eCommerce Trends for 2019

eCommerce is by no means stagnant. There is constant movement. Things like mCommerce are changing the realm of eCommerce daily. Every month, sometimes for weeks at a time, a new trend arises. Every year brings a slew of changes. 2019 is set to bring more than any year previously had. Let’s go over some of the most important, emergent trends that will be hitting eCommerce shores in 2019.

eCommerce consumers are becoming more observant of merchant behavior. Things like wasteful packaging, environmental costs, and their company’s ethical behavior. Companies that do not adapt to this new mentality might not just lose business. But, their image and reputation will be taking a hit as well. Free returns might also be taking a hit. Ever since 2015 returns from digital purchases have increased by 53%. Free returns cost retailers, on average, $400 billion per year. That’s a monumental amount of money that only stands to increase as more people use eCommerce sites for their goods.

eCommerce might be used more as mCommerce in the next few years. Sites and apps are starting to take the same amount of time to use and navigate. Mobile apps are also starting to optimize their UI’s further. They are set to overtake traditional desktop sites in speed. “Merchants are continuously investing to better meet consumer expectations, and mobile continues to be a huge enabler,” says Charles Desjardins, Absolunet Partner and Executive Vice President.

Social media platforms are also in constant motion. They connect millions upon millions of people. They’re about to connect those people to businesses closer than ever. Signs are pointing to people being able to buy directly off social media sites. As well as, traditional retailers moving to compete with Amazon. Traditional physical retailers are attempting more and more to become a digital marketplace.

77% of commuters who go online while driving engage in commerce of some kind. As cars start coming with more digital assets it’s a matter of time before eCommerce becomes possible on the road. Tools such as GPS’s and techniques like SEO help companies understand commuters better. It’s a lot like the way social media shows companies what consumers like.

The QR code is no longer going to need exclusive apps to be used optimally. It will be getting integrated into more digital marketplaces for greater product information. Additionally, AI will be making greater strides towards being universal. They will be optimizing SEO and merchandising data. The final trend likely to be seen more in 2019 is product syndication. Brands will be taking back control of their product content. This will bring a greater amount of consistency across mediums. Allowing for less of a chance for messages to be muddled because of faulty communication across businesses. This isn’t it for 2019, however. There will be more trends emerging. The only questions are how many and when.