Sales trends throughout the pandemic, and as we approach 2022, consistently show one thing: the dominant rise of eCommerce. Ecommerce has been at the forefront of online shopping for some time, with many brick and mortar stores relocating online or expanding their eCommerce platform alongside physical stores. If the Covid-19 pandemic taught us anything, it’s that pretty much every consumer experience can now take place online. Whether you want to shop for shoes or find headlines about the most recent Firefly launch, you will find a virtual outlet for it.
One problem that brands often wrestle with when it comes to building their own eCommerce store is how to stand out from the crowd. With a whole worldwide web of companies vying for consumer attention, plus the growth of headless retailers, it can be a battle to find your place. Another subject that retail experts are particularly interested in is how eCommerce trends will develop and what this will do to the customer experience when shopping online.
With this in mind, many business experts have got their eyes firmly fixed on 2022 and on the future of eCommerce marketing. We’ve broken down some of the trends that you’re likely to see more of in 2022 and how business owners can capitalize upon this when they start their own online ventures. These are the top 5 eCommerce trends that industry experts have their sights on.
Ecommerce Business Trends Predicted for 2022
In previous years, mobile shopping has been something of a slow starter in the eCommerce world. Many consumer reports put this down to wariness when it comes to making transactions on their mobile devices. In the past, there has been a widespread perception that mobile shopping is less secure than purchasing or storing card details on PCs or on laptop computers.
However, during the pandemic, these previous trends didn’t hold up. In fact, there was a surge in the number of mobile sales. This was roughly in line with earlier predictions that mobile shopping rates would rise by around 70%.
Increased mobile security and the rise in e-wallets are believed to be a couple of the driving factors that are inspiring people to make more mobile purchases. However, it also likely comes down to good old-fashioned convenience. After all, why go to the trouble of switching on your computer when you can scroll through sites on your phone and fill up your virtual basket from your bed?
So, how can eCommerce brands make the most of this burgeoning trend and ensure that mobile shoppers click on their products? Obviously, the most crucial thing for any eCommerce business to do is to ensure that their site is adapted for mobiles. You can invest in eCommerce software to test this or run a quick Google test to check how your site holds up in terms of mobile shopping experience.
Mobile Shopping
In previous years, mobile shopping has been something of a slow starter in the ecommerce world. Many consumer reports put this down to wariness when it comes to making transactions on their mobile phones. In the past, there has been a widespread perception that mobile shopping is less secure than purchasing or storing card details on PCs or on laptop computers.
However, during the pandemic, these previous trends didn’t hold up. In fact, there was a surge in the number of mobile sales. This was roughly in line with earlier predictions that mobile shopping rates would rise by around 70%.
Increased mobile security and the rise in e-wallets are believed to be a couple of the driving factors that are inspiring people to make more mobile purchases. However, it also likely comes down to good old-fashioned convenience. After all, why go to the trouble of switching on your computer when you can scroll through sites on your phone and fill up your virtual basket from your bed?
So, how can ecommerce brands make the most of this burgeoning trend and ensure that mobile shoppers click on their products? Obviously, the most crucial thing for any ecommerce business to do is to ensure that their site is adapted for mobiles. You can invest in ecommerce software to test this or run a quick Google test to check how your site holds up in terms of mobile UI.
Personalized Consumer Experience
If you’re wondering how to start an eCommerce business that will be a success, the key might just lie in personalization. As eCommerce expands, many companies are looking to personalize their consumer’s journey through the store, from browsing to purchasing and delivery. Personalization ensures memorability, something that brands desperately crave.
While online shopping is amazing in terms of its convenience and speed, it can leave a little to be desired in terms of experience. Shopping online can feel a tad impersonal, and consumers may sometimes forget which brands they’re actually shopping with. This is especially common when consumers do blanket searches across large third-party sites to find what they’re looking for.
It’s easy for online shoppers to overlook the brand and just focus on the products. This can lead to a lack of consumer retention or brand loyalty, which are vital for business survival. Without the physical experience of walking into a store, brands need to work a bit harder to catch their customer’s eyes.
