For e-commerce websites, 2014 was a blast. According to estimates, the global 
sales from online purchasing reached a dizzying $1.5 trillion by the end of 2014. The past year clearly portrayed the true potential of e-commerce and how it can be further perfected. Such a behemoth turnover proved to be a threat to brick and mortar business and compelled them to make their presence felt over the world wide web. But the question remains, what does the upcoming year has in store for us? So in this post we will dive in and utilize the available statistics to predict the upcoming e-commerce trends of 2015.
Ecommerce trends to look out for in 2015
E-commerce has completely changed the landscape of the traditional brick and mortar business. The most noteworthy trend we can expect from 2015 is adaptation and transformation. It has influenced the inclusion of e-commerce retail which made the consumer experience really easy. It has become obvious that in the coming year, surprising the customer with better services and choices would be the key. The past year we have experienced that various e-commerce stores provided free shipping and cash on delivery offer and to top it off, they were not restricted to any geographic location. Also, such trend has compelled e-commerce retailers to invest and focus on customers rather than their inventories. As the online shopping experience has become centralized, planning for big shopping events like Super Saturdays and Black Fridays have become relatively easy. Earlier on peak shopping periods, people had to plan their days ahead and deal with huge queues and crowded alleys, but the e-commerce boom has changed all that.
How will be the user experience
Thanks to numerous e-commerce websites, the shopping experience has improved leaps and bounds and in 2015, it would be further enhanced. Not only would you be able to shop at any time of the day, but also avail huge discounts. Also, the inclusion of various mobile devices and responsive websites has made shopping possible on the go. Window shopping is passe, browsing is in. Now you can compare various online stores and shop from the one that you find the most suitable. Also, you can do so from anywhere. In a nutshell, the e-commerce boom has improved the user experience leaps and bounds and have grabbed the attention of millions worldwide.
But 2015, will bring forth something which was never experienced before. We are talking about the Google Glass and iWatch. This year, e-commerce will find audience accessing and shopping using various wearable technologies. Now consumers would get greater access to the online stores and also to some extent bridge the gap between online & brick and mortar business.
What level of customer service will be expected?
Customer service is another aspect of e-commerce trends that has made it so popular among the masses. It has helped create a strong bond between customer and online shopping destinations, as well as instilled faith in the process. In 2015, the various e-commerce website will battle it out to come out on top by improving their customer service quotient. We can expect same day shipping and delivery within minutes, heavy discount periods as well as extensive population penetration. To add up to the customer service, we can also see the variety of commodities and substances that we can procure online, which we did not have remotely thought of in 2014.
Significance of mobile devices in e-commerce
Mobile devices are the pinnacle of e-commerce trends and in 2015 this trend would only increase. Consumers and online shoppers don’t stick to a single device while shopping, they like to shuffle between their mobiles and tablets and want to get the most out of the e-commerce stores while on the move. But e-commerce trends of 2015, would majorly be impacted by how people perceive Apple pay. It would make transactions more simple, safe thus further promoting online shopping. Also to keep up with the demands of mobile customers, e-commerce websites would also tweak their sites to make it responsive and much more mobile friendly. In 2015, we can definitely assume e-commerce sites to be simple, suave, easy to load and work with.
Role of Social Media in e-commerce
According to statistics, by 2015, there would be 93% growth in the sales of physical goods, thanks to social media. So to keep up, e-commerce merchants needs to socialize more in order to stand out from their competitors. In 2015, the sales of products on various e-commerce websites would be governed by the reviews and opinions posted by users and fans on various social networking platforms, blogs, and reviews. Thus, social media would be a potent catalyst in deciding whether an e-commerce business would thrive or plummet. In 2015, in order to understand customer behavior, big data would be extensively used. We can even notice the integration of wishlists in various e-commerce pages of social networking sites, to know the requirements and wishes of the masses.
In a nutshell, all the e-commerce trends of 2015 will revolve around responsive fluid designs and would be well connected with a spectrum of devices and social networking platforms. The user experience would be further enhanced, thanks to the new upcoming techs. Also, regular customers would be able to experience brick & mortar business beginning to slowly integrate with their online counterpart. A perfect brick meets click experience is in store for 2015.
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