The hype train that is ecommerce continues to crush everyone in its way and it does not seem like this is going to be changing any time in the future.
What started out as a couple of projects on the internet has slowly grown into something so big that it challenges the entirety of brick and mortar stores.
If you are thinking about entering as well, or are already running a project, you will want to pay attention to some trends that are bound to have an even bigger impact in the near future.
Print on Demand
While the overall industry grows, it is worth pointing out that print on demand will certainly see an even bigger demand in its products. Quite a few individuals have noticed that and are looking to focus more on custom-made goods like t-shirts, hoodies, etc.
You ought to take a look at the Printify’s best selling products in print on demand to get a better understanding of what you could be working with, and whether that would be something of interest.
Environmental Problems
Despite all the climate change deniers, it would appear that more and more individuals are looking to pay more attention to what they buy and focus on more environment-friendly products.
While this does not apply to every single person on the planet, ecommerce companies will certainly not lose but rather gain if they strive to be offering something that does not affect our planet in a bad way.
Mobile Device Users
Smartphones and tablets are also something to watch out for in the near future. In fact, most businesses have already made sure that their websites are optimized for mobile users. According to Statista’s website, more than 70 percent of the online shoppers by the end of 2021 will be either smartphone or tablet users.
The fact that younger generations prefer to do their shopping with this method should be a no-brainer, but the same thing can be said about older folks. They are also becoming more accommodated to technology, and a smartphone has become something they use daily.
If you have not had your website optimized for mobile devices, you need to get down to that immediately. Otherwise, you will continue to miss out on a lot of potential customers.
Voice Commerce
The title of this paragraph might be a bit confusing, but it really is self-explanatory. Whether it is the fact that people are getting lazier or not, but voice shopping is a real thing.
It can be a bit tricky to predict whether this will grow a lot and whether changing your entire system to accommodate these shoppers is worth your while, but keeping track of this trend should be something to consider.
Social Media
The impact social media has on ecommerce is quite clear, but given that the most popular platforms continue to grow on top of all the new ones coming out, this is not a trend we can expect to leave any time soon. Embracing social media is the way to go.
Influencers, direct checkouts on Instagram, “Buy” buttons on Facebook and everything else that the future has in store for us. Social media continues to change the way we live our lives, and it will certainly continue to change the rules of ecommerce.
Artificial Intelligence
There is no doubt that artificial intelligence will play an even more significant role in the upcoming years. Customer services are one of the areas that can benefit a lot from AI, and that is only one example. If you are not prepared to invest in artificial intelligence, you will more than likely going to fall behind.
Personalization
According to the survey carried out by Bazaarvoice in 2018, about 50 percent of shoppers said that they care about the personalized online experience.
Happy customers are key to building a sustainable business, so whenever there is an opportunity to become customer-friendly, grabbing it should be a much bigger priority.
Subscription Ecommerce
This is not about email marketing. No, subscription ecommerce follows an entirely different model in which customers receive the same product by making monthly/weekly payments.
People subscribe to all kinds of products, starting from everyday items like pet food, vitamins, hygiene, etc. and ending with more expensive stuff like wine.
Drone Delivery
While still relatively unpopular, drones will be seen more often, carrying boxes attached to them with intent to deliver the product at the customer’s door.
Again, this is something that not everyone will be able to afford, but if you have a bigger operation, do not miss out on all the advantages of having a drone delivery service.
So there you have it. This should be more than enough to give you a general idea of what to expect in the next couple of years in the world of ecommerce. If you are also running a project or two, this article will definitely be of great use.