The only constant in the ecommerce landscape is rapid change. Even a few years ago, a typical ecommerce experience entailed sitting down in front of your desktop or laptop computer to make a purchase. Now, more people are using smartphones and tablets to make purchases on the go. This is just one small example of how consumer expectations and behaviors are shifting rapidly, in part to keep up with technological advances as they become widely accessible.
Finding success in an ever-changing industry means keeping an “ear to the ground” to stay abreast of trends and shifting expectations. Here’s a brief guide to adapting to a changing ecommerce landscape for merchants looking to understand and facilitate evolving customer expectations.
Embracing the Rise of Mobile Ecommerce
More people are utilizing mobile devices to shop online. People are also spending more per transaction on smartphones and tablets. This represents a promising frontier for ecommerce retailers—one that’s no longer optional to facilitate, but absolutely crucial.
Offering a conducive mobile browser experience is key; thinking of mobile shopping as similar to desktop but smaller is the quickest route to alienating people trying to shop with their thumbs. Furthermore, many brands are launching designated apps meant to simplify the experience and bolster customer loyalty. Besides the fact mobile devices themselves are becoming increasingly more integrated into mainstream life, having the option to shop via browser or app is also a motivating factor in why people are turning toward these devices rather than their desktop computer more now than ever.
As eMarketer Retail reports, the following factors “would make U.S. internet users more likely to shop via a mobile device”:
- Easier navigation
- Increased speed
- One-click purchase
- Enhanced cybersecurity
These answers underscore the importance of providing an intuitive, quick and convenient mobile experience for shoppers. Mobile friendliness is non-negotiable now but will become increasingly important as more people make the jump to buying products online. Pro tip: Make sure your cloud ecommerce software is capable of offering a highly navigable and readable user experience on smartphones and tablets as well as desktop devices.
Personalizing the Customer Experience
While customers have never appreciated feeling like merely a number, ecommerce is trending even more toward personalization. People want to feel like you have something for them specifically—and like you’re communicating with them rather than a mass of strangers. As Multichannel Merchant writes, “A personalized customer experience not only boosts customer loyalty, but research continues to show that customers who receive tailored experiences also tend to spend more than those who don’t.”
Personalization begins with marketing. One simple example is personalizing the subject line of an email to include a customer’s name, a move that tends to boost open rates. Another is showing a retargeting advertisement featuring a product someone actually viewed or added to their cart rather than a generic image. Making personalized recommendations for customers based on their viewing and buying history is another tactic made possible by artificial intelligence algorithms in ecommerce. What do these examples have in common? They all demonstrate how it behooves sellers to take advantage of all the data available nowadays for the purpose of personalization.
Maximizing the Impact of Social Media Platforms
The barrier between ecommerce and social media platforms continues to break down over time. Whereas social media used to be primarily a place to market and make announcements, it’s now a place to buy and provide customer service. We’re now living in an era of “social commerce,” meaning people don’t even have to leave their favorite platforms to purchase items they see there.
Examples of this phenomenon include sponsored posts on Instagram, which require only a swipe to connect shoppers with a way to browse and buy whatever has caught their eye. Pinterest also features a “gifts feed” complete with pricing, product availability and links to buy. Merchants can also utilize modern ecommerce platform Shopify to run a fully integrated store on Facebook, reducing the number of steps social media users have to take to complete a purchase.
In addition to an actual purchasing hub, social media has the potential to become a full-fledged community for enthusiasts of various ecommerce brands. The right content will compel people to engage in a meaningful way: share opinions, join discussions, share posts, participate in promotions and even upload user-generated content. Social media, ecommerce sellers leverage it to its full ability, becomes a hub for engagement.
Social media is also shifting to become a forum for providing customer service. Have you ever seen a tweet or Facebook post outlining a complaint about poor service from an airline or restaurant? How about for an ecommerce brand? People often tag companies publicly, which means people are increasingly watching how brands respond—and factoring the outcomes of these interactions into how they view said company. Research shows that consumers spend 20 to 40 percent more money with companies that “engage and respond positively to customers on social media.” Make sure your company can handle customer queries not only via email and phone, but also through your social media platforms. Responsive, positive action goes a long way in establishing your reputation these days.
Optimizing Order Fulfillment
People want their purchases faster—but for little to no extra cost. This has historically presented somewhat of a conundrum for ecommerce retailers, as fast and free shipping is not actually free. But convenience is emerging as a major driving factor for present and future ecommerce interactions. Companies looking to sharpen their competitive edge are figuring out how to offer speedier, cheaper delivery without breaking their own bank or overpromising results.
For companies unable to outright offer free delivery, it’s wise to at least offer free delivery over a certain purchase threshold. This simple action can boost your average order value while satisfying customers’ need for speed. The more flexible options you can offer in terms of order fulfillment, the happier consumers will be at checkout.
Adapting to a changing ecommerce landscape is primarily a matter of doing whatever you can to boost personalization and convenience for customers, mobile and desktop alike.