Running an online store seems like a smart choice these days. The whole drill comes out as quite simple and doable. However, if you don’t do the research and neglect to check out what’s new on the market, you won’t reach the results you want. So, pay close attention to the brand-new eCommerce trends for 2022.
This comprehensive guide will help you understand what to focus on in the year to come. Aside from good quality, reliability, and firm bonds with users, there are a few other things to include in your strategies. Get ready to nail 2022 & run a successful e-business!
What is eCommerce – in simple words? [Basic definition to cover]
Before we start canvassing all the new eCommerce trends, it’s crucial to understand what we have on our hands. For those who are yet to enter the amazing world of dropshipping, manufacturing, or buying wholesale – we’ll cover the basic meaning behind this widespread term. So, electronic commerce, internet commerce, or simply – eCommerce, stands for buying and selling specific goods or services online. It also entails the transfer of money and data to enable all transactions and purchases. The first successful case of eCommerce was documented in ‘94, and now we have up to 24 million online stores that qualify for this category. Some of them are titans like Amazon, and others are quite small (with big dreams yet to be fulfilled). Anyhow, if your goals include crashing into the market & winning big, start by knowing your essentials. First, explore the business models you can turn to and gradually move toward other significant aspects like choosing the proper tech stack, taking good care of customers, providing them excellent support, and reinventing your brand. Sounds tricky? It may seem that way, but there are plenty of guides out there to follow. And if you choose the right partner – things will undoubtedly go smoothly!
Set the aims high: Start by understanding why eCommerce is the future!
There are numerous reasons to consider starting an eCommerce business. Here are three indisputable points in favor of this popular approach to sales:
- It offers a whole new layer of security in terms of economic stability,
- The number of purchases is growing non-stop, and so are the potential acquisition channels,
- It creates a solid stream of revenue.
With 1.5 billion regular & occasional online buyers, determining to offer your products or services through the world wide web is a superb chance to hit the jackpot. But to start off rightly, make sure to run meticulous market research. Then, you will gain valuable insights, spot the gaps, and grab hold of customers who recognize your potential.
Staying ahead of the game: What are the future trends in eCommerce?
According to a study done by Shopify, over 150 million people started buying online for the first time in 2020. And although researchers have shown that this growth seemed to dry up throughout 2021, all forecasts are predicting massive success for all e-commerce future trends. So, which major changes should you focus on, and what are the best new practices to embrace? Well, start by putting these eCommerce trends for 2022 on center stage:
- Aim for the highest level of personalization,
- Follow the tech advancements and be present on all relevant social channels,
- Provide various options to your buyers,
- Optimize your website & platforms
These are the main tendencies to learn about and implement. Be sure to arm yourself with patience and a lot of knowledge! The entire world is changing at a breakneck pace. And so are the shopping experiences. Know what’s trendy, distinguish how it can be turned into a competitive advantage, and keep on going!
Never dismiss the power of personalization
What is a more effective tactic – constantly reaching out to new consumers or doing your best to attract returning customers? If you went for the second option, you’ve got this right. Surely, expanding your base of buyers is great, and it can lead to awesome results. However, retaining and re-enticing the loyal purchasers over and over again is a bottom line you should strive to!
So, how can you make them come back and advocate for your online store? There are a few variables to consider, starting with excellent customer service. But all of those key factors have one single thing that binds them together. It’s personalization. Choose a target crowd and show an interest in what they truly want. Then, set your objectives and create an effective strategy to satisfy their unique needs. Lastly, pick a few tools that will take the personalized approach to a whole new level. AI-driven platforms and omnichannel support might help you reach the desired aims here.
Rely on the technologies & boost the social media presence
First thing’s first – consolidate your tech stack & choose the most fitting development team to join you on your journey! You can build a dev team from scratch and go for an in-house department or decide to try out outsourcing web development. Both options have substantial perks, and it is up to you to select the one that suits your needs.
If you already have some work done and you’re just planning to do a bit of a retouch, keep your old stack in mind and make sure that the technologies you choose are compatible with it. Also, don’t forget that you will want to scale the whole thing. Consult with reliable tech professionals and see which technologies are capable of scaling quickly. Finally, be sure to know the pros and cons of popular stacks like MEAN, LAMP, and more.
Here’s a bonus tip: Whichever direction you choose, ensure that all future integrations and customization are possible (without much trouble, wasted time, and additional costs).
Strong social media presence is your powerful ally
Facebook has a history of successful retailers who pushed their products onto their platforms and offered a simpler and more effective shopping experience. Now, Instagram is following a similar path. From 2020, they came up with a shopping tab that allows its users to explore available products that might interest them. So, social media is a mighty tool for many goals and through many niches. These days, it’s a super-powerful asset that is being used as a sales channel. With 90% of social media users canvassing the internet through their smartphones, it is only logical that you build up your presence in this world and become visible to a more massive crowd. But first: optimize your posts, offer varied content, and keep your true value on the display. And watch how people react to your brand.
Augmented reality will be one of the hottest eCommerce trends in 2022
VR and AR are buzzworthy terms all business owners love to use. However, there are quite a few valid reasons why augmented reality is more efficient for eCommerce businesses. First, it’s more simple, portable, and available for a larger number of potential customers.
Now, let’s see what you can use. The most popular type of AR is location-based. Thanks to the Pokemon GO craze, this trend is still… well, trending. Projection-based AR is also huge. Its heritage started with the Star Wars franchise, and we’ll never get tired of it. And these are just two of many options you should most definitely explore! Because – virtual try-on solutions, interactive user manuals, preview placement, and AR filters are the future.
Offer multiple channels and payment options
So, when we mention different channels, it comes down to two main things. First, select your marketing channels correctly, and then – come up with more than one channel of communication with your customers. The first part of the equation is paramount. It makes your eCommerce easier to spot and tell apart from other online stores. You can increase traffic, engage with consumers, and get more conversions by focusing on simple things like email marketing, affiliate networks, search engines, and more.
Now, what about the customer and their necessities? Aside from having a call center, there are a few other ways to speak with buyers and help them out with any possible issues. Live chat and chatbots are two legit choices to try out. But it’s best to engage and respond through multiple social media channels, via email, text, and more. If it sounds like a bit too much, your top choice may be to outsource customer service to a reliable third-party team.
More payment options: Best PayPal alternatives
Now, we’re getting to the part that truly matters. Be flexible and assertive when it comes to transactions. If you offer more than just a single payment method, your customers will appreciate the gesture. Sure, PayPal will unlikely go out of style. But it’s important to keep your store open for other possibilities. Start by exploring some tested PayPal alternatives like Square or Stripe.
Mobile experience = either a massive success or a big time fail
According to the data gathered in September 2021, 79% of smartphone users have made a purchase online using their mobile devices over the past 6 months. Fascinating, huh? Well, you can score big if you optimize your eCommerce & make it easy (and pleasant) to navigate via phone. Responsiveness is the key trait to ensure. And this includes the design and all visual elements. If it looks good on desktop + it doesn’t take forever-and-a-day to load an image on your machine, that still doesn’t make it mobile-proof. Be sure to grant a superb experience to all those eager shoppers who would like to buy your product or service through their smartphones.
Crush your targets by embracing these popular eCommerce trends for 2022
These are some of the noteworthy eCommerce trends for 2022 you can’t afford to miss out on. But trust us when we say that there is more to range over. And we’ll make sure to keep you posted! In the meantime, if you need a reliable partner to reach your business aims & take your online store to the next level: let’s chat!
