11 Minute Read

The landscape of eCommerce is constantly changing, propelled by technological advancements. In today's climate, consumers demand higher standards from brands than ever before. Failure to adapt could result in online retailers falling behind their competition. To position your business for success this year, it's crucial to familiarize yourself with and understand the top eCommerce trends for 2024.

Harness the power of these 12 data-centric trends to enhance your eCommerce brand and establish a digital footprint that sets your business apart.

Prepare your small, mid-market, or enterprise business to leverage upcoming trends that propel your eCommerce brand forward and foster growth and success in 2024.

Social Commerce

Although not a new concept, social media has rapidly evolved into a lucrative platform for eCommerce retailers to promote and sell their products and services directly to customers.

Social commerce enables customers to complete purchases directly through social media platforms and is quickly becoming a key marketplace for eCommerce. Brands can connect and sell directly to consumers where they are, providing a one-stop shopping experience. 

With users spending 2+ hours a day on social media, and approximately 25% of them primarily using these platforms for shopping, the potential is significant. In the U.S. alone, 96.9 million people shop directly from social media platforms, with social commerce expected to reach $2.9 billion by 2026. 

Businesses embracing social commerce can leverage platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook to drive sales, engage with customers, and boost revenue. 

Segmenting targeted customer bases using social media analytics is crucial for eCommerce retailers to save time and money. Developing a targeted marketing strategy ensures your campaign reaches the right audience. Social media metrics allow brands to track progress toward goals and assess campaign performance. 

How can you leverage social commerce to benefit your eCommerce business? 

  • Provide a seamless experience  
  • Create high-quality content
  • Stay ahead of trends
  • Embrace an authentic presence for your brand
  • Collaborate with related brands and influencers

By capitalizing on social commerce and providing a seamless purchasing experience directly through social media platforms, brands can effectively expand their reach to new customers. Social commerce offers an integrated shopping experience that enhances conversion rates and minimizes instances of abandoned carts.

Fast Delivery

In the eCommerce landscape, customers have endless options when purchasing online. In today’s fast-paced environment, they expect even faster delivery. Faced with a choice, customers prioritize faster shipping options.

Research indicates that 55% of consumers are willing to change retailers to have their purchases delivered faster. When choosing where to shop, delivery speed ranks as the second most important factor for customers, trailing only behind the option for free shipping.

Brands that fail to offer fast delivery risk lost sales, abandoned carts, and decreased revenue. By adopting forward-thinking delivery strategies that meet or exceed customer expectations, businesses can maintain prominence in a saturated eCommerce market.

When developing a rapid delivery network for your business, there are a few key trends to keep in mind.

  • Creation of local order fulfillment centers
  • Same-day delivery network
  • Subscription-based delivery model
  • Offer a “choose your delivery date” option
  • Diverse delivery modes
  • Omnichannel fulfillment (buy online, pick up in-store, D2C shipping)

Fast delivery not only enhances customer satisfaction but also fosters brand loyalty and encourages repeat business. Don't allow a slow delivery network to impede your business growth. Invest in an infrastructure that aligns with customer expectations to deliver an exceptional fulfillment experience.

Conversion Rate Optimization

You have visitors on your website, but you’re stumbling just short of the finish line in converting them to customers. Conversion rate metrics indicate how many visitors to your site are completing the action or milestones you want them to achieve.

The ultimate goal of any eCommerce retailer is to make a sale, but if your site visitors aren’t converting, it might be time to explore Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) tactics.

CRO strategies can help you turn website traffic into revenue for your business. A solid CRO strategy has the power to yield tangible results that build your brand. 

Finding the right CRO strategy is crucial to meeting business objectives, whether your goal is more clicks, sales, or email sign-ups. There is a learning curve; even enterprise-scale companies don’t always get it right. However, there are several steps you can take towards finding the best CRO strategy for your brand.

  • Optimize your site for mobile devices
  • Continuous checkups for quick site speed
  • Develop an abandoned cart email strategy
  • A/B testing 
  • Provide engaging content
  • Offer a quick and easy checkout process

Converting customers can be a daunting task, and the trial-and-error nature of the CRO process can be difficult. However, adjusting and testing new optimization strategies and integrating small improvements can yield significant results in converting customers and advancing growth objectives. 

Sustainability

In 2024, customer concern for the environment has reached new heights. Buyers are more environmentally conscious than ever and expect the businesses they buy from to share their commitment to sustainability. To retain customers, it's important to demonstrate care for the environment by engaging in environmentally ethical and eco-conscious business practices.

Today's consumers prioritize purchasing from businesses that care about the green (and we’re not talking about money). Research shows that 74% of customers are willing to pay a premium for products with sustainable packaging. 

Go green in 2024 and become a brand that customers trust with the following sustainable practices.

  • Use biodegradable or compostable packaging
  • Offer rewards or discounts for customers who engage in sustainable shopping practices
  • Implement renewable energy practices in offices, plants, and warehouses

Corporate Social responsibility (CSR) is another sustainability practice customers prioritize when making purchasing decisions. 

In addition to environmental concerns, customers value brands that care about the wider world in which they operate. 46% of customers are likelier to purchase from a company that contributes to charitable causes. 

