The eCommerce business is booming and shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. It might even become the primary way that people worldwide will shop. When the world came to a halt in 2020, eCommerce ensured that businesses could function.
But what about the future of eCommerce business? The eCommerce sales are projected to grow to $8.1 trillion by 2026 and will continue to grow beyond that. With such a large sales number, it is unsurprising that many businesses will want a share of that sales. So, how does your business get ahead of the competition?
The future of eCommerce business lies in knowing which trends will become mainstays in the industry. In this article, I will share some of the current trends that have the most excellent chance of becoming industry standards in the future and how you can jump on the trend now to be on the path to success.
Top 11 Trends For The Future Of eCommerce Business To Watch Out For
Since the size of the eCommerce market will continue to grow, it is essential to keep up with the trends shaping the future of eCommerce business. Here are some trends that will likely shape how we think of eCommerce.
Trend#1 Rise Of AI And Generative Searches In eCommerce
When artificial intelligence (AI) was introduced to the mainstream at the end of 2022, it completely changed how we use the internet. The future of eCommerce business can benefit from the introduction of AI. Virtual assistants and chatbots are just the start of the rise of AI in eCommerce. But one AI trend in particular in eCommerce that will take over in generative searches.
Generative search is the search approach that uses AI to generate search queries relevant to what the user is searching for. Unlike your traditional method of searching for something on Google and then looking for the correct link to click on, the generative search will use AI to interpret the meaning behind the queries to match the intent of what the user wants. Then, the AI will show all the search results that a person needs to understand everything about their query.
In eCommerce, shoppers using generative search can find what they are looking for in an instant. It makes shopping much more manageable, and consumers can use it to find the product they are looking for with relevant comparisons with similar products. It is not just about products; it can also show reviews, compare to other similar products, and explain the choices as well.
Generative search is just in its beginning phases. Google only started an experimental generative search feature in 2023. However, the possibilities are endless with such a search model. More and more eCommerce stores will implement it in the coming years, and it might become how consumers shop. AI is the way to the future, and generative search will revolutionize eCommerce.
Trend#2 Augmented Reality Product Showcase
In February 2024, Apple launched its virtual reality headset with the Apple Vision Pro. It might be an expensive piece of hardware, but one feature can change the future of the eCommerce business: augmented reality product showcase. This augmented reality feature was highlighted with the showcase of a Formula 1 car right in your bedroom. But why is that?
One of the most limiting factors in eCommerce is not seeing the product until you have confirmed the purchase. But with an augmented reality product showcase, it might be possible to at least view the product right in front of you. Think of virtual try-ons of clothing products, seeing the size of home decorations without moving furniture, or even product demonstrations like the F1 car. Augmented reality can bring the actual shopping experience to shoppers’ bedrooms.
Shopify has an augmented reality product showcase available for store owners. It is minimal right now and requires coding knowledge in 3D models to bring it to life. However, as technology grows, augmented reality will become more accessible to store owners. It adds an immersive shopping experience for customers sorely missing in eCommerce. This trend will start to catch on more and more and become the future of eCommerce business.
Trend#3 Focus On Voice Search-Assisted Shopping
Voice search might not be the first thing that comes to mind when considering the future of eCommerce business, but it might be the new trend. According to VoiceBot.AI, voice shopping searches increased by more than double between 2018 (20.5 million searches) and 2021 (45.2 million searches).
This shows that more and more people are opening up to using voice search features in their smartphones and other devices for shopping. It is still tiny compared to the billions of searches made in eCommerce, but the rise shows that online store owners need to consider voice search optimization for their products.
In eCommerce, voice search optimization is related to how your products appear on search engine results. Voice searches are more conversational, so product descriptions need to reflect that. This increases the chances of your products appearing when shoppers use voice search online. It might not be much, but it can change the eCommerce business.
Trend#4 Mobile eCommerce Dominance To Grow Larger
The continual growth of eCommerce is primarily thanks to the growing dominance of mobile eCommerce. Statista Market Insight reports that mobile eCommerce sales were at $2.2 trillion in 2023, or about 60% of all eCommerce sales. Take that in mobile eCommerce, which is 60% of all eCommerce sales.
With this continuing dominance, eCommerce businesses worldwide need to adapt to this. Online stores need better mobile view optimization so that customers get the same shopping experience as desktop computers. Mobile applications for online stores can also help store owners attract more customers with a personalized shopping experience.
All in all, the checkout process needs to be as seamless as possible on mobile devices. Making the payment process smooth ensures customers buy the products and reduces cart abandonment.
Trend#5 Consistency Across Omnichannel eCommerce Marketing
eCommerce success lies in eCommerce marketing strategies and will not change in the future. However, this does not mean online social media; it means all forms of marketing. This is known as omnichannel eCommerce marketing. It includes the online store website, social media, and offline marketing.
The trend here is to be consistent throughout all forms of marketing. The brand name and image have to remain consistent throughout the various channels. It also means that business practices have to stay consistent throughout as well. Customers will go through multiple marketing channels, especially for B2B eCommerce businesses. So, having consistency is critical to that.
Here, eCommerce businesses must integrate inventory management and customer data and use it effectively throughout all omnichannel marketing. It breaks down the barrier of online and offline marketing and makes it seamless for customers when purchasing from an online store.
Trend#6 Social Media eCommerce Integration
Shopping and social media go hand in hand. More often than not, shoppers find their products on social media and then look for the stores. That is where social media eCommerce integration is the trend for the future. It is where social media marketing and online stores are connected together.
We can already see this happening with Instagram Shopping. Online stores that use Instagram as a social media platform to promote their products. Instagram allows stores to link their online stores (like on Shopify) to their posts so potential customers can go to the store directly from the post.
