Over the last decade or two, ecommerce operations have grown exponentially, going from an industry dominated largely by Amazon to billions of companies around the world. As ecommerce continues to develop, so does what it takes to stay competitive in a global market.
These eight facts will help you make sure you know where you stand, and what measures you need to take to scale your business and stay ahead of the curve.
1. Ecommerce is on the rise.
Online sales are expected to be up 25% overall in 2015, a boost of billions of dollars over 2014. Companies who do not keep up may fall behind, creating a need to meet customer demands online.
2. Mobile is, too.
America and Canada are slower on the pick up than Asian countries like China, but mobile purchasing is growing. As more and more shoppers are focusing on shopping from a mobile device, a responsive site or mobile app is certainly worth the investment.
3. Big buying days are getting bigger.
Not everyone likes to go outside in the cold on Black Friday or holiday shop at the mall, putting ecommerce sites front and center. Anticipating spikes in volume and retaining the inventory and fulfillment tools to keep up is now more important than ever.
4. Customer impressions matter.
Gone are the days of running down to the local hardware store to choose a light fixture. Today, everything on the web is at consumers’ fingertips. Staying competitive means besting competition around the world, making first impressions critical.
5. Content is crucial.
What you have to sell matters, but so does what you to say. High quality content marketing can increase visibility, and effective product descriptions are highly influential in helping a customer make the decision to buy.
6. The faster, the better.
Possibly the largest benefit of online shopping is convenience, and shipping is a big part of that. Fast, affordable shipping quotes are more likely to drive sales, reducing the number of customers who abandon their carts when they get to the checkout screen.
7. Email increases visibility.
Email marketing may seem like an easy way to annoy customers, but research shows that it works. Over 44% of email recipients surveyed made purchases based on emails that they otherwise would not have, giving you simple tools to drive traffic and sales.
8. What worked today may not work tomorrow.
As Google’s algorithms have demonstrated, the web is an ever-changing thing. What worked for you in 2006 probably won’t work in 2016, making it vitally important that you stay up to date with your marketing and ecommerce strategies.
Launching a successful ecommerce storefront may sound like an uphill battle, but by understanding the state of online shopping in today’s world, it may be easier than you think. These eight facts can be the difference between success and failure, providing you the information you need to stay ahead of the competition.
