The Evolution of E-Commerce in 2020

With the growing costs of upholding a bricks and mortar store and the current Covid-19 pandemic, many businesses are closing up shop, only to reopen online. This is represented in a 32.4% increase in e-commerce sales and a 3.2% decrease in brick-and-mortar sales.

As the number of E-commerce businesses increases, however, so does the level of competition, which is why it is more important than ever to employ effective E-Commerce Web Design and E-Commerce SEO Services.

As one of Sydney’s leading Digital Marketing Agencies, we can offer some insight into the E-commerce trends that will be prominent throughout the 2020s. To ensure that your business maintains a competitive advantage, you should consider the following factors:

The Emergence of Google Shopping as an Online Marketplace

Online marketplaces are websites or apps that give people the opportunity and freedom to shop from a multitude of E-Commerce stores, both locally and globally. These online marketplaces, such as Google and eBay, provide a platform for businesses to display their products, and allow for users to easily fulfil a transaction to purchase a product. The convenience of being able to complete a purchase any time and anywhere, is the driving force behind the continual growth in online consumerism.

Google Shopping is fast emerging as a successful approach to generating sales. Through linking your E-Commerce website with Google Shopping, you will create Product Listing Ads (PLAs) that will appear at the top of the search results page, when a search term matches the products you sell. A PLA is a simple advertisement that incorporates both text and imagery; providing a product offering that is targeted at the person searching. The immediate visual response at the top of the search results page, is a great way to grab the attention of consumers, with photos attracting more attention than text-only ads. This visual appeal, along with the possibility of having more than one ad shown in a product offering is very beneficial to businesses in leading potential customers to their E-Commerce Website.

Augmented Reality Improves Online Shopping Experiences

The biggest speed hump that online retailers have to overcome, is the fact that online shopping experiences lack the tangibility that brick and mortar stores afford. Without being able to physically touch or try on a product before purchasing, the decision-making process becomes more difficult.

Augmented Reality, commonly referred to as AR, serves to partially resolve this issue, through giving consumers the opportunity to visualise a product being used by themselves or within a space. Whether it involves virtually seeing a piece of furniture in your home, or a pair of shoes on your feet, customers are able to preview what the product will ultimately look like when they use it.

AR has revolutionised E-Commerce Web Design, with many businesses now seeking the services of a Web Design Agency that provide E-Commerce Web Design Services, to enhance the online shopping experience for their customers with Augmented Reality.

Mobile Online Shopping Is On the Rise

Despite the reality of not being able to physically touch a product before making a purchase, online shopping is becoming increasingly more popular due to the convenience of being able to shop anywhere and at any time. With the evolution of E-Commerce Web Design, we are able to complete purchases with ease on our mobile devices, resulting in more and more people choosing to do so.

With 40% of online purchases occurring on a mobile device, it is more important than ever to ensure your E-Commerce Website is fully optimised to be responsive across all devices. Responsive E-Commerce Web Design means that the website will conform to the device that it is being viewed on; adapting to the screen size for optimal viewing. People also use their mobile phones to research products and services before making a purchase either on their computer or mobile device. Therefore, responsive E-Commerce Website Design will give your E-Commerce business access to a larger market, giving you more opportunities to acquire new customers and generate sales.

Employing a Web Development Agency to make your E-Commerce website responsive, will increase the likelihood of sales conversions, as customers are more likely to stay on your website if it can be viewed easily. Also, with Google prioritising responsive websites that are designed to suit mobile devices, it is imperative that your E-commerce Web Design is responsive to uphold your Google ranking. Therefore, responsive E-Commerce Websites go hand in hand with E-Commerce SEO Services, with one complementing the other.

Social Media is Evolving As a Means of Shopping

As social media evolves, social media platforms are making it easier for E-commerce businesses to advertise and sell their products via social media channels. Social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram now incorporate checkout features that take customers directly to the product page on a business’ website, helping to fulfil impulse buys.

Through maintaining a strong presence on social media via organic posting and paid Instagram and Facebook advertising, your business can gain greater brand awareness that will result in new customer acquisition and more sales. With the ability to share content, social media posts manage to pop up again and again, which helps to increase brand awareness. RGC is a Digital Marketing Agency that develops effective social media strategies that help its client’s E-commerce Websites to flourish.

Personalised Shopping Experiences Improve Customer Journeys

Personalised shopping experiences involve tailoring E-Commerce website experiences to suit the needs and desires of an individual customer, as opposed to a whole target market. Through personalisation, businesses can form a connection with the customer, which ultimately leads to brand loyalty. The collection of data through Data Analytics software, surveys and forms, help brands deliver content and advertisements that are highly relevant and valuable to individual consumers. An example of personalisation in E-Commerce Web Design is recommending other products that the user may like, based on data collected.

RGC is a Digital Marketing Agency that utilises data collection to create effective digital marketing strategies that incorporate personalised experiences. E-Commerce SEO is also greatly influenced by the data collected, with the ability to analyse search patterns and develop a refined E-Commerce SEO strategy.

E-Commerce Post Covid-19

Retail Trend Experts agree Covid-19 has tremendously impacted the way in which we shop. With social distancing restrictions and lockdowns, consumers have been forced to adopt new ways of living, which has largely extended into the E-Commerce realm. More and more people are resorting to buying products and services online, either as a personal choice, or in response to being confined to their home by new laws and restrictions.

RGC has helped our clients increase their online sales through effective E-Commerce Web Design and E-Commerce SEO Services, as we adapt to our new way of life. It is expected that the rise in online shopping will continue to grow, even post Covid-19. With more and more people discovering the convenience of online shopping as the Covid-19 pandemic progresses, it is likely that consumers will get used to purchasing online, and continue to do so. Many businesses are now eliminating bricks and mortar stores altogether, in favour of an E-Commerce Website.

RGC Digital Marketing is an E-Commerce Web Design Agency based in Sydney that has been empowering brands since 1998, with high performing E-Commerce Websites. Our Web Designers understand the importance of creating positive user experiences in order to effectively promote products and services. We provide Web Design Services to businesses of all sizes and even offer website evaluations, to assess the effectiveness of your current E-Commerce Website and Website Design Strategy.