eCommerce Trends To Jump On Right Now
eCommerce Trends that aren't about to let up
It’s hard to believe, but we’ve been buying things online for well over a decade. Still, trends in eCommerce and online shopping are changing all the time, as customers develop new habits and methods of discovery. If your online store hasn’t been updated since the days of Web 2.0, it’s probably time to look into what you could be doing differently—and what others are doing.
Ecommerce Trends of 2016
Mobile commerce. You know that mobile is huge—in fact, it’s surpassed desktop browsing—but just how ready does your online shopping experience need to be for users on their iPhones? The answer: Very.
That’s because, when users are already browsing on their phone, there’s a good chance they’ll be open to the idea of purchasing on their phone, as well. If your site can easily show potential buyers what you’ve got to offer and securely store their information so that they don’t need to fish out a credit card on the bus, you’ll be able to more easily serve their needs.
Consider how buyers get to your page, as well—Pinterest buyers tend to convert in a big way, which means that if you sell the kinds of things which may be located on Pinterest, you can expect people to click all the way through to the end. If your wares are big on social media, a mobile-specific eCommerce site is so essential.
Smarter data. Real-time, live analytics have come a long way, and can help marketers literally watch when and why a potential customer may abandon their cart. Is the mobile check-out too difficult? Are the reviews so negative that a person decides not to buy? With the ability to carefully track your audience’s behavior in real-time, you can learn where the stumbling points are in your eCommerce platform and address them quickly.
Moving images. It can be hard to shop online when the photos of the products are woefully static. Between short videos, animated .gifs, and interactive mobile screens, companies can display their products in a more fluid, dynamic way. As customers become more and more accustomed to interacting with images, try to come up with creative ways to give your product images life and movement.
Hands-on customer service. Chat features have typically been thought of as more of an irritation than an aid in online shopping, but as customers get younger and more into the idea of communicating via text, a well-built chat module can serve much the same purpose as an in-store associate. They can help walk shoppers through options, suggest other products, answer questions, and generally close the deal. Instead of waiting for your customer to come to you with a concern, now’s the time to figure out how to make contact first. A simple “finding everything ok?” message can mean the difference between a sale or no sale.
Regardless of what you sell, an eCommerce site is essential for getting your products and services into the hands of your customers—and a functional, easy-to-use eCommerce site that meets your clients on their level will help you do it.
Ready to refresh your eCommerce?
efelle creative is a Seattle-based web marketing firm that specializes in website design and development, website content management, search engine optimization, and other online marketing services. Since 2005, efelle has worked with hundreds of businesses to help them with their web development needs. Call us at 206.384.4909 or fill out our online contact form to get in touch with a custom web design specialist.