By 2019, UK eCommerce businesses were worth 19% of the overall retail spent within the country, and the growth each year is exponential, making these online businesses a crucial part of our economy. The expected growth for 2020 is even more dramatic, considering that the post-pandemic market is going to adopt online businesses as a necessity.
But if you are thinking about building your online presence, these numbers can be very intimidating, ultimately it is very difficult to make your name in an over-saturated market. However, there are some emerging eCommerce trends for 2020 that will help your business succeed, even those in competitive conditions.
In this article, we will discuss the trends that can build a healthy online presence with a lot of organic traffic, some of these elements can be embedded in your business idea, while others can be incorporated on your website by a web development agency.
- Environmentalism
Public concern with the environment has been on the rise for the last few years and has increased especially in the UK in 2020. A visitor who worries about this issue when purchasing something is called a “green consumer”, who avoids products and services that are likely to harm the environment.
Of course, being eco-friendly shouldn’t just be a marketing trend or a gimmick, but it is an important factor that many customers are demanding from new companies. The recommendation is to study your eCommerce plan and see if you’re using sustainable products and services that will make people choose you instead of your competitors.
For example, the app Forest offers a pretty simple studying tool that is very common, but ever since they partnered with a tree-planting non-profit organization, they have become the most popular tool of the genre and number 1 in productivity according to Apple.
- Increase in mobile shoppers
In 2020, mobile users are already taking the place of desktop users by a considerable margin. It is estimated that 54% of people used their phones to visit websites in 2019, and that number is rapidly increasing.
Some statistics from eMarketer evaluate that in 2021, online businesses will make 3.56 trillion U.S dollars on mobile purchases, so eCommerce companies are rushing to catch up.
What that means for your business, is that your website should be fully optimized for numerous mobile devices, the layout should be fluid, and the font should be increased for easier viewing.
These fundamental aspects are very difficult to create properly, so make sure you contact a professional web development agency to relay your ideas and build a mobile-friendly website for you.
- Video content
The video content trend actually started back in 2019, when all big corporations were emphasizing video media, and some were even making youtube channels just for that purpose. If you don’t want to go the extra mile for an entire channel, you can still incorporate that content on your website.
This can be done by professionals or yourself, and it is a great way to show diversity on your page, but there is one key element to keep in mind: page speed. Having a website that can load quickly is imperative to your business, so you have to be very careful when uploading heavy videos that can harm your load time.
The best way to avoid that issue is by working with experienced professionals, as mentioned previously since a web developing agency would be able to optimize your speed very easily.
Also Read: Difference beetween Wix and Squarespace
- Customer review
Just a few years ago, reviews on products weren’t of much importance, today they are absolutely essential. Recently, there was a survey conducted by Fan & Fuel which demonstrates that 92% of customers would hesitate before buying a product that has no reviews, and 97% claim that customer reviews are an important factor to consider before purchasing online.
With that being said, making sure your website design includes a dedicated section for customer reviews or testimonials is necessary, that way your visitors will more trust in your products and brand.
- Chat-bots and customer support
Nowadays you’ll have a hard time finding a modern website that doesn’t have a chat-bot available on the homepage. This tool was very rare just three years ago, but the eCommerce stores are starting to see the value of this 24/7 customer support.
Your visitor wants to feel like they are being listened to, and if their time zone is very different from yours, they might get frustrated waiting for a response. So if you want to improve that you can set up a simple chat-bot that will answer the most common questions and help your visitor learn about your brand.
- Personalization and customization
The modern online customer wants to have a unique experience and a more informative view when shopping online. Adopting this can put you ahead of the competition with some complex web design techniques like the creation of customer profiles, simple and interactive surveys, and adaption to customer feedback.
All of this will make your visitor feel like they are important to your business, which increases the likelihood that they will return. This trend is also just starting to pick up, most big eCommerce companies are already using it but some small businesses are not.
This gives you the opportunity to have an advantage over your competitors while also satisfying the customers.
Conclusion
Adapting to the market is key to having a successful eCommerce business, so keeping your eye on latest trends and marketing methods is essential. If you found this article helpful, you can contact your local web development agency and share your ideas with professionals.
That way you can leave those complicated aspects in the hands of experienced developers so you can focus on the quality of your products and services. Make sure your brand is reaching as many people as possible by keeping your eCommerce up to date with the tendencies!