Heed these trends if you want to optimise your e-commerce marketplace
2016 may be considered the best year for e-commerce, with some amazing developments happening in this field. E-retailers are using data, analytics and innovative interaction to retain existing customers and gain new ones. Many trends and technologies are pushing e-commerce forward in an exciting way. E-commerce being an ever-evolving domain, its future is tough to predict. But these trends are promising for the consumers and retailers alike.
Here, we’ve listed the 9 major e-commerce trends of 2016 which you can’t ignore if you want to cash-in on the bountiful of riches offered by the magic world of e-commerce.
1. Integrated virtual sales implementation
Previously, the online sales team would wait for the customer to ask queries. Customers would ask about the features and specifications, before making the purchase. But the latest trend is retailers going the next step to initiate a conversation with the consumers via live chat. This leads to a direct point of connection with the visitor/buyer thereby forging loyalty. The sales team offers reliable advice about the products, its features or supplementary information, and hence the consumers are more likely to become loyal customers. In 2016, brands are focussing on building loyal customers.
2. Instant delivery
This trend originally started by Amazon has now gained immense popularity and is highly preferred by consumers. Faster shipping, same day delivery and delivery within an hour increases the rate of repeat customers. The key here is to keep your shipping methods in place to get the product to the consumers in the shortest time period.
3. Real time analysis
In e-commerce, real-time data is an invaluable source to gain insights into the customer behaviour on the website. With traditional analytical methods, spotting trends and behaviour are time-consuming. Actions to be taken by the seller slows down since they are unable to provide immediate assistance to the buyer.
Here comes real-time analysis, the new hero of e-commerce. Issues or loopholes in the sales funnel are immediately identified by studying the customer interaction on the website. By offering quick assistance by live chat tools any problem can be easily solved. The conversion rates increase incrementally since the problem is solved while the consumer is on the website.
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Here comes real-time analysis, the new hero of e-commerce. Issues or loopholes in the sales funnel are immediately identified by studying the customer interaction on the website. By offering quick assistance by live chat tools any problem can be easily solved. The conversion rates increase incrementally since the problem is solved while the consumer is on the website.
4. Video marketing
High-quality product images and optimised product descriptions have become vital for an e-commerce site. Brands are using videos to build trust with the customer. These videos are entertaining and educating the customer with the aim to engage them. Behind-the-scene video clips, informative videos and live streaming is just the start of video marketing.
The importance of using videos includes – making the website SEO friendly (Google is planning to rank websites based on videos now), increases conversions and the information is also easier to consume. With Facebook including auto play feature for videos last year, videos are now a primary source of consuming information. Many brands have even built huge YouTube networks to capture the consumer’s attention.
Behind-the-scene video clips, informative videos and live streaming is just the start of video marketing. The importance of using videos includes – making the website SEO friendly (Google is planning to rank websites based on videos now), increases conversions and the information is also easier to consume. With Facebook including auto play feature for videos last year, videos are now a primary source of consuming information. Many brands have even built huge YouTube networks to capture the consumer’s attention.
5. Content is king
Content is no more the means to optimise your e-commerce website for the purpose of SEO. Today, content is all about being informative. It is more imperative than ever to stand out with uniquely helpful content. Coming up with factual and actionable content has become a necessity. Hence, many brands are investing big in Content nowadays .
6. Retail players feel the pinch
As more and more brands are increasingly adopting the online medium in order to satisfy their customers, the physical retail store owners are feeling the heat. This is because, in physical stores, the customers don’t have the option of checking if the stock is available in the store. Whereas the company website or the app tells the customer if the product is available, if the items is not in stock then the customer is notified when the stock is refilled.
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Going a step further, they also let the customers see the stock in the local store and allow them to order from the cosy comforts of their home. All this is not possible in a physical store and hence physical retail store players are feeling the pinch.
7. Mobile shopping on the rise
When we think of “what next” in e-commerce, the answer is very obvious – mobile shopping. The trend of mobile-based online shopping is constantly on the rise. This means that e-commerce has to optimise their sales funnel for mobile. According to statistics, a person spends up to 5 hours per day on his/her phone, and this shows how mobile has now become an integral part of life.
8. More user-friendly designs
It is an obvious fact that UX/UI (User Experience/User Interface) has a massive influence on a customer. The branding has to be properly reflected, the navigation has to be easy and should appeal to the target audience. The entire experience has to be excellent or positive, because if it’s sub-standard the customers won’t come back. While a good shopping experience can transform a visitor into a loyal customer, the wrong shopping experience does more harm.
Also Read: Figures don’t lie: Here’s why e-commerce is key to retail innovation
The major advantages of user-friendly designs are – more sales because the purchasing is easy and the customer spends more time on the website leading to greater conversions and engagement. Here you can find free open source e-commerce platform software solutions.
9. Benefits from social media on the wane
Getting consumers to like or comment on your social media pages is slowly but steadily becoming an outdated trend. With Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter adding a buy button, brands are directly selling from their social networks. Hence in 2016, brands will have to find new ways to reach the right audience from among all the clutter. With an organic reach of social networks on a decline, e-commerce brands will have to find newer ways to engage their social media audience.
Thus, try to incorporate the above listed 9 major trends of e-commerce into your business and, thereby see your business attain new heights in terms of revenue and success!
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Chirantan Patel is helping sites avoid and solve technical SEO disasters. Chirantan has spent the prior 4 years deeply involved with SEO focused on large, technically complex sites such as Softwaresuggest.com and most recently work at AppitSimple Infotek pvt.ltd. Follow him on Linkedin.
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