Ecommerce is one of the faster-growing industries. It continues to make leaps and bounds without any intent to stop. More and more people are starting their own online businesses, not to mention all the big players putting more emphasis on their presence on the internet.
While having an ecommerce venture can be a great idea, one has always to make sure that they are not left behind. The competition is tough in all niches, and even small errors can lead to a lot of negative consequences.
Being up to date with the industry’s trends should be something every entrepreneur needs to do. The world of ecommerce is changing all the time, and we can expect a lot of new features in the future. Here are some trends that are becoming more and more popular or will play a significant role in the near future.
Trend #1 – Print on Demand
Online shopping may seem like a fad, but it’s expected to become more prevalent in the coming years. There are ecommerce trends that’ll grow in the succeeding years. One is print-on-demand, which helps sell customizable and personalized items, like t-shirts, hoodies, branded merchandise, and more. Essentially, it’s a way to order items just before you need them, meaning that you don’t have to wait that long for your orders to be shipped to you.
Print on demand can be something you do as a side hustle to make extra money. At the same time, you can leverage all the features that this method has and use it to raise brand awareness and advertise yourself.
Custom-made t-shirts, hoodies, phone cases, bags, and other products will work as a means of advertising. You can add them as a bonus when shipping regular products.
Figuring how to start a print on demand business from scratch or use the technology to spread a positive word about your brand should not be a problem. There are more than enough sources available, and getting the basics down with the intent to scale everything later should not take too long.
Trend #2 – Social Media
Social media marketing has been around for a while now. However, it was only recently that all the big platforms have started to take advantage of so many active users and implement shopping features.
Sure, you could say that users of the likes of Facebook could advertise the stuff they want to sell on various groups or their personal profiles. But with this, Facebook itself would not make any profits. They are looking to fix that by developing a store that would become a true marketplace.
As more and more people will start using it, we can expect various businesses to join as well. It will create a snowball effect, and it will not be too long before social media commerce marketing reaches new heights. Social media marketing isn’t an easy task, but you can work with a digital marketing agency to guide you through the process.
Trend #3 – Google Marketplace
With everything that is happening in the world right now, it should not come as a surprise that even Google is starting its own marketplace.
It should be fun to watch how everything pans out because Google has so many resources at their disposal. And virtually anyone can sign up for Google Merchant Center and get started. After all, the sooner you jump in, the more you can expect to benefit, especially when this particular trend is still picking up momentum.
Trend #4 – Virtual Reality
Ecommerce is a growing market, and a big part of this is that it makes it easier to buy something online. Retailers want to ensure that customers are satisfied with their purchases by enhancing their ecommerce journey.
Virtual reality is definitely one for the future. Online shopping has some disadvantages, but the fact that you cannot try products yourself in person is certainly one of the biggest downsides.
However, this is going to change as more and more businesses are adopting virtual and augmented reality technologies. Customers will be able to put on VR goggles and enter the store to browse what is available.
Of course, this will not be available for every single niche, but those who can take advantage should not hesitate and invest early. While there are still a lot of developments needed to make sure that even regular stores can make use of VR in the future, do not miss out on what could be one of the biggest game-changers for ecommerce.
Trend #5 – Retargeting
Relying entirely on new customer influx is not a good approach. Even brands that are known throughout the world are looking to focus more on their retargeting campaigns.
Returning customers should make a large number of your website traffic. And since these people have spent money on the store before, they are more likely to do so again.
How do you work on retargeting? Well, you need to ensure the best customer experience possible. Introducing new products or different variations for stuff you have right now will also keep things fresh.
Trend #6 – Voice Commerce
Some will say that more and more shoppers are getting lazier. Thanks to the convenience of online stores as well as services that will deliver stuff to your door, one does not have to leave their home. Other ecommerce trends are anticipated to grow soon, such as voice commerce. Voice commerce works by combining physical and digital shopping.
Voice commerce is another trend that you should look forward to in the next few years. Alexa, Siri, and other voice-activated assistants make the lives of people easier, and it is no surprise to expect that they will help with shopping as well.
Essentially, voice commerce allows you to use voice commands to communicate and purchase items. For example, cloud-based voice assistant Alexa can help customers buy products from the popular online marketplace Amazon. Voice-controlled devices make online shopping more accessible and more convenient.
Trend #7 – Chatbots
Ecommerce is a booming industry, but it’s also very competitive and constantly changing. One ecommerce trend that continues to grow is the use of chatbots. One of the best ways to engage with your customers is through live chat. There are numerous benefits to using chatbots, including increased sales and the bottom line, not to mention that it saves you tons of money on staffing and operations. But live chat isn’t just beneficial for sales. Chatting with potential customers also helps soften up people who might have second thoughts about choosing your brand. Communication using AI helps customers decide by providing them relevant and valuable information on your products and services.
Takeaway
The ecommerce industry is growing at a rapid pace because people are spending more time shopping online than ever before. There are many factors that are contributing to the growth in the ecommerce industry. But, one thing is for sure—it’ll continuously grow for years to come.