Pandemic or no pandemic, ecommerce has always been a high-growth domain. However, COVID-19 forced people to stay at home, further accelerating this growth. The sudden change in shopping behavior and the surge in consumer visits and purchases forced merchants to come up with inventive strategies to engage their audience.
Hence, ecommerce marketers are investing in new technologies to offer exceptional online experiences. Here are four technologies that are changing the face of ecommerce.
1. Social Commerce
The pandemic had people settling into new patterns and habits, one of which was the use of social media. A new study by Kantar revealed that during this period, social media usage increased by 61%.
Thus, social platforms are instrumental in providing brands a place to engage their customers. Consequently, technology is fueling new iterations of social commerce.
For instance, Instagram’s shoppable posts allow shoppers to purchase items without leaving the platform.
2. Artificial Intelligence
Managing customers through chatbots, sending product suggestions, and offering personalized shopping experiences are all powered by AI. Owing to its ability to automate these tasks and more, AI is being employed by online stores to improve customer experiences. Besides, AI is also helping firms simulate conversations, analyze customer data, and predict patterns.
3. Augmented Reality
AR and VR help shoppers visualize products in real-life settings, allowing them to make an informed decision. This considerably improves their experience and reduces customer churn.
Notice how Warby Parker’s AR app allows iPhone users to try on eyewear before making a purchase.
4. Drones
Recent data shared by Invesp points out that 56% of online shoppers expect to have same-day delivery. Moreover, 61% of shoppers are willing to pay more for this service.
No wonder, giant firms like Amazon, Wal-Mart, FedEx, and others are dipping their toes into the drone delivery domain. The need for quick delivery has made this technology an appealing choice for ecommerce businesses.
The pandemic era saw an increasing number of merchants investing in exciting technologies. Hence, it’ll be interesting to see how the ecommerce industry shapes up in the coming months. For more interesting data on how COVID-19 impacted ecommerce, we recommend reading this infographic by Pack & Send.
Given the events in 2020, technologies like these will play a pivotal role in the ecommerce domain.
