The ever-growing world of eCommerce is not looking to slow down at any time. In the last few years, online shopping platforms have truly revolutionized in how they function. Since eCommerce has become such a dominating force, we wanted to look at why that is. Moreover, we will be discussing the trends that have caused such a boom in their success.
So let us indulge in this, what are the top trends in eCommerce solutions in 2021, and what kind of impacts do they have? We will also be covering the top mistakes you should take note of when making your own eCommerce website or eCommerce mobile app.
2021 Trends in Ecommerce Solutions
Before we begin, are you looking to launch your own eCommerce website, eCommerce mobile app, or eCommerce startup? To get the best software solutions, contact Enozom. They deliver quality software products developed by veterans in the software industry.
Now on to our main topic. The first trend in eCommerce that seems to be doing well is:
1. Personalized Experiences
If you have ever shopped at Amazon, you already know that you will be provided with suggestions before buying something. These are suggestions provided by statistical analysis that runs in the background over your past purchases. When making an eCommerce platform or eCommerce website, the software development team implements some features that use the user’s past data and provide them with predicted future purchases as suggestions.
Most of the big eCommerce solutions today run big data analytics in the background. This data is essential for eCommerce startups and online shopping platforms. So, if you are buying a PlayStation on eBay, remember that there is a very particular reason why you may be suggested a PlayStation controller on your next login. Now you know how this works.
This kind of system not only increases sales but eases the experience for the customer too. No longer do they have to remember every single item that they have to buy. Simply based on their past purchases, another product is predicted. Not so surprisingly, however, such suggestion engines are very difficult to implement efficiently, but more on that later.
2. Chatbots or Live Chats for Assistance
Suppose are using an eCommerce mobile app for the first time, you might run into issues when making a purchase. In such instances, having a chatbot or a live chat to answer your queries can be very helpful. Businesses with chatbots have thrived more evidently in the last few years due to the sheer interactivity provided.
Chatbots are essential nowadays, and live chats have become more common too. Any tech company and software company actually feature chatbots as one of their best-selling software products. This says a lot about the demand for chatbots in such service platforms.
3. Simple, Easy to Use Interfaces
An eCommerce mobile app or eCommerce website does not need concern over the visual aesthetic much. Yes, the convenience of design is great, but visually speaking, it does not matter how good or bad it looks as long as it works well. A common issue for eCommerce startups is that they tend to load huge amounts of data along with the UI, which slows down the entire process.
To avoid this, software companies usually make eCommerce websites that are compatible with customers. They need to have just a few things properly implemented, and the rest is irrelevant. As long as there is a price tag, an option to add it to the cart, and all the necessary steps to check out properly, the visual aesthetics will not do much.
This is also a reason why those who work with eCommerce solutions in software development do not tend to focus much on the front end. By comparison, a large amount of time is spent developing a competent back end rather than a good-looking front end.
4. Increasing the Range of Products
The term “eCommerce” usually pops up the images of groceries and everyday products. However, did you know that there are newer eCommerce solutions that sell more than just that? Starting from vehicle parts and furniture seems that nothing is going to be off consideration eventually.
This is great as it provides businesses more accessibility to widening their horizons. This no longer requires them to go to warehouses or wholesale markets to buy their resources. Automobile parts, computer hardware, and construction equipment, just to name a few.
5. Implement Proper Advertisements
This might read to be vague, but that is just how it is with advertisements. You can find some decent advice and guidance on how to do this. Of course, advertisement teams exist for this particular reason. The idea is simple. In 2021, it can be hard to start your own eCommerce solution.
The market is already being dominated by some giants, such as Amazon, eBay, and Alibaba. How can your eCommerce mobile app or eCommerce website take off in these circumstances? Adverts, that is how. When you are selling a product, make sure that your brand value is driven into the customer’s thoughts.
It is also essential to remember that you might not thrive just by using your web app or website. There is more to it nowadays, as you will probably want your business to also have a retail alternative. It is more convenient and faster for those who will need to wait long periods for shipping.
6. Flexibility of Payment Methods
Picture it, you just bought a new cellphone and just need to check out. When you proceed to do so, you realize that your wire transfer is not working. How can you tackle this? Well, there are alternatives, but you would have to go out of your house for that – which partially removes the point of buying from an eCommerce platform. This is why payment alternatives are usually added to eCommerce websites now.
