8 eCommerce Trends Business Owners Must Know to Succeed in 2023
As anticipated, this kind of retailing continued to flourish and spread following the explosive expansion of eCommerce seen during the epidemic. People need help to return to traditional stores after they have been used to the ease and convenience of making purchases online. As a result, there have been certain shifts in and the emergence of new trends in online retail as a whole.
Numerous variables now determine the paths that individual eCommerce trends take. These may originate from insights about consumers’ buying habits, such as a preference for mobile devices over desktop computers or the growing importance of voice search. They may also be based on factors such as the influence of well-known figures in a particular field, the success of several firms’ marketing campaigns, etc. With all of this in mind, we’ve compiled a short list of some rapidly developing trends in eCommerce that we expect to see more of in the future years.
Without further ado, here are a few critical developments in online retail to keep an eye on
- The Explosion of Mobile Shopping
Due to the growing number of mobile web users, Google has begun to prioritize mobile-friendly indexing of websites. As a result, it is not surprising that more and more people are opting to conduct product searches and even make purchases using their mobile phones. Mobile commerce is expected to increase its proportion of overall eCommerce sales from 52.4% in 2016 to 72.8% in 2022. This means that you should immediately prioritize making your eCommerce store’s product, cart, and checkout pages mobile-friendly if you haven’t already. - Chatbots Are Becoming More Popular.
Chatbots and tools based on them are prime examples of the new wave of artificial intelligence-powered technology companies are adopting to attract and retain customers by creating a more tailored shopping experience. Chatbots are designed to make users more invested in the service they get by customizing their experience and providing them with faster, more convenient service.
In addition to automating customer service, answering frequently asked questions, and facilitating buying, Chatbots often enable companies to acquire valuable information about future clients. If you follow this current pattern in eCommerce, you can also attempt to utilize the aforementioned data to your benefit in terms of product promotion and customer service. - The Voice-Operated Search
Voice search has also grown rapidly over the last several years, thanks to the increasing number of people who use smart devices to do their internet browsing. Of course, this trend is also present in online shopping. Voice assistants like Alexa, Google Assistant, and Siri are becoming more popular due to their ease of use. Voice search inquiries for eCommerce work similarly, with users expressing their questions to the virtual assistant rather than typing them. As a matter of fact, this movement is one of the most rapidly expanding ones in the realm of online retail.
More than half of all US online consumers used voice help in 2019 to learn about goods, and more than a third used it to complete other actions like adding to a basket or tracking a shipment, as reported by eCommerce platform Oberlo. The use of voice-activated search on smart speakers for online shopping is predicted to explode this year, with 33,2 million people in the United States alone doing so. Given these numbers, it’s clear that eCommerce store owners should seriously consider implementing voice search optimization measures as soon as possible. - Marketing with Influencers
Despite what some may think of influencers, you shouldn’t miss the fact that influencer marketing has become another wonderful tool for eCommerce. After all, influencers often have a sizable online following and stand in for a genuine online community. A follower of an influencer is more likely to put stock in the influencer’s opinion and purchase the recommended goods or services.
Consequently, you should put some effort into influencer marketing and seek the most prominent influencers in your specific industry. Contact them and see if they’d be willing to promote your items on their social media channels. - The Growth of Social Shopping
Social commerce has the potential and reach that can’t be ignored as one of the most significant developing trends in online retail. The term “social commerce” refers to the practice of selling goods and services on a social media platform, saving users the trouble of leaving the site to do their shopping. Since social media already has such a vast user base, there is a greater opportunity to reach your ideal audience, gain their confidence, and convert them into paying customers.
The biggest social networks have already begun tapping into their vast social commerce potential by introducing tools like Facebook Shops and Instagram Shopping. Social media users may complete the whole shopping process (from browsing to adding items to their basket and checking out) without ever leaving the app or website they’re already using to do so. Similarly, company owners may use social media for anything from inventory management to brand promotion for their online stores.
If you’re interested in learning more about social commerce, you should read our comprehensive guide. - Welfare Benefits
Another growing phenomenon is the provision of social payments. It seemed inevitable that social media would begin implementing payment options like to PayPal as users increasingly turned to these sites for product research and purchases. Therefore, most of the most well-known social media platforms have developed their own take on a social payment service. Apple Pay, Facebook Pay, Google Pay, and many more fall under this category. In a nutshell, these services should make it simple for customers to buy something right there on the platforms they were designed for. - Choices in Shipping Frequency and Methods
In addition to accepting various payment methods and embracing social commerce, another great development for your eCommerce firm would be to provide adaptable shipping alternatives. It is anticipated that additional shipping alternatives would considerably stimulate people to make that final purchase decision. Anything from free delivery to tiered pricing based on weight or even international shipment tracking falls under this category. Moreover, there are some fantastic shipping solutions that may assist you in integrating all these capabilities, depending on the eCommerce platform and commerce solution you are using. - Ease of Delivery
One thing that all the aforementioned developments in online shopping that we’ve discussed thus far have in common is the emphasis on ease of use, and this is also true of the shipping procedure. Up to 95% of consumers say delivery is important when purchasing. For instance, delivery data show that more than 72% of Amazon Prime members choose this service because of the free, unlimited shipping option. In addition, over 41% of customers said they would pay more for same-day delivery, and over 24% said they would pay more for delivery within an hour.
Customers value honesty and openness more than ever before, even if they still value conveniences like free shipping and same-day delivery. This involves being forthright about shipping rates, ETAs, and other details with clients. In a nutshell, increasing client loyalty and, by extension, revenue is possible so long as you stay genuine and knowledgeable while providing your consumers with certain goods.
Bringing It All Together
All of the above-mentioned developments in eCommerce are excellent ways to maintain your competitive edge, from voice search to social payments and social commerce. The best way to determine which of these tendencies is right for you (and your consumers) is to investigate them in depth. As a result, you may enhance your operations and advertising and your customer’s overall satisfaction. This will help you acquire the confidence of your customers and set you apart from the competition.
