Top E-Commerce Trends Explained

As you all know, E-Commerce has had a rapid uprising over the past decade with the likes of E-Bay, Amazon.com, and other large retailers leading the way. With that, Hazel Raoult of UsabilityGeek has researched the Top 5 E-Commerce Trends for 2013.

Below, I will touch upon 3 topics that Hazel talked about while adding my own perspective to why I believe these trends are rising.

1. Localization of e-commerce websites

Given the diverse cultures and economies across the world, it is clear that catering products and services to that of the locals is a viable strategy that has been used for decades. That is why you see the likes of Poutine at McDonalds in Canada, or the Chinese version of MS Office in East Asia. Therefore, it is only natural to see catering into the e-commerce world as well, with the increasing technological capabilities we have developed. 

2. Mobile Commerce
One of the biggest problems for online shoppers is that they are usually unable to test or physically see a product before purchasing it. Usually, the website interface involves a description, a picture, and payment information, which is often not enough to allow a buyer to make an informed decision. Now, E-Commerce sites are realizing this problem and are leveraging technology to create interactive product displays that give the customer a greater understanding and feel for the product. Sites such as Ikea allow you to create your own virtual room to really see how their furniture will look like in a real-world setting, to further entice their customers to purchase their products.

3. Interactive Product Display over Images

The amount of mobile phones in the US has drastically increased over the last decade, in which over 51% of Americans had smart phones as of 2013. Given the multi-faceted nature of the smart phone, that combines talk, text, video, music, entertainment, games, mobile banking, shopping, and YOU NAME IT, into one compact device, it is clear to see why more and more retail stores are leaning on a mobile application to further drive sales. Prominent mobile applications include that of Starbucks, Target, and Home Depot. 

Overall, these are just 3 of many E-Commerce trends that are rocketing this industry into the future!