared to normal service delivery, roles, and asset usage. By continuously monitoring data events and usage patterns, these microservices can detect anomalies and potential compliance breaches in real-time, enabling swift corrective actions. As noted above, all data resources and events should automatically be registered upon provisioning, so any data not catalogued is able to be immediately deleted by the bot as noncompliant.
The next chapter
Like a well-organized library where every book is catalogued and easily accessible, a well-managed data environment allows companies to thrive. Preventing data chaos requires a proactive and strategic approach to data management that does not also create more friction or processes for users. By implementing compliance as code, leveraging data visibility tools, and building microservices for continuous compliance, companies can ensure that their data assets remain findable, secure, and valuable. With these strategies in place, businesses can navigate the complexities of data management and drive sustained growth and innovation.
Lastly, fostering a culture of data stewardship within the organisation is vital. Educating employees on the importance of data management and establishing clear protocols for data handling can significantly reduce the enterprises’ risk. Regular training sessions and updates on best practices ensure that all team members are aligned with the company’s data governance goals.
We list the best cloud log management services.
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Transform data chaos into value: manage, govern, and secure your data assets effectively.
The Amazon Marketplace: Empowering Sellers and Shaping Consumer Behavior
The Amazon Marketplace has emerged as a powerful force in the global economy, redefining how businesses operate and how consumers shop. Since its launch in 2000, Amazon Marketplace has grown into one of the largest online marketplaces in the world, with millions of sellers and an even larger base of customers. This platform has not only democratized e-commerce, providing opportunities for businesses of all sizes, but it has also significantly influenced consumer behavior. This article explores how the Amazon Marketplace empowers sellers and shapes consumer behavior.
Empowering Sellers: Opportunities and Challenges
The Amazon Marketplace has opened up unprecedented opportunities for sellers, from individual entrepreneurs to large corporations. One of the most significant benefits for sellers is the access to Amazon’s vast customer base. With over 300 million active users globally, Amazon provides a ready-made audience for sellers, eliminating the need for extensive marketing efforts to drive traffic to their products.
Lower Barriers to Entry
One of the most profound ways Amazon empowers sellers is by lowering the barriers to entry into the e-commerce space. Traditionally, setting up an online store required significant investment in website development, payment processing systems, and logistics. Amazon Marketplace simplifies this process by providing a platform where sellers can list their products, handle transactions, and even manage shipping through Amazon’s Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA) service.
FBA, in particular, has been a game-changer for many small and medium-sized businesses. It allows sellers to store their products in Amazon’s warehouses, where Amazon takes care of packing, shipping, and even customer service. This service not only reduces the logistical burden on sellers but also ensures that their products are eligible for Amazon Prime, which can significantly boost sales.
Global Reach
The global reach of Amazon Marketplace is another significant advantage for sellers. With Amazon’s presence in numerous countries, sellers can tap into international markets with relative ease. Amazon’s Global Selling program enables sellers to list their products in multiple countries, allowing them to expand their customer base far beyond their home market. This global reach is particularly beneficial for small businesses that may not have the resources to enter international markets independently.
Data and Analytics
Amazon provides sellers with valuable data and analytics tools that can help them optimize their listings and marketing strategies. Through the Seller Central dashboard, sellers have access to detailed reports on sales, customer behavior, and advertising performance. This data-driven approach allows sellers to make informed decisions about pricing, inventory management, and advertising, ultimately leading to better business outcomes.
Challenges for Sellers
However, selling on Amazon is not without its challenges. The competition on the platform is fierce, with millions of sellers vying for the attention of customers. To stand out, sellers must invest in optimizing their product listings, managing reviews, and running targeted advertising campaigns. Additionally, Amazon’s fee structure, which includes referral fees, FBA fees, and other charges, can eat into sellers’ profit margins, especially for those selling low-margin products.
Moreover, Amazon’s control over the marketplace means that sellers are subject to its policies and regulations. This can be a double-edged sword; while Amazon’s strict guidelines help maintain a level of quality and trust on the platform, they can also be restrictive for sellers. Policy changes, such as adjustments to fee structures or new regulations regarding product listings, can have a significant impact on sellers’ businesses.
Shaping Consumer Behavior: Convenience and Choice
The Amazon Marketplace has not only empowered sellers but also transformed consumer behavior in profound ways. The platform has become synonymous with convenience, choice, and competitive pricing, which are key drivers of consumer decisions.
Convenience and Speed
One of the most significant impacts of Amazon on consumer behavior is the expectation of convenience and speed. Amazon’s streamlined shopping experience, coupled with services like Amazon Prime, has set a new standard for online shopping. Consumers now expect fast, often same-day, delivery, easy returns, and a seamless shopping experience across devices. This has raised the bar for other e-commerce platforms and even brick-and-mortar stores, which have had to adapt to meet these heightened expectations.
The convenience offered by Amazon extends beyond just delivery speed. Features like one-click purchasing, personalized recommendations, and a user-friendly mobile app have made shopping on Amazon almost effortless. This ease of use has contributed to the platform becoming the go-to destination for many consumers, particularly for everyday purchases.
Broad Product Selection
Amazon’s vast selection of products is another factor that has shaped consumer behavior. The marketplace offers a seemingly endless array of products across virtually every category, from electronics to groceries. This extensive selection is possible because of the millions of third-party sellers who list their products on the platform, alongside Amazon’s own offerings.
This breadth of choice has shifted consumer expectations, leading to a preference for platforms that offer a wide variety of options. Consumers are now less willing to visit multiple websites or stores to find what they need, preferring the convenience of one-stop shopping. This trend has also put pressure on traditional retailers to expand their product offerings and improve their online shopping experiences.
Price Sensitivity and Competitive Pricing
Amazon’s pricing strategies have also influenced consumer behavior, making customers more price-sensitive. The platform’s dynamic pricing model, where prices can change frequently based on factors like demand and competition, encourages consumers to compare prices and seek out the best deals. Additionally, features like Amazon’s price tracking tools and the ability to view historical prices have made consumers more aware of price fluctuations and more likely to wait for discounts before making a purchase.
This increased price sensitivity has impacted the broader retail landscape, forcing competitors to adopt more aggressive pricing strategies to stay competitive. It has also led to the rise of price comparison tools and apps, further empowering consumers to find the best deals.
The Role of Reviews and Ratings
Amazon’s review system is another key factor influencing consumer behavior. Customer reviews and ratings have become a critical component of the decision-making process for many shoppers. Positive reviews can significantly boost a product’s visibility and sales, while negative reviews can deter potential buyers. This has led to a culture where consumers rely heavily on the experiences of others to guide their purchasing decisions.
The importance of reviews has also created a new challenge for sellers, who must actively manage their reputation on the platform. This has given rise to practices like review solicitation and even, unfortunately, fake reviews. However, Amazon has taken steps to combat these practices, implementing stricter policies and algorithms to detect and remove fraudulent reviews.
Conclusion
The Amazon Marketplace has had a profound impact on both sellers and consumers, reshaping the e-commerce landscape in the process. By empowering sellers with access to a global customer base, powerful data tools, and logistical support, Amazon has lowered the barriers to entry for businesses of all sizes. At the same time, the platform has transformed consumer behavior, setting new standards for convenience, choice, and pricing.
As Amazon continues to evolve, its influence on the global economy and consumer culture will likely only grow. For sellers, the challenge will be to navigate the complexities of the platform and find ways to stand out in an increasingly crowded marketplace. For consumers, the Amazon Marketplace will continue to be a driving force behind the expectations and behaviors that define the future of shopping.