If you’re striving to be the best eCommerce platform in your product area, it is no longer a question of pure quality or even of effective marketing. Instead, personalization is king in the eCommerce world. Personalization can come through eCommerce SEO tactics, like targeted ads and product recommendations, or from marketing tactics, like collecting the consumer’s email address and adding them to a weekly newsletter.
Brands can also personalize deliveries through branding and packaging. For instance, a personalized card included with delivered items is an excellent way to stimulate customer loyalty. Schemes, such as gift vouchers on customers’ birthdays or discount codes for referrals, are also great ways to make customers feel special.
Environmental Awareness Among Brands
Sustainability is becoming more and more of a talking point, both among eCommerce brands and among sales industries generally. One thing is absolutely clear: consumers care about the environment and are taking an increasing interest in the footprint that their favorite brands create. Conversations about ethical shopping are on the rise, especially among younger consumers, and there is a general migration towards brands who build environmentalism into their ethos.
Some of the key areas of environmental impact for online retailers are postage and packaging. Consumers respond well to businesses that offer to send items in as few packages as possible to save on transportation and packaging. This can also work out as more cost-effective for the brand as there is only a single postage price to pay.
Meanwhile, biodegradable packaging is something that more and more brands are starting to become interested in. On top of this, plenty of retailers are using recycled or sustainable fabrics and plastics in their products. Environmental awareness will be a definite draw for customers going into 2022.
Incorporate Insta Ads
Instagram is showing no signs of slowing down as an eCommerce powerhouse in 2022. If you’re looking to enhance your reach or to come up with eCommerce business ideas, setting up an Instagram store is a great start. Instagram already scores high as an eCommerce hub because of the prevalence of influencer and affiliate marketing on the site. Combine this with Instagram’s excellent aesthetics tools, and you have a winning formula to generate sales.
Social Media Platforms like Instagram (and Facebook) have also recently introduced more settings to make their sites friendly to online retailers. You can now set up a free eCommerce website or store through an Instagram business account and sell products directly on the gram. Social media sites are also ideal for innovative marketing campaigns, such as video ads or user-generated content. It also aligns perfectly with the goals of eCommerce, meaning you can blend your social media marketing with tangible sales.
Develop an Omnichannel Sales Strategy
Selling across multiple online platforms has never been more important for eCommerce sales. While it’s still important to focus on your eCommerce site design and brand identity, you will generate more sales operating an omnichannel strategy. The more online sales streams you have, the more likely consumers are to come across your products. Use a reputable eCommerce website builder to set up your origin store and then branch out from there as much as you can.
Another important factor in this trend is the popularity of third-party retail sites, like Etsy or Amazon. Shoppers no longer rely on knowing recognized brands and are more confident purchasing from well-reviewed sellers on third-party platforms. This means that the quality of your products is vital to generate good reviews and create sales.
Retailers can also make use of handy eCommerce software programs, such as customer engagement analytics readers, to track consumer behavior on their journey through your virtual store. By adopting this across multiple channels and your social media shops and pages, you can accurately read client behavior. This software can help you understand which platforms appeal more to which demographic and help you design marketing strategies around this information.
Marketing your products in a more targeted way allows you to maximize the consumer experience and keep customers coming back. Having a multitude of channels on which you sell your products also gives you plenty of sharable links and ways to generate content. You can even work with influencers on third-party sites to expand the reach of your products and target new demographics.
Conclusion
Ecommerce jobs, including roles like affiliate content creators, online marketing consultants, sales strategists, and SEO specialists, are cutting edge industries in 2021. As we roll into 2022, this trend is only likely to grow. Online sales statistics show that virtual sales will continue to go up, with more incorporation of things like mobile purchasing and word-of-mouth-based referrals.
There are also exciting things on the horizon in other eCommerce markets, such as widespread interest in virtual B2B (business to business) services. With an increasing overlap between online stores and social media sites, it’s more important than ever for brands to get inventive with content and boost their platform’s visibility. After all, content is the currency in a digital, online world. Remember these tips when you’re setting up your eCommerce store, and you’ll be good to go!