20 Ecommerce Development Trends That Will Dominate the Year 2022

"Amazing things will happen when you listen to the consumer." – says Jonathan Midenhall, CMO for Airbnb.

Ecommerce is all about listening to consumers. The consumer will never stop being the centre of attention in any field. However, post-pandemic rules and regulations and conditions applied to Ecommerce have changed. It has been striving to thrive and remain market-friendly. According to Statista, in the year 2021, the worldwide revenue of Ecommerce summed up to 3.52 trillion. The amount will change to 6.54 trillion by the end of 2023. So, Ecommerce development is trending amongst local shops and small businesses, but the trends keep changing every year.

What are Ecommerce Development Trends of 2022?

1.   Voice Search Optimization

Voice search is the trend that is gaining immense popularity, which directly influences search results and shopping outcomes. Amazon and Google have incorporated voice search optimization features, and because of that, they have been able to reach parts of the world where it was impossible to go without them. The Ecommerce Developers must make sure that the ecommerce website is optimized for mobile search as well because most people use mobile phones to search for anything. Laptops and Desktops are hardly used for shopping.

2.   Payment Options

There are many payment options available in the market, and the more you incorporate for your business, the more people are willing to buy from you. It is because digital wallets and banks give various discounts and offers to people. Hence, they look for more significant quantities at a lower price. Thus, it's time for your business to start looking for payment options to incorporate if you only accept cheques, credit, or debit cards. Many online retailers now use tools that allow consumers to buy with a payment plan with no additional fees. It makes the exit process easy, and the customer will return to you for more.

3.   Chatbots

Chatbots have been made modernized and interactive such that they talk with consumers as if they are in-store chatting with a salesperson. Shoppers these days can find the product they want quickly with the help of Chatbots. They guide them with a few clicks, and the customer experience is happy. Chatbots are becoming highly intuitive and have become personalized and human-like using previous data. They have already become one of the essential marketing tools.

4.   AR in Ecommerce Development

AR allows the customer to view the product and try it on virtually. They can do it in their own time and environment, which will develop a strong sense of loyalty in customers. Basically, it’s a merchant telling the story of the product with twists and plots because one can view the product from different angles and sides.

Initially, AR filters were for fun on social media; now brands are using it to promote themselves and gain traffic. Hence it has become quintessential for Ecommerce developers to incorporate AR into their websites. 

5. VR in Ecommerce

There are still people who prefer to buy products from the physical store. For them VR is a blessing because with the help of VR headsets, they can have the store experience sitting at their home. If this feature is added to the Ecommerce website of a brand, the customers who are new to online shopping can take advantage. Traders could design the space as they see fit and continuously update it with customer trends and product preferences. Now that’s one of the coming-of-the-age Ecommerce Development trends. 

6.   Contextual Advertising

Contextual advertising is one of the hottest Ecommerce Development trends that have converted many consumers. Basically, it lures the right audience towards the correct advertisement at the exact moment. People who buy one item will be interested in purchasing another item from the same store if they know about their options. Compared to the primary retargeting efforts, ecommerce store owners stand a better chance of reaching out to a larger audience by using programmatic advertising.

7.   M-Commerce       

All the online retailers will inform you that mobile transactions are increasing day by day each year. People had switched exclusively to mobiles during the pandemic, and they have accepted the new normal ever since. Most online purchases are made around the holiday season, and if your business doesn't have a mobile-friendly website, now is the time to make it responsive. Ecommerce has been trending for two years now, and it will be a hit for a very long time, so it's about time to make your business MCommerce adaptive. 

8.   Social Media Promotions

Social Media promotions mean the process of making purchases directly on social media sites such as Facebook or Instagram, or TikTok. It is considered one of the most important ecommerce trends to focus on in the year 2022. Facebook has already introduced a host of options for entrepreneurs looking to sell directly on their platform. Even though they do not have a website, some businesses have a Facebook page from where people can buy their products. The same is the case with Instagram. Needless to say, this trend is only going to grow in the future.  

9.   Feedback

Never be afraid to ask for customer feedback because you can make the required changes to the website and products if you know what your customers need. This way, you can create specific and apt plans for the future. Sometimes a customer might suggest something you might not have even thought of. Hence, keep taking customer feedback and upgrading your business and Ecommerce website from time to time.

