Sales-Boosting e-Commerce Trends Now

The e-commerce world isn’t just all about Black Friday or huge Christmas season deals.  E-commerce sites should perform well year round, more often through best practices and tried-and-tested techniques in making online sales.  Here are some current trends that can boost sales in this platform.

Faster shipping, easier returns

Good shipping times and delivery logistics remain one of the most powerful differentiators in e-commerce.  Delivery should be fast and efficient, and returns and exchanges should be convenient.  Emerging technologies like driverless freight are taking centerstage in facilitating transactions for both companies and their customers.

Image source: Pixabay.com

Virtual assistance and better customer experience

A virtual assistant who guides site visitors, answers frequently asked questions, and makes product suggestion is fast blurring the lines between purchasing from a physical store and an online one, making the transaction more personalized, realistic, and paving the way for better purchase decisions.

Increased AI integration

E-commerce continues to be disrupted by the seamless integration of artificial intelligence as well as things like machine learning and robotics, anywhere from product recommendations to enhanced search functionality.

Image source: Pixabay.com

Augmented reality and virtual reality

From Sephora offering different makeup looks to curious customers to the app IKEA Place allowing users to try out furniture and accessories before buying, both AR and VR are increasingly looking promising in terms of significance and progress.

Voice search

It’s predicted that 50 percent of search will be in voice form by year 2020, dramatically reducing or altogether eliminating the need for clicks when buying online.

Abhishek Gattani is the head of search at Walmart Labs and the founder and CEO of Cuberon. He spearheaded the launch of Walmart’s “Polaris” search engine, which currently powers many of the company’s e-commerce products globally. Learn more on this page.