The e-commerce industry is booming at such a fast pace that it is expected to cross $2 trillion in sales in a couple of years. The impressive growth statistics of e-commerce businesses means extreme competition. In order to stand out from millions of other digital stores, your business needs to be active and follow every trend that comes out.
So, if you are starting an online store, here are the hottest and most happening trends to follow this year:
1. Time-Specific Deliveries
One of the worst things for customers is to come home to a note on their doorstep that reads “Sorry, you missed your package”. What’s worse is having your package delivered and stolen. That’s the reason more online consumers are asking businesses to offer time-specified deliveries. Although many businesses offer order tracking services to their customers to allow them to check their order on its route, there is still a huge segment of the market that doesn’t. In order to cater to the needs of the customers and to make order delivery totally hassle-free, e-commerce businesses should offer time-specific deliveries to allow customers to receive their packages as they arrive at their doorsteps.
2. Flash Sale Offers
What happens when you hear that your favorite designer’s products are up on sale of up to 75%? Online consumers love flash sale offers, especially on pricey items. A flash sale offer lasts for a couple of days, putting pressure on the customers that if they miss this chance, they might not get another in a long time. Therefore, in order for e-commerce startups to reach out to more customers, flash sale offers would serve as the right kind of marketing tactic.
3. Voice Search
The digital marketplace is gaining popularity over physical stores due to their ease-of-use and convenience. Therefore, e-commerce startups need to understand that adding more convenience to the life of their customers will bring more business. One such strategy that is said to have captured the limelight in 2016 is voice search. Because most customers struggle to find their desired product on an online store, a simple feature like voice search will allow them to find the exact item without clicking on multiple buttons.
4. Helpful Videos
Today’s customers want to ensure that the product that they are purchasing is authentic. That’s the reason most online consumers will look up product reviews on an e-commerce site or check out product videos for satisfaction. Therefore, new digital commerce businesses must offer their customers a better experience by uploading product usage and directions videos. If your customers are unable to find out about the product’s usage, they will not be comfortable in purchasing it. So, if you want them to trust you, make product-related videos. The more information you put out there about the product, the better the response it will get from customers.
As an e-commerce start-up, you must remain on top of your game to really grab the attention of online consumers. By taking notes of the aforementioned trends in the e-commerce industry, you will be able to stand out and grow your business.
