What Will 2020 Bring to the World of eCommerce Trends?

It’s that time of year. We are starting to plan for the year-end. We’re putting together budgets, plans and goals for 2020. We’re preparing for the holiday rush and sales. 

And…we’re making predictions for the eCommerce trends that will have the most impact in the quickly-approaching new year. 

On that note, let’s look at the top 12 trends of eCommerce – our predictions for 2020. 

1. Move over content…mobile will be king

   • According to Statista, it’s predicted that more than 70 percent of all eCommerce sales will be via mobile by 2020.
   • Mobile commerce will have a predicted $319 BILLION in sales in 2020. Mobile site not ready? Be prepared to miss out…big time. 

2. Automation will be imperative

   • If your processes aren’t automated (including order and inventory management, order processing, invoicing, fulfillment, shipping, delivery schedules, returns and refunds), you’re going to be dead in the water. 
     

3. “Social Commerce” will continue to have a huge impact 

   • Social commerce is the newly-coined term that describes the merge of social and shopping.
   • Online “buy” buttons on social platforms will be more prevalent (and successful!). Studies show that social selling:
     • Has more influence than other recommendations, even including peers.
     • Results in 45 percent more business opportunities.
     • Give consumers a dramatically improved brand impression while increasing a perception of thought leadership (yes, just by seeing a brand on social).
       

4. Subscription-based business model popularity will continue to grow

   • There are currently 5.7 million US subscription box shoppers. This lucrative model is set to continue exploding in 2020.
     

5. Multi-channel will be a must

   • Research shows that nearly 86 percent of consumers aged 18 – 36 will make online purchases from two or more platforms. 
     

6. Product descriptions will take a back seat…to video!

   • SocialMediaToday reports that 60 percent of all shoppers prefer video to text.
     

7. Free or reduced shipping will not only be appealing to consumers, it will likely be the deciding factor

   • Can’t offer same-day, next day, two day or free delivery? You’re likely going to lose customers. Quickly.

8. Voice search will gain traction

   • With technology that has a 95 percent accuracy rate,”voice” is the next “video” in terms of powerful results. This will have a huge impact on site optimization, as 70 percent of voice search inquiries use natural, conversational language, effectively changing how digital content needs to be presented. 
     

9. Chatbots will improve brand engagement 

   • Offering 24/7 attention to your prospects or customers improves brand loyalty and satisfaction. Some studies show chatbots have a 1000 percent ROI!

10. Personalized customer journey will be the norm

    • 74 percent of consumers are frustrated if they feel like content doesn’t have anything to do with them.
    • Monitoring your customers’ behaviors, trends and demographics (like age, gender, social-economic status, etc) will allow you to create custom digital experiences that increase revenue and improve customer lifetime value (LTV).

11.  Physical will work with digital

    • Big, impressive, show-stopping physical locations that offer brand-exclusive items and a one-of-a-kind experience will become more common. These locations will seek to encourage brand loyalty and work together with digital experiences. Don’t agree? Check out Nike’s new stores and digital powerhouse Shopify’s Los Angeles retail spot.
      

12. Marketing will be more important than ever

    • That famous movie quote “if you build it, they will come” really should have read: “if you build it and market it, they will come” – because even the greatest products of all time will flop if nobody knows about them.
    • Ok, we know we said mobile will be king earlier…but content will still be king, too (but it must be good, relevant, useful and unique to work).
      
    • Mobile marketing apps and optimizing Facebook ads will be important.
    • Email is NOT dead

Looking for help streamlining your order and inventory management processes in 2020? Freestyle has got you covered. Reach out today to find out how we can change your game next year. We’d love to chat!

Images courtesy of Pixabay | geralt & kalhh