With each passing year, e-commerce is being optimized to adapt transactions to the needs of consumers in the best possible way. If you have an online business and want to remain strong in the market, you need to stay on top of the news that simplify the user's day to day life and enhance transactions.
In today's article, you will have access to insights about the e-commerce market and the trends that will make a difference in the consumer's experience and look towards the brands in the market.
Growth of the sector in recent years
According to data surveyed by Nielsen, Brazilian e-commerce saw a 12% growth in the first half of 2019.
The increase was due to new consumers (about 18%) who made their first experiences in e-commerce and also, the consolidation of the sales channel in seasonal dates such as Carnival, Mother's Day and Valentine's Day.
The conclusion is that 2018 and 2019 have become the years of consolidation in the area, increasing not only the frequency but also encouraging a new audience to consume.
The expectations for 2020 are even more promising:
- The industry may have an increase of R$ 79.9 billion in sales, according to ABComm.
- By the end of 2020, about 50% of purchases will be made online, using Smartphones, tablets and other devices.
- By 2021, the sector's growth will average 12.4% per year, according to research conducted by Google.
- Online shopping should be commonplace for more than 27% of the Brazilian population.
The trends for 2020
The changes that are predicted to take place need to be on the tip of the pencil for those who want to stand out. So, here is a list with some trends that will consolidate during 2020.
Chatbots
Chatbots are already a reality on many e-commerce sites, and the trend is to expand the use of these robots to the most varied stages of the customer journey in a store.
The advantage of opting for chatbots is the agility of service and the conversational level is very close to that of humans. Companies gain by reducing unsatisfied customer service, automating repetitive tasks in the employee's routine, and having more time to perform complex tasks.
Omnichannel Expansion
The way businesses are looking at omnichannel should change in the coming year by optimizing and ensuring increased sales for the brand rather than the sales channels. The trend is that the sum of efforts across all channels (physical stores, online store, social media, and apps) will bring more effective results that provide a convenient, fluid, and seamless buying journey.
Improved logistics
The consumer not only buys for the product, it is expected that the brand offers a complete buying experience, empathy, and personal identification. As we saw a little above, the consumer is developing a more conscious view about what he consumes and which brand he consumes from. This greatly affects the way delivery logistics are handled.
This is because the process needs to be linked to the experience, which in turn needs to meet the issues that are important to the consumer. So rethinking logistics models, business management, strategic partnerships, cost management, supplier relations, and the use of technology will be paramount to improving logistics.
The trend here is the use of unconventional modes such as logistics startups and the use of machine learning are some examples of how the industry is reinventing itself.
In-store applications
According to research conducted by Criteo in 2018, shopping apps generate 3x higher conversion rate than on the mobile web. The trend is for these apps to become increasingly common as a channel for consumer purchases.
There are several advantages that can motivate the creation of an app such as the ability to reach customers who know your brand and show interest in it. Or the ease of notifying customers through notifications and the availability of some information offline.
Recurring purchases
Items of constant need will be increasingly related to recurring purchases, by the ease for the consumer who does not need to repeat the buying process, and for the company that can build customer loyalty more easily.
There are several recurring sales models that companies can easily insert in their business, such as subscription clubs, loyalty programs, and license of use are some examples.
Use of videos
One of the biggest trends for 2020 without a doubt is the use of videos as a digital marketing and sales tool. And this goes far beyond offering the customer a contact with more details of the product, it has much more to do with the journey that the customer goes through still in the buying decision stage.
Videos play an important role in the consumer's life when they are looking for information about products and how this purchase will affect their life.
Since the consumers' buying journey is increasingly merging with the habit of watching videos, this strategy will be essential for those who want to stand out in their niche market.
Lighter Websites
Still on convenience, the user doesn't want to feel that they are spending too much time on the same action, and this will reflect on all platforms. The customer wants quick access to the information they are looking for and as much content about what they are buying as possible.
Companies that want to deliver great experiences, need to keep in mind this expected immediacy in people's routine and focus on delivering lighter and faster loading pages.
Virtual and augmented reality
This technology can overcome limitations that the e-commerce sector suffers from, since the facilities applied would be easily received by the customer.
The customer will have more access to proportions and more ways to decide for the ideal product, and the benefits are not only on the user experience, these technologies will bring positive impacts for business, such as increased conversion rate, as it provides greater engagement with the virtual store once the simulations awaken the customer's interest.
Customer at the center of the strategy
A study conducted by Vonage Business pointed out that 69% of users who claim to have had a positive experience with a brand recommend it to others later. Another 50% use the services and products more often if the experience is positive.
To develop Customer Centric and put it into practice in your company, it is necessary to really know your audience, to find out their wishes and not simply think that you understand their needs.
This type of engagement focusing exclusively on the customer will bring more added value to the brand and attract new leads.
Personalization
As a result of the Customer is at the center of many brands' strategy, delivering journeys with more personalized experiences for each individual profile will become more common. This involves not only the purchase journey, but being part of the consumer's daily life in an organic way.
Companies that meet this consumer desire for personalization are increasing revenue and brand awareness. That's because 40% of consumers spend more than planned when experiences are highly personalized.
In the market there are already platforms and software that help capture and analyze data that can bring significant insights about your audience. Or even, tools that apply variants to the site and allow A/B testing and show different content according to the search profile.
Voice commerce
Voice command is already a facility adopted by many consumers, a recent survey shows that more than 60% of Brazilians already use voice commands on their devices.
Moreover, adapting your site to the algorithms of search engines like Google, ensures greater accessibility for the visually impaired and moves the market to a more inclusive scenario.
Data Usage
As a company that deals with user data on a daily basis, it is essential to be aware of the new LGPD regulations. After all, ensuring customers that their data is secure is paramount.
This fits perfectly with the path that business relationships have been taking. With a focus on satisfaction, loyalty, and customer experience, the new law will be a good strategy to increase competitiveness among companies that seek a secure experience for their customers.
In an increasingly competitive scenario, standing out as a reliable alternative will be important in this new phase of data security. For this reason, adapting processes and adhering to specific solutions to comply with the law will be a valuable differentiator for your brand.
For the coming years, the 4 pillars that should be guides in successful strategies are: User Experience, Customer Focus, Brand Identity and Security.
With proper planning and investment in the right technologies, your brand can achieve its goals and stand out among the competition by thinking of the future as close at hand.
