The Future of Ecommerce: 4 Trends to look out for in 2019

The Ecommerce industry is constantly changing and evolving. With 2019 in full swing, new industry trends are going to gain traction and force online stores to either adapt or lose business. From organic link-building to full mobile optimization, all the way to diversification into the B2B sector and complete customer-oriented customization, Ecommerce companies are in for a disruptive year ahead.

The growing apprehension of online shoppers towards up-and-coming Ecommerce stores coupled with the never-ending increase in the number of competitors gunning for your demographic, adapting your offering to the growing trends will mean the difference between increased sales page conversions, and a deserted website. Let’s take a look at the four Ecommerce trends that will help you make 2019 your most successful year to date.

Shifting towards mobile Ecommerce

There is no denying that mobile browsing is on the rise. In fact, over half of all internet traffic comes from smartphones, so all the more reason to optimize your online store for a stellar mobile experience, known today as Mcommerce. Quite simply, Mcommerce is the complete mobile shopping package, sans the app.

You see, while mobile shoppers are not overly keen on stuffing their phones with proprietary Ecommerce apps, they are keen on browsing Ecommerce websites on the go and either making a purchase or bookmarking products they’ll revisit when they come back home. To give them the best shopping experience possible, focus on the following:

• Implement AMPs (Accelerated Mobile Pages) to give your smartphone visitors a smooth, responsive experience.
• Pay special attention to UI and UX. Smartphone browsing needs to be flawless, with carefully laid out icons and text that support visibility and maneuverability.
• Eliminate all hurdles and enable one-click checkouts. The key here is to reduce customer effort, so allow them to save their information for future purchases the first time they visit your store.
• Integrate numerous payment options into your payment system. Give your mobile customers the flexibility to pay on their terms.

The rise of B2B online marketplaces

One of the biggest trends in the Ecommerce world in recent years that is going to skyrocket in 2019 is the rise of B2B online commerce. Physical stores from all industries are quickly venturing into the online realm, but more importantly big businesses such as oil and gas giants, suppliers, and manufacturers are making it easier than ever before to procure specialized industry equipment in an online marketplace.

This trend will boost the Ecommerce market value past the 4-trillion-dollar mark by 2021, and make high-demand products such as oilfield equipment and other specialized products readily available to companies from around the world. While B2C Ecommerce will remain the primary source of industry growth in the following years, it’s important that you delve into the B2B realm early on as well, in order to secure your place in the niche and capitalize on the rising trend.

Selling on numerous platforms

Nowadays, you can receive a sale notification from all over the internet, provided that you have invested time and money in building an omni-channel sales structure. You see, modern Ecommerce brands are not just online stores, they are living entities that engage and communicate with their audiences across numerous channels and platforms in order to drive brand awareness and incentivize potential customers to make the decision to buy.

If you want to make your Ecommerce store competitive in 2019, you will not only need to attract shoppers to your website, but also to your social media accounts and all other places in the digital world where your brand is present. The challenge here, however, is successfully managing these channels seamlessly and optimizing inventory accordingly. You can look for Ecommerce solutions that allow multi-channel inventory integration. This way, you will make it easy for potential customers to get in touch and order products from all over the web while you manage your inventory from a centralized location.

Implementing efficient payment methods

Let’s expand on the aforementioned payment-processing trends and give you a more detailed overview of the current situation in the industry, and how you can use smart payment processing to your advantage. Firstly, understand that the checkout stage is the most important part of the customer’s decision-making process, so there can be no room for mistake here.

The checkout process needs to be smooth, efficient, and responsive above all. Still, it’s important to keep in mind that cart abandonment rates are as high as they ever were, which begs the need for Ecommerce stores to optimize their payment methods to appeal to every customer. To achieve this, focus on:

• Integrating all of the payment methods into one comprehensive platform. You can achieve this with a third-party service provider.
• Keep in mind that 13% of online shoppers will abandon their cart if the prices are not displayed in their local currency, or if the checkout process does not allow them to pay in their currency.
• Set up subscription-based payment methods if you are in the B2B realm. Businesses have a recurring need for volumes of products, parts, and equipment, so be sure to simplify the process with a direct-debit system.

In conclusion

This year, Ecommerce will be more about flexibility and optimization, and less about product innovation. While it might seem that you need to constantly reinvent your inventory with new and exciting products, you should actually put emphasis on the way you market them, and how you optimize your online presence for the modern-day shopper. Follow these trends, and make 2019 the winning year for your brand.