eCommerce is the evolving topic and industry of the current time. To get a competitive advantage, one must keep track of modern trends and developments in this eCommerce space.
A hefty number of merchants are developing their eCommerce businesses to adjoin customers wherever they are. There are situations where people might think that everything in eCommerce is new and latest. But we have narrowed down some biggest eCommerce trends that can affect your online store in the upcoming time.
Hence, in this article, we will see top eCommerce trends that are going on and can positively affect your store.
Table of Contents
I. Best eCommerce trends you need to know in 2024
Here, we will discuss some of the B2B eCommerce trends one can implement in their upcoming online stores.
#1. Chatbots
Chatbot feature is an incredibly functional marketing tool used for enhancing user services. The benefits of chatbots for any business include 24/7 services and cost efficiency for the business. It also automates routine tasks that result in better UX (user experience).
There are eCommerce stores that develop chatbots using natural language processing techniques. Hence, these programs interact well with online users just like human assistants.
Retail is the leading industry to use chatbots. As per Juniper Research, 70%+ chatbots will be retail-based in 2023.
#2. AR- Augmented Reality
The future of digital UX or customer experience in online stores is connected with AR, that is, augmented reality.
It helped in solving one of the biggest problems of eCommerce stores in which their customers cannot try on accessories or clothes or imagine how the furniture would look in their house before the purchasing process.
AR and VR (Virtual Reality) are the technologies that can solve this issue by significantly enlarging the shopping experience.
With AR- customers can see how the outfit or other things will look on them in real life. Also, they can check whether the sofa matches the room or not, and many more things.
#3. Artificial Intelligence
Many solutions are based on AI and ML algorithms and have matured enough to be a widely used online shopping solution and bring large alternatives for improving customer experience.
The feature of image recognition is the top AI app feature in eCommerce. It triggers the improvement of visual commerce. Here are a few examples of image analysis improving shopping experience of the end-users:
- Object identification- users can click a photo of the product and start searching for it on different online marketplaces
- Inappropriate content- users set filters and parameters for specific content that they do not want to view, and hence such content will be removed from the search results.
- Image classification- users arrange products in the online store by using certain parameters like style, color, etc., which makes the searching process easy.
#4. Voice Search
In the current time, many users rely on smart devices like voice assistants for completing their tasks. They ask Siri or Alexa for product recommendations rather than reviewing them manually.
This saves time and also improves the shopping experience. This is the reason why eCommerce leverages voice searches for improving its strategy for bringing new customers, gaining a competitive edge, and increasing sales.
You should also optimize the feature of voice search on the eCommerce website for staying competitive for your customers. Here are a few steps to follow for optimizing voice search:
- Optimization using the traditional SEO and semantic strategy
- Optimizing product/service information for searching natural speech like what, who, where, when, how, and why.
#5. Big Data
Analyzing and collecting a huge set of data opens up many opportunities for organizations belonging to different domains. In eCommerce, big data analysis is the primary resource for creating personalized experiences.
In today’s world, retailers pay extra attention to developing strategies for individual data collection in order to show the behavior pattern of the customers and create valuable predictions.
Along with personal info, retailers also grasp numerous insights into the inventory, supply chain, warehouse, and delivery services which contributes to decision-making and results in enhanced revenues. This can be the main reason why Big Data is amongst the top eCommerce trends in today’s world.
#6. Conversational marketing techniques
Users not only search for the quality of their products but also search for an immersive experience and quality conversation that gives them the feeling of being valued.
That is why conversational marketing is rising. Using this strategy customers get answers about their services and even buy a product that helps with a live agent or chatbot.
Here are some benefits of conversational marketing:
- Helps the business to engage its customers with meaningful conversations
- Boosts sales with the use of customized recommendations and offers
- Collecting valuable customer feedback and data for making informed decisions.
- Reduces service costs as well
For using conversational marketing, eCommerce owners must do:
- Implementing a chatbot in their website
- Use the chatbot’s call-to-action or other live agents with a chatbot to optimize conversations
#7. Mobile shopping can be a game changer
Smartphones and their omnipresence over the internet have core factors that influence the highly growing number of internet and smartphone users.
Mobile shopping is becoming popular because people use their mobiles to search for products, compare them with alternatives and price comparisons, read detailed descriptions, etc. Moreover, developing mobile technologies has aided the ease of mobile payments and hence it has become reliable. It is safer and more convenient to make purchases now.
The majority of eCommerce websites should be optimized for easy mobile use. There are 2 ways for doing this:
- Making an Adaptive design- develop a mobile version of your website with simple navigation, lesser buttons, and useful information about the products. It looks good on the smaller screens of smartphones.
- Developing a Mobile app- develop a separate software that users can install on their mobile devices directly from the Play Store or App Store.
#8. Different payment methods
Multiple payment methods in an eCommerce store will provide your online store a competitive edge as users can choose the payment as per their comfort. Thus, there are fewer chances of them abandoning the cart.
What payment methods can be included:
- One can include debit and credit cards
- Direct bank transfers
- Cash on delivery can be a good alternative
- Easy mobile payments
- Cryptocurrencies
- eWallets, and many more
#9. Influencer marketing
This type of marketing is getting famous with the growth of social platforms like Facebook, Instagram, etc. The eCommerce industry becomes tightly connected with different social platforms. There’s a huge potential for this trend:
- Direct sales using social media platforms and simplifying purchasing journey
- Paid ads to attract a huge audience with potential clients
- Appealing to the content of your brand and ultimately customer engagement increases
- Influencer marketing helps with marketing your products by taking help from famous personalities and boosting your sales.
The Influencer Marketing eCommerce trends also takes us to the end of this top list which we beliveve that you don’t want to miss out to upgrade your online business.
II. Concluding Words
The top eCommerce trends discussed in this article highlight the importance of personalization, convenience, sustainability, and seamless shopping experiences.
As businesses strive to stay competitive in the digital landscape, it is crucial to embrace these trends and adapt to the evolving needs of customers. By leveraging AI-powered solutions, optimizing mobile experiences, exploring new payment options, and embracing sustainable practices, eCommerce companies can position themselves for success in the dynamic marketplace.
As we look to the future, the potential for growth and innovation in eCommerce remains vast, and those who are willing to embrace these trends and stay ahead of the curve will undoubtedly thrive in the digital realm.
