2020 was a year like never before. The circumstances were unprecedented, and customer behaviours followed suit. Several trends were noticed which were different from the usual, while others were more common and consistent. For example, sustainable products have gained momentum and are a new trend added to the market, while time-tested trends like better security in websites (which can be achieved by methods like installing an SSL certificate) continue to prosper. In the digital era, cybersecurity threats have grown manifold. As a result, maintaining security has garnered increased importance. Ecommerce firms are increasingly resorting to installing SSL certs on their websites to keep out sniffing attempts and MiTM attacks.
Ecommerce business owners often get flummoxed when told to choose the perfect SSL certificate for their website. We suggest that you go for installing a cheap wildcard ssl certificate as this will ensure security for your chosen domain in addition to an unlimited number of first-level subdomains. This will eliminate the need for buying separate single-domain ssl certificates for each new subdomain that you add.
Here are some of the top eCommerce trends to watch out for in 2021.
#1. Online Marketplaces Will Flourish
As expected, online shopping will continue to be the rage. With everybody quenching their thirst to shop online, variety will be the key. As the owner of a product line, it is essential to be smart about your online presence. Ensure that your products are available, not only on your websites but also on eCommerce marketplaces. This is because most customers prefer the accessibility that marketplaces provide and free shipping, return exchange, etc., a logistic cost that most independent eCommerce platforms can’t provide or provide in a limited amount only.
#2. The Product Market Will Expand In Scope
2020 provided customers with the opportunity to venture out of their comfort zones and indulge in shopping for commodities that didn’t usually call for B2C products. Products like groceries, hardware utilities, etc., were extensively bought as people realized they had no option but to get their hands dirty in daily household chores with country or state-wide lockdowns. This brought about a significant change in purchase patterns, and though 2021 may see people returning to normal lives, this trend is yet to stay.
This provides an opportunity to tap into a bigger market. Make your products easy to buy, and keep in mind that many of your customers may not be professionals and not know the basic how-to of certain products. Try to make their experience as easy and affordable as possible, and you will surely see sales soar. According to Shopify Plus, the Global sales of products under the B2C ecommerce market are predicted to reach close to $4.5 trillion by the year 2021.
Small platforms will be a popular means of eCommerce Establishing a business online was once considered a tedious task, but 2020 changed this perception with more and more businesses popping up online to feed the ever-hungry consumer market. Self-service platforms add a personalized touch to products, and with the idea of supporting small indigenous businesses on the rise, it’s a good idea to associate yourselves with small platforms that can help display your products or gather a small team to host your own products website.
#3. Social Media: More like Shopping Media
Social media was and will still be an engagement; not many can escape. With everyone scrolling on these platforms, the concept of online shopping via advertisements and promotions done on Instagram, Facebook, etc., is a trend that is far from dying down. With numerous Instagram shops and businesses providing services and with the social media business community growing stronger by collaborations and promoting each other’s commodities, this is a place that will give high returns with positive reviews spreading like wildfire. Even if your store is not based on social media, placing advertisements on these platforms or creating a page for your shop will help amp up sales.
#4. Security Of Websites Will Continue To Increase In importance
With a larger amount of traffic on the internet and new small businesses emerging every day, the scepticism amongst customers will also increase. Having visible symbols of security will help boost sales. As discussed at the beginning itself, every online business needs to secure its transactions and communications from the prying eyes of hackers.
Investing in the right kind of SSL certificates is a great way to create a bond of confidence and trust with the customer. It encrypts the in-transit communication that transpires between the web server and the client browser. This secures the PII (Personally Identifiable Information) of consumers that they share with the online business while conducting transactions.
For an ecommerce business that envisions growth in future, we suggest going for installing wildcard SSL certificates. Being a wise and scalable choice, this single certificate secures the chosen primary domain and an unlimited number of first-level subdomains under it.
#5. Increase in Behaviour Analysis
Businesses will use many resources to analyze their customers and their behaviour, customize the user experience, and tailor according to target customers. Drilling deep into customer behaviour to segment them into those who are price-sensitive and buy during sales or those who are impulsive buyers and go from scrolling to payment within minutes, while others tend to fill up their carts but abandon them later. As a business owner, to stay at par with competition from other businesses, it’s a good idea to start thinking in these terms and making technology work for you rather than the other way around.
#6. Influencers: The Zeitgeist Of The Digital Era
With television viewing becoming moribund, social media influencers are a new rage. With many followers, subscribers, and so on who take their reviews, recommendations, likes, and dislikes as a testimony for buying products, more and more brands will start looking to influencers for collaborations to try and promote products. Not only is this more cost-effective, but it also tends to have better conversion rates as influencers cater to a particular target audience who is genuinely interested in the domain of products being displayed and spoken about.
#7. AI Will Be Increasingly Helpful
Artificial intelligence and machine learning will be widely used to benefit businesses and move beyond just recommendation systems. It will trickle down to the lowest level of operation and add features to eCommerce platforms that make the user experience better and more immersive for customers. It will be smart to start investing in AI methods to predict customer patterns and market behaviours.
#8. Personalization Will Go Up A Notch
Personalization has been on the cards for the last few years. Until now, it was majorly focused on helping show customers products that they may like and sending across promotional emails to improve the purchase experience. Moving beyond that, personalization will now focus on creating a bond with the customer so that the customer doesn’t view the service merely as a business relationship. Instead, companies will go the extra mile to develop a personal rapport with customers, similar to across-the-counter stores.
#9. Sustainable Products Will Increase In Popularity
The sustainability of products is a matter that consumers of today’s age have given great importance to. With increased awareness among customers regarding the environment, having environmentally friendly products, packaging, and showcasing a strong brand of values, rather than working as a factory of products, will take you a long way. In addition, easy changes like wrapping packages in newspapers or handmade paper can help establish a culture of green consumerism.
