Discover the trends that will bolster your online presence this year
In 2022, eCommerce sales in the US are expected to surpass US$1 trillion. For eCommerce owners, maintaining a competitive edge online means knowing, and following, digital marketing trends, tech advances, and audience demands.
Growing your online business requires a commitment to updating, testing, and understanding data. The eCommerce business moves fast. Keeping pace with that change is essential to the success of any online business.
In the coming year, many existing trends will develop to be more important, such as customer communications methods. Other aspects of the eCommerce industry will change to meet the demands of online users, such as improved security and smooth customer journeys across devices. It is not difficult to elevate your business to follow those trends, it simply requires an ongoing commitment to change that businesses have not had to make in the past.
Chatbots
Chatbots are an essential service for any online business. They provide your customers with 24/7 support and access to your business. Even if your chatbot response is as simple as an acknowledgment of your customer making contact, it is important that people feel you are paying attention to them and their concerns.
Responsive chatbots that can direct people to the right landing pages and respond to FAQs will help to transform your eCommerce business, as people develop a sense of trust and reliability with your brand.
Voice Shopping and Conversational Shopping
Voice eCommerce sales are predicted to reach US$19.4 billion in 2023. Voice search and voice shopping make it easy for people to make purchases, especially simple digital products like music and movies.
Conversational shopping can help you interact with your customers in real-time. Using live streaming to sell has become increasingly popular. Such services allow people to interact with your brand representative, and with each other, in a community more akin to shopping in a store. This approach is relaxed and informal for most participants and offers the interactive feature of shopping that many people are missing during lockdowns.
Diverse Payment Methods
When you offer diversified payment methods, you build trust, reduce cart abandonment, and encourage higher spending. Interest-free financing solutions like buy now pay later as well as seamless one-click payment options appeal to online shoppers.
Partnering with a trusted payment gateway provider will allow you to tailor and brand your check out for your customers, as well as optimize targeting and retargeting opportunities, improving your sales and improving your reputation.
Video Marketing
Videos are in demand. Unboxing, tutorials, interviews, even short commercials are watched and enjoyed by audiences using a huge number of platforms, including social media and websites. Video is the preferred method of engagement for many younger audiences. Making a professional-quality video is fast and easy, and adding the content to your website through links on social media is a way to attract people to your website and encourage them to learn more about your brand.
Augmented Reality, the Future of ECommerce
AR is an in-demand online feature that eCommerce retailers of clothing, makeup, and housewares need to consider adding to their website and app services to secure their place in the market. As increasing numbers of shoppers have indicated they will not return to in-store only shopping after the pandemic but would prefer a mix of online and in-store options, it is important that leading brands and retailers listen and offer the right technology to support that customer desire. AR and VR technology has improved. It is relatively simple to have AR capabilities added to your website, and much of the technology is free and requires no knowledge of code to add to your website. However, a paid solution that is developed only for your brand is preferable to the free solutions found online. It is worth investigating and shopping around for the AR capabilities that you will need. Not all eCommerce stores need such features, so look closely at your competitors as well.
Subscriptions and Loyalty Programs
Subscription and loyalty programs continue to grow, providing convenience, exclusivity, and savings. In this past year, the launch of more TV subscription services has pushed the improvement of content, and increased investment in movies and TV series. These brands have subtly cemented their place as adverbs in modern language, and have created the model to follow for successful subscription services.
Shoppers are responsive to loyalty programs that reward them for their loyalty. Simple tools added to your CMS make it easy to personalize your marketing and offer customers who meet certain targets with cost-effective rewards, such as free shipping or future-spend discounts.
Omnichannel Customer Experience
Omnichannel will continue to be one of the most important basic features of any eCommerce business. Customers demand an omnichannel approach that provides convenience by creating a seamless experience, whether shopping on a desktop, browsing on a smartphone, or accessing click and collect services in a physical store. Businesses that invest in their omnichannel strategy will be in a better position to maximize sales and build customer loyalty. Without focusing on how you can improve your customers’ experience finding your brand and shopping with you from home, they will choose from your list of competitors to find what they are searching for. Brand loyalty means less to customers as a broader choice is offered and comparable goods are sold from a global marketplace.
Mobile Commerce
Mobile commerce sales in the US are expected to continue to grow at a rapid rate, doubling from current numbers to 2025. Your website, channels, content, and landing pages all need to be presented at a premium level to ensure an easy and enjoyable online experience for your customers. People in many parts of the world rely entirely on their smartphones for access to the internet, and while these people might not be your target audience, the trend is picking up, especially as younger people will in coming years struggle to find work and not be in a position to afford multiple devices. Making your website as mobile-ready and secure as possible is essential in the coming years as people adopt greater mobile access exclusivity.
Social Commerce
Shoppers are increasingly using social media to browse for new products and brands. Social commerce sales are projected to reach US$79.6 billion in 2025, meaning that eCommerce merchants need to be developing their social media selling channels.
One of the most important parts of social selling is social media presence. A well-planned social media strategy that includes user-generated content and regular updates ensures that your brand is not only connecting with its loyal audience but also connecting with potential new customers.
B2B eCommerce Trends
B2B selling has been shifting from phone orders and paper catalogs to fully digitized self-service shopping experiences, streamlined back-end processes, and enhanced customer service.
Ordering, fulfillment, and delivery have all been improved in recent years, and businesses expect that a seamless experience is offered every time with fast resolution of issues and high-level customer care with direct contacts in businesses. The relationship between companies needs to be closer and more personalized than in previous years. Businesses that relate to each other as part of a larger whole achieve their growth goals and meet targets faster.
Personalized Products and Marketing
Studies show that 80 percent of consumers want more personalization from retailers. Personalizing the shopping experience, product selections, and payment choices is the best way to secure not only sales but customer loyalty. One of the best ways to personalize the customer journey is through email. When people sign up for marketing information or subscribe to your newsletter or services, you have the opportunity to make things personal through segmentation. In this way, you can target people with discounts or bonuses, send selected information that would appeal to customers in a target segment, and secure loyalty with high-quality content that defines you as an industry leader and shares knowledge.
