Future online sales
The e-commerce industry is developing at a dizzying pace - especially in Poland. For several years we have been observing increasing interest in online shopping.
We no longer have to physically go to a store to fill up a shopping cart and pay for its contents. Expectations are growing as fast as new ideas for e-commerce development are coming up. What does the future of the industry look like?
E-commerce today
Today, all you need is an Internet connection and a sales platform; through the network, the customer views a product, selects it, pays for it, and orders it with delivery to the desired location. All of this happens in a few moments thanks to such solutions as mobile apps, advanced payment models, or well-developed delivery services. Another innovation that we are already dealing with is multichannel. It consists of a good combination of stationary and online sales. By moving between traditional and online trade, customers learn how to use both ways of shopping at the same time - without excluding either of them. Like any other industry, e-commerce doesn’t like stagnation and is always looking for new development opportunities. No wonder we hear a lot about solutions based on the latest technological achievements. Examples are the smart use of drones in order delivery or virtual and enhanced reality.
What will online sales look like in the future?
Digital world at your fingertips - AR and VR
Companies working in the e-commerce industry will appreciate digital technology even more. They won’t create only mobile applications. The time for discovering potential hidden in AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) will come. Consumers today want not only to see a product but also to feel it - for example, to test its functionality. Special apps based on AR or VR technology will allow you to arrange your own room, try on clothes or put on make-up. This way the customer will have the opportunity to find out whether he wants to buy a given product without visiting a stationary shop.
Even quicker delivery: drones will get into action!
To respond to customer needs, delivery will also be even quicker. By quicker, we mean providing the service within 30 minutes or even 15 minutes after transaction is completed. To make it possible, online stores will invest in modern solutions such as drones. Unmanned aerial vehicles are currently being tested in many places around the world. We won’t have only bicycles and cars – delivery drones are going to be a standard in the next few years.
Live-commerce
In the USA the trend is developing very well. We hope, however, it will find its way to the local market as well. We are talking about buying via streaming. Selling online during live transmission allows you not only to showcase products, but also to sell them in real-time. Trade takes place via social media or a specially designed platform in an online store. For example, a boutique may organize an online fashion show and then sell the clothing presented this way.
Online payment – how and when we want it
The future of e-commerce concerns also payment methods. Currently, customers can make quick cashless transactions. However, purchasing products is about to be even easier and quicker. One of the ideas that is likely to appeal to consumers is deferred payment. The customer will receive their product immediately but will pay for it much later – for example, within a few weeks after the purchase is completed. This is how to not only attract the customer and affect the security of the transaction but also significantly reduce the percentage of abandoned shopping carts.
The future of e-commerce
The customer is always the most important thing in sales, and it will not change in the upcoming years. If we want to succeed in the e-commerce industry, we need to adapt to customer’s needs. Fast, convenient, inexpensive - this is what e-commerce should look like. Do not postpone your plans - online stores are developing at a dizzying pace and the competition does not sleep. You should follow the industry news, test innovative technological solutions, and seriously consider the development.