The growth of the ecommerce industry is undeniable. According to Statista, retail ecommerce sales worldwide were around $5 trillion, and the estimations are that the number will grow to $7.5 trillion by 2025.
Some of the bursts in growth can be explained by the pandemic that made even more people shop online, but the ecommerce trajectory was always going to go up even if there was no Covid-19.
Since e-commerce is so massive, it is to be expected that the industry is moving forward. Innovations come and go, but some gimmicks or trends tend to make a significant enough impact that they should not be ignored.
Our planet is not doing its best in terms of its health. Climate change and other problems are forcing brands to change their policies in certain areas. In some cases, it is consumer pressure, but there are businesses that do not need a push from the outside to make a positive impact on the environment.
For example, if a business wishes to make money selling bed blankets, it should consider using material that is recyclable.
Such a stance will be taken kindly by consumers, and the odds are that the support will go a long way to help a brand grow.
Considering the competition in ecommerce, satisfying, retaining, and attracting customers is a big challenge. If a brand has the means to become environmentally friendly, it should be a no-brainer.
Ever since the introduction of AI assistants like Alexa, it was only a matter of time before voice ecommerce became a thing.
The convenience of carrying out everyday tasks with your voice control is one thing that consumers will want to see more of in the future.
As such, more and more businesses are investing in voice search and shopping optimization. Shoppers no longer need to type on a keyboard to find a product they wish. Voice command is more intuitive and faster.
It is also worth noting that voice shopping is great for people with disabilities. Those who rely on their voice for everyday things will appreciate the feature.
Despite the fact that voice commerce is still a relatively new concept, it is one of the best examples of trends that businesses should not ignore, as it is only a matter of time before voice shopping explodes and becomes prominent.
Continuing with technology, AR and VR also stand at the top of the ecommerce trends that seem to be gaining more momentum with each passing year.
When we think of ecommerce, one of the standout disadvantages is the fact that you cannot really try goods in person. If you are shopping for clothes or furniture, for instance, you want to test them because buying such items without trying them is risky.
This is where virtual reality comes in. You can put on VR goggles and transfer yourself to a physical store and try the goods in person.
Of course, the experience is not the same as real life, but if you were going to order from an online store, it is much better to know what you are getting, even if you only get to feel it via virtual reality.
It is worth noting that while VR is a trend, it is also a challenge. Businesses will still need to figure out a way to make such a feature accessible to the public, and it might be a while before more households get the tools to use virtual reality.
A marketing campaign by a business itself might not be as effective as expected. These days, an average consumer is unlikely to trust the words of big corporations.
Instead, they are more likely to listen to influencers. It is easy for an individual to connect to a personality they see online. And if they like this personality, the odds are that they will be keener to listen to them. If that was not the case, we would not have influencer marketing as a concept in the first place.
The eWallet technology is one of the key aspects that more ecommerce businesses should consider investing in.
Sure, adding different payment gateways comes with certain risks and challenges, but with enough research, it shod be doable.
Missing certain payment options can be off-putting for more picky shoppers. If they do not see a payment method they prefer, the odds are that they will do the shopping elsewhere.
Chatbots are the last trend to mention. If you pay attention, you should notice how online stores are replacing real humans in customer support with automated messages.
The beauty of chatbots is that they are available 24/7 and respond immediately, which is far superior to a real human. And with artificial intelligence, these bots learn and improve on the spot.
