With the world reeling from the hard-hitting pandemic situation, stepping out of the homes has been reserved for important tasks such as going to the office, etc. Many individuals are trying to maintain a cautionary distance. This has resulted in favour of the online shopping sites around the globe. With everything now a one-click solution, consumers do not have to go out to the stores physically unless super important or emergent.
The eCommerce growth forecast is at an all-time high. With more and more consumers shopping online every day, eCommerce businesses are set to grow rapidly, provided they offer complete user-satisfaction. So, if you don’t wish to lose customers while also boosting your revenue growth, visit https://wismolabs.com/ or a similar site now. Back in the first half of the year 2020, the trending eCommerce products all over the globe were daily essentials, cleaning agents, soaps, etc., the top-selling one being hand-sanitizers and toilet rolls. Even though the obsession for toilet paper rolls has dialed down now, the consumers have latched onto the habit of online shopping. The simple reason being, it seems safe in the current pandemic situation. The home delivery of foreign brands and luxurious items is a cherry on the cake.
A quick glance at the top trending eCommerce products in the pandemic-
- Sustainable and environment-friendly products;
- Organic products;
- Natural and cruelty-free beauty and skin product;
- Calming teas made with specialty, custom blends;
- Health & fitness items and diet products;
Future Of The Ecommerce Sector
Now that we have established that eCommerce is the future, let’s also have a look at the future of eCommerce itself. With the sudden surge in the number of online consumers, even the eCommerce sites are struggling to keep up with the demand. Be ready for the proliferating year of 2021 for your eCommerce business to boom with our handy guide on the top 10 trends and forecast list. Whether you are a retailer moving to the online selling option, or an already established eCommerce website, everybody needs eCommerce management software to simplify the online store management process.
1. The emergence of mobile shopping:
Online shopping via smartphones in UAE and all around the world is one of the rising eCommerce trends. You as an eCommerce business need to understand that consumers are spending time on their mobiles more than ever. An estimate of over 70% of the total eCommerce sales in the year 2021 is to be done via mobile. If your website is not mobile-friendly, your sales in the year 2021 are going to take a plunge.
Quick tips to make your eCommerce website mobile-friendly:
- Invest for the right configuration for a smooth mobile-friendly website;
- Test the website yourself to weed out lags and glitches;
- Make the checkout process clean and uncomplicated.
2. Diversified modes of sales:
A single website or app is not enough to sustain your eCommerce business in the competitive world that 2021 is going to be. As many as 75% of users, according to a survey, use multiple channels when shopping online. You as an eCommerce business need to diversify your brand and create an omnipresence across various channels as well as devices.
Quick tips for a seamless multichannel selling experience:
- Invest in your business and create dedicated Android and iOS apps for your eCommerce website;
- Utilize and integrate with other platforms such as social media to advocate your eCommerce site.
3. Flexible payment options and modes:
Rigid payment structure can be the leading cause of significant losses. One of the upcoming trends in the eCommerce sector is payment through virtual and crypto-currencies. Mobile payments are also a rapidly increasing and favourable mode of payment.
Quick tips for payment modes in 2021:
- Offer flexible modes of payment such as EMIs on large amounts, mobile payments, etc.;
- Add a convenient payment method on your eCommerce website.
4. Voice-based shopping experiences:
With the advent of voice-assistant devices such as Google Dot, Alexa by Amazon, etc., voice-commerce has become one of the latest eCommerce trends. Make your eCommerce site compatible with voice-based searches for a better consumer reach.
Short voice commerce tips for 2021:
- Optimize your website content for voice searches, especially mobile sites;
- Test if products on your eCommerce site can be purchased via voice commands.
5. Visually engaging eCommerce site for enhanced user experience:
Engaging content with images on an online shopping portal is a proven method to convert traffic. Leverage visual commerce to your advantage by displaying high-resolution images on your website with great content to entice the customer.
Tips for visual commerce:
- Ask your web developer to use WebP format product images for faster loading and superior quality of images;
- Invest in an image search tool for your website;
6. Addition of AI and AR to create unique shopping affairs:
As an eCommerce site owner, you need to understand the role that Augmented Reality and Artificial Intelligence plays in the decision-making of the buyers. A user is more prone to buy products from your site if they can see for themselves through AR how the product will look in their home surroundings, or on them.
Quick tip for AR and AI in 2021:
- Invest in the latest AI technologies for your website to bring a unique shopping experience for your customers.
7. Advocating green, sustainably produced products:
One of the current trends in eCommerce that is only going to go upwards is sustainable products and packaging. Consumers are environment-conscious. Hone in on this characteristic and show your consumers that you are doing your bit for the planet. Use sustainable packaging options and recycled boxes to pack products. If the buyer feels they can reduce their carbon footprint by purchasing from your eCommerce site, they will return for future shopping deals as well.
Few tips for a greener website in 2021:
- Let the customers know that you source products from environment-friendly companies;
- Emphasize reducing carbon footprint by offering digital invoices only, instead of paper invoices along with a customer’s shipment.
8. Social media’s unhinged role in online shopping:
Social media is a vast territory with its reach in every corner of the world. Use the various social platforms to your advantage. As an eCommerce owner, you need to take platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, even Pinterest, seriously as a marketing tool. Regular updates on these platforms about various deals and products can help increase traffic to your website.
Short tips regarding social media in 2021:
- Curate polished marketing strategies to promote your website on social media platforms;
- Add a “buy” button or a website link on the page itself.
9. Transparent and dynamic product pricing:
As an eCommerce site owner, you can add dynamic pricing to the website to stay in the competition. Only if you price your products right, can you stay in this ever-evolving and competitive online shopping sector.
Efficient tip for dynamic pricing in 2021:
- Invest in a good dynamic pricing software for your eCommerce site, and set the prices at par with the rival websites.
10. Personalization:
One of the trends in the eCommerce industry that is rapidly gaining popularity is personalization. Personalized newsletters to the subscribed customers, chat-bots for guiding through the online shopping session, etc. are small investments to make for long-term profits. Users are bound to return to websites that offer unique user-experience. Even some websites provide live mockup mostly for clothes while one shop online with them.
Pro tips for personalization:
- Create a personalized mailing list, and target customers based on their past purchases;
- Offer eco-friendly packaging to highlight your aesthetics;
- Guide the customers to find the right product with a personalized chatbot on the website.
Bonus tip:
Sharing original reviews and customer videos on social platforms- To gain the customer’s trust and also display your eCommerce site’s authenticity, you can share genuine feedback on the social media handles as well as the website.
Wrapping Up –
The question as an eCommerce site in 2021 should not be what is trending in eCommerce, rather it should be how you can enhance the user’s experience of online shopping with the latest technology. When your eCommerce site is engaging more traffic, you are bound to rake in more profits.
Even though we have shared with you 10 trends and forecasts for 2021, it does not necessarily mean that you apply all at once. Test a few and see which trend best suits your website. Even when the current pandemic situation is dialed down, the eCommerce sector is only going to expand from here on. Keep up to date with the current trends to level the playing field, or you are going to vanish from the eCommerce horizon.
