What Is Going to Shape up Ecommerce in the Next Few Years?

With all the recent developments in ecommerce, it does not seem that the industry is going to stop growing in the next few years. In fact, plenty of people project that the future seems very bright for ecommerce.

Virtually anyone can jump in and start a venture. It may be hard to stand out because of all the competition, but even oversaturated niches are not stopping new entrepreneurs. Once things start to pick up, you can look to scale and continue growing with expectations to make more profits.

Trends are one of the things to keep closer tabs on. If you are not up to date with what is happening, losing your position is a strong possibility. Other brands will expose areas in which you lack and will steal your customers.

Here are some trends that will continue to make an impact in the future if they have not done so already. Make sure you are aware of them.

Trend #1 – Print-on-Demand

You may be wondering what print-on-demand has to do with trends. The idea of custom-made merchandise, such as t-shirts, has been around for a long time.

However, it is only now that more and more brands are looking to take advantage of, especially if they are emphasizing brand awareness over other elements of a sustainable business.

Sure, you can also look to focus on developing a side store and make more sales by offering POD products. But if you were to use them as a means to advertise, that would also help. Just take a look at how many people are wearing custom-made t-shirts or using other products.

Trend #2 – Environment

Proclaiming that you are an environment-friendly brand would give you quite the momentum. These days, people are well aware of all the issues that are surrounding the planet. Having a reputation of that company which is not bothered with what kind of packages they use, or how much damage they do to nature is not something that a lot of people would tolerate.

It is even worse when companies claim to be eco-friendly, and then it is revealed that they were not telling the truth. If you decide to stick to this policy, do not abandon it because it will backfire.

Trend #3 – Social Media

Influencers, contests, giveaways, ad campaigns, and other means to grow one’s presence on social media platforms. Facebook and Instagram have millions of active users every day. It is no surprise that the owners of these websites are looking to implement a marketplace.

That is correct. You, as a brand, can integrate a store directly on social media. More than enough people spend the majority of their free time on Facebook or Instagram. If there is an option to shop there as well without leaving the platform, you can bet that there will be those who would make use of it.

Trend #4 – Virtual Reality

Virtual reality allows you to browse collections as if you are physically in the store. It is no surprise that more and more people are pushing for improvements in VR and AR. One of the biggest disadvantages of online shopping is the fact that you cannot touch or feel products. 

It is difficult to make a decision when you do not know whether something will fit or look good on you. But having this experience, thanks to virtual and augmented reality, will help customers decide. 

Trend #5 – SMS Marketing

Short message services are not something most associate with marketing methods. But looking at the most recent trends, it is noticeable that a number of companies are pushing to promote various offers via texting.

Texts are something we expect from friends and family. So when we get one, we obviously want to look at it as soon as possible. As you create accounts on various online stores and businesses, they usually ask for personal information, including a phone number.

One thing to note, though, is that spamming customers with SMS is not a good approach. People will not bother and block the number. 

Trend #6 – Mobile Optimization

Having a website that is ready for mobile device use should be one of your priorities. Tablets and smartphones are what about 50 percent of internet users use as their preferred device. Thus, do not miss out on so many potential customers. And keep in mind that this trend will only grow in the upcoming years. You can ever start to consider developing an application. 

Trend #7 – Offline Ecommerce

That is correct. Offline ecommerce seems like something counter-intuitive, but there are companies that are looking to build physical stores, even if there are claims about brick and mortar stores being dead. The reality is that they are not going anywhere, and if the biggest players in the industry are looking to create a chain, you can expect that this is something that will trend for a while.