10.   FDFC – Forward Deploy Fulfillment Centre

Some businesses inform the customer when their orders are ready to be delivered or picked up. The FDFC is a small fulfillment center that could be simply a set of automated lockers already stocked with some standard purchases. For example, if someone wants to buy a bottle of shampoo or a pair of socks, they will get a notification that the item is ready for pickup nearby as soon as they tap the buy button. Hence, it is one of the top Ecommerce development trends.

11.   Content Marketing

 Content marketing is not only about content writing; it is about every type of content – audio and visuals included. It will continue to grow into an essential aspect of ecommerce marketing. You can always make conversation with your users and learn about your customer’s requirements. It's a way to open two-way discussions with the customers. Content marketing adds relevant information to products or services and then sells those effectively. Using social media and brand websites, the customer will never forget your brand if you promote your content well. Make unique and appealing content – written or otherwise, so people stay loyal to your brand. 

12.   Recommendations

Like contextual advertising, on-site personalized recommendations can be made easier with data collected from AI. Here's how to improve product content and recommendations and increase sales conversions: 

13.   QR Code Scanner

QR code scanners had picked up pace post-pandemic when people had to pay for their purchased items and did not carry cash. It will nullify the hassle of typing all the details for the payment. It is an easy one-step process for any customer owning a mobile. QR codes are a recent technology trending highest in the Ecommerce development; they can boost landing pages or engagement and drive traffic towards social media platforms. QR code encryption can 'mystery market' your brand and increase sales.

14.   Content Repurposing

For modern ecommerce businesses, content upgrading sometimes looks like repurposing the content regularly because Google algorithms and conditions keep on changing. Instead of grinding to produce new content regularly, companies will focus on repurposing and updating existing content, so it stays relevant to the times. There is a high demand for content repurposing because people are looking for the enhanced and informative details of the product. Also, the cost to repurpose the content is lesser than that of altogether uploading the new one.

15.   Influencer Marketing

Influencer Marketing or Live Streaming products means giving D-List celebrities a chance to market the product. From personal experience, this method of promotion works; hence this feature should be incorporated into your website. You can show the influencer using your products and how it solves the problem for people. It also confirms that more than 30% of customers buy products recommended by a non-celebrity influencer. Thus, this is a crucial addition to your Ecommerce Development trends.

16.   Subscriptions and Offers

You will see all sorts of subscriptions these days and offers too. When you provide a subscription option, and the cherry on the top is that it's free, people will sign up for it immediately. For companies, subscription services create a way to plan for inventory and sales already locked in. The companies like Literati offer subscription boxes for books and are a massive hit in the USA market. If you are starting new in the market, replicate the subscription model of this company.

17.   Go Green Motto

People are supporting companies who support the Go Green motto. If you are not, you should start and add it into your Ecommerce development process. Achieving ecommerce sustainability means building a brand that supports environmentally-friendly practices, from green packaging to more eco-friendly shipping. You can start with taking baby steps towards making your brand support sustainability, like changing the packaging or supporting a Go Green group.

18.   Focusing on B2B Market

One of the biggest Ecommerce trends of this year is to focus on the B2B market. The Ecommerce platform is not limited to customers who use the product for their personal use. Wholesalers and retailers buy it, and manufacturers as well. Hence, your website must be friendly for B2B consumers as well. The buyers across industries, and a significant portion of the government, healthcare, education, and business buyers plan to conduct most of their business purchasing online; hence the market is enormous.

19.   Enhanced Shipping Options

Optimize the channels of shipping options. If you think you cannot deliver your product to people's homes or offices, make it available for them conveniently from where they can collect it. It will make customers return to your website again and again.

20.   Snap and Shop

For a long time, this option on the website was much–awaited because there are tons of things people want to buy, but they do not know the name or platform to buy. Snap and shot will increase the sale and make user-experience friendly and recurring. If I am a customer and I want to buy a product similar to what is in front of me, this option will make buying it easier for me. So will it for a million others.

Conclusion:

It is necessary to keep up with the trends to remain active in the market and popular. However, not every trend will suit your product. Choose what will and incorporate it into your business. Whether working with BigCommerce, Magento, Shopify, or any other Ecommerce platform, your business deserves the best. For user-friendly and better Ecommerce websites, hire the right team of Ecommerce development companies who know about the latest Ecommerce trends and can combine them for your business. Hence, you can find the list of Ecommerce companies that can help you out with your business here.