There is no denying that the eCommerce industry is growing rapidly. More and more people are shopping online, and you have plenty of major brick and mortar corporations shifting their operations online because the times are changing.
Given the size of the industry, it is to be expected to see trends affecting it. Unless a business recognizes a trend and adapts to it, they are less likely to succeed.
Naturally, some trends come and go, whereas others are here to stay for many years, such as ensuring that you maintain a professional online store that is optimized and functioning properly. Right now, there are a few eCommerce trends that stand out a lot and are affecting the industry.
Emphasis on Customer Reviews
One of the biggest advantages of eCommerce is that even if you are not familiar with goods or services and have nobody to talk about them in person, you can still find customer reviews and read or watch them.
Ecommerce stores are encouraged to emphasize the importance of customer reviews. If you are dropshipping a product and working as a middleman, you can take advantage of reviews that are already published on some of the biggest eCommerce sites and import them.
Judge is a popular choice as far as review import apps go, but you can get a better judge alternative, which is Opinew.
Customer reviews build trust, authority, and generate sales. According to Oberlo, roughly 9 out of 10 online shoppers read reviews before they decide to spend money.
Voice Shopping
Voice shopping is one of the best examples of how a trend is going to become more prominent with time. Some might think that the feature of shopping with your voice comes in handy only for people with disabilities who have no option but to use their voice.
While it is true that accommodating this demographic and enabling them to shop using their voice helps a business, there is more to consider. For instance, if you’re wondering: is dropshipping legal? it is an important aspect to explore.
Digital assistants like Alexa showed that voice controls are not just a gimmick and that people appreciate the simplicity of using an AI assistant. Well, voice shopping is the next big thing, thanks to available technology, and the sooner an eCommerce store invests in it and optimizes the services, the sooner it can expect to benefit.
Personalization and Advanced Customization
Personalization has become one of the go-to marketing tactics, particularly when it comes to creating content. Tailor-made pieces are more effective. From a first name used in an email and a birthday message to a well-crafted video, personalization is bound to catch the attention of a potential lead and turn them into a customer.
Now, as far as advanced customization goes, it should be pretty self-explanatory. For instance, if a business is selling custom merchandise, they should give shoppers the freedom to customize products as much as they want. Fonts, lettering, colours, front and back, and other possible customization options should be available.
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
AI and ML have already made an impact in the eCommerce industry, and it would not be a stretch to say that this is only the beginning.
Right now, there are two areas where artificial intelligence and machine learning stand out a lot. The first is customer support, and the second is data processing.
Many eCommerce stores still hire freelancers for their customer support department to fill the schedule so that there is someone available 24/7.
Well, it just so happens that the need to outsource customer support may no longer be necessary, thanks to chatbots. Machine learning allows chatbots to adapt and respond to customers instantly. Moreover, chatbots are not real people, and they do not have to take breaks. Businesses can save a lot long-term by investing in chatbots.
Data processing has also become one of the key things about running a successful eCommerce business. Entrepreneurs need to make decisions based on real numbers, and there is a lot of data to process. Customer behaviour, competition, predictions for the next years, and other numbers require thorough analysis.
Crunching these numbers manually is difficult, and it makes sense to look for a solution that can simplify the process. Utilizing AI and machine learning is the way to go, as these two automate data processing.
Virtual Reality
Virtual reality is another trend that is most likely to gain a lot of traction in the next few years because it solves one of the biggest problems of online shopping.
Some people find it difficult to do the shopping on the internet because they cannot try the product in person. Virtual reality, to some capacity, eliminates this issue.
By putting on VR goggles, people can browse online stores as if they are there in person. The virtual experience is not the same as visiting an actual brick and mortar store, but it is close and expected to improve in the future.