Social media will continue to grow. More and more online stores will leverage social media to attract new customers. Getting customers from social media right to your online store is how you can grow your online business, and it will eventually become the future of eCommerce.
Trend#7 Seamless Payment Option
For the future of eCommerce, seamless payment options are a must. That is how online stores make money and is essential to survival in the competitive eCommerce market. Seamless payment options mean giving customers the option to pay however they want to be able to buy the product.
So, how should an eCommerce business give seamless payment options? This includes offering customers multiple payment options. For example, customers should be allowed to pay through traditional credit cards and digital wallets such as Stripe, Paypal, Google Pay, and Apple Pay. Another option is to enable customers to pay in installments. All of these give customers the flexibility to pay how they want.
eCommerce shopping has flaws because customers have little to no interaction with the product until after the purchase. That is why one popular payment option is buy-now-pay-later (BNPL). Here, customers pay for the product after a certain period so that they are fully satisfied with the product. This again gives customers flexibility in payment options so that they are encouraged to make the purchase.
Trend#8 Stronger Security And Privacy Measures
Seamless payment options are essential but also mean customers are safe when purchasing from an online store. Purchasing online means giving access to your wallet and information. This can leave customers vulnerable to scams and theft of vital information. That is why security and privacy are so crucial in eCommerce and will be the norm for online stores in the future.
Customers will naturally trust and gravitate to online stores that will prioritize security. This means regularly doing security audits for websites and ensuring that data encryption is current. Online stores that are more transparent about what they use with customer data are just as important, and customers will appreciate that from stores they frequent.
Thus, online stores must invest more in cyber security measures to safeguard their customers. This will help build customer trust and increase sales with an online store’s more significant trustability factor.
Trend#9 Eco-Friendly And Sustainability Practices
A trend that we will see in the future is sustainability practices from eCommerce businesses. Consumers will become more and more conscious about the environment and expect that online stores will follow the same practices as well.
This could mean that online stores provide more sustainable packaging for their products. Sustainable and eco-friendly products will be on the rise, and more stores will start embracing eco-friendly alternative products. It could also mean that stores will begin providing more quality products so customers do not repeat purchases to reduce their carbon footprint.
Eco-friendly practices from online stores will encourage future customers to shop in such stores. Customers will feel they are making a difference while shopping in stores that allow and promote such practices.
Trend#10 Personalization In eCommerce Is Key To Success
Finally, one emerging trend in the eCommerce industry is personalization and how it is quickly becoming the key to success for many businesses. In eCommerce, personalization refers to creating and tailoring content for online customers based on an individual’s experiences and interactions with your company.
From personalized advertisements and product recommendations to customized email marketing, everything has an opportunity to include personalization. In fact, all the trends I have mentioned above can include personalization. Personalization can be cast on a broad scale, which is why its importance in eCommerce is rising.
But why will personalization turn from a trend to a norm in the future? The younger Gen Z demographic (born between 1995 and 2010) prefers personalization in their shopping experience. Not to mention, Gen Z is 40% of all global consumers, leading the way through eCommerce purchases, according to Business Insider. So, eventually, personalization will take over the world of eCommerce. That is why hopping on this trend early is how the future of eCommerce business will shape up for success.
Trend#11 Letting Customers Create Their Own Mix And Match Bundles
Creating product bundles helps eCommerce businesses sell a variety of products. When done right, product bundles can help increase sales for your business. Product bundles can help your business sell less popular products when offered in bundles. It creates a perception that the price of the bundle is lower than the individual items in the bundles, encouraging customers to buy the product bundle. One such product bundle strategy that will soon become the trend in eCommerce is mix-and-match bundles.
On an eCommerce platform like Shopify, the primary options do not allow the creation of mix-and-match bundles without coding knowledge on how to do them. However, with the help of third-party applications from the Shopify app store, it is possible to find one that can do just that. Here is an example of a Shopify store using a mix-and-match bundle app to help create a unique bundle for their customers:
You can see here that the customers can choose the different flavors of the product to create their own personalized bundles. Instead of switching between different product pages, customers can add all the flavor variants they want with one click. The customers can choose however many flavors they want to create the bundle.
The one-click add-to-cart feature of this mix-and-match bundle allows customers a more streamlined shopping experience on the online store. The customer also gets to choose the amount and flavors they want in the bundle. This will enable customers to personalize their bundle. Meanwhile, the store can pair up popular flavors with less popular ones so that they have more chances to sell them. This combined bundle reduces marketing costs and allows the store to sell slow-moving products to help clear inventory more effectively.
How To Know Which Future Trend Is Right For Your eCommerce Business?
All these future trends can be applied to all eCommerce businesses, but which one will be right for your online business? That is where you must evaluate what your business needs by asking questions. Here is what you need to ask yourself before applying these trends to your store:
- How easy is it to apply these trends to your business? Will it hinder your business or elevate the customer experience?
- Do the trends match your eCommerce business visions and goals for the future?
- Who is your consistent customer base, and will applying these trends improve their experience?
- Do these trends allow for future business expansion in your market?
- Are your security and privacy methods up to date to keep your customers safe?
- What weaknesses do you have in your security, and how can you improve it?
- Will applying these trends help generate new leads and onboard new customers?
When you have positive answers to these questions, applying these trends to your business will help your business succeed.
Bottom Line
The future of eCommerce business lies in knowing which trends will suit your business. Not everything will work for you, and that is okay. It is knowing which one will work and jumping on that trend now so you can create a path to success in the future of eCommerce. Hopefully, these future insights will help craft a new way to think about your business and lead it to success.