Simply speaking, this gives a customer the necessary options to seek alternatives during such situations. There is a wide array of payment methods, and you will be prompted to choose whichever you want. This allows more customers to access the platform, and thus more profit on the business end.
7. More Media Influencers Becoming Brand Ambassadors
The success of a mobile app or eCommerce mobile app lies in its promotion and popularity. This is why tech companies often bring in influencers from the media to promote their software, business, or a particular aspect of their business. As B2B apps increase in popularity, this makes businesses know which eCommerce website is reliable and which is not.
8. Artificial Intelligence
While we discussed the implementations of big data and chatbots, the software development industries are still looking for new ways for adding A.I. to eCommerce solutions. Not only will A.I. be able to automate a lot of the procedures, but it will help customers stay sure of their everyday supplies being bought.
Right now, Amazon’s Alexa is a good way to think about it. The data generated by Alexa let Amazon know about what kind of items are bought on a daily basis by families that own them. Food, dairy products, groceries, and so on helps Amazon understand what products are worth restocking in more amounts and what is not.
What Not to Do
1. Expecting Short Term Success
A wide number of eCommerce solutions exist today. These range from the giants like Amazon, to more local platforms. However, it’s clear that they are here to stay due to the success that they have made so far. This is why most new eCommerce startups do not rush into the business expecting much out of it.
Even recently, it was observed that the newer eCommerce startups have retail counterparts that promote their brand. This is a pretty decent strategy that can help in the long run if done well. Moreover, eCommerce mobile apps have grown in popularity by a lot. So, it can be very helpful to promote your rendition of it.
In the end, however, all of it depends on your ability to satisfy your customers. So, there is not really much that can be said. Make sure that you do not expect success in the short term with so many alternatives available, that is all. Also, if you have any unique ideas for your eCommerce solution, make sure to implement them before someone else beats you to it!
2. Promoting the Wrong Products
When a seller is applying for a post on your eCommerce platform, it is essential that they are thoroughly checked for any fraud or issues. A faulty product should not be advertised on your eCommerce website or mobile app. It can be rather problematic for future customers if such an experience occurs.
To avoid this, most eCommerce solutions today have proper quality assurance staff. These individuals are paid and instructed to make sure that all products on display on the platform are authentic, and there is no shadiness going on.
3. Unethical Practices
This goes without a saying, but there is more to it than that when it’s about an eCommerce solution. A software company is already aware of how this can be fatal for their business, but eCommerce websites are far more prone to this risk.
Suppose you are told that you will get a 50% discount on your next purchase, but you will have to wait a significantly longer amount of time for it. Practices like these are usually red flags and can be very problematic in the future. Both for you, and the eCommerce solution.
This is just an example. What happens in such cases, is that the eCommerce website will be taking money from the customer for an indefinite amount of time. They will then use this money from the customer and use it in some other investments.
4. A Poorly Made Mobile App
This was already hinted at before. Your eCommerce website or web app needs an equally competent eCommerce mobile app to promote it. The two should be similar in terms of UI/UX design and development. Moreover, they should also be simplistic. The application should be simple to run, easy to use, and convenient in loading results.
This will require a database that loads fast too. Consult with proper developers of software for the best results in this situation. Speaking of which, Enozom is a great software company to go to for this. They indulge themselves in web and mobile app development, including Android app development and iOS app development.
5. Bad Customer Services
Finally, and perhaps one of the more important points. Poor customer service can cause the downfall of an eCommerce solution rather fast. It is highly likely that users from your website will want to contact your company to get their issues solved. Maybe there is an issue with the delivery, it can also be with faulty products and them asking to solve the problem.
In such situations, you need to have premium customer service that responds fast and solves the issue properly. Otherwise, you might end up with a very large backlog of issues from your customers which will ultimately need to be ignored. This leads to eCommerce platforms hiring a vast, competent number of staff members for solving customer problems.
At the end of the day, the customers having their issues solved is ultimately going to end up doing well for the business. So, it is no wonder why eCommerce website managers try their absolute best to make sure that the customers are satisfied and content.
Final Thoughts
Putting it simply, eCommerce trends will be changing drastically in any given year, and these were just the gist of it in 2021. It can be rather difficult to keep up with so many volatile elements of the eCommerce market, so you have to keep staying up to date. We hope this article was helpful to you and has cleared some of your queries about eCommerce solutions, eCommerce mobile apps, and eCommerce websites.