eCommerce is constantly evolving. And, as the battle to win and retain customers continues to rage, online retailers need to turn their attention to new trends to keep their users engaged. Generations are shifting, and online consumers are becoming more influential and demanding. To keep their digital experiences relevant, switched-on eCommerce retailers need to embrace new trends. With a new year fast approaching, here are four customer experience trends set to shake up eCommerce in 2019.
Getting Personal
Everybody loves their local. There’s nothing nicer than walking into your local coffee shop where the barista remembers your name and your ¾ latte with one. In a traditional retail setting, that interaction is considered excellent customer service, in a digital environment, it’s a personalisation strategy.
The fact of the matter is, a personalised experience stands out and keeps you coming back. In a busy world, consumers remember the effort you make to personalise their experience, and they reward you with their loyalty.
In 2019, things are going to get personal with digital transactions set to get a lot more valuable and unique. As access to data is relatively ubiquitous these days, eCommerce businesses need to double down on technology that helps them provide real-time personal shopping experiences to their customers. From real-time content offers to curate a feed of products, the technology is ready to help transform generic shopping experiences into tailored experiences.
A Rise in Social Commerce
So you’re scrolling through Instagram and you spot an excellent pair of shoes – do you buy them then and there? If you’re between 18 and 34 then all research points to yes. Welcome to social commerce, the meeting point between social media and eCommerce that’s shortening the sales cycle and streamlining the way consumers buy goods.
While mostly indirectly, social shopping has been around for a while, but between ‘buy’ buttons on Pinterest and shoppable posts on Instagram, 2019 is all about social commerce.
In 2019, we can expect greater investment in shoppable capabilities by social platforms. This means more features, more relevant product ads, more seamless integration of eCommerce, and ultimately more purchases.
With convenience and social proofing heavily influencing purchasing decisions, an uptake of social commerce seems inevitable.
Drone and Driverless Cars
For thousands of years, goods were delivered by foot, horse or ship. Then came the aeroplane, car and bike. Come 2019 – it’s looking more like drones and driverless cars.
If you can walk out of a store with your purchase in hand, choosing to buy something online instead needs to be incredibly convenient and equally as quick. With many online fashion retailers offering same-day or next-day delivery, upping the ante is going to take something quite drastic.
It’s already started happening; Dominos pizza is trialling driverless delivers, and drones are being trialled by Chemist Warehouse and Mexican food outlet Guzman y Gomez. These innovative delivery methods aren’t far away from becoming mainstream.
Get Vocal
‘Ok Google, is voice search the next big thing in eCommerce?’
Google has highlighted that more than 20% of mobile searches are voice-based and 40% of millennials are using voice search before making a purchase. It’s safe to say voice-activated search is set to increase in 2019. According to research by Business Insider, the younger you are, the more likely you are to use voice-search as opposed to traditional search engines.
Since Apple first introduced Siri in 2011, voice search has come a long way. Assistants like Google’s Alexa and Apple’s Siri are streamlining the transition from product discovery to product purchase, making for faster and easier hands-free purchases.
With the potentially enormous uptake, retailers are fast cottoning-on to the opportunity capitalising on the meteoric rise of voice search presents.
As we ring in a new year and move towards a more personalised and efficient market, eCommerce businesses that want to maintain a competitive advantage need to adopt these trends early. In a constantly shifting market, retailers will profit from smarter, more personal ways to connect with their customers and provide experiences that keep them coming back.
