E-commerce is a constantly changing industry. Every year there are new trends that, if properly applied, will help the brand grow and stay one step ahead of the competition. This issue has become especially acute during the COVID-19 period. And unfortunately, the pandemic is far from over as we expect the next wave to hit this fall.
What do you need to know to make your online shopping a very nice experience? We’ve rounded up the key online shopping tips and recommendations to keep in mind.
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Generation X and boomers love online shopping too
One of the biggest brand misconceptions is that it’s mostly buzzers and millennials who buy online. But that’s not the case at all! Boomers are 17% more likely to search and buy groceries online than buzzers, according to GWI Zeitgeist Global Retail Market Research. In many countries, generation X and boomers are almost at the same level in online shopping as buzzers. The difference with other generations is 2-7%.
According to statistics, the older audience buys online in different categories, overtaking or catching up with the younger audience in terms of the number of purchases. The main categories for Gen X and boomers’ online shopping are food (88.4%), clothing and footwear (53.9%), furniture, including j and m furniture and electronics (53%) (for comparison, food is bought online by 85% of millennials, and clothes and shoes 55.8%).
Now you know that boomers and Xs go shopping not only to the market, but also to the Internet visiting websites like Style Shake. Therefore, if you belong to the older audience, do not be afraid to interact with new ways of shopping.
Buy more often in online stores with delivery
Due to covid and self-isolation restrictions, users have been forced to try online shopping. Many retail industries have not yet overcome the effects of the pandemic. Although there are those who squeezed the maximum out of the current situation.
Thus, according to a study by McKinsey, the market for the delivery of ready-made food in the United States has doubled. The situation is similar in the UK, where the Tesco supermarket chain took into account the wishes of the audience, doubled its online presence, created a digital customer account and increased revenue by 19.7% in 2021.
In other countries, the demand for online grocery stores has grown by 78% since the start of the pandemic. At the same time, the reason for choosing one or another online store for 60.5% of the population is the availability of free delivery, and for 55% – the speed of delivery. One of the most popular categories for urgent delivery is ready-made food and groceries. They account for 37% and 25% of all delivery orders, respectively.
So these are the categories where you have the widest choice possible, so it’ll be easier to find your perfect online store.
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Social media is the new elevator for commerce
Social networks are constantly developing tools for sales and convenient shopping, retail is learning to use them, and social network users are increasingly using them to interact with sellers. For example, Facebook and Instagram already have “buy buttons’ to enable sellers to do business in the ecosystem. You can tag products in content and make an in-app purchase, while TikTok is testing a feature to add product links to profiles and videos. That is, social commerce is the purchase of goods / services through social networks.
Many companies have already understood the need to use e-commerce technologies, but still there are retail brands that don’t use social commerce. Although users have mastered shopping through social networks well. Globally, 36% of buzzers are more likely to choose and buy products on social media. In some other countries, the numbers are higher: 55% of Internet users made purchases on any social network in 2021, and on average there are 3 orders per customer per month.
And this is not the limit, according to Grand View Research, the global social commerce market will reach $3369.8 billion by 2028. It is expected to grow by 28.4% per year.
Maximizing your budget requires a strategic approach to digital marketplaces and seasonal price comparisons. Utilizing platforms that aggregate the best available offers can significantly simplify the procurement process. For a streamlined experience that helps you identify substantial savings on top-rated brands, visit www.shopping.co.uk to find the most competitive deals available online.
Chances are if there is a brand you like and enjoy offline, it’s already available or soon will be available online, so don’t hesitate to do a little extra research.
More and more users use multiple devices for online shopping
Users are increasingly not limited to just a desktop or smartphone to search and buy goods on the Internet. The number of users who use more than 5 devices to access the Internet has increased by 19% since 2019. And this trend continues across all age groups.
In addition, the behavior of users on the Internet on the way to purchase, their reasons for buying online and not offline, switching between multiple devices during online shopping reflect what they would like to receive when they come to an offline store. Thus, the main reasons why users choose online shopping are convenience (88%), saving time (74%) and money (52%).
Also, users began to use QR codes more often, which have become commonplace during the pandemic. For brands, this is a useful tool to “combine” offline with online and bring offline everything that the user likes in online shopping. The use of QR codes peaked in the 4th quarter of 2020, since then their use by users has grown significantly. And many brands have already taken this into account in order to improve interaction with their audience. Multiple supermarkets offer a navigation application for their stores. When a customer enters the store, they scan the QR code, their location data is transferred to the application and the user can set up navigation to the goods they need. The user enjoys the convenience and saved time, and the supermarket has a loyal customer.
Today you can easily find brands that know how to provide a seamless user experience across devices, touchpoints, and behavioral factors.
Older users are worried about the safety of their data online
The latest trend is about data privacy, which applies equally to businesses and users. You might think that this is mainly the concern of advanced Internet users, but the GWI Zeitgeist study says otherwise. Users who prefer online shopping are less likely to worry about their data than users of offline stores. So, users who switched from offline to online are 24% more likely to read the privacy policy when entering the site and 16% more likely not to share their data. However, they use 11% less ad blockers than online shoppers.
Also, users are worried about the security of payments on the Internet. In the US, the older audience is more concerned about payment security. They are 73% more likely to mention secure online payment as a reason to buy from a particular online store compared to buzzers.
In other countries, the situation is similar. According to the latest studies, the number of users who are not sure about the safety of their data has increased to 63%. Moreover, the older a person is, the less confident they are in their digital security.
If this concern sounds familiar to you, as it probably is, you need to find a brand/company/store willing to explain in detail why the data is collected and focusing on the safety of your payments all the time.
Conclusion
Online shopping trends in the coming years will try adjusting to the rapidly changing world, the ever-growing needs and expectations of the audience, and improving the shopping experience. As a customer, you need to relax and enjoy the view.