Ecommerce Trends That Will Dominate in 2018

2017 has been a great year for e-commerce, as many fresh and impressive additions were introduced to online businesses. And as 2018 approaches, the technology advancements are proceeding to greater levels. The seven amazing e-commerce trends that are just around the corner that will dominate the sector, in the oncoming year, are as follows.

1. Big Data and Analytics are Sharper than Ever:

Big data and analytics have transformed all industries, to squeeze the best out of their endeavors. Accordingly, almost every action of the users can be turned into some kind of data, today; and those data will assist ecommerce sites to know more about their target base.

Both the entities are all set to assess customers’ demand; disseminate highly personalized customer experience; and also to optimize pricing structures, in the future. The voluminous data, pave a definitive path towards implementing varied digital marketing cultures, relevant to their intentions.

Therefore, online marketers get to know, where and when to deploy personalized marketing, segment marketing, native marketing, etc. And eventually, it also boosts the anticipative outcomes of the marketing endeavors.

2. Mobile Usage will contribute a lot more to the E-commerce:

With the advent of advanced technologies, almost every person owns a smartphone or tablet. People predominantly initiate online researches, related to shopping and even make purchases through these gadgets, rather than from desktops/laptops.

As evidence, more than 50% of the ecommerce sales are now found to be made via mobile platforms; and it is expected to continually grow up in the oncoming years, which will have a significant impact on the online businesses.

The upsurge in the mobile market is going to be the trendiest vogue in 2018. According to Goldman Sachs, the global revenue share, the mobile ecommerce would hold, will be approximately $626 billion roughly.

3. Supply Chain Management is more Cognitive:

Supply chain management plays a significant role in the ecommerce industry, which is also extensively delicate to handle. The sector is going through vast improvements, eventually posing the next big entity in the ecommerce trends.

There are basically three key factors that complement these perpetual refinements:
Automation – It’s all about automation, as far as supply chain management is concerned. Automation and process consolidation helps businesses to propagate a clear and unhindered transition of product/information flow.

Data sharing – The data, such as availability of stock details, shipping information, customer details are made relevantly available at all the stages of the supply chain.

Customer-Centricity – It’s critical to know your customers’ aim, preferences, and tendency. Efficient supply chain management relies on all these to improve your operational efficiency.

4. Micro-Moments Marketing is already taking over:

When customers research about a product or look for instructions, there are certain most inclinable touch points, which are called “micro-moments”. Devised by Think with Google, the micro-moments are one of the hottest ecommerce trends that are going to rule in 2018.

Their raging need for immediate gratification and the always-on access to information through smartphones, fuels this behavior. Hence, moments, such as I want to do; I want to buy; I want to go; I want to know; etc. can be traced, through their smartphones.

In order to fulfill customer needs, ecommerce retailers reflexively take relevant actions based on their micro-moments. This helps to accurately anticipate customers’ actions and tendencies. Major brands are already catering their offers, leveraging these moments.

Thanks to the massive growth of the smartphone technologies!

5. Consumers Research through Voice Assistants:

Voice assistants have gone through an enormous growth in terms of popularity and desirability, in the recent times. Of course, people are ardently involved in using voice-activated digital assistants, like Apple Siri, Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, etc. in their day-to-day lives.

Consumers Research through Voice Assistants

Pertinently, they also put them into action just by speaking, to accomplish various purchase-oriented tasks. Permissive to it, customer research about the products they like to buy; make payments; and even check balance, using the voice assistants.

A recent analysis deduced that about 40% of millennials are already bumping into a voice-assisted research, whenever they want to shop something. Thus, it is substantiated to be a compelling factor that will influence the ecommerce sectors.

Therefore, the keyboard/mouse will slowly phase out, while the voice purchases are making its way to a greater prominence.

6. Messenger Apps and Chatbots Augments Businesses:

The global chatbot market has attained a whopping 24.3% of CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate); over 45% of end users consider chatbots as the primary choice, for customer service inquiries. Yes, we’re in the era of messengers and chatbots!

Messenger Apps and Chatbots

Chatbots provide ecommerce businesses, the advantage of straightaway interfacing with the whole lot of customers, instantly and naturally. Further, online retailers can also use chatbots to:

1) Propel customers personalized marketing contents.
2) Suggest ideal purchase options and special coupons or deals, to prospects.
3) Acquire valuable insights, directly from the customers.
4) Native advertising is heightened tips with chatbots.

Moreover, their compatibility with messenger apps, offer refreshment, against app fatigue. Hence, it’s evident that the chatbots, pinned-in with messenger apps will play a massive role in ecommerce, by 2018.

7. Better UX/UI for Intensified Ecommerce Utility:

The success of an ecommerce business obviously depends on, how well the products/services are showcased; and how easy it’s to the customers to comprehend them. The two factors can be addressed by User Interface (UI) and User Experience design aspects.

UX-UI for Intensified Ecommerce Utility

The UI/UX design has been improved a lot so far, we can expect to run through new updates with composite enhancements. This will greatly cut down the visual annoyance, inscribing responsive layouts. Owing to it, we’ll have to:

1) Heighten mobile-responsive design, as mobile devices are becoming the primary source for product research and purchase.
2) Exhibit a clutter-free and SEO-friendly user interface with pertinent videos, animations, sidebars, and real-time photographs, to grab the customers’ attention.
3)Provide navigation links to compare products with the competitors’, to enunciate competence.

Bottom Line:

E-commerce trends are continually gearing up for better customer acquisition and retention, over the years. Not coping up with these trends, will eventually result in a serious setback. Hence, online businesses must update, reflecting the new market trends; and also come up with new innovative ideas to stay competitive. So pay attention to all the mentioned trends and stay a step ahead in the online business world.


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