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The world of eCommerce is no longer just a fad, it’s now a fully fledged lifestyle and people everywhere are taking advantage of the convenience of ordering anything and we mean everything and having it delivered straight to your doorstep.
In order to capitalise on this shift in lifestyle, retailers have now taken to the eCommerce world and are setting new normals for online businesses all over the world.
eCommerce is continuing to get more and more competitive It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that technology is constantly evolving, and with that so is the online shopping market. Sites today are much smarter than before, providing faster shipping but this also come with higher expectations from customers. So, in order to keep up with the market, online stores have started to gravitate towards these new trends.
eCommerce is continuing to get more and more competitive It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to know that technology is constantly evolving, and with that so is the online shopping market.
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Personalisation
Today’s customers love experiences that are customised to their tastes and needs. Since in eCommerce, there is no physical sales associate to make sure it’s down to the site to make customers feel like their needs are being successfully met all with the use of technology.
This sense of personalisation is being done in a number of different ways. An increasing number of companies are curating available options and pulling items from various sources. These companies analyze users’ purchase history and offer products that a customer is far more likely to be interested in, all while getting rid of excessive, and most likely unnecessary options.
In order to take online shopping personalisation one step further, companies are starting to incorporate artificial intelligence and machine learning into the eCommerce experience.
Augmented reality
By definition, augmented reality (AR) is basically when technology is used to superimpose digital images and graphics into our real-life environment. While people typically recognise this feature from video games, it can be used for online shopping as well.
A lot of furniture companies such as Ikea have used this and figured out a way to use AR in order to help out their customers visualize how furniture would look in their own unique space. Mobile apps are now able to help people see furniture through their camera in the space which they are furnishing. This unique feature makes the online shopping experience a lot more personalised and allows customers to see just how their furniture is going to look before hitting that purchase button.
Chatbots
As mentioned previously, companies are working to replicate the physical in-store sales assistance while shopping online. Chatbots represent a more valuable resource for brands that want to make their users feel they’re being more physically assisted while purchasing online.
Chatbots are mostly implemented with the intention of creating an instant communication between the customer and the company. Chatbots represent a more valuable resource for brands that want to make their users feel that they’re being physically assisted while purchasing something online.
Chatbots are mostly implemented with the intention of creating an instant communication between both the customer and the company. Since online stores don’t have opening hours, customers are free to browse and shop at any time of day. Instead of hiring associates to sit behind a computer twiddling their thumbs just in case someone has a question, technology has stepped in. Chatbots allow customers to ask a question and get their answers pretty much instantly unless it’s a question that really needs more assistance.
There are a number of different chatbots that can provide different services. Some just answer questions, some make suggestions, some will help with checkout and some will even assist in building the perfect outfit. It’s said that 80% of brands have a plan in place to use chatbots for their store by 2020, due to it becoming a crucial element of online shopping.
Cryptocurrency Payments
More recently rumours have been circulating that Amazon is considering accepting cryptocurrency now as a payment method. This in itself could shake up the entire eCommerce world completely. There are some blockchain projects that aim to deliver peer-to-peer commerce using a unique token, however, it takes a mainstream giant to set a new standard in the field.
Social Media Shopping
One way in which mobile devices are being utilised for shopping is through the likes of social media platforms. Facebook and Instagram have opened up the eCommerce marketplace and made it so much easier for the user to shop through their social media channels. A good example of this would be Instagram, as they have started to offer a feature for direct product links that can be tagged in posts which even include details such as price.
Additionally, companies have taken to social media to advertise their brands and products. At this point, a company without a Facebook or Instagram account is now quite frankly, a huge step behind the rest. People spend hours scrolling through their social media feeds without even realising it.
Even if a company isn’t directly paying for advertisements, their own accounts serve as an effective promotion tool.
Automated Checkout
Another rising use of mobile commerce is automated checkout such as Paypal, Amazon Pay or even Apple Pay. Multiple online shopping sites have made it so that its a lot easier to order goods online. With features such as an Apple Pay, iPhone users only need to enter their card details in just once, from there, the card number and address can be saved to their phone and then saved for later use. If a site offers Apple Pay, the only thing the user needs to do is click “Pay” and the checkout process is then complete, Simple and easy.
Without the hassle of entering in information and long checkouts, online shopping is almost way too easy. Users can see an awesome product on let’s say Instagram, click through to the link, and checkout with an automated payment process all in under 5 minutes. By offering these features, companies are now removing all obstacles and makes the shopping process somewhat a breeze.
With so many rising online trends happening, retailers make it hard to resist. The online personalisation of shopping ensures that customers are recognised and have the options that best suit them.
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With so many rising online trends happening, retailers make it hard to resist. The online personalisation of shopping ensures that customers are recognised and have the options that best suit them. Augmented reality, now allows shoppers to pretty much try out their new purchases, chatbots provide that extra assistance and stores are shifting over to the world of social media and automated checkouts.
So there we have it, these are the top trends you should be looking out for going into the new year. If you have any other eCommerce trends that you think will be big next year feel free to leave them in the comments below.