eCommerce website development is all about increasing users’ convenience. Since 2005, more and more consumers are making the majority of their purchases online. To retain and gain market share in this ever competitive marketplace, webmasters will have to employ every relevant strategy. Here, AWG has compiled the top 5 eCommerce trends that we’ll be deploying as part of our clients’ eCommerce development strategies this year and why. To begin:
Data Privacy
Top inquiries from our clients include a need for increased data security. For their customers and consumers, data privacy is paramount. This is partially due to recent regulatory updates across a range of industries, as well as concerns that cybercriminals view every security update as a challenge for the breaking. The question remains, how to achieve a balance between asking customers/consumers for personal information without losing their trust? The balanced approach is two-fold: Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) allow online businesses to retain a personalized shopping experience without asking for personal details. The ML in Audiences from Shopify identifies a target audience by processing non-personal consumer input. From HIPAA to GDPR, regulations are mandating more consumer control over their data. Not only does this make sites compliant, but also builds consumer trust by allowing them control over the sharing of their data. This ‘need to know’ approach will be seen most often at the checkout by sites that gauge what personal information is mandatory and only asking for relevant data.
Increased Accessibility
Did you know? About 95% of eCommerce websites do not measure up to Web Content Accessibility Guidelines. These guidelines do not solely speak to compliance and avoiding legal retaliation. Simply put, an easily accessible website makes the sales funnel easier for visitors to navigate, thereby increasing ROI. Additionally, site visitors with disabilities often have issues completing long forms, using a keyboard, and viewing low-contrast text. Every consumer will benefit from the inclusion of autocomplete forms, easier to read high-contrast textual content, and implementing reading mode plugins. Sound eCommerce website development for 2023 will address and resolve many of these ongoing issues.
Omnichannel Chatbots
Continued ease of use is the overall theme for 2023. Providing a consistent user experience across multiple channels and quality customer service is key. Omnichannel chatbots work across numerous platforms to provide services such as on-the-fly, accurate order status updates. Integrating AI-enabled chatbots with a retailer’s CRM system will allow the bot to access the database in response to a query efficiently. These chatbots have moved past answering basic questions. Many offer regulation compliant features, such as allowing users to change their passwords after the verification of their credentials.
Optimize for Local
Since 2016 Google has been closely tracking local search. Leading the pack on the SERPs are searches containing the words, “near me”. Not only are more consumers shopping online, but they strongly prefer shopping at local businesses. As part of our ecommerce development strategies, AWG will be updating our clients’ Google Business profiles to reap financial benefits at both their digital and physical ‘locations’. We will additionally ensure that all their products and services are noted, as well as to localize their website content so the ranking bots ‘find’ and frequently scan their sites. Additionally, these sites will reach a wider audience by encouraging User-Submitted information. This can be edited prior to posting, but it is expected that in the near future, Google will include user-generated data to drive a site’s search results.
Content Commerce
Until now, some aspects of the sales funnel have had an inefficient approach. Consumers have long complained that new product/service advertising is intrusive, sometimes not relevant, and a more seamless impression is wanted. Enter Content Commerce. AWG is utilizing this new approach with our ecommerce development clients who understand that this approach to paid content will remove the ‘in your face’ aspect for our online retailers. Ads are presented in a way that blends seamlessly with the appearance of the hosting platform, flowing more naturally in and out of every user experience. Considered a more effective way to introduce new services, ideas, and products, early returns state that Content Commerce is more adept at inviting consumers to consider a product rather than insisting that they stop what they’re doing and consider the new product or service.
Every new year, Active Web Group assesses the latest eCommerce website development trends in our industry and rolls the most successful of these out to give our clients an ‘unfair’ advantage over their competitors. We invite you to contact our digital marketing professionals to learn more about how partnering with AWG can lead to your best and most profitable year ever! Contact us today!
