If you are in the ecommerce business, you should be aware that things are not remaining static for a very long time. As for those who are eyeing it and are seriously considering to get in as well, it would be much easier if they were more aware of what is happening and will continue to happen in the future.
This article will give you a rundown of the most important ecommerce trends you can expect to see in the next few years. And knowing them will definitely give you an edge over the competition which can get pretty tough no matter what niche you are in.
Customizable Print on Demand Products
Individuality is emphasized a lot these days. Both males and females are looking to express themselves in various ways and it just so happens that custom-made products are at the top of the list.
There are plenty of other great benefits of print on demand, especially if you go with a platform like Printify.
Getting in the print on demand game is never too late. If you have some free time or would like to dedicate your resources for a new project, then this one should definitely be one of those worthy of your attention the most.
Social Media is Still Strong
Social media is without a doubt one of the cornerstones for most brands. And it is not just about growing your own number of followers on Instagram and Facebook. No, things have changed from the early days here as well.
Now you have influencers who can make or break your brand with a single post. Moreover, according to Avionos, at least 55 percent of online shoppers have purchased a product or ordered service by looking at a social media post.
It just so happens that social media should be a priority now more than ever, and given how many people are joining the most popular platforms every day, the situation is not going to change any time soon.
Google is Becoming a Marketplace
Google Shopping is one of those things that not everyone is aware of yet, but that ought to change very soon.
Unless you are a world-renowned brand, you likely depend on organic traffic from various search engines as the main drive for sales.
Try integrating Google Shopping on your website and create a product listing ad. Starting is relatively simple as all you need is to register with the Google Merchant Center and meet the requirements for getting approved.
This will boost search engine optimization results and bring you more visitors that are more likely to spend money on your website. Not giving this a try would be a huge mistake.
AR and VR Will Play a Bigger Role
The future is very exciting because there will be more VR and AR implementations. After all, one of the biggest challenges for ecommerce stores was how customers could not be able to try the product beforehand. And they were losing this battle against brick and mortar stores.
Nevertheless, things are going to change and with all neat advancements in the virtual reality world, we should be seeing it used even in regular stores, not just powerhouses like Amazon or IKEA.
More Payment Options
If you have not heard about cryptocurrency, it probably means that you have been living under a rock. That is just one of the many flexible payment methods that more stores ought to implement themselves.
This is by no means a way to incentivize questionable funds being spent on your website, but rather giving customers more options. Imagine selling something very expensive. It is only natural that not every method of payment is going to work for that.
Eco-Friendly Customers and Brands
Our planet faces a lot of issues and the movements for environment-friendly solutions are gaining momentum with each passing year. Being part of the solution rather than the problem will net you a lot of karma points and customers will take notice of that.
The products themselves should encourage the color “green”, but if you can find a way to reduce the waste and offer delivery options with eco-friendly packages and all that stuff, you stand to gain so much.
Establishing Great Relationship with Audience
No brand is going to achieve sustainability if it cannot establish a healthy relationship with their audience. A previous paragraph about eco-friendly products is a good example, but your journey should not stop there.
Rewarding the most loyal customers, even if it is a simple discount code will also make a difference in the long run. Also, make sure that your customer support department itself is in good shape and that whenever someone asks a question, they do not have to wait for God knows how long.