From groceries to educational materials, to jewelry to outfits – everything is now available on eCommerce platforms.
The eCommerce sales in the US accounted for $211.7 billion in the second quarter of 2021, with online shopping more popular than ever before and the trend is here to stay. Here are a few eCommerce trends for 2021 that every retailer must know.
Top Ecommerce Trends – New Update
Video Marketing Will Become a New Marketing Standard
Video shopping has become a popular method of online shopping for buyers with a Bloomberg report predicting that 20% of online shopping will take place through videos in China by 2022.
Brands like Herman Miller and Levi’s have already embraced the video shopping trend, adding them as a key component to their marketing strategy. By the end of this year, both small and established companies will tap into video marketing tools to attract the attention of their target audience and bring them to their landing pages.
Customized and Premium Packaging
61% of customers said that they would repeat their purchase from a company that sells products in customized and premium packaging and 40% of your buyers are more likely to share your product packaging on social media if it looks unique.
Customized packaging not only makes your product stand out but it creates a different level of excitement among your shoppers. The better the packaging, the higher the chances your customers will make a purchase.
High Demand for Mobile Shopping
ECommerce shopping will rise to 72.9% by the end of 2021, from 52.4% in 2016. Whether they are searching for a brand online or making a payment for their purchase, customers want the convenience of mobile shopping. It enables them to shop and pay for anything on the go. With more and more people taking advantage of mobile ordering, the eCommerce industry has witnessed an increase in sales that is not going to drop off.
Retailers need to optimize their eCommerce shopping platforms for mobile. Website optimization for mobile means your shopping and payment options are easier to locate on smaller screens and customers can navigate with ease. GPS-enabled shopping apps are also trending lately.
Augmented Reality
AR is one of the innovative and effective eCommerce marketing trends that make online shopping safer and smoother for customers. In the past, people preferred in-person shopping for furniture and expensive items. Nobody likes to bring a couch to their home only to return it because it does not fit with other accessories or look too bulky. Now, it is possible to see a live video of their rooms with a couch with AR tools.
Augmented reality enables people to try a product virtually before making a purchase. So whether you are buying flooring material or artwork, augmented reality has become a key component of online shopping for all types of products.
Faster Payment Processing
Guiding your customers through the sales funnel is not easy. At times, customers choose a product and end up canceling the order at the last minute because of the inconvenient payment processing system. Therefore, every part of your sales funnel should look safe and convenient to your audience.
A deal isn’t complete until you receive the payment notification. So, even if you successfully convert your audience into leads, your efforts will be useless if they abandon the site due to lengthy and uncomfortable checkout procedures.
If you have not added a card, e-wallet, direct banking, and other convenient payment options on your eCommerce website yet, it is time to consider them. A simple and clean checkout process is necessary for faster payments.
Personalized Shopping Experience
Likely, you have already heard of customization and personalization in the eCommerce industry. These concepts mean more than a simple “hello” or “welcome” message that pops up on your customers’ screens as they visit your website. You need to embrace the omnichannel personalization experience to increase conversion.
No matter which platforms your customers choose for shopping, they must get the same level of personalized experience as your eCommerce site. Machine learning has enabled smart tracking technology for your buyers, so you can identify their preferences and suggest products they may be interested in.
Voice Shopping
Amazon’s smart speaker Echo, Google Home, Alexa, and other voice assistants have become go-to options for buyers searching for information online. However, while voice shopping offers the highest level of convenience to the buyers, it is a little tricky.
You don’t get to see the visuals of the product while visiting a website or social media gives you a better idea of the varieties of products. Still, voice shopping is trending. For grocery shopping and low-cost electronic products, people use smart speakers to place an order.
Eco-friendly and Sustainable Products in Demand
Many customers have admitted that the product’s sustainability is one of their main concerns when buying a product. Considering the customers’ growing focus on eco-friendly products, eCommerce stores need to create a greener selling and marketing environment to leave a good impression on their audience. Additionally, a vast majority of online shoppers are millennials, the age group that demands eco-friendly items. This high demand is empowering the eCommerce industry to adapt to sustainable and environment-friendly business practices.
Online Shopping through Social Media
Hundreds of thousands of customers purchase accessories and outfits recommended by influencers. They follow celebrities and influencers on social media and buy products they recommend. Social media has grown from a network connecting people to an eCommerce shopping platform. Facebook and Instagram now support the “buy” option, allowing people to buy products directly from social media.
Conclusion
The demand for eCommerce shopping was already on the rise before the pandemic but witnessed incredible growth in the middle of the pandemic when people were forced to shop online. The above trends have become quite popular in the eCommerce industry lately and the sooner you adapt to these trends, the faster your organization will grow in this competitive market.
