Evolution of eCommerce: How eCommerce Will Change in 2021 and Beyond

Ecommerce has come a long way ever since the birth of the internet. Having your favorite food delivered right to your doorstep is something we’ve all come to enjoy. You can do anything from the internet. From meeting your most basic needs to looking for a new home. It helps you achieve your biggest dreams in life.

By 2040, 95% of all purchases will be through eCommerce. From a buyer’s point of view, shopping has never been this easy, simple, and seamless. The buyer of today expects a special service. It must be fast, good, that meets their unique needs, and considers their personal values and beliefs.

From a seller’s view, there are two sides to the coin. On one hand, the evolution of eCommerce has led to a lot of new business opportunities. However, it has also brought in plenty of competition. Besides, in the modern world, your rivals now aren’t just the shops next to yours. Now, you must fight the entire global free market.

7 strategies for eCommerce in 2021 and beyond

It is safe to assume that things are only going to get more competitive in the eCommerce market from here on.

In fact, new players enter the game every day.

Also, new trends and tech come to the world all the time. Because of this, eCommerce trade will thrive further in 2021 and beyond.

1. AI for enhancing retail and marketing

Using AI in retail and marketing has a ton of benefits that can help you scale your eCommerce business. For example, to give you a few ideas, some ways AI can help are :

• Automate simple tasks to reduce manpower need
• Study and predict customer behavior and buying habits
• Optimize inventory to avoid over-stocking or under-stocking
• Optimize social campaigns based on time and audience
• Chatbots for better customer support and reduce human-error
• Use of voice shopping for faster product search and viewing

2. AR and VR for a new shopping experience

Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR) tech is a lot more than just the fun filters we use on Snapchat.

Although AR and VR are new to the industry, they have a lot to offer.

• Create interactive ads for better engagement
• Allow customers virtual try-ons before buying
• Judge product dimensions via 3D visualization
• Appeal to younger audience for new AR features
• Avoid returns as customers get to try out products before buying
• Recreate in-store shopping experience via mobile device

3. Omnichannel selling for holistic customer experience

This is a full approach towards customer experience. In a nutshell, it aims to offer the customer what they want, when they want it. It can be on any device or across all channels. Besides, it’s done in a way that is easy, convenient, and ensures continuity in trade.

To do so, as a seller, you must know your customer. So, learn their location, buying habits, tastes, browsing habits, and more.

Then, this allows you to prompt them with ads made for them. This not only ensures a greater chance of selling, but also retains the customer for long-term growth.

4. Social media marketing for increased reach and traffic

When people say “everyone is on social media these days,” they aren’t kidding. With 3.96 billion people actively using social media, not taking it seriously is a big mistake for any seller. 

However, just posting a couple of posts and stories on Instagram isn’t going to do much for your brand image. So, a good social media marketing strategy needs quality, consistency, and cohesiveness.

• Share user-generated content (UGC) to build trust
• Use video ads for better customer engagement
• Create fresh content for long-term reach
• Go LIVE for new product release, announcements, etc.
• Opt for influencer marketing for greater reach and trust
• Practice meme marketing for relevance with younger audience
• Revise and reuse (old) quality content for greater ROI

5. Mobile shopping for more convenience

Mobile shopping is going to explode in 2021 and the future. Tech evolves and smart devices get faster every day. Because of this, better and more reliable eCommerce will witness a dramatic rise in mobile shopping.

To profit from this, optimizing your eCommerce mobile app, website, and social media campaigns to mobile devices is crucial. Here are some ideas for making the mobile shopping experience better:

• Use eWallets to minimize shopping cart abandonment
• Track customer location and browser to study taste and habits
• Send personalized notifications for greater engagement
• Improve cross-channel integration for retention
• Optimize social campaigns according to each platform

6. Sustainability for environment conservation

Global attention turned to the environment after the awful events of 2020. Now, people expect businesses to consider their personal values and the local environment. In fact, 66% of global consumers said they don’t mind paying a bit extra for sustainable products. 

Businesses who make sustainable choices are more likely to retain their customers and build loyalty. For example, using things paper, cardboard, or metal is a great start, but it doesn’t end there. Using multifunctional product designs can help avoid needless packaging and shipping costs. 

It’s worth noting that it isn’t just about the product or packaging. It’s also about the process behind it. An educated customer—which is the growing trend—also takes into account the workers’ situation and the seller’s part in the betterment of local communities.

Boost your eCommerce business this 2021

This is an arena where it’s not easy at all to compete. New challenges, competition, trends, and chances come up all the time.

So, it is key to know where the future is headed and plan according to that. After all, the businesses that adapt with time, survive.

We know it’s hard to keep track of everything in the world of eCommerce. More so when there are so many things to consider. But these 6 unique strategies can be of great help. You need to learn, practice, and use them.

If you do, we are sure that your eCommerce business will stand the test of time and thrive in 2021 and beyond. Thank you for reading this article.

Author bio for this guest post:

Ayush is a tech-enthusiast and has an academic background in marketing. He enjoys learning about the latest technologies that extend human potential and challenge the status quo.

Besides his work, he loves writing poems, singing songs, playing the ukulele, and learning about different philosophies.