Online shopping is one of our favorite pastimes. However, as a business owner, you know trends are always changing, and you have to keep up with the trends to maximize sales. Merchants need to improve their eCommerce businesses to meet the needs of the customers. This industry continues to evolve, but we’ve narrowed down the 2021 online shopping trends to help you make the right choices.
Augmented Reality
Augmented Reality (AR) can be a game-changer for you. This technology allows shoppers to look at products they’re considering buying and helps make the purchase easier. AR completely transforms the shopping experience because customers can see what the products look like without seeing them in person.
Many eCommerce websites allow customers to “try on” the products before buying by uploading a photo of themselves or taking one with their phone to see how they look in everything from glasses to skirts.
Voice Search
If your digital marketing strategy consists of SEO, then it’s time to consider voice search. More people own smart speakers than ever, and that trend will only continue. People also rely on voice assistants for daily tasks such as adding to their grocery lists. For example, someone might ask their Alexa, “Where can I buy a new furnace?” Alexa will then answer with a list of businesses where a furnace can be purchased online.
As more households adopt these speakers, they’ll continue to utilize voice search for online shopping, ordering food, and organizing. Voice search creates an opportunity for your business to get ahead of the competition so your customers can find you with just their voice.
Artificial Intelligence
Artificial Intelligence (AI) helps eCommerce businesses learn about their customers so it can give them an automated but personalized experience. AI collects data on how a customer shops, the types of products they’re looking at, and when they make purchases. This technology cannot be replicated in-store, but it can help eCommerce businesses come out on top.
Personalization
When someone shops online, they want a personal experience. The data collected by AI makes this possible, allowing for personalized product recommendations and detailed customer service to help your customers move smoothly through your sales funnel.
Implementing a personalized experience on the website or through digital marketing efforts can positively affect your revenue.
Chatbots
Chatbots are a great customer service tool that makes providing customer service easier and convenient for your customers. Chatbots interact with your shoppers like a sales associate would and asks them questions to help find the answer or product they need. For example, a website that sells a weight loss pill might sell other health products. Their chatbot might ask the shopper a series of questions to help provide them with a unique, personalized experience that helps them easily find the exact product they’re looking for.
Mobile Shopping
Most people use their phones for everything and hardly jump on a laptop unless it’s for work. Mobile shopping allows shoppers to purchase items from anywhere. However, if your eCommerce website isn’t responsive, then you’ll be missing out on sales. Your website needs to be optimTherefore, your for mobile so people can find you virtually and easily shop your website.
Payment Solutions
When it comes to payment methods, customers want to be able to choose what’s most convenient for them. Without providing them options, they could back out of a sale. Offering a wide variety of payment options can help increase your conversions.
Many eCommerce websites offer options to pay with a card or PayPal to make it easier. Nobody wants to dig through their wallet to find their card when it’s already on file with PayPal, and all they have to do is log in. Making this payment process simple is necessary because if someone gets distracted, you’ve likely lost your sale.
Video
Video is one of the best ways to engage customers online because it instantly grabs their attention and quickly informs them about your product or service. When someone is on their phone, they don’t have time to read paragraph after paragraph about your product. Instead, they want something quick and easy so that they can make a decision wherever.
Subscriptions
Customers want subscriptions because they can set it and forget it, knowing the products they purchase will always come on time. Adding a subscription model to your eCommerce business can help you continually earn revenue without asking too much of the customer.
For example, if someone purchases dog food on your website, you can ask them if they’d like to set up a monthly subscription, so they never run out of dog food. This is more likely to result in continuous revenue streams without needing to spend more on advertisements to find new customers.
Optimizing for Conversions
Getting customers to visit your site is one thing, but getting them to make a purchase is another. It would be best if you improved your conversion rates to stay in business, so you must optimize your eCommerce website to not only get people to your product pages but have them make a purchase. You can do this by optimizing your product pages or use multi-channel selling to get conversions. You may also want to advertise online with Google Ads or on social media.
Do These Trends Make Sense for Your Business?
Not all of the trends will work for a business. For example, AR might not be for you if your customer needs to try items in person. Not every trend is worth going for, so it’s important to decide which one deserves your time and money. Consider all of the trends above and determine which ones will work for your business model.
Remember, at the end of the day, it’s all about improving the shopping experience for your customers. Therefore, you must focus on them and their needs to increase your revenue.
Marné Amoguis
Marné Amoguis holds a B.A. in International Business from UC San Diego. She is a contributing writer at 365businesstips.com, where she loves sharing her passion for digital marketing. Outside of writing, she loves traveling, playing music, and hiking.
