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Find out which 2016 e-commerce trends are here to stay

We live in times when constant change is the name of the game, and adaptability is the order of the day. This holds true for everyone, particularly modern entrepreneurs, who may be looking into various ways of growing their business.

The advent of e-commerce had opened up several opportunities waiting to be explored. That, coupled with the rising popularity of social media, has narrowed the gap between e-commerce retailers and customers. The way people shop today has come a long way, and the process will probably continue to undergo several modifications with time.

Whether or not your e-commerce business is doing well currently, you don’t want to stop making the effort to bloom in the future. Here are a few e-commerce trends that will hold you in good stead as you progress into 2017.

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1. Image and video as content formats

The attention span of audiences today is limited to a few minutes at the max, which is why it is important to employ different content formats. This is where using large images and videos in your e-commerce website pays off.

The main reason behind using images and videos meant for being viewed on full screens is that they have the ability to provide impactful first impressions. Also, it is easier and faster for brands to tell their stories through these formats. Customers also find them more comprehendible and simpler, and often look for video content these days. Images and videos have better scope for sharing and going viral, thereby increasing an e-commerce store’s popularity.

2. Multi-channel shopping

Whenever customers find an interesting product online, they tend to check out the same (or similar) product on other websites as well. This is the reason why most online retailers prefer to go for multi-channel selling. This system redirects customers from the regular sales website and provides products through a multi-merchant system.

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Customers are greatly attracted to multi-vendor sites because it becomes possible for them to find an array of items from different sellers. Plus, payment is made only once – at the end of the process.

3. Engaging shoppers

When customers shop at a brick-and-mortar store, they are typically greeted and attended to by one of the store’s personnel. This person also busts your queries about sizes, colours, or styles available. When shopping online, however, customers are deprived of such personalised service. To put it simply, it is easier to engage a customer in a brick-and-mortar store because of the constant interaction. This engagement goes a long way in engendering conversions.

An increasing number of online stores are now employing various measures such as providing live chat support, giving detailed product information, introducing helpful popups, publishing demo videos, and facilitating immediate help when shoppers encounter a problem. This helps e-stores actively engage with shoppers in real time throughout their shopping journey, instead of waiting for customers to contact them.

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4. Mobile commerce

It’s no secret that the number of people shopping on their mobile device is only increasing. According to recent findings by Coupofy, mobile commerce is expected to grow by 31 per cent in 2017 which is going to be more than 200 per cent faster than e-commerce growth globally. Further, while e-commerce is expected to grow by 15 per cent in 2017, mobile commerce alone is expected to constitute more than half of this growth.

Progressive e-commerce companies have identified this trend and have been actively capitalising on it. They’re also focussing their efforts on making it easy for customers to shop from their mobile devices by launching their own mobile-commerce apps.

5. Virtual sales force

Modern shoppers expect to receive the same kind of treatment on an online store as they would in a physical store. A growing number of companies are now equipping their e-store with the relevant type of virtual sales force.

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It may be different in its form, but the nature of a virtual sales force is not too different from an in-store sales force. Its job is to engage and convince customers to buy. For this, e-commerce companies have been using popups, chat modules, and other tools to persuade customers to make a purchase before they arrive at the final decision.

6. Real-time actionable analytics

If you still use traditional e-commerce analytics, you probably take several days to so much as even notice a peculiar pattern or problem on your site. With real-time analytics, however, you will be able to monitor your customers’ activities in real time and decipher where and/or when they’re facing problems. They will also enable you to offer assistance to customers exiting your website before they actually leave it.

With traditional analytics, for instance, you may only be able to conclude that some of your customers abandon their shopping carts before checkout. With real-time, actionable e-commerce analytics focussed on customer engagement, you will be able to get more specific details about the problem, such as your customers abandon their shopping cards when they have a problem with a coupon code. You can then provide them with a more fail-safe coupon on your website immediately and prevent the loss of sale.

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7. Descriptive content

There was a time when all e-commerce websites would have short descriptions for each product they offered. The intent behind this was to enable customers to quickly skim through the title, the concise description, a couple of images, and a few customer reviews. However, things have changed now and customers want to know as much as they can about the product before they buy it. This is where long-form content comes into the picture. Such content is informative can let the customer know every detail about products. This goes a long way in earning their trust and convincing them to purchase from you.

Conclusion

Technology is always advancing, and along with the constantly changing tastes and preferences of audiences, it brings innovation into the limelight. Customers expect e-commerce stores to get better with time, which is why it is crucial for such stores to continually improve through innovation. Anticipating future trends and putting them into effect can help you win over and retain customers, and eventually emerge as the industry leader.

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Image Credit: 123RF Stock Photo

The views expressed here are of the author’s, and e27 may not necessarily subscribe to them. e27 invites members from Asia’s tech industry and startup community to share their honest opinions and expert knowledge with our readers. If you are interested in sharing your point of view, submit your article here.

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