E-commerce trends in 2020: what to expect from online sales?

In 2017 the e-retail revenues reached 2.3 trillion $ and the sales will continue to grow. According to Statista.com retail e-commerce sales will climb 4.13 trillion $.  What will stimulate customers to purchase more in 2020? What trends will rule the next two years before 2020? How to increase the income of your online store?

To answer these questions, we’ve made a list of e-commerce trends which have been already working well and will be in high positions for the next two years.

#1 E-commerce Trend 2020: Micro-Moments

The trend isn’t so new, but it appeared in all lists of the e-commerce future trends only this year. Micro-moments are spontaneous moments when the users feel the desire or need to find information or place, order a product or service and use a mobile phone for this. Usually, such a search takes place in snatches, and the decision is made quickly.

A seller should provide all the necessary information that satisfies the users’ requests at the right time. To do it, you need to understand when a buyer may need information about your product or service.

There 4 main users’ intentions:

• I want to know

A person is looking for the information about your product, but isn’t ready to buy it. “What are the benefits of gluten-free products?”, “How to choose a vacuum cleaner?”, “Which cars are the most fuel-saving?” — these are the questions a potential buyer wants to answer planning to purchase something. Usually, we use smartphones for Googling them, so think about the optimization of your online store for mobile users.

• I want to go

A person needs to buy a product and hasn’t got a lot of time. In this case, he needs to find quickly an offline store and he’ll look for convenience and time rather on brand loyalty. It is not enough just to be somewhere “Near Me”. Brands also need to provide useful, relevant, frictionless experiences. Can your mobile app or site provide the user with pricing, directions and inventory in a user-friendly and quick way? Do you use user context in advertising? Do you use location extensions or inventory ads to provide a user with all the relevant information about your business? Think about how you can be there when people are looking for you.

• I want to make

Before or after purchasing something, a person may need instruction or training video to learn how to use it. This is the case when the video content wins: this format allows consumers to learn new information at a convenient pace. A popular step by step format delivers the message easily and quickly.

• I want to buy

One of the most important micro-moments. A person is already ready to make a purchase. It’s time to help a buyer with choice and order. The main thing here is to offer your assistance quickly and establish communication. To win an I-want-to-buy-moment you should know what are these moments. Talk to your clients or make a survey to understand how they make their buying decisions. Be near with them in such moments, deliver your message to people in need by ads and content.

#2 Video Content

The next e-commerce trend that performs well today and will continue to do it is Video content. Buyers are looking for video instructions on how to use the products, reviews, comparisons, tips, life-hacks and news. More than 40% of people under 35 searches the information primarily on YouTube rather than with the help of search engines. To catch these people, you should have already started creating video content. Don’t be afraid if you’ve missed it. Video content will still be the e-commerce trend even in 2020. It’s never too late to start.

Posts containing videos or stories in social networks make content more alive than staged or stock photos. A video about a product on the store page is the best way to view a thing from all sides.  Use this trend to catch and deter your audience.

#3 E-commerce Trend 2020: Long Sales

 

Did you notice that last year mailings with discounts from stores came well before Black Friday, Cyber Monday and New Year? It has been and will be one of the most robust e-commerce trends. Everyone is trying to outrun each other and be the first to sell their goods to the client. As a result, sales are stretched for 1-2 months.

To build a long-term relationship with your customers you should convey research to find out what motivates your clients to purchase your products. It will be great to create a Customer Journey Map to define their concerns and make a plan on how to respond to them.

#4 User Generate Content

On January 12th Mark Zuckerberg announced that Facebook will show users more posts of their friends and families – and less news, as well as pages that are conducted by big brands. So there will be less content created by them.

Competition among advertisers is growing, while direct advertising makes the users bored. The price of promotion is higher, and the effect is smaller.

To be in the trend you should encourage your users to create content such as reviews, videos, reviews, photos and mention your products or services on their social media channels.

# 5 Personalization of Everything

This e-commerce trend becomes more and more relevant. It is impossible to start a marketing campaign without building a buyer persona. The more you know about your customer’s needs the more effectively you can create a business plan.

To define the buyers’ needs you should analyze the demographics, purchasing history, surveys.

You can also give a client an opportunity to choose the right product. For example, if you sell tables, add options to choose the size and color. If you sell jewelry, offer personal engraving. If you have enough resources you can offer an individual manager for a client, who will create a unique look (clothes retailing).

This trend is connected with one more possible innovation in e-commerce — virtual reality. For example, a customer can try on an item he/she wants sitting in front of a laptop or PC.

 

#6 Promote content, not store

Content marketing will still be high in the top of e-commerce trends even in 2020. You should catch your clients in micro-moments. Your content should be ahead of your competitors. All instructions, video training, tips and reviews should be promoted in the same way as the pages of goods, in order to grab the buyer at the search stage.

#7 Forget about Photoshop

Body positivity and naturalness become more popular and this trend will merge into e-commerce: famous models with no makeup, photo sessions with ordinary people of different complexions, promotion of natural beauty instead of plastic surgery.

If a person on an advertising photo looks natural, he won’t differ radically from the buyer who looks at this photo. People cease to envy glossy ideal people and begin to trust the brand which is closer and more friendly to the audience. Naturalness should become new e-commerce trend as it proves the brand’s credibility.

#8 E-commerce Trend 2020: Big Data

To correctly personalize content for your buyers, you need to know exactly who they are and what they are doing. Learn everything that helps in collecting and analyzing data.

Large companies use Big Data. These are tools, approaches and methods for processing large amounts of unstructured data. Based on the results of processing, it is possible to define the demands of your customers and, in general, their behavior, in order to satisfy all their needs and meet their expectations.

This technology is expensive and not available to everyone. In this case, there is a less expensive way to make the analysis: Customer Journey Map and Buyer Persona.

#9 Find your niche

It will sound more like a useful piece of advice rather than a new e-commerce trend. Large offline retailers open online stores and start seizing the market. Even without them, competition is growing every day. Numerous newcomers try to expand their nets and break into new markets instead of concentrating on the quality of their products and improving their service. The desire to spread burns out these businesses.

Nevertheless, small shops can struggle the sharks of online retailing. There are two main advantages:

• flexibility in responding to customer requests, individual approach to solving problems and communicating with clients.
• the ability to create and offer exclusive products, as opposed to mass production.

Competition in online retailing is growing, but there is still a place for newcomers. If you were always wanting to start your online store, it’s worth trying right now. We hope our list of e-commerce trends will help you to embody your dream.

Read more: USA eCommerce retail calendar 2019