If you’re on this page, you’ll agree that globally, e-commerce is a strongly growing domain with no signs of decline. Digital buyers are increasing worldwide, recent global studies state that in Western countries 46.4% of people now buy online, and will increase to 47.3% by the end of 2018. There are many industry experts that say it is an excellent time to build an e-commerce website and start selling online.

And it’s true.

You may find many online tips on ‘How to Build an Online Store, Online Selling, and Online Store Website Builders’ for example, all are very informative and effective. But one of the pitfalls of e-commerce in 2018 and the foreseeable futures is that retailers can fail if they don’t figure out the consumer’s ever-changing shopping behaviour and adopt new evolving technology trends.

According to statistics, retailers opened 4,080 more stores in 2017 than were closed, and statistics point toward over 5,500 more by the end of 2018.

What is important to note, e-commerce business is growing, and it shows a rise in market volume, sales and revenue not only in top-performing economies but developing countries too. But as we mentioned above online stores are shutting down too.

The reason is they are not able to keep up with the change in trend, new technology adoption and the ever-changing shopping behaviour of customers.

I have written this post to help you create an online store, sell, grow and make it easy for customers to buy by adopting changing shopping behaviour, trends and technologies on an online storefront.

Omnichannel Experience

In the same token, build an end-to-end online shopping experience. But take note: your omnichannel presence must be strategically aligned with your marketing strategy and brand experience. Omnichannel is now the standard. And retailers who continue to invest in their omnichannel strategies will succeed; those that don’t will fail.

Promote product quality, transparency, and sustainability on the store to flourish. Furthermore, try to provide unique in-store experiences to engage your customers. 78% of businesses rate the importance of integrating e-commerce and in-store experiences as vital.

Make Buying Easy

Adopt an easy to use and secure payment solution. Make efforts to adopt mobile payment solutions.

Invest in Smaller-Format Stores

Look to accommodate consumer desire for more specialised selections as specialty stores are proving to be more productive than department stores.

Add Personalisation

 According to an Accenture Interactive study, 56% of consumers are more likely to shop at a retailer in-store or online that recognises them by name.

Retailtainment

Additionally, there is a growing fusion of retail and entertainment. In this the retails try to provide a unique experience to customers with fun to elevate the shopping experience.

Data for Retail Success

 More retailers will apply data to every part of the retail process, from the supply chain to the post right through to the purchase stage of the buyer’s journey. Look to utilise business intelligence and AI to make data-backed decisions and outperform those who don’t.

Ship it the Customer Way

Same-day shipping will likewise grow more prominent. As per a recent study in Australia, 82% of shoppers surveyed want same-day shipping, while 63% want their packages within 1 to 3 hours of placing an order.

Shopping Apps

Retail-centric apps will increase, and we can expect merchants to leverage them to stay competitive.

Email, Social, Push Notifications and SMS

Multi-channel marketingtargeting consumers at each stage of their path to purchase through email, SMS, push notifications, and more will cease to be an afterthought. As a matter of fact, they will become a baseline necessity for successful marketing moving into 2019.

Retail and Technology are now Integrated

Artificial intelligence, augmented reality and virtual reality, are future technologies for e-commerce businesses. They elevate and personalise the buying experience at every stage of the customer’s journey. And now with the latest use of parallax scrolling, coupled with the industry as a whole moving at a rapid pace, we will see integration become more intensified as we move into 2019.

E-Commerce Apps

Glass touchscreens, and fashion store apps. Although not as widespread, augmented reality shopping apps are working as multiple touch points and interactive components of storefronts.

E-Commerce Marketing

Conversely, add marketing accurately. Dedicated roles should be assigned to experienced search marketers to infuse creative strategies. But above all creating and implementing engaging customer experience oriented marketing campaigns. It’s a very competitive industry and today’s marketplace is littered with companies that rarely achieve results. And some firms lead you to believe otherwise. Be sure to check out other customer experiences before you make the jump.

Third Party Tools and Platforms for Selling

Retailers looking to sell their products on Instagram use solutions like Like2Buy, Tapshop, and Soldsie to make photos shoppable. Retailers are increasingly using third parties to get their products into consumers’ hands quickly and easily.

Are You and Your Retail Business Ready for the Future?

When looking for the right developer to create your e-commerce website, look for implementation specialists. A complete e-commerce solution company. They should be able to create online store websites, storefronts, web-stores; set up e-commerce websites and deliver high conversion, multi-device functionality. A top development firm will also provide custom e-commerce development for businesses to get more out of their sites.

What’s Next?

What are you waiting for? There’s no better time to get involved and get excited. This is a fantastic time for online retail, so start thinking about designing your website and look for your new developer.

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James Row is a passionate blogger and professional software developer who started his career in e-commerce web development, has a love for informative writing, and looks to keep you up-to-date with the latest information about the industry.

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