eCommerce continues to grow at an astonishing pace, meaning competition is high, Customers are harder to win and are also generally fussier about their Online user experience. Therefore, in order to avoid falling behind your competition, it’s time to pay attention to some of the top Online Store trends that have taken the Online world by storm this year.
These trends have a global reach, and don’t seem to be disappearing any time soon. As a Small Business Owner looking to increase sales, strengthen your brand and drive more traffic to your Store, it’s crucial that you take note and think about how you can integrate some of these techniques into your own eCommerce strategy.
Whether you’re about to design an Online Store, or already have an existing eCommerce Site to sell your wares, you should absolutely think about implementing the top Online Store design trends of 2023!
Responsive and Mobile-Friendly
How much easier is it to visit an Online Store, scan the products for what you like, see the sizes on offer and then click to check out – all in just a few short minutes! Customers’ attention span and tolerance for slow-loading Sites is waning. If your eCommerce Site isn’t fast, efficient, and easy to use, you’ll be losing numerous sales.
Online Stores optimised for all devices, specifically Mobile devices, means simpler shopping. And simpler shopping means more satisfied Customers!
It’s easily accessible, and less time consuming for your Customers browsing if your eCommerce design allows them to browse and purchase with ease.
The best Online Store design is going to function and translate perfectly on all devices, so you’re not missing out on any potential sales. It needs to be adhered to for desktops, tablets, and mobile phones.
And as Online users become increasingly demanding for a quality User Experience, it is essential that Websites function across all platforms, making it a huge contender for the current trends in Online Store design ideas and development.
Artificial Intelligence
From Websites that create wildly-accurate images, to robots you can communicate with, Artificial Intelligence is making waves in the general news and pop culture, no matter what industry you’re in you would have heard about something in this sphere.
But Artificial intelligence has also taken the eCommerce world by storm this year.
In Online Store Web design, chatbots are a pretty on-trend feature. These fully automated chat agents can answer most of your Customers' questions, and can simplify and personalise their entire shopping experience.
Once thought of as tacky and clunky, this form of technology has come a long way, becoming interactive and interesting, as well as informative. In fact, Online Stores that utilise this tool gives them a 55% higher chance to source high-quality leads compared to Sites without it. Furthermore, the buyer conversion rate is 5 to 10 times higher following a chat session.
Embracing this artificial intelligence acts just like a welcoming salesperson at your shop door; they make your visitor feel at home, offer helpful advice that speeds up the buying process and can strengthen the overall ‘voice’ and branding of your business.
Customer Customisation
With so many competitors, and Online shopping really taking off, it’s proving more difficult than ever to stand out to your Customers.
And with this endless amount of choice, consumers are increasingly looking for a more personalised shopping experience.
Customers want more than just a simple Online catalogue of products to browse, and click on to follow through with payment and shipping. Once again, the User Experience is taking centre stage in influencing buying behaviour.
That’s why Online Stores are now implementing customised product recommendations, targeted advertising, and personalised product options, all based on data analytics and AI. This trend is expected to continue to grow in 2023, with retailers using a combination of Customer data and analytics to create the ideal tailored shopping experiences.
This won’t just increase your likability and strengthen your branding, but will also help in increasing both your Customer engagement and number of repeat buyers. Give your Customers a unique buying experience that sets your brand apart from others.
Sensory Shopping
AI is slowly trickling its way into other areas of Online Store design, using both audio and visual elements to entice Customers.
Augmented reality and Virtual reality technology has entered the building! There are now applications you can add to your eCommerce Site for AR and VR, allowing Customers to virtually try on clothing or visualise furniture in their own homes. This convenience is a game changer for Small Businesses looking to sell more products that are normally difficult to experience without seeing it in person.
Overall it gives Customers a more immersive and interactive shopping experience on your Online Store.
Videos are another visual source of engagement for Customers, as it’s still seen as a simpler, more engaging way to digest content on your Site. Video content is a great way to give your Store visitors an up-close-and-personal view of your business. It helps them get to know you better, increases their trust in your brand and allows you to offer them useful information they wouldn’t otherwise have access to.
For example, if you’re a Small Business Owner that sells kitchenware, videos showing the visitor how the product functions is a much more effective way to promote the product than a gallery of images.
Further to this, video content can often increase an Ecommerce Store’s Search Engine Optimisation (SEO), as Search Engines, such as Google, rate quality video content highly, meaning you’re giving your Store the best possible chance of ranking highly in search results.
And It’s not just visuals that are changing the sensory shopping landscape, a prime example is big brand L’Oreal who have even dabbled in using sound on their Site to evoke a specific sense of smell!
The opportunities for your business to play around with how to use audio and visuals to engage your Customers are endless!
Sustainable and Ethical Shopping
People are really putting an onus on the environmental impact that shopping and consumption has on society, and with Gen Z fast becoming the generation with a big influence on spending in 2023 and beyond, they’re leading the charge with a push for ethical shopping. Now that these consumers are conscious about these repercussions, it’s beginning to impact their purchasing decisions.
That’s why in 2023 we’ve seen sustainable and ethical shopping practices becoming extremely important for eCommerce retailers.
There’s been a lift in numerous areas for Online Stores, including sustainable and ethical sourcing, packaging, manufacturing, and initiatives to reduce their carbon footprint.
Having the option or a consideration for sustainable features in your products and Online Store will net you some cheeky extra Customers that you didn’t realise you were missing out on!
Subscription Services
Ever ordered a HelloFresh meal kit straight to your home? Or watched an unboxing video on YouTube of a cosmetics kit?
A trend that has been on the rise for years, 2023 has shown the desire for Subscription-based eCommerce services is still relevant today.
Convenient, great value for money, and the option for high personalisation with products and recommendations from your Online Store, adding a subscription service to your eCommerce arsenal could be a wise choice.
The beauty of these subscription services is that they are ongoing, providing your business a source of income that is continuous until the Customer cancels.
It could be an extra addition to your eCommerce Site, to not only satisfy your Customers with the choice, but get a little bit of cheeky extra revenue.
Certain industries are thriving in this area, by offering everything from personalised clothing subscriptions to meal kit deliveries and beauty product subscriptions.
While every Small Business shares the same goals of making a profit, not every business will use the same eCommerce digital marketing strategies or Online Store Website design to get there. While some of these techniques and trends might not be right for your business at this point in time, it pays to keep them in the back of your mind for when you’re ready for expansion or experimentation.
If you’re still wondering how to design an Online Store, your best bet is to start here! With competition in the Online market so fierce, it’s vital you don’t let your Small Business fall behind. So, take heed of the trends and optimise your Online Store to really increase sales, boost your branding and create an amazing Online User Experience that will have your Customers coming back for more!