Ecommerce Trends: Unlocking the Future of Online Shopping



E-commerce is changing rapidly, and for good reason.

The latest technologies, our changing tastes, and the unfurling digital universe are all driving its evolution. If our online stores are to remain competitive and contemporary, they must somehow stay aligned with all these spreading developments. This article looks at some of the most essential e-commerce trends in the current economy, offering payoffs in the “future-proofing” of one’s online store, if not in the downright delivering of “exceptional customer experiences.”

How New Technologies Are Affecting Ecommerce

The application of new technologies shifts the very definition of ecommerce, moving it ever closer to perfection. Each new tech trend not only automates and streamlines, but also looks for and finds ways to enhance customers’ experiences with ecommerce. Let’s look at some of these tech trends and see how they are impacting ecommerce.

How E-tailors Use AI to Deliver the Most Personalized Shopping Experience Possible

With e-commerce now accounting for an ever-growing percentage of total retail sales—12.9 percent of total retail sales in the United States in 2019, according to U.S. Department of Commerce data—the stakes are high for businesses selling goods and services online. This is especially true for those in marketplaces like Amazon, which serve millions of visitors per day. To compete for eyeballs and sales, these businesses must use every advantage they can find. They do this by employing artificial intelligence in various forms to not only assess consumer behavior but to also interact with their customers in a more personalized way.

Customer Support and Engagement with AI

AI has significantly raised the bar for customer service. When your customers have a question or an issue, you can now resolve it much faster and more efficiently, thanks to AI virtual assistants. These “conversational agents” are up and running 24/7, like any good employee should be. Using NLU (Natural Language Understanding) and machine learning, they can carry on a “human-like” conversation with your customer. They “know” the “right” words to use, and their artificial “empathy” is often convincing enough to satisfy not just a customer, but a human customer service representative.

Ecommerce companies are using AI for three primary functions. The first is for SEO, where AI tools can generate product descriptions, improve ad targeting, and optimize meta tags—doing all of those things in a way that’s supposedly saving time and in a way that’s definitely maximizing visibility. The second function of AI is content creation across various media. That’s largely in the realm of text. AI also works for images and video but hasn’t shown the same level of promise… yet. The last primary function AI is supposedly really good at is ensuring all of the above ranks higher in search results.

Augmented reality connects tangible merchandise with the digital world, upending the traditional paradigm of online shopping. With AR, customers interact with products in a virtual setting, gaining a crucial insight into how the item might function in the real world. This addresses the critical confidence gap that has plagued the online shopping experience since its inception.

AR’s Mass Adoption Is Nearing

The smartphone has become a golden gateway to augmented reality, and a new ‘app’ world beckons. For the leading AR players, the next big move is to transform the year’s 150 million AR-capable smartphones into 150 million AR-scaling ‘works,’ where not just 150 million ‘items of AR content’ are viewable, but 150 million AR universes—where real and virtual coalesce into the same magic act.

Consumer behavior is changing, and these changes are making ecommerce businesses rethink their very nature and purpose. It’s not quite survival of the fittest; instead, it’s more of a ‘fit for purpose.’ Some businesses will thrive, some will innovate, some will pivot, and some should have never existed in the first place. Here’s what we see happening.

The Upsurge of Mobile Commerce

An almost ubiquitous part of life now, mobile devices have made their way into the pockets and purses of most individuals. For many of us, the first thing to greet us in the morning is the small screen of our cell phone. It is an almost constant companion and for a segment of the population, the go-to device for shopping. “M-commerce” is the term used to encompass all forms of commerce carried out on mobile devices. Whether it is completed via a smartphone, tablet, or some other sort of mobile interface, it is referred to as m-commerce.

The text makes it clear that mobile optimization is not an option for ecommerce businesses. They must have websites and applications that work well on mobile devices, or they can expect to lose a significant portion of their business. This is because more and more people are using their smartphones for all kinds of activities, including shopping. Meeting the needs of these mobile customers in terms of “design” (how well the site works on a phone), “speed” (how quickly the site loads on a phone), and “security” (how safe the site is to make a payment on) are the trifecta of ecommerce mobile optimization.

The Ease of One-Click Ordering and Voice Commerce

Convenience is the cornerstone of the mobile shopping experience. Purchases are made simpler with one-click ordering, and when it comes to making shopping more accessible, voice commerce takes the cake. Enabled by smart assistants like Alexa and Google, voice commerce is a rapidly growing segment. But how do businesses satisfy this new segment of customers? By optimizing their platforms for voice search, of course.

Long-Term Loyalty Comes from Subscription Models

The subscription economy has altered the landscape of e-commerce. This novel business model helps companies stay afloat and build long-term connections with their customer base. Its premise is simple: a consumer pays a company on a regular basis—usually monthly or yearly—in exchange for a product or service. Yet, subscribing requires a kind of trust that some e-commerce businesses might not yet have earned.