By implementing practices that benefit the environment and better the community, businesses build customer trust and show that their brand aligns with what they care about. Do good by doing good. Practice sustainability in your business operations.

Influencer Marketing

Think about some of your most recent purchases. How did you hear about the product? Maybe a friend or family member, but most likely, online influencers played a significant role in product discovery.

Whether you stumble upon product reviews, scroll through social media feeds, or tune in to a podcast, the influence of online personalities is hard to ignore. In today's digital age, consumers are bombarded with countless product endorsements from influencers daily.

Statistics show that 30% of consumers consider influencer recommendations one of the most important factors in purchasing decisions. 

Influencers have the trust and respect of their audience, and their followers turn to their recommendations when making purchasing decisions. Collaborating with influencers allows brands to reach a broader audience and leverage the trust influencers have built with their followers, ultimately driving engagement and sales.

Influencer marketing is a rapidly growing industry with enormous potential for eCommerce brands. To create a successful influencer marketing partnership

  • Partner with influencers that produce content that aligns with your brand
  • Identify an influencer with a similar target audience
  • Make decisions on the best platforms to promote your business and find influencers with a solid following on those platforms
  • Create a strong campaign and set clear goals for the partnership

Influencity said it best - influencer marketing is no longer a trend but an essential business tool for eCommerce brands in 2024. Collaborating with influencers and forging partnerships enables brands to connect with their target audiences, facilitates the expansion of reach to new demographics, boosts brand engagement and awareness, drives conversions, and ultimately contributes to revenue growth.

Mobile Shopping

In today’s fast-paced world, consumers don’t have the time or inclination to shop in physical retail stores. Enter mobile commerce. Mobile devices offer people on-the-go shopping options at the touch of their fingertips. 

Mobile shopping is set to dominate the eCommerce landscape in 2024. Failure to optimize your website for mobile shopping could mean losing out to competitors who have embraced this trend.

91% of consumers make online purchases on mobile devices, and mobile sales reached $2.2 trillion in 2023. Projections suggest that mobile commerce will account for 40.4% of all eCommerce sales in 2024. 

Is your eCommerce website optimized for mobile shopping? Failing to provide customers with a seamless mobile experience, complete with high-quality user experience (UX), risks losing them to competitors who do.

Optimizing for mobile requires more than just a responsive design. It involves a mobile-friendly interface, swift site speed, intuitive tap-friendly navigation, engaging visual content, and convenient mobile payment options.

However, simply optimizing your website for mobile browsing is not enough. Research indicates that 85% of customers prefer mobile shopping apps over retail sites. Mobile apps offer higher conversion rates and typically yield a higher average order value - with mobile app purchases averaging $102 compared to just $92 on a mobile site. 

In 2024, mobile shopping apps will be the next step for forward-thinking eCommerce retailers seeking exponential growth.  By offering customers an intuitive and immersive mobile app experience, businesses can enhance engagement, drive conversions, and capitalize on the burgeoning trend of mobile commerce.

Multi-Channel Customer Support

Regardless of where consumers shop, one thing always remains true: they inevitably require assistance. No matter when or where customers engage with your business, they expect prompt and effective support when needed. Without a robust multi-channel customer support strategy, you risk falling short of meeting these expectations.

So, what exactly is multi-channel support? Multi-channel support is a framework that allows businesses to respond and resolve customer issues across various channels, ensuring assistance wherever customers engage with your brand. These channels may include websites, social media, email, live chats, or traditional phone support. 

61% of customers reported they would switch to a company’s competitor after having just one negative experience with customer service. An overwhelming 91% of customers reported they would return to a company that provided them with an excellent customer service experience. Customer service matters; as the title indicates – it’s all about the customer.

Developing an effective multi-channel customer support strategy requires putting the customer’s needs first. Organizations need to be available for support 24/7 and to be prepared to guide customers through the appropriate channels to address any reported issues. 

Integrating and leveraging customer support software such as live chats, help desks, and phone services provide the support businesses need to fill the gaps and create a well-rounded customer service experience. 

Creating an experience that supports customers across all touchpoints with your business builds trust and generates repeat business. Integrating channels allows all support team members quick access to customers and question/complaint information. This enables them to point customers in the right direction and resolve issues faster and more efficiently. 

When customers have a question or problem, they expect quick, convenient support to resolve their problem. Achieving a multi-channel support strategy that meets and exceeds customer expectations builds trust and repeat business. Stand above competitors with a multi-channel support strategy that ensures customers return time and again, drawn by the exceptional support experience they receive.

Voice and Visual Search

You’ve probably heard of virtual assistants such as Siri and Alexa. If you read this post out loud, your own Siri or Alexa might respond as you read out their name. That’s because approximately 40% of US shoppers use voice assistants to complete their shopping. 

Customers leverage voice search technology to research products, add products to shopping lists, make purchases, track packages, rate and review products, contact support, and reorder items. The convenience of voice search extends beyond the home, with customers able to use it on their mobile devices anywhere they go. 

