It’s the era of a new kind of customer. Now, more than ever, consumers are engaging with companies that align with their core values. Case in point, 46% of consumers are more likely to purchase from a company that actively donates to charities than one that doesn’t.
Corporate responsibility isn’t just talk; it’s actually influencing consumer purchasing decisions, with more e-commerce stores expected to begin prioritizing sustainable sourcing, packaging, and manufacturing in 2024.
6. Same day or next day deliveries
In fact, order delivery times are often a sales accelerator; effective paraguay mobile numbers list the sooner an order can be received, the more customers will want to buy. Consumers not only want fast delivery times, they expect it.
In some cases, they even shell out more money for same-day or next-day delivery. If you don't offer consumers these options, they may turn to a competitor that does.
7. Augmented reality and virtual reality
Imagine you want to buy a new sofa for your home. What will it look like in your home? Would it fit in with your current decor?
Companies like Ikea offer an AR app that lets you place 3D products in your home. The products are life-size, so you can see if they fit and how they will look in your room.
Augmented reality and virtual reality will continue to keep pace in 2024. Over time, it will become a standard for businesses to offer AR and VR options. Ultimately, these additional benefits justify the initial investment in new technology.
As e-commerce grows, consumers will buy from companies that allow them the option to visually try on products before purchasing.
Augmented reality (AR) integrates the real physical world with generated images, sound, or other stimuli. Meanwhile, virtual reality (VR) is a simulated experience that places the user in a seemingly real environment using a special headset.
Many e-commerce brands are adopting AR and VR technologies to offer a more immersive shopping experience.
Consumer reactions are predominantly positive. According to one survey, 71% would buy more if a company used AR. Another study reveals that companies that use AR/VR content have a 94% higher conversion rate.
8. Live shopping
Have you ever wanted to sell your products live? Now you can do something similar on social media. In 2019, Amazon launched its live shopping platform, Amazon Live.
Two years later, TikTok began testing a live shopping feature in the United States. YouTube and Shopify followed suit closely, expanding their live shopping partnership.
All of these investments point to a more immersive and interactive future for e-commerce, one that goes beyond scrolling through static images and reading product descriptions.
Live online shopping allows sellers to showcase their products to the audience in real-time. In addition to creating an interactive experience, showcasing the actual size, shape, and materials of your product through unedited live videos helps build customer trust.
9. Image search
As e-commerce becomes increasingly mobile, businesses will begin to offer options to search for products visually using personal photos or online photos.
Since image search offers opportunities to find similar products at a cheaper price, you could eventually drive consumers to buy online even if the customer's purchasing journey began in a physical store.
Some e-commerce companies have already successfully implemented image search functions on their online platforms. Pinterest, for example, has its own image search function, and Google has had one for a long time.
10. Voice search
Thanks to the advancement of AI, customers can now take advantage of visual and voice searches. These AI-based site search systems use machine learning and natural language processing (NLP) to determine the intent behind a query.
Voice search allows people to multitask, helping them save time and avoid the hassle of typing a query into a search bar. Around 47% of shoppers used voice commands to make an online purchase and 58% were satisfied with their experiences.
Because of the technology’s ability to capture purchasing habits, 61% of respondents use it to repurchase saved orders. The items most frequently purchased through voice shopping are essential items, such as food (48%).
As Amazon Echo, Google Home, and other voice-activated devices grow in popularity, voice search will become the preferred search method.