Online Shopping Trends In 2019

With the fast advancement in technology, the e-commerce industry is growing rapidly every day. Consumer shopping behaviors are also constantly evolving with technology, forcing brands to adapt to meet their needs. Today, businesses need to stay on top of the latest trends in the market to maintain growth and stay ahead of the competition.

Here are some of the latest online shopping trends to help you stay on top of the game in 2019:

1. Mobile Shopping

Over the last decade, eCommerce analysts and merchants have seen a significant increase in the number of mobile shoppers all over the world. Nonetheless, the conversion rates on this space are still very low, making it a big challenge for most business owners. Study shows that though 52% of the eCommerce traffic in 2018 came from mobile shopping, it was at just 1.6% conversion rate – less than half the desktop conversion rate of 3.9%.

In 2019, eCommerce merchants are trying to capture the lost revenue from mobile shopping by optimizing the overall mobile experience. That involves offering your consumers an easy way to browse the web content using a quick checkout process. It’s also a good way to get the much-needed boost in sales.

1. It’s Finally The Era Of Social Media Shoppers

Since Facebook acquired Instagram in 2012, this photo-sharing app has grown into one of the most popular social media platforms with more than 500 million daily visitors. The social media giant has become a vital part of the advertising world with social media ads and sponsored posts allowing users to discover new products that suit their interests. Shoppers can also place their orders directly from the app.

If your brand is yet to take advantage of Instagram’s advertising abilities, you should consider starting immediately. However, to create a successful social media brand, you’ll need to start focusing on more than your company logo and name. Your brand should appeal to your prospect’s lifestyle and connect emotionally with them. For instance, when you want to shop for shoes online, you’ll most likely choose a brand you trust even when there are cheaper alternatives.

1. Digital Wallets Are The Favored Payment Options

As consumers continue shying away from fiat currency as a payment method, new purchasing methods are gaining favor in online payments. Digital wallets are rapidly becoming the best method to buy items from stores and other online vendors. These services securely store the user payment data like credit and debit card numbers, bank account information, and the completed transactions.

To consumers, the main advantage of a digital wallet is not being required to provide sensitive data multiple times. Once the information is stored, the user can select the service, and the financial information will be transmitted to the payment gateway. The most common digital wallets include PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay, and Venmo.

While some countries like the U.S have embraced these digital wallets, others like China have opted to create their own. That means you need to do some research on where your target demographic is located to know the best digital wallets in that region. A good wallet will help you to conquer the challenge of mobile commerce and social media conversion since it makes it easier for users to pay for products quickly. It also expedites the checkout process.

1. Voice Search

With the rise in the number of smart assistant devices on the market, shopping through voice search is starting to gain traction. In 2016, Google reported that 20% of all mobile inquiries came through voice search, and 40% of millennials have confirmed their continued use of the feature.  That has made leading experts to predict the rise of this internet exploration method.

While you may be optimizing your e-commerce site for SEO, it may be time to start implementing voice search strategies. That will help you capture more web traffic than you currently have while increasing your potential customers. However, it’s essential to understand the difference between voice search and web queries.

When typing something through a search engine, most people typically use phrases popularly known as keywords in SEO. However, people mainly phrase their search as a question when using voice search. Your content will need to offer the best possible answer to common questions from your brand’s target market to capitalize on these queries.

1. Free and Quick Shipping

Thanks to Amazon’s extensive network, most online shoppers are accustomed to two-day free shipping. As such, other merchants trying to compete with Amazon will have to meet the consumer’s expectations on the shipping rates and time to stand out. The consumers are also becoming more demanding with time.

According to research done by marketing database publication MarketingCharts, the average desired delivery time for most consumers was 5.5 days, which had dipped to less than five days in 2017. The study also shows that Amazon Prime members have higher expectations in delivery. That shows that eCommerce owners must meet the customer’s shipping demands to remain competitive.

Wrap up

Understanding the latest online shopping trends will help you to understand the customer’s behavior, which can be essential in your marketing strategy. You can also easily anticipate what your customers need and solve crucial problems affecting your consumers using the latest e-commerce trends.