Trends come and go and ecommerce is no exception. If you have a venture that is making you money on the internet, keeping up with all the news the industry is like an instinct at this point.
However, there are some trends that are difficult to predict on your own. No to mention that they may occur when you least expect them to. Therefore, taking a proactive approach and studying as much information beforehand is a good course of action.
This article will provide you with some ecommerce trends that you should watch out for in the next few years. Take note of these trends and prepare your business for the upcoming changes.
Trend #1 – Personalization and Customization
Brands who sell on the internet have an advantage in gathering information about their customers. For instance, if you have a print on demand business, it is necessary to find out what your customers like and what they would rather avoid. Custom designs are the cornerstone.
One can improve the sales by offering Printify’s best selling print on demand products to the customers, but that should not be all. Send personalized messages, discount coupons, and have a feature that allows customers to design stuff themselves.
Trend #2 – Mobile Shopping Continues to Grow
According to Statista, about 50 percent of web traffic happened on smartphones and tablets in 2019. And this number may be higher depending on the type of product you are selling and who your targeted audience is. The information can be found on Google Analytics.
The mobile traffic continues to grow and it will play a more prominent role in the upcoming years. Websites are optimized to accommodate mobile users, and brands are even developing apps that make shopping as simple as a few taps.
Trend #3 – Voice Search Will Become More Popular
Loup Ventures project that roughly 75 percent of US households will have a smart speaker by the year 2025. The time to invest in voice search is now. Shoppers will appreciate a store that allows them to make a purchase using nothing but their voice.
Look into apps like Amazon Alexa and see how it can be integrated into your e-store as well. It may take a while to get everything in order, but judging by the growth in demand, the investment is worth it.
Trend #4 – Live Chats Will Play a Bigger Role
People are in a hurry these days and they do not have the time to wait for an email response all day. And what about those who do not like to talk on the phone?
A live chat is a feature that you expect to find on every ecommerce store. Having a quick response time builds trust between the customer and the brand.
Do be wary with bots that can also be integrated into the customer support department. These bots are still lacking certain features. Relying on them may be a downgrade because robots are not that advanced so they can perfectly simulate a real human conversation yet.
Trend #5 – Brands Will Leverage User-Generated Content
Consumers are relying on word of mouth more and more. Instead of bombarding your potential shoppers with ads, you may want to shift your resources to other methods.
Implement a reliable review system where every customer can leave an in-depth text with pictures and give a rating to a product.
Influencer content also falls in this category. Influencers are great if you want to target a specific demographic. With the right content and words from someone they trust, the followers of an influencer will be happy to see what your brand is like.
Trend #6 – The Rise of Augmented Reality
One of the biggest downsides of selling online rather than on a brick and mortar store is the inability to try the product for the customers.
Not everyone is confident enough to risk spending money on something that may not work. For instance, if someone is shopping for furniture online, it would help a ton if they could see how a particular piece would look in their house.
Augmented reality experience allows customers to view products in their own space. Look to offer this technology as most brands are still behind and not taking advantage of augmented reality’s perks.
Trend #7 – Demand in Transparency
Klaviyo has released a report in 2019 which suggests that hidden fees and charges are one of the main reasons behind abandoned carts in the checkout process.
Transparency should not be reflected only in pricing but in other business practices as well, like returns policies or data privacy.
To sum it all up, trends come and go but as a businessman, you should keep track of as much as you can. Money is involved in this and every little bit can make a difference. Do not get left behind and allow the competition to overtake you.
Leave a Reply