{"id":"10837","date":"2021-12-13T07:00:00","date_gmt":"2021-12-13T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.pickfu.com\/?p=10837"},"modified":"2021-12-10T06:52:22","modified_gmt":"2021-12-10T14:52:22","slug":"online-shopping-trends","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.pickfu.com\/online-shopping-trends\/","title":{"rendered":"Online shopping trends for 2022 and beyond"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

E-commerce is always changing. Small Amazon and eBay sellers and big-box retailers alike can benefit from staying on top of online shopping trends and looking for ways to optimize their e-commerce stores<\/a>. After all, advancements in technology often lead to real-world, everyday use in e-commerce. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here are four online shopping trends to watch for in 2022 and beyond.<\/p>\n\n\n

Trend #1: Augmented reality<\/h2>\n\n\n

Shoppers are more comfortable buying direct-to-consumer (D2C) products online. In the past, they would’ve needed to see or try the products in person before buying. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Improved shipping and ease of returns have helped usher in this change, as has augmented reality (AR). You can now try on clothing, accessories, and makeup virtually and see what you look like, thanks to AR apps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Curious how a loveseat or rug will look in your living room? Many furniture stores now allow you to project those pieces into your home using AR. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other uses for AR in e-commerce include brand-exclusive social media features and interactive help and product details. The business applications of augmented reality will continue to expand as this technology gets more sophisticated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Online<\/a>
You can “try on” glasses, a hairstyle, even furniture using augmented reality. <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Trend #2: Voice technology<\/h2>\n\n\n

Remember asking your phone to \u201ccall Mom\u201d and awkwardly calling your co-worker Bob instead? Voice recognition software has come a long way since then.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tech companies have spent billions of dollars on voice technology that recognizes what you\u2019re asking and gives you useful answers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Asking Siri or Google for the weather or the nearest coffee shop is now a part of our daily lives. Billions of voice searches take place every month. That number will keep growing as more people gain access to smart devices through new technology and lower prices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

E-commerce sellers should consider how conversational voice searches might affect their keyword and e-commerce marketing strategies<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This may include focusing on full questions instead of just loose keywords. For example, a blog post titled \u201cWhat toys are best for teaching kids how to code?\u201d might perform better among voice searches than one titled \u201c6 of the best toys to teach kids coding.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And when applicable, think about marketing your products or services in specific cities or if you source or sell items locally. Voice searches often look for local businesses, for example, \u201cWhere is a good sushi restaurant nearby?\u201d or \u201cWhere can I buy a washing machine in Denver?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

Trend #3: Machine learning<\/h2>\n\n\n

Machine learning is a type of artificial intelligence (AI) in which a program uses data to teach itself to perform a task.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Computer programs called chess engines use the rules of chess and data from thousands of games to not only learn strategies for playing but also improve on them with continuous practice, which allows for more data to be collected.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It’s fascinating to think about the potential uses of machine learning in e-commerce. Imagine plugging your business into a supercomputer. It would absorb the data and churn out information to help you improve functionality, increase conversion rates, optimize advertising strategies, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Large companies are already using machine learning. These types of programs are quickly becoming more accessible to small businesses as well through third-party products and programmers. Look for businesses of all sizes to adopt machine learning in 2022, 2023, and 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Online<\/a>
Machine learning technology helps robot vacuums do their job. <\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Trend #4: Personalization<\/h2>\n\n\n

One of the biggest perks of machine learning in e-commerce is being able to use it for personalization. Personalization uses a customer\u2019s data to tailor their experience on your website or app.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Say a customer returns to your store after buying a pair of sunglasses. They might see a row of products \u201cselected just for you\u201d \u2014 other sunglasses or products from the same brand. Through geo-targeting, your site could also offer recommendations based on that customer\u2019s local trends or weather.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Personalization works on multiple levels. It leads to higher conversion rates as it is catered to each customer. It also makes the customer feel recognized instead of being just another number in the crowd.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Try PickFu for free<\/a> and learn more about your target market.<\/p><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n

Trends by category<\/h2>\n\n

Online shopping for electronics<\/h3>\n\n\n

Big-box retailers with brick-and-mortar locations used to dominate the electronics category. Now, e-commerce does. The nationwide shutdown of physical retail stores in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic accelerated this shift.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Electronics and home appliances had a larger share of total sales on Black Friday 2021<\/a> \u2014 36.8% of all goods and services sold \u2014 than any other category, according to Adgully<\/a>. This was due in part to consumers and retailers embracing more third-party electronics sellers and companies like Amazon adding more products to their growing line of electronics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consumer electronics are expected to reach $88.3 billion in revenue by 2025. Look for technology-driven electronics like smart home products (locks, cameras, outlets, etc.), floor cleaning robots, smart watches, and drones to have large year-over-year gains.<\/p>\n\n\n