If you’re running an online brand, it’s important to understand the e-commerce trends that are affecting the marketplace. With the majority of brands selling their products through online spaces, your push toward surpassing the competition and increasing sales is contingent upon your relationship with your consumers.

If you’re crafting new ways for your brand to expand and grow, you need to start internally with your brand’s e-commerce framework and strategy.

So, to help you increase sales and gain the interest of new consumers – you need to understand the current e-commerce trends.

Let’s take a look at the top 10 e-commerce trends you should pay attention to:

10 E-Commerce Trends To Pay Attention To

Ethical Consumerism

The first e-commerce trend is a push toward ethical consumerism.

Now more than ever, consumers are looking to support brands that are ethical, transparent and showcase authenticity. With e-commerce, your brand will often face evaluations and scrutiny from customers who want to know the truth behind your company.

Consumers are asking important questions that surround your products, materials and production. For example:

• How was this product made and where?
• Why is my packaging not recyclable?
• Was it neccessary to have such a large shipping box or plastic materials?
• Which materials were used in the production of this product?

With this heightened awareness toward ethical production, your brand needs to be transparent on your e-commerce platform. Whether you choose to craft an in-depth about page or add detailed product descriptions, consumers should be able to find any and all details about how your product was made and what materials were used.

If you want to increase your sales, then you need to engage in an open conversation on your platform that promotes ethical consumerism.

The International Approach

The second e-commerce trend is adapting an international approach.

Many online retailers have utilized this method in order to attract consumers from around the world. When we talk of international approach, we mean that your e-commerce brand should use techniques such as:

• Multiple Currencies
• International Shipping
• Customer Support In Multiple Languages

By making your e-commerce brand more inclusive and diverse to a wide variety of consumers from across the globe, you will gain a larger audience and in return, up your sales.

Direct To Consumer

The third e-commerce trend is implementing a direct to consumer strategy.

The DTC or D2C method of e-commerce is becoming increasingly more popular. With direct to consumer, more brands are taking out the middle man and selling their products straight to their customers.

The direct to consumer model takes out third party retailers and wholesalers from your purchasing equation. Not only is this fast and efficient for the consumer, it allows your brand to retain its revenue without having to shell out various fees to your suppliers.

If you want to elevate your sales and take control of your business, direct to consumer selling is the way to go.

Engagement With Customers

The fourth e-commerce trend is increasing your engagement with customers.

When purchasing products online, consumers want to feel as if they can communicate with your company. Since they can’t view the product in person, they may raise questions or concerns that will need answers.

In order to bridge the gap between you and your consumers, you need to employ strong methods of communication.

This includes:

• Having a chat representative that can answer any questions as soon as a consumer lands on your page
• Building a customer service team with contact methods of phone number and email
• Creating follow up inquiries to consumers who have placed items in their cart or engaged with a representative regarding a question.

If you show that your brand is dedicated to the needs and concerns of your consumers, then you will grow a respected and trusted platform.

Adding Video Content

The fifth e-commerce trend is integrating the use of video content.

In order to infuse realistic elements into your e-commerce page, you should consider creating and adding video content to your product posts.

Video is especially effective in fashion e-commerce businesses. By creating a virtual, moving look book – your customers can see how a piece fits and shapes the model. With this, they can make a better decision if the product will work for their own body.

Video content is also effective with food products. Showing how the product works or the process of it being made, will not only draw in the attention of your consumer, but will add a level of authenticity.

Consumers want to see your product in action.

So, what better way to give them the interactive, play by play than to showcase your brand through video content?

Products That Are Personalized

The sixth e-commerce trend is developing products that are personalized.

This trend is booming in the beauty and skincare industry. Considering that many products don’t work for everyone, consumers are leaning toward brands that understand that one size, type or ingredient doesn’t fit the entire mold.

For e-commerce brands in this space, you may want to consider developing products that can be personalized. For example, brands like Prose or Function of Beauty are taking note of this by allowing consumers to develop their own hair care formula.

While changing your product line sounds like an enormous task, you don’t need to make such a drastic change. Consider taking one product and offering a personalized option. See how your consumers react to it and determine if it’s a strategy to implement for the future.

From the way consumers are advocating for personalized products, you can rest assured knowing that this product shift will gain you new interest and increased sales.

Purchasing Directly From Socials

The seventh e-commerce trend is the ability to purchase directly from social platforms.

For consumers, buying online should be all about convenience. And, what better way to promote your products than through platforms your audience uses every day? We’re talking about shopping through social media.

To take your brand’s social media interactions a step further, consumers can purchase your products directly through your Instagram feed.

Whenever you see the shopping bag icon appear in the corner of a post – that means you can shop with just a few taps. By clicking on the product, it will direct consumers to your website and allow them to make a purchase. Plus, a consumer can instantly see the product description and featured pieces that would go well together.

If you want to increase your e-commerce sales, then you need to integrate direct shopping into your social platforms. Make it easy for your consumers to find and purchase the pieces they love.

Payment Plan Options

The eighth e-commerce trend is allowing for payment plan options.

While implementing this strategy differs from company to company, the option for payment plans has become increasingly more popular on e-commerce sites.

For example, allowing a tool such as Afterpay to be integrated into your site, will allow consumers to shop now and pay later. It works as credit option and allows a customer to pay for a product with multiple installments.

As we see more consumers interested in payment options, this is definitely a trend to consider for your brand. But, before using this type of framework, it’s best to determine how concepts such as Afterpay and payment plans will affect your overall financial earnings.

Subscription Services

The ninth e-commerce trend is adding the use of a subscription service.

To add to our push for convenience, we are seeing that many consumers are preferring companies that offer subscription based services. By implementing your e-commerce fulfillment strategy through subscription options – you are opening up the opportunity for your brand to retain reoccurring, steady sales.

A subscription service not only helps with keeping monthly customers, but it shows that you offer something that is unique, personal and will make your consumers’ lives easier.

If you want to effectively integrate into the lives of your consumers, then you need to be consistently present and available. With a monthly or bi-monthly subscription service, your consumers will have a hard time forgetting about you. And, if you provide a great product or service? You will land customers for life.

Real Life Experiences

The tenth e-commerce trend is bringing your business offline and creating real life experiences for your consumers.

Interacting with your customers in real life settings seems to go back toward the brick and mortar days. Yet, these types of experiences help to build connection and community for your brand.

By hosting pop up events, shopping days and branded experiences, many e-commerce shops are stepping out from behind the screen and interacting with their consumers.

The best way to develop a relationship with your consumers is to identity their needs and interests through personalized settings. Not only are real life experiences a great way to bring your online business into the tangible sales world, it allows you to directly engage with your consumers.

If you want to increase your sales, become a part of your audience’s world in real time. Host events and offer experiences to show that your company is much more than pixels on a computer screen.

—

As you can see, these 10 e-commerce trends are redefining the online marketplace. By implementing all or just a few of these techniques, you will be able to effectively increase your brand’s sales.

What are your thoughts on these e-commerce trends? Connect and share with us on social at @h_collective