E-Commerce Trends You Can’t Ignore in 2016

The change of pace that drives the e-commerce industry can be exciting or nauseating, depending on your point of view. Savvy marketers make a point to identify trends early and use them to carve out more customers and increasingly profitable niches; their less successful competitors are constantly playing catch-up and wondering what they can do to attract more buyers. That’s especially true when it comes to big trends that shape and reshape online retailing again and again. In 2016, we are in the midst of several such changes. Here are a handful you definitely can’t afford to ignore if you want to keep your online store profitable.

Mobile-Friendly Online Shopping

Mobile users now make up more than half of all web traffic, and consumers are increasingly comfortable placing online purchases through smartphones and tablets. Any internet retailer who hasn’t wholeheartedly embraced mobile technology is almost literally throwing money away, and is falling farther and farther behind the competition every day. At Avex Designs, we try to focus on designing mobile-first experiences, especially when tackling large e-commerce projects.

Instant Inventory and Shipping

While buyers are more comfortable than ever placing orders online, they are less patient when it comes to receiving those products. Smart retailers are taking advantage by integrating instant inventory and shipping platforms that relay accurate availability and delivery times to consumers. When customers can get exactly what they want, and exactly when they expect it, the result is repeat orders and positive reviews.

Image-Based Social Promotions

Retailers have always relied on images to sell products, even going back to the days of mail order catalogs. It shouldn’t be a big surprise, then, that image-based social promotion (that is, sponsored and shared content that is spread around Facebook, Twitter, and other social platforms) is becoming the new content frontier for e-commerce entrepreneurs. If you want to sell more products, start producing more high-quality pictures that lead back to your website.

Smart Recommendation Engines

The most profitable online stores improve their sales, year after year, by developing relationships with customers. That doesn’t just mean providing low prices and fast service, but also making smart recommendations based on account history, reviews, and demographic factors. It’s easier than ever to integrate product recommendations into your e-commerce platform. Why not give buyers the option of buying more of what they want?

Segmented Email Marketing

The days of being able to blast out thousands of generic emails and getting an instant response are largely over. As open rates throughout the industry are declining, smart e-commerce retailers are taking advantage of segmented lists to improve click-throughs. Just as making smart recommendations is important on your website, showing relevant offers to your customers (based on past purchases or interests) is a great way to boost responses and conversions. Do you need an e-commerce website and digital marketing partner who can help you stay ahead of major e-commerce trends and help you to maintain a strong bottom line? If so, contact a member of the Avex Designs team today and schedule a free consultation.