The last two years have changed the way people shop and sell online, and the growth in ecommerce is set to continue well into 2022 and beyond. Here are some of the big trends to watch for in ecommerce this year.
Omnichannel customer service as a priority
An omnichannel service strategy is becoming increasingly important as brands aim to increase their visibility on digital channels and social media platforms. Today’s customers expect brand communication on social platforms and across their digital presence to be a two-way street, and the best brands are taking an omnichannel view to dialogue with their customers and providing customer support channels through social media, forums and anywhere else their brand is present online.
This requires business operations to evolve in 2022, as platforms that are currently one-way marketing pushes need to become one of many systems integrated into an omnichannel customer service system.
To create an omnichannel customer experience, you’ll have to start by organizing your customer information into one central tool that can allow you to communicate directly, across multiple channels. Manually switching between channels like Facebook, Twitter, and email wastes time and makes it nearly impossible to monitor support interactions and maintain quality control. You need a way to keep your omnichannel support interactions centralized, consistent and manageable.
Luckily, there are plenty of solutions available for all levels of business that allow you to integrate your support processes and manage your omnichannel customer service centrally.
Augmented reality for boosting brands
Advocates of traditional, physical retail have long argued that the ease and convenience of ecommerce is never going to be able to give shoppers the same opportunity to get an authentic feel for a product they would in-store.
Whilst digital will never be exactly like “the real thing”, brands like Nike or Ikea are embracing augmented reality (AR) as a way to bridge the gap and add value to the online shopping experience of their consumers through an interactive smartphone experience that let’s shoppers view and experience a product from any angle, and even experience it through their smart phone camera interacting with their own physical environment.
Augmented reality means presents different opportunities for different types of products, so take some time to familiarize yourself with the bleeding-edge of technology in your vertical. Look at what brands that you aspire to be like are doing, take note of any innovations you come across, and seek out the technologies being used. You may find some of those incredible VR and AR experiences you’ve seen aren’t so inaccessible to sellers like yourself, so find them and start to adopt them today.
Selling through marketplaces
In 2021, the marketplace opportunity was stronger than ever, and the importance of multichannel will be greater than ever in 2022 for sellers looking to grow their brand and reach the widest possible audience with their products.
For Codisto sellers already enjoying the growth opportunity of multichannel, make 2022 the year to try more channels in more geographies. Marketplaces like Amazon and eBay can be a great way to test out your products in a new geographical market and start building your presence internationally.
Sustainability will play a key role
Consumers are increasingly aware of environmental issues and interested in sustainable products, which makes them support companies that show strong values in these areas. It is a must that eCommerce businesses offer more than a good shopping experience. Brands that know how to sell themselves as sustainable and adopt a circular economy model will be considered to be preferable.
Consider switching away from plastic packaging to paper or bio-materials. Offer information about the origin of your products, how to reuse and recycle them and think about buying a CO2 emission calculator. Finding simple ways you can reduce the environmental impact of your business isn’t just good for the planet, it’s smart marketing; more and more shoppers are being drawn towards brands that position themselves as leaders in the movement toward sustainability in retail, and implementing just a few green initiatives and marketing them to your customers might just be the difference that helps you edge ahead of your competitors.