The world of e-commerce: The 7 hottest trends!
One of the most significant revolutions that took place during the Covid-19 pandemic was the digital revolution, which some might call the 4th industrial revolution, as seen through the huge proliferation of e-commerce.
The change in consumer behavior following the crisis, the enforced lockdowns, and increased compensatory consumption behaviors all led to a dramatic increase in online sales and accelerated the digital e-commerce transformation.
In the US alone, consumers spent more than US$ 844 billion on online shopping, from March 2020 to February 2021.
Indeed, new and exciting trends are springing up like mushrooms in the strive to improve user experience and engagement, while attracting new customers and retaining existing ones.
Following are the 7 hottest trends that are currently dominating the world of e-commerce:
- Feeling close – even from afar
The transition to distance buying, despite its advantages, lacks the personal touch, such as the recommendations and advice given by the salesperson.
In an attempt to maintain the personalized shopping experience, companies use a range of data technologies, such as AI and ML, to become acquainted with their customers’ shopping trends and in turn, use these insights for personalizing their digital shopping process. This personalized experience can include optimized recommendations and other elements that impact the customer’s personal purchasing process.
Using this same data, organizations can learn about their relationships with their customers, understand what keeps them on the website and what makes them leave, and how to retain customers over time.
- A perfect match
One of the hottest trends in e-commerce is enabling users to customize their products online.
In addition to the customers’ experience and involvement, this allows them to produce a product that suits them exactly or assemble a basket of products that have the most suitable characteristics – with no need for compromise.
For example, personalized shoes that you can create and order online from Nike and Adidas.
- It’s time to switch it up!
The internet is abundant in shopping channels, from brand shops, through Amazon and eBay, to Facebook Market and other social media shopping platforms. Users are everywhere, and the greater your online presence, the greater your chances of reaching larger numbers of potential customers.
- Have you heard of voice shopping?
This loud shopping trend has started to take over the world of e-commerce – using digital voice assistants, such as Siri by Apple, Alexa by Amazon, and OK Google by… Google 😉
Using voice assistants has become extremely common, with more and more people consulting them on a huge range of topics.
The voice shopping process is ideal for exceptionally busy people, who instead of having to make time to search online, simply ask their digital voice assistant for help.
Although still under development and improvement, this platform has the potential to conquer the world.
- Need help? Chatbots at your service
We see them almost everywhere online: in stores, service providers, banks, and healthcare facilities, to name just a few. But this is just the beginning. According to a Gartner report, about 85% of businesses will be using chatbots by the end of 2021 – instead of humans.
Chatbots in general, and in the world of e-commerce in particular, are steadily replacing human representatives, decreasing feelings of alienation when entering a large e-commerce store, and helping us navigate within an abundance of information.
- Let’s be realistic
One of the drawbacks of on-line shopping is our inability to realistically examine the product, try it on, and try to imagine what it would look like in a realistic space. Previously, virtual reality was widely used – a type of computerized simulation; yet today, augmented reality (AR) is much more relevant. This technology enables the integration and merging of elements in a real time environment, providing customers with a more tangible feeling and perception of the product.
AR technology has gradually penetrated many e-commerce websites.
- The grass is always greener
We live in an era that cares about the environment. People are more aware and more caring, as seen through their consumption preferences. Paying attention to environmentally friendly aspects during the e-commerce sales process could be beneficial for your products. Environmental values can be conveyed through production and packaging materials, shipment methods, and/or donations to green organizations. Even sending invoices and receipts to customers’ emails or mobile phones may be perceived positively by the buyers.
In summary, these new trends – whether existing or currently under development – all have something in common: the desire to create a simple, pleasant, personalized, and inviting user experience. This strive to make things easier for users, while providing them with everything they need (based on old habits or new platforms) and encouraging them to stay on the website and engage.
abra is highly experienced in planning and developing e-commerce systems that offer a comprehensive solution to all of the customers’ needs – now and in the future.
