Online shopping has become a common practice around the world. But the significance of ecommerce future trends have come to the forefront especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. When quarantine and work-from-home became the new normal in 2020, businesses and emerging ecommerce companies had no choice but to go digital. This has contributed to e-commerce’s share of global retail trade from 14% in 2019 to about 17% in 2020. (source: Unctad)
According to research by Statista, e-commerce’s share of total retail sales in the US surged from 11% in 2019 to 14% in 2020. Since then, there has been no turning back for these businesses.
1. Taking Your E-Commerce Game Up a Notch
With new trends enhancing e-commerce, online customer experience (CX) and store engagement have become intimately tied to business outcomes. Customers have high standards and have become particular regarding their expectations from brands. So, if your website is not appealing, 38% of users will stop engaging with your content. (Source: Hubspot)
So, how should you build a robust website/apps that also converts?
We at Unified Infotech have helped our clients to digitally transform themselves using the best practices while staying ahead of the competition. To know more, please see our ecommerce website development services (web/apps, saas development) – 1200+ solutions delivered for small and medium businesses, funded startups, enterprises, and Fortune 500 clients globally.
To augment your website’s UX+CX and achieve your business goals across all the stages of the customer journey i.e. from lead generation to conversion, customer engagement and loyalty, we have listed some b2b e-commerce trends:
- AR to Boost Customer Experience (CX) – Digital platforms are using augmented reality to empower consumers’ shopping experience. Now, shoppers can get a preview of products and services in real-time through the ‘try on’ or ‘view’ feature. The beauty and cosmetic industry is leveraging the power of augmented reality (AR) to transform the e-shopping experience. With the help of AR, consumers can virtually full-fill makeup applications to mimic how they would try cosmetics on at a traditional brick and mortar store.
- The Power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) – With the help of AI, companies can deliver hyper-personalized and enriching customer experiences.
Here are two of the most powerful AI powered ecommerce future trends that can skyrocket your top of the funnel (TOF):
- Voice Commerce Powering CX – Why type when you could easily voice your query? If an e-commerce store does not have a digital assistant, this can be a major drop-off point for users. They will get tired of typing out their queries as it slows down their shopping experience. An Emarketer survey revealed that 40% of internet users in the US use voice search. Evidently, businesses can leverage the ‘voice-to-cart’ technology to boost a website’s engagement rate and sales.
- Customer Service Chatbots – Customer assistance chatbots can really help to convert visitors into customers. Like in-store salespeople, chatbots help consumers complete their purchase and offer after-sales support. This is a way for businesses and emerging e-commerce companies to communicate with customers (including communication using regional languages) and resolve their issues then and there. In fact, 40% of millennials say that they use chatbots daily as they provide answers instantly. (Source: Slicktext)
- Big Data for Personalized Experience– Online stores do not have retail salespeople to recommend products or answer shoppers’ queries. That is why it is crucial to have human touchpoints in a customer’s journey on e-commerce platforms. To mimic a user’s personalized in-store experience, online retailers are extracting customers’ information through their social media, browsing behavior, and prior buying patterns. Successful e-commerce brands are leveraging analytics to make UX data-driven and target consumers with exactly what they desire and even more.
- Headless Commerce: A Solution to Increase Sales – Headless commerce is the separation of the front end i.e. the marketplace, user interface, graphics from the back-end that manages the product details and the portal’s entire functioning. This allows e-commerce website development companies being more creative, allowing freedom and flexibility to offer unique and personalized services to customers.
2. Conclusion: E-Commerce UX Trends Are Here to Stay
Emerging ecommerce future trends have gained a lot of traction in 2021 already, driving more traffic to businesses and converting them into potential customers. The pandemic has made us realize how powerful e-commerce is. In fact, it is predicted by Nasdaq that by 2040, 95% of purchases will be through e-commerce platforms.
Looking for an award-winning, best-in-class e-commerce website, apps development company to build/re-build or enhance your online brand perception while complying with security and privacy guidelines? Connect with our experts and book a one-on-one free consultation today!
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