E-commerce – Trends to look out for

Online shopping is now the norm – fact!  E-commerce now accounts for more than one quarter of all retail sales in the UK and this is expected to steadily increase in the next 2-3 years reaching one third.

An accelerated digital shift is clearly underway, and though this shift won’t be sufficient to maintain 2020’s bumper levels of e-commerce sales, the post-pandemic retail landscape in the UK will be more weighted toward digital than ever before.

Trends to look out for include - 

1. Digital online sales will continue to grow – make no mistake! Things will level out a little in 2021 but will still be growing year on year.

2. More purchases will be made on mobile – making purchases is getting more comfortable, especially with dedicated apps and ‘buy now’ buttons on social media platforms.

3. Customer Experience will become a driving force for sales, excellent customer service = brand loyalty 

4. Personalisation – it’s all about the data and using those insights to individualise the shopper’s experience. 

4. Chatbots – they are growing in popularity with shoppers as a way to connect. An increase has been noted in people placing orders and making reservations this way. Customer Service is key and chatbots are certainly having an impact. 

5. Augmented Reality - AR can create unique e-commerce experiences that simulate an in-store experience, such as a virtual dressing room to try on clothes or a 360-degree model demo.

6. Voice Search – Hey Google! By simply clicking on the microphone icon on the device they are using, a customer can initiate a voice search and this is growing in popularity with customers looking to search online for products and services.

7. Increased response to video - customers will further increase their response to video and companies will increase the use of promotional videos to boost online sales. 

8. Subscriptions will keep customers coming back, from washing tablets, to coffee, to dog food, customers will continue to engage with this regular, easy way to shop online.

9. Sustainability – customers will continue to rank the importance of climate-neutral shipping and will look to companies who do this and who neutralise the emissions that still arise through campaigns etc.

Fancy a chat? Pocket Rocket Consultancy can help with your E-commerce needs. Get in touch for a free discovery call info@thepocketrocket.co.uk