What do you need to make your eCommerce business thrive?

Apart from your time and effort, you need to be innovative, make some smart investments, know the current eCommerce trends and the best SEO practices, and apply those to your marketplace.

Knowing the trends is particularly important in the 21^st as it will help you stay ahead of the competition.

This article might be a big help for you in this case. Here, we are going to discuss some of the top eCommerce trends that you should follow. Also, eCommerce evolution, its current status, and the future. Let’s get started.

The Evolution of Ecommerce

The World Wide Web (www), simply the web we know today, was launched in 1991. The first true implication of e-commerce took place in 1994, thanks to Pizza Hut for introducing online ordering in the same year.

In the first few years, e-commerce platforms, including the giants – like Amazon, Alibaba, and eBay – started to mark their beginning and tried to gain a foothold.

After the 2000s, the whole concept of e-commerce started to evolve rapidly as the internet has become widely available since then. We have been seeing the dominance of e-commerce since 2010 which has reached its peak during the coronavirus pandemic and afterwords.

The Timeline of Ecommerce: 1991 to 2021

• 1991: World Wide Web is launched; US National Science Foundation lifts ban on eCommerce
• 1994: First widely-used browser Netscape releases; Pizza Hut introduces online ordering
• 1995: Amazon and eBay are founded
• 1996: Global online sales surpass $1 billion/year; over 40 million people worldwide have internet access
• 1998: PayPal launches and revolutionizes the online payment system
• 1999: Alibaba is founded and brings some groundbreaking changes in eCommerce
• 2000: Wallmart launches its website
• 2003: Apple launches iTunes, the first major eCommerce for digital products
• 2004: Social media giant Facebook is released
• 2005: Cyber Monday, one of the biggest online sales events, is created
• 2008: The era of mobile e-commerce has begun with the first mobile eCommerce purchase
• 2012: Global e-commerce sales surpass $1 trillion
• 2017: Global eCommerce sales surpass $2 trillion
• 2020: Covid-19 influenced eCommerce growth (both positively and negatively)
• 2021: Global eCommerce market reached a value of $13 Trillion

7 Top eCommerce Trends You Should Follow

The current trends in the eCommerce industry are mostly associated with modern technologies and their adaptations. The top eCommerce trends you should follow in 2022 and beyond to make your business thrive are:

1. Dominance of Mobile Commerce
2. Wide Adaptation of Artificial Intelligence
3. Inclusion of Augmented and Virtual Reality
4. Maturate Social Media Commerce
5. Focus on Omnichannel Selling
6. Influence of Sustainable Practices
7. Versatility in Payment (Cryptocurrencies)

Now, we will talk about each of the marketplace trends in detail with the necessary data and evidence. So, stay with us till the end.

1. Dominance of Mobile Commerce

Mobile devices are currently dominating the entire eCommerce industry. The reason is simple – more than 92% of internet users access the internet via mobile devices.

Nearly 73% of the total eCommerce sales were done via mobile devices across the globe in 2021.

Statista

The dominance of mobile commerce will go further in the future. So, you should give priority to mobile phones first while making an eCommerce website in 2022.

You will also have to make the mobile customer experience is top-notch, build an attractive and responsive mobile site and downloadable app.

2. Wide Adaptation of Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence (AI), which was a sci-fi term a few years ago, is now everywhere – from your watch to robot cleaner. Since eCommerce is a crucial and huge sector, AI is being implemented here like crazy.

About 92% of eCommerce operators are either actively working on or planning to integrate AI into their platforms!

Statista

The benefits you can get from AI are – enhancing user experience, improving personalization, automation, site performance, and design, and lowering marketing and overall site maintenance cost.

AI is not only a trend in the eCommerce industry but also in the entire tech world. So, it is high time you start adopting it from now.

3. Inclusion of Augmented and Virtual Reality

The main reason many people still don’t prefer online shopping is the fact that they can’t touch, smell or try out the products before purchasing. Augmented and virtual reality (AR and VR) can change the game in these cases.

With the help of AR and VR, you can try products before buying – from a pair of shoes to your bedroom furniture. These modern technologies will give the feel that you are shopping at a physical store.

IKEA was the pioneer in implementing these technologies, allowing customers to virtually fit different furniture in their spaces. Other companies have realized the potential and now applying these techs to their marketplaces.

4. Maturate Social Media Commerce

People have been selling products on social media, particularly on Facebook, since its beginning. In 2016, Facebook launched Marketplace to make everything organized, and the situation started to change gradually.

The market size of social media commerce is huge and it is growing fast. To grab this market, social media marketers nowadays sell their products more organized manner like the online marketplaces.

The global social commerce market was $501 billion in 2021, which is expected to cross $792 billion in 2025.

Research and Markets

In simple words, social media commerce is getting mature day by day and it’s one of the top eCommerce trends which you need to follow in 2022.

