3 eCommerce Trends To Keep In Mind In 2021.

By now we are all aware of how challenging 2020 was, facing us with many ups and downs. But when it comes to the digital world, we can freely say that it sped things up, especially when it comes to eCommerce.

The virus has affected how people shop in ways that commercial suppliers are struggling every day just to stay above the surface. Trends that were evolving slowly, at their own pace have been given a massive boost, especially in the e-commerce sector.

And to survive and thrive in the new e-commerce world, here are the top three e-commerce trends to keep in mind in 2021.

1. Omnichannel shopping is here to stay

Omnichannel commerce refers to a multichannel approach to sales that focuses on providing a consistent customer experience with no matter where the client is shopping: online from a mobile device, a laptop, or a brick-and-mortar store.

Most businesses are already aware that customers want to view content in more than one way. Tablets, mobile phones, and desktops are just the beginning of the constantly evolving technology. Brands are, therefore, always discovering new ways to sell their products, like through social media platforms.

Customers today are looking for a cohesive buying experience across multiple channels and platforms. To facilitate this, brands need to use headless commerce architecture that delivers content and products to any screen or device with the help of APIs.

It can be enticing to want to be everywhere, but you should start by focusing on the channels where your customers go the most and sell to them there.

Here are some ways to offer a seamless omnichannel experience.

• Optimize your website for mobile devices.
• Personalize the customer experience at every step possible.
• Ensure a personalized and comprehensive e-commerce experience.
• Offer various purchase options; buy online — pick up in-store, buy in-store — choose home delivery, or buy online — get doorstep delivery.

2. Visual commerce and shoppable video ads on social media

We are social beings, quite literally said, we are addicted to social media, and it won’t change in 2021. Zoomers can spend hours scrolling Instagram and TikTok feeds, and Gen-Z can make buying decisions literally from their social media feed.

Brands have started to advertise in different ways on channels such as; TikTok, Instagram, and Snapchat, by placing ads in stories and newsfeeds. Instagram Checkout takes it to a whole other level by making it easier than ever before for customers to make social purchases. Allowing customers to stay on their social app of choice rather than switch to the official website for the entire buying experience.

Video provides another dimension when it comes to marketing products. Recording videos of top-performing products and placing them on the social media platforms where the audience is. Those videos can vary from unboxing videos to tutorials or explainer videos.

3. Voice search

Today people are on the go more than ever and increasingly relying on voice assistant devices like Alexa and Google Assistant to do everything, from waking them up in the morning to making calls or buying products online.

Users today are keener on using voice commerce because of the growing accuracy and convenience of the technology. Both Google and Amazon are integrating regional languages in their virtual assistant devices to help consumers shop more conveniently.

Here are ways to prepare an e-commerce site for voice queries.

• Optimize content to increase the chances of appearing in voice searches.
• Add a new skill on Alexa and Google voice assistant devices.
• Offer voice-based navigation on the website and or mobile app.
• Ensure the products can be purchased with a simple flow using voice command.

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that the world is rapidly changing and evolving, and with it, so is e-commerce. New trends are always waiting around the corner, and committing to them can help businesses achieve their goals.