Top 5 Ecommerce New Year Evolutions

Set yourself up for success in 2022. Plan your New Year Ecommerce Evolutions, not resolutions. The first quarter of any year is an opportunity to refocus and strategize. The pandemic has accelerated Ecommerce growth and there’s no going back. 86% of marketing leaders believe digital commerce will be the most important sales channel within the next two years, Gartner reported.

At Built for Growth we believe that there are some concrete basics that deserve a check-in. It is time to refocus your Ecommerce priorities, with 2022 challenges in mind.

Here are Built for Growth’s Top 5 Ecommerce New Year Evolutions

1. Optimise your Product Data

Product Data is all the information that is available about your product. It is what distinguishes and also differentiates your product, especially your product attributes.

It helps customers to find, compare and evaluate a product. Incorrect or unclear information can discredit a company’s credibility. Accurate and easily understood information ensures that customers can feel like they can trust companies and their products.

For eCommerce, this data is essential, it is the fuel that powers all touch points in the customer journey.

From the keywords used to describe a product or service on advertising platforms, to the technical information (GTIN, MPN, SKUs) – all of this data feeds in our social channels and with the rise of social commerce and the ever-growing influencer selling, it is imperative that online stores contain accurate information.

Built for Growth recommends a review of your primary product data, entering any missing information – from technical to descriptive content. Secondly, review how this information is used and processed across any linked channels. Ensure there are no errors in data within your marketing channels, for example within Facebook Product Catalogue. Any issues within these channels should be resolved at the source of the data, if connected.

By completing this exercise, products will be easier to discover, compare and purchase as the clear information will bolster its performance across all customer touchpoints.

2. M-Commerce

According to Statista, mobile commerce will have a 53.9% share in E-commerce in the U.S. by the end of 2021. Mobile commerce is always growing. 

The new year is the time to review how your ecommerce store performs exclusively from a mobile perspective. Do you have a store that is optimised for AMP? M-commerce is about speed and performance. By nature, using a smartphone to shop carries the risk of the shopper’s attention becoming distracted and interrupted. Customers are not willing to wait on a web store to load. If your business isn’t designed for M-commerce, potential customers will go elsewhere.

3. Website Speed

A fast performing website is essential. It provides a positive user experience; may convert better and bounce less. To achieve this, there are many opportunities.

Built for Growth recommend that you begin by taking a quick Google Speed Review test with a considered focus on mobile performance. If your website’s loading speed is too slow, you are at risk of not only losing your visitor’s attention but also undermining your potential reach of new visitors.

Improving site speed is a continuous process and you won’t see an improvement in a day, but it’s one investment in 2022 that you won’t regret.

Here are our 5 effective tips to improve website speed in 2022.

1. Implement lazy loading for ads
2. Optimise images
3. Fix 404 errors
4. Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML
5. Reduce redirects and 3rd party scripts

4. Delivery

The pandemic has created a massive shift in consumer behaviour. Stores were closed and consumers were confined to their homes. This has had a profound impact on logistics and therefore ecommerce delivery options.

Delivery is a critical touchpoint in the customer journey. As part of this, many online retailers have begun offering a range of delivery options which satisfy two major trends; FASTER and GREENER.

Increases in urgency and demand has propelled the popularity for ‘next-day’ and ‘same-day’ delivery. Neither of these are new concepts, both delivery options that have been around for a long-time, however they are now expected by most consumers. 

Conversely, the opposite is also in demand. Customers are hyper aware and concerned about our impact on the planet. This has created a demand for a more greener, sustainable delivery method. Large retailers are now offering a ‘not in a rush’ delivery option. This option offers customers to proactively delay their delivery. But what is the catch? The customer is incentivised, usually by a discount off their next purchase, or a free gift. This in turn, reduces pressure on a businesses warehousing & logistics team which can reduce the higher costs associated with priority shipping. As a bonus, it is also better for the environment, giving businesses the choice to ship items via more sustainable methods. Win-win!

At Built for Growth we suggest that businesses review their delivery processes and discover what additional or new delivery methods are available and in demand by their customers.

5. Diversity of Payment Methods

According to Market Inspector, growth in eCommerce has led to over 140 different electronic payment options being used worldwide. A forecast for 2022, is the continued diversity in payment methods. As one of the last steps in the checkout, it is imperative to meet the expectation of the customer. Especially with over 50% of purchases completed on a mobile device, a quick and seamless checkout is non-negotiable. 

Payment by credit card, PayPal and others are expected by customers (especially in the UK and Europe), however payment by instalments is also continuing to grow in popularity. Providers such as Klarna, Splitit and even PayPal offer Buy Now Pay Later or Buy now, Pay in 3 instalments. 

These methods of payment have grown in success over the past year as consumers looked for ways to make it easier to buy what they wanted without incurring more credit card debt. 

We recommend that if you haven’t already done so, use the start of 2022 to consider your existing payment options. Could you improve your offering? Do your existing options provide flexibility?

Summary

Generally speaking, all of the above aren’t game-changers by themselves, in some cases they aren’t even the next big thing. They are already well-established and non-negotiable parts of Ecommerce, which is why we have included them in our Ecommerce Evolutions. If prioritised, they will help you evolve and become built for growth.

What about us? Get in touch.

Buying and selling online is no longer the future, it is the present. At Built for Growth, we have a demonstrable track record of helping bricks and mortar businesses realise their true potential online. With a wealth of experience in consultation, design, digital marketing and much more, we’re uniquely positioned to steer you to success your expectations.

We’d love to be a part of your journey.  If you’d like to find out more, get in touch for a free consultation.

We’re Built for Growth.  You should be too!