The landscape of e-commerce changes quickly. Three trends on the horizon prove to bring about swift change this year as customers expect more from the companies they deal with. The same technology that fuels our increasingly mobile and connected society is also changing the way we shop and do business.
Social Media is Key
Computer searches for consumer products remains in the lead when looking at numbers, but links from social media sites are growing quickly. As more and more people link to, explore and ultimately purchase impulse items they find through social media, they’re more to be making those purchases through their phones. That, in turn, fuels the second trend worth watching.
More Mobile Apps, Please
More and more people are buying through mobile apps. A Shopify survey found that mobile traffic accounted for fully half of the e-commerce traffic through their network of shops. With numbers like that, mobile ecommerce sales tools and shopping apps are no longer a luxury for ecommerce companies — they’re the new standard.
A Demand for Excellence
Customer service is hardly a new trend, but as people become more connected with the companies they choose to do business with, their expectations increase. Today’s Internet savvy customers are quick to share information through reviews and don’t think twice about airing their grievances. So everything from initial order processing and fulfillment, inventory management and follow up customer service are more important than ever.
These trends will no doubt shape the future of many companies over the next 12 months. As people become more connected they expect the business sector to keep pace. In the coming year it will be all about flexibility, diversity of communication and, of course, quality. So some things never change.