5. Focus on Omnichannel Selling

Omnichannel commerce is a multichannel approach that focuses on seamless customer experience and allows customers to buy products and services whether they are shopping online from a mobile device, on a social channel, or in a brick-and-mortar store.

The adaptation of omnichannel selling is rising across the eCommerce industry because of its excellent outcomes. Besides, it is a big matter of ease and convenience.

Application of omnichannel strategies help businesses retain on average 89% of their customers!

Softtek

We are now living in the era of the digital revolution when you can get almost anything you need within just a few fingertips. You should be versatile to sustain your business in this era, and the adaptation of omnichannel commerce is the way to do so.

6. Influence of Sustainable Practices

The planet earth has been going through a crisis situation for the last few decades due to climate change. As a result, consumers and businesses alike are now more aware of the environment and sustainability – also in terms of shopping.

One recent survey found that 50% of respondents wanted more sustainability in the fashion industry, and 75% wanted to see less packaging.

That’s why, many businesses are now finding ways to be more eco-friendly by going paperless when possible, using biodegradable packaging, and using recyclable supplies. This is one of the crucial eCommerce trends that you should follow from moral responsibility.

7. Versatility in Payment (Cryptocurrencies)

We are experiencing a versatility in payments in 2022 – from card to cryptocurrency payment. The era of offering customers one or two payment options seems gone now.

Top eCommerce businesses are trying to offer their customers as many payment options as possible so that they can make the purchase easily and quickly.

The must-have payment methods are: card, online payment (like PayPal), digital wallet (like Google Pay), bank transfer, and cash on delivery.

You will also have to consider incorporating cryptocurrencies as a payment method as it’s one of the new online marketplace trends. Top eCommerce companies, including eBay and Expedia, are already accepting cryptocurrency payments.

Best Platforms to Run an Ecommerce

You might have already become fascinated by the prospect of e-commerce and thinking of getting involved with it. If you want to run an e-commerce website right now or have a plan to do it in the future, which platform you will choose.

Well, we have two sets of solutions for you in this case.

Best Ecommerce Platforms for WordPress

About 40% of websites across the globe are built and managed with WordPress, making it the world’s most popular content management system (CMS). That’s why, many people would consider building their e-commerce on WordPress.

In the following list, we are going to discuss some of the best plugins on WordPress to build an e-commerce website.

1. WooCommerce

WooCommerce is the best and the most popular e-commerce plugin for WordPress. You can build different types of e-commerce sites using WooCommerce.

WooCommerce almost works as a parent e-commerce plugin. It means, you would need WooCommerce installed on your WordPress site to use other e-commerce plugins.

2. Dokan

If you want to build a multivendor marketplace, then Dokan is the platform to choose. Because Dokan provides a complete solution for building a multivendor website on WordPress for almost all types of products and businesses.

Besides, it is the most used and one of the best plugins to build a multi-vendor marketplace on WordPress.

You can find different deals on all the premium plans of Dokan by following this link: Dokan Pricing.

4. WC Marketplace

WC Marketplace provides you with an effective marketplace software, you can get, to kickstart your own virtual eCommerce marketplace. This free WordPress plugin equips you with the best of features that help to create any marketplace of your choice.

5. Easy Digital Downloads

Easy Digital Downloads is a complete eCommerce solution for selling digital products on WordPress. Whether it is software, ebooks, songs, graphics, or videos, Easy Digital Downloads provides a complete system for effortlessly selling your digital products.

Best Ecommerce Platforms outside WordPress

There are some platforms beyond WordPress to build your e-commerce. The following are some of the best platforms to choose right now.

1. Shopify

If you’re looking to sell products or services via your website, check out Shopify. The popular e-commerce platform is one of the best options for processing digital and physical sales online.

2. Wix

Wix is the comprehensive platform that gives you total creative freedom online. With powerful technology and design capabilities, you can create a beautiful and professional web presence to manage and grow your business.

3. BigCommerce

BigCommerce is another popular ecommerce platform. Its robust product search engine makes it ideal for larger retail brands. It’s also a good choice for people who want to start an ecommerce store.

4. Zyro

Zyro is a DIY website builder that features an excellent interface, and powerful tools that give you a lot of control over your online presence. There’s no free option, though, and some customization limitations may narrow your design vision.

5. Shift4Shop

Formerly known as 3dcart, Shift4Shop gives you the room and features that expanding businesses need – even with its surprisingly stacked free tier. Shift4Shop makes it easy to build the perfect website for your business and start selling your products or services online.

Conclusion

We believe this article has helped you learn all the trends in the eCommerce industry that are crucial for 2022. Now, we hope that you would keep your marketplace updated by adopting these trends.

Please feel free to let us know in the comment section if have any queries regarding this topic.

If you are an entrepreneur and want to launch an online marketplace, or want to switch your marketplace platform, you may try our solution –