Predictions For E-Commerce As Physical Shopping Returns

As the pandemic wanes and more restrictions are lifted, what will happen to internet-fueled shopping behavior?

It’s easy to assume all our shopping will balance again. However, some signals point to a leveling out of online shopping, such as the National Retail Federation’s prediction that retail store sales will grow as much as 8% this year despite economic pressures.

Whether you are an e-commerce or a traditional retailer, what can you do with this information? Here are some predictions on how the e-commerce competitive landscape will shift.

Visual shopping will continue to grow.

Shopping centers are masters at thinking about what you see, hear, smell, and even taste as part of the entire experience of your visit. For their part, online stores can present visual experiences that harken to all the senses. How can you activate sight and smell on your website? One example is by including iconic and memorable props and fresh ingredients in your product images, such as a lemon slice with fresh sprigs of basil styled next to a bottle of lemon basil lotion cuts through both visually and olfactorily, because we all have memories of those scents.

Video shopping will accelerate in 2022 and 2023.

Social shopping is already a major trend, and is deeply committed to video in 2022 and beyond. By adding more videos to your strategy, you will stand out and earn more of their minutes on their devices. User- and self-created mobile content will do the trick with the right mix of assets.

When soliciting user-generated video content, look for users who are repeat shoppers and have left you positive 5-star reviews in the store. Offer a discount on a future purchase or a free product, if they send a personal video highlighting their favorite features of your brand or a recent purchase. Then share it with the world! Tag the user’s social profile to give them credit and authenticity.

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