Since the ecommerce industry is so large, it should not be surprising to see innovations that come and go. These innovations can be considered trends because they come and go. On the other hand, some trends make a big enough impact that they remain prominent and are unlikely to disappear anytime soon.

Let’s take a look at some of the ecommerce trends that are dictating how the industry operates. The list should help interested ecommerce business owners to decide whether they should consider adopting some of these trends.

Customer Reviews

According to multiple sources, roughly more than 80 percent of all online shoppers prefer to read online reviews before they spend money for goods and services on the internet. As such, more online stores should consider improving their customer review strategy.

For instance, they could use Opinew to import Aliexpress & Amazon reviews directly to their Shopify store and take advantage of the already available interviews.

Encouraging current customers to submit reviews by offering them various perks, such as free shipping or discount coupons, is worth a shout as well. 

Voice Shopping

Voice shopping is one of the most recent trends shaping the ecommerce industry. Thanks to the popularity of digital assistants, more and more people are starting to realize how convenient it is to say their commands out loud and leave the work to Alexa, Google Home, or another smart speaker. 

Shopping with voice is also not just about an average person. One has to consider people with disabilities who sometimes have no option but to use their voice if they want to shop on the internet.

Optimizing your ecommerce store for voice shopping might be expensive and take some time, but given how prominent the trend is, it looks like a matter of time before most online shops will have the feature.

Virtual Reality

Virtual reality is another trend for the future. It aims to eliminate one of the biggest drawbacks of online shopping, which is not having the option to try the goods in person. Shopping online is not the same as visiting a retail store and trying on clothes yourself, for example.

However, putting on VR goggles takes you to a virtual environment and lets you experience an online store as if you were there in person.

Despite the fact that virtual reality is still far from accessible to the majority of ecommerce stores due to expenses, it is almost certain that we will see its rise in prominence in the upcoming years. Some of the biggest ecommerce stores are already testing this technology to see how it fares. 

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is already quite popular, and there are two ecommerce aspects that benefit from AI—customer support and data analytics.

As the ecommerce business grows, it collects vast amounts of data that would take too long to process manually. Instead, data analytics utilize artificial intelligence and leave data processing to powerful computers.

Now, when it comes to customer support, there is a trend of chatbots replacing real people. AI bots learn in real time and adapt while still responding to customer queries instantly. In the long run, businesses save resources by investing in chatbots.

Eco-Friendly Policies

Climate change and other environmental problems are making some shoppers rethink their policies about supporting certain businesses. Right now, it is common to announce going green or incorporating another method that makes the business more environment-friendly.

It could be recyclable packaging or different means of transport used for shipping goods. The bottom line is that customers are more likely to appreciate and relate to an ecommerce business that puts the environment first.

Advanced Customization

Limiting customization options is not a good approach at the moment. If possible, an ecommerce store should give customers as many different options as they can.

For example, if a store is selling custom merchandise, let shoppers decide what colors and designs they want. Instead of giving only a few options for fonts, let them upload custom fonts and other design elements. 

Influencer Marketing and Collaborations

It is no secret that social media marketing has been a cornerstone for many businesses. That has not changed, it is just that the approach to SM marketing shifted more toward influencers.

Both micro-influencers and A-tier celebrities can bring a lot to the table by giving a simple shoutout on their social media page or creating a series of sponsored posts where they promote goods or services. 

Custom Merchandise

Custom merchandise is the last trend on the list. Brands are investing in t-shirts, hoodies, pens, caps, face masks, and other merchandise that they distribute for free, include as a gift, or straight-up sell on the store.

Brand awareness is one of the biggest benefits of custom merchandise because people notice it and become familiar with the brand they see on someone’s t-shirt or hoodie.