E-commerce has been around for almost a decade now and it has evolved over this period of time. From having an online presence through simple e-commerce stores, the domain has come a long way as it has adopted the m-commerce mode too. Besides this, there are several trends that have been surfacing on the industry’s horizon every year. 2018 will not be an exception as this year too has a lot in store for online sellers who look to capture the shoppers’ attention with innovative selling concepts. Let’s have a look at some trends that are going to make it big in 2018:
(1) Omnichannel consistency will be vital for success
Adoption of an omnichannel strategy is undoubtedly the need of the hour for the sellers in this domain but this year, they will have to go an extra mile to ensure consistency across all the channels. Having a presence across multiple channels is not enough; they have to deliver consistency of shopping experiences everywhere. The emphasis, therefore, for those investing in e-commerce store and mobile app development, will now be on efficient integration so that they can achieve a firm grip on omnichannel.
(2) Voice searches will grow bigger
E-commerce shoppers have always shown an inclination towards interactive searches as they do not have enough patience to spend hours searching what they want. Voice searches with smart virtual assistants is already a fast-growing trend that is poised to grow bigger this year. In fact, it has been predicted that voice searches will be crossing the 50% mark by 2020.
(3) Personalization will become even more important
Creation of unique customer experiences has always been the mainstay of successful e-commerce selling. This year, personalization will be taken a step further with advanced technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and data analytics which will be an essential component of a typical e-commerce selling strategy. With these technologies, businesses can go for targeted selling with personalized recommendations and notifications to the buyers.
(4) B2B e-commerce will witness booming growth
The domain which was originally dominated by B2C enterprises will now see a shift towards B2B businesses. The availability of B2B-friendly platforms such as Magento Enterprise is already bringing new opportunities for B2B businesses. With such platforms, sellers are able to resolve the challenges related to customized pricing, bulk shipping, etc.
(5) Automation will take over the customer experience
Customer experience will be taken to the next level as more and more businesses will be embracing the automation strategy in the coming year. A chat bot presence will be essential for every online store for assisting shoppers with searches and purchases and providing seamless customer support as well.
(6) Extending social outreach will be essential
Besides the development trends, there will be some that will reshape the digital marketing strategies too. 2018 will see a disruptive growth on the social media front as extending social outreach will be imperative to the success of an online business. A robust presence across the various social media platforms will be essential for staying in sight as well as building the business brand.
(7) Creative storytelling will drive sales
Besides a strengthened social presence, creative storytelling will be a key element of a successful digital strategy. The businesses will have to focus on creative content marketing for empowering them to connect with the customers, engage them, and convert them to boost sales. Creative storytelling not only generates interest in the products but also adds credibility to the brand.
Conclusion
The e-commerce domain is dynamic in nature and success comes to those who are willing to embrace chances to stay in the race. Following these latest trends is going to make your business ready to face the competition and have a dominating position in the market. Orange Mantra is a trusted technology partner that offers a complete range of e-commerce services, from design and development to mobile apps development and digital marketing services. Get in touch to keep up with the latest e-commerce trends in 2018.
