2020 has been a hell of a ride for the whole world. It has changed our lifestyles in ways we never even imagined. The way we work, the way we study and even the way we shop have been greatly affected due in large part to the COVID-19 pandemic which has hit countries all across the globe. These lifestyle changes are likely to stick around, and so everyone, including businesses, must adjust to the changing needs of the time.
One such change is the shift to digital technology for almost all aspects of our lives. We now use online means for work, to hold classes, and more importantly to purchase our needs and wants. This has led to a boom in the e-commerce sector and to the rise of several new trends in the e-commerce industry. For businesses, it has been imperative during the past few months that they keep up with these new e-commerce trends. Otherwise, they could be left out and would underperform compared to their competitors.
What is Trending in E-commerce Now?
If you want to know what the new trends in the e-commerce industry are right now, we have listed three of the most important and innovative e-commerce trends that you should follow.
1. Using social media as your primary store.
People now live on social media. They look for information, they chat with friends, and they share their views all on social media. This new social media lifestyle includes buying the things they want and need online. As such, connecting your sales to your social media account is vital. Customers hate long processes and having them find your product on your social media account only to redirect them to another platform for their purchase might discourage them from buying. Remember, the goal is to keep the number of steps for a customer to buy as little as possible to increase the chances of conversion.
In fact, several social media platforms have jumped in on these e-commerce trends and have launched their own e-commerce features. Facebook has launched what is called a Marketplace in some countries while you can still set up a Facebook store anywhere in the world. As for Instagram, it has features such as shoppable posts and shoppable stories that brands use to interact with customers and to present their products.
2. Streamlining your payment, shipping, and delivery options.
Of course, conversions won’t be successful transactions without proper delivery. As such, it is also important to create a competitive delivery system with the goal of reducing the turnaround time and balancing the speed of the delivery and the amount the customer has to pay for it. Reducing turnaround time for your delivery requires an inventory management system to help you manage your whole supply chain system and make sure that everything from ordering to delivery runs smoothly.
With everything good on your end, it’s now time to choose a courier who will help you deliver your customers’ orders. There are several available couriers to partner with and all you have to do is conduct some research on their performance, lead time, and whether they can deliver the goods properly.
In line with this, you should also make sure that you have several payment options available for your customers, including cash on delivery since some might not have credit or debit cards. Special offers and discounts on delivery rates would further be a good promotional tool to encourage your customers to make purchases.
3. Adopting subscription-based models.
Last among the list is to consider a subscription-based model. Because of the simplicity and convenience of an automated direct debit, this has been a good way to encourage people to make business transactions. Most subscription companies succeed by saving a customer’s time in going to a store monthly to buy their recurring needs. Furthermore, product subscription boxes give consumers a sense of excitement every time they receive a package. Just make sure to shake things up a bit with your products every now and then to keep your customer interested and hooked up with your brand.
With technology quickly penetrating every aspect of our lives, we have seen the incredible expansion of the e-commerce industry to suit the interests of consumers better. It has also become an opportunity for new retailers since social media as well as new and innovative e-commerce trends have in a way leveled the playing field. If you are looking to improve your e-commerce strategy even further, Advanced Digital Media Services can help. Get in touch with us by filling out the form below!
