With the COVID-19 pandemic sweeping the world and forcing people to remain inside for a majority of the year, 2020 saw a large increase in eCommerce transactions. No longer being able to shop in person meant that people went online for their purchases, prompting a significant amount of growth for eCommerce businesses and stores. With the year being halfway finished and the pandemic slowly coming to an end, here are 5 eCommerce predictions for the rest of 2021.

ECOMMERCE WILL CONTINUE TO GROW AND THRIVE

Even as the COVID-19 pandemic slowly comes to an end, eCommerce will continue to see similar levels of success to what it experienced in 2020 and early 2021. While revenue may not be what it was at the height of the pandemic, as many people will be going back to brick-and-mortar stores to do their shopping, a significant number of people have recognized the ease and convenience of eCommerce and online shopping. Even as our world shifts back, eCommerce will continue to see growth, as the pandemic made many people realize the numerous benefits eCommerce provides.

CHATBOTS WILL BECOME MORE PREVALENT

When people visit an online store, one of the things they want is a quick and easy shopping experience. However, while many brick-and-mortar stores have employees you can ask for help, many websites have chatbots. Chatbots are a tool that can interact, assist, and automatically communicate with the customer, ultimately simplifying and improving their customer experience. As customer support technology continues to improve, chatbots will be further utilized on online stores, as their ability to support customers and improve their shopping experiences is essential in eCommerce.

MOBILE SHOPPING WILL CONTINUE TO GROW IN POPULARITY

With a vast majority of the population owning a mobile device such as a phone or tablet, mobile shopping has seen a significant increase in popularity. It was found in a recent study that roughly 73% of online sales are done through a mobile device, highlighting the increasing popularity of mobile shopping. Mobile devices make online shopping incredibly convenient and simple, as transactions can be done from any location. Businesses need to make their websites accessible to mobile shoppers, as doing so will connect them to the ever-growing customer base of mobile device users.

THERE WILL BE MORE OF A FOCUS ON SUSTAINABILITY

With modern society becoming more aware and understanding of global warming and its disastrous effects, both customers and businesses are recognizing the importance of sustainability. Due to this, many businesses have been working to lessen their carbon footprint by reducing their packaging, finding more sustainable shipping methods, and using recyclable materials. Furthermore, many customers take global warming and pollution so seriously that they will only purchase from sustainable businesses, further highlighting the increasing importance of sustainability.

MORE BUSINESSES WILL ADOPT SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES

While subscription services were first popularized through streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu, there are now subscription services within every industry. Not only do subscription services make shopping simpler for customers, as they only have to pay a single monthly or yearly fee, but they are also beneficial for businesses, as they make it more likely that customers will continue to come back. As further businesses and customers recognize the convenience of subscription services, they will be further popularized and offered by a wider range of businesses.

CONCLUSION

With the increased popularity of eCommerce, there is little reason to believe it will decrease in significance anytime soon. In fact, I predict that it will continue to thrive throughout the remainder of the year. Furthermore, chatbots will most likely rise in popularity, mobile shopping will become more commonplace, both customers and businesses will focus more on sustainability, and many businesses will begin offering subscription services. Even as the COVID-19 pandemic slowly ends and people return to in-person shopping, eCommerce has solidified its place as an essential part of modern society.

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