eCommerce Predictions to Help You Increase Sales in 2017

Every eCommerce business wants to get an early jump on marketing for the new year, but the problem is committing your resources to a small handful of untested campaigns can be a major risk.

• What if the risks do not pay off?
• How long will it take to recover any losses you incur due to the marketing mistake?
• How badly will your sales dip off due to the choices you made?

These are the questions that keep many business owners awake at night. Here are a couple of predictions and trends that you could utilize to help drive sales in 2017.

Catering To eCommerce Customers

Consumers are prone to evaluating and comparing products than they were 5 years ago. With so many eCommerce websites and online retailers floating around on the Internet, there is no shortage of competition. Catering to your customers could mean implementing new payment processing methods and solutions or developing an app that allows them to make single click purchases. You can also expand your reach by creating an Instagram shop that sells your most popular or trending items. This will increase overall traffic and expand the outlets in which you are able to make sales and reach the masses.

Honesty Finally Becomes Important

What’s your hottest selling product or service? Does anyone else off the same thing as you? Do a broad Internet search for products or services you offer and will you find at least a dozen competitors providing the same products and services as you. The odds are, you’re not even the lowest priced provider or those products or services. The good news is, credibility counts. The more reliable your business is, the more positive experiences you create for customers, the better the chances are that consumers will pay the difference, and go with your products or services.

One of the best ways to build trust in the upcoming year is going to be through the use of product videos. These videos provide more information than a standard written product description and makes customers instantly feel more comfortable with you, and your products.

Shifting Focus to Lifetime Customers

A lifetime customer is a repeat customer who frequently makes purchases from your eCommerce website. A lot of eCommerce websites are going to shift their focus into catering to these customers, rather than focusing mainly on attracting new customers. Most new customers are going to be “one hit wonders”, and the vast majority will not refer your website to anyone else they know. In fact, most will only say they bought the item online.

You’ve wasted a good amount of money to attract this phantom shopper to your website and have nothing to show for it but one purchase. Lifetime customers make repeat purchases, typically always provide feedback, and will pitch your products and services to family and friends.

Influencer Hunting

eCommerce websites are going to start hunting for major influencers like never before. Connecting with one or two influencers with a couple hundred thousand followers is enough to change the fate of any eCommerce business. Many eCommerce businesses who are able to secure the aid of a major influencer or two will be able to focus less on advertising and funnel the information and product samples directly to the influencer for better marketing results than the countless hours spent doing intensive SEO work for your website.

Conlclusion