Top 5 new eCommerce trends to watch
The second half of 2020 provides eCommerce ventures with abundant opportunities for growth. Not least as the COVID-19 pandemic created an upsurge in buying online. What other eCommerce ux trends should you consider or reconsider?
Unlike many business sectors, online retailers don’t need to throw away their existing Business Plans for 2020 and beyond. However, they do need to maximise on the new influx of interest they should be experiencing. The lockdown reliance on eCommerce will have a lasting effect, meaning many consumers won’t simply return to their traditional shopping methods.
Looking at important eCommerce ux trends, there are some developments already underway that have now grown in their significance. They are the ideal ways for your eCommerce business to underpin and expand its market share.
1. Growing volume of voice search
With the likes of Amazon Alexa and Siri, the demand for voice activating optimisation is on the rise.
Voice-activated technology is now a huge business. Which means increasingly online searches for products will start with a spoken command.
Even way back in July 2019, a survey found that 48% of people conducted voice searches, particularly on their mobiles and especially when driving. It’s highly likely that this is now even more prolific.
Online retailers must explore ways to keep their websites up to date with the most popular eCommerce ux trends for voice search, or they could start to lose ground to competitors in the coming months.
2. More ways to pay
The more online shopping we do, the more payment systems we come across. Sticking to those popular and trusted systems will help customers gain trust.
Technology has been changing the way people pay for purchases for some time. However, the coronavirus crisis created a significant upturn in this too. Various contactless systems became the automatic go-to solution, rather than handling cash with all the infection transmission risks involved.
This has a ripple effect for online payment systems too. Your consumers will increasingly expect a choice of payment methods. This includes being open to secure storage of their data, to make future transactions effortless and quick, this eCommerce ux trend has become ever more important over the last few months.
3. Augmented reality enhances the reality of online shopping
With some companies such as Wayfair have already approached the AR world with their app allowing users to place furniture in their homes. Is this the future of ecommerce?
Artificial intelligence and augmented reality are increasingly being used by both clicks and bricks retailers to achieve strong customer engagement.
To some degree, it’s about positioning your business and its products as ‘cutting edge’. Around 40% of people questioned about AR, said they would pay more for products presented to them using this technology.
This is also about helping website users to fully visualise and appreciate your product benefits and creating a personalised shopping experience via AR. For example, their feet in your shoes, or your furniture in their room!
4. Customers respond to video
Watching videos over reading content saw figures rocket when it came to conversion rates. Videos are providing a personalised approach to Ecommerce.
One of the ever most popular eCommerce ux trend is moving imagery of all kinds is becoming an important way to grab attention on product pages. Nothing too clunky to load, or weighty in data, though. That is a big UX blackhole!
Crisp snippets of video can ‘talk’ to eCommerce customers in a language they use daily on social media, for example. They enable retailers to support storytelling marketing techniques and to show added value aspects of products as well as to create ‘explainer’ videos.
Research has shown that conversion rates can grow by as much as 62% when consumers watch product review videos prior to purchase.
5. Sustainability is becoming more important
We have always been aware of the sustainability of products but with such a saturated market, going natural has becoming more popular than ever.
Basing purchasing decisions on environmental concerns is gathering steam. However, the events of 2020 have also boosted interest in socially responsible retailing. Do you care about all your customers, as well as the planet?
Some of the demand for sustainability will be a continuation of existing trends, such as cutting down on plastic packaging and reducing carbon footprints. However, eCommerce companies who want to be outstanding will need to find serious campaigns to back, and put investment into their eco-credentials and social responsibility.
This could also involve being far more transparent in your diversity and inclusivity decisions, not just your supply chain.
Digital strategies to optimise eCommerce
Businesses in this sector face an exciting time – with so many new ‘converts’ to buying online, and the fintech and marketing techniques to engage and hold eCommerce customers. Data science is also enabling companies to understand their customer base more acutely and create a personalised and interactive relationship.
However, orchestrating all of this can be a challenge, particularly as you can’t lose sight of the basics such as SEO, UX and effective website analysis.