Selling products is only part of the subscription business model; creating an experience is another. The most profitable subscription companies have figured out how to build loyalty beyond what might be expected in a typical transactional relationship. They do this by offering their subscribers access to superexclusive experiences. These can be as simple as letting members have first dibs on new products (something that almost every subscription beauty business does, in one way or another).

Boosting Retention Rates with Vibrant Engagement

Subscription fatigue is an inevitable consequence of a burgeoning market. But what can be done to combat it? One answer is to use data, lots of it, in the service of three tasks: refining the actual product; making the presentation of the product itself more enticing; and finding and using the places in the customer relationship where surprises, delight, and just plain smartness can be inserted.

Updating the Customer Experience in the Digital Landscape

Customers’ journeys are more dynamic than ever, and businesses are selling like mad to harness that dynamism and shape it to their ends. The goal? A shopping experience that’s consistent, personalized, and inarguably efficient.

The Omnichannel Imperative

Today’s consumers demand smooth shifts from online to offline interactions. Omnichannel commerce is a more sophisticated and inclusive form of commerce that now fully integrates all the places and ways that customers want to interact with your brand—be it online, on a mobile device, in a physical store, or a social platform.

Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store Services

Combining the ease of online shopping with the instant gratification of in-store retail, e-commerce is making a big push in the direction of omnichannel shopping. Give consumers digital shopping with the immediacy of an in-store experience; that is the modern retail imperative.

Using Data to Get Omnichannel Success

Across channels, consistency comes from strong data integration. Real-time analytics and CRM tools allow businesses to keep tabs on their customer interactions and the channels through which they flow. This level of tracking gives businesses a much clearer view of the types of customers they have and a better handle on making well-informed decisions about servicing those customers.

Offering Flexible Payment Options at Checkout Drives Cart Conversion Rates

By Offering Payment Methods for Every Customer No matter what payment method a customer prefers—from Shop Pay to PayPal to a simple good-old-fashioned credit card—you’re likely to meet expectations and cart conversion rates if you make it easy for them to pay.

The Expansion of Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) Services

Buy Now, Pay Later services permit customers to partition payments into interest-free installments, which is very appealing to shoppers watching their budgets. These options certainly seem to allow for improved purchasing confidence and, for some reason, seem to give the impression of fewer financial barriers. Not surprisingly, this has led to higher average order values.

Addressing Regional Payment Preferences

The way customers prefer to pay differs around the world. For businesses serving international markets, it is essential to offer the means to pay that their global customers hold dear. For most customers, this means some form of online payment method that is secure and convenient. But even within the grouping of “online payment methods,” there is a world of difference.

The Merger of Ethics and Sustainability Informs Today’s Consumers and Corporations.

Today’s burgeoning eco-conscious consumers integrate sustainability into their pre-purchase deliberations. It ranks as a “top concern,” with some going so far as to contend that it influences “most, if not all, of [their] pre-purchase decision making.” The Estée Lauder Companies Inc., Sustainability Report 2016.

Millennials and Generation Z are more likely to consider the impact of their purchases on the environment. They are increasingly opting for brands that demonstrate a commitment to sustainability. Among these eco-conscious individuals, implementing the use of recyclable materials in product packaging is a surefire way to resonate with them and even draw more of them to your brand.

Synchronizing Brand Principles with Consumer Anticipations

Trust is built through transparency in sustainability endeavors. Online brands can achieve customer loyalty by conveying an earnest commitment to lessening their carbon footprint and to responsible sourcing.

Sustainable Subscription Models

Subscription models can leverage sustainability by offering refill programs, eco-friendly delivery, and recycling programs that together create a circular economy for products that are used and delivered on a subscription basis.

Online Engagement Is Now All About Social Commerce

Sales platforms have now merged with social media, transforming them into powerful sales channels while not interrupting the experience.

Interactive Real-Time Shopping Experiences

Livestream shopping permits companies to display their products live while watching viewers interact directly with them. This in-the-moment shopping experience is much closer to the in-person shopping we know and love, yet retains all the perks of the digital format.

Influencer marketing allows companies to access and penetrate niche markets. It is a way of building trust and authority among target demographics. Content created by influencers is generally more engaging and relatable to audiences than traditional advertising. Therefore, it tends to perform better in terms of conversion rates.

Optimizing Social Selling with AI-Enhanced Strategies

Social commerce campaigns can be optimized with AI tools that analyze customer data. These tools ensure that the right products are reaching the right audiences at the right times.

When weaving these trends into your ecommerce strategy, using a tool like WoopSocial can make the process much smoother. WoopSocial allows you to manage all of your social media accounts from one platform, and it also offers really nice automation features for when you want your posts to go live. If you’re an ecommerce brand that sells through social media (which you should be), WoopSocial is a way for you to build a strong presence on those platforms.

Businesses can keep pace and prepare for the online retail world of tomorrow by embracing the latest ecommerce trends. They can stay competitive and secure their share of this huge and growing industry. And that’s really what all these trends come down to. They represent a way of placing the business closer to the customer.