It’s not just voice search that’s on the rise; visual search is emerging as a dominant shopping trend, reshaping the eCommerce landscape in 2024. With advancements in machine learning technology, visual search has amplified capabilities for online product purchasing. If your content and visual search capabilities can’t keep up, neither can your business.  

Visual search adds a level of convenience and accessibility that eases the shopping experience for customers. Brands that optimize visual search capabilities create new enhanced ways for customers to engage with their brand and convert visitors to customers. Increase visibility, engagement, and revenue with optimized search capabilities.

Capitalize on the visual search trend by

  • Producing high-quality images for your site
  • Properly tag and label images
  • Optimize image size and resolution
  • Invest in SEO and keyword search tools
  • Add alt text and captions

Customers are no longer doing business with just the touch of a finger or a click on a screen. Voice and visual search add a new dimension to the purchasing journey, from initial exploration to final decision-making. 

Businesses need to optimize voice and visual search technology to tap into the benefits of increased engagement with new and existing customers. By doing so, brands can enhance their presence and visibility in the evolving digital marketplace, ultimately elevating their brand and fostering stronger consumer connections.

Subscription Models

You’ll likely find subscriptions to several goods and services if you check your email or credit card statement. From streaming services to groceries to beauty and fashion items and everything in between, you can find subscriptions to pretty much anything.

Subscription services provide customers with a mixed experience of certainty and surprise. Customers can be sure they will receive the product or service regularly and be excited about receiving something new with their subscription.

With so many subscription options available to consumers, how can you make your brand shine? 

  • Offer customers personalization options for their subscriptions
  • Create budget-friendly cost options
  • Develop exclusive products and access to subscribers
  • Offer discounts and loyalty programs
  • Most importantly, make it easy for subscribers to manage and/ or cancel their membership 

Flexibility is key to creating a subscription-based model that fosters long-term customer retention. That means offering diverse tier and frequency options, flexible delivery schedules, customizable and personalizable options, and supporting various payment and subscription methods. By developing a flexible subscription model, businesses can significantly enhance the customer experience, allowing individuals to tailor their subscriptions according to their unique preferences.

With global subscription commerce expected to reach $904.2 billion by 2026, businesses embracing subscription-based models have substantial revenue potential. Create a flexible, convenient, personalized subscription experience to create customer value, drive engagement, and retain returning business to your brand.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has been a topic of conversation across industries for a long time, and you might be thinking by now you’ve heard and seen all there is to know about AI. But in 2024, AI technology will evolve more than ever, and online retailers that fail to keep on top of it risk falling behind in the competitive landscape.

AI-powered eCommerce solutions are expected to reach $16.8 billion by 2030, and that’s just the beginning. The potential for AI technology in the eCommerce space is endless. It offers opportunities to enhance operational efficiencies and streamline processes, saving time and resources. It’s no wonder 91% of the top businesses are investing in AI and looking to invest more in 2024.

Implement AI technology to develop the personalized shopping experience customers have come to expect. AI's machine learning capabilities enable the collection and analysis of customer data, including search history, browsing behavior, and purchasing patterns. Businesses can combine customer data and AI technology to develop a more targeted strategy that ensures the right content reaches the right audience.

Predictive analytics help businesses identify trends and patterns to predict behavior and forecast better business practices. AI technology allows for dynamic pricing, restocking in-demand products, creating a more strategic marketing campaign, and providing customer support. AI-powered personalization tactics can increase revenue and retention by up to 15%, boost savings by 30%, and increase customer acquisition by up to 5%.

While AI may appear overwhelming, identifying appropriate implementations that align with your business goals is key to staying ahead in 2024. Embracing AI technologies rather than avoiding them allows businesses to leverage their potential to drive growth, improve efficiency, and enhance the overall customer experience.

  • Identify and understand customer data
  • Select and implement AI technology that best fits your business
  • Constantly test and regularly conduct performance tests on your technology
  • Don’t be afraid to try something new
  • Ensure you and your team are familiar with the technology

Don’t let your business become a thing of the past. It's essential not to overlook the potential of AI technology. There are many resources to help you better understand what AI tech can do for you and how to incorporate it into your business model. 

Step into the future by embracing AI and making it an integral part of your business strategy in 2024. By doing so, you can unlock new opportunities, enhance efficiency, and propel your business towards sustained growth and success.

Personalization and Enhanced Customer Experience

Personalization is no longer a choice for eCommerce retailers, it’s a necessity. Did you know that 80% of customers are more likely to be repeat buyers when provided with a personalized shopping experience? Capitalize on the opportunity by creating an enhanced personalized customer buying experience.

Develop your personalization strategy by ensuring your existing technology stack can gather the right customer information. By collecting and understanding your customer data, you can shape and inform predictive analytics for future buying behavior. 

Leveraging customer data and predictive analytics involves analyzing past purchasing behaviors and patterns to forecast future trends, enabling tailored experiences for each customer. By harnessing customer data and analytics, businesses can deliver superior product recommendations, dynamic pricing options, and precisely targeted marketing campaigns. When executed effectively, this approach empowers businesses to glean valuable insights, enhancing the overall shopping experience for customers.

Customers are, however, concerned about their personal data and privacy. Implementing safeguards that protect your customers' personal information builds trust and is a great first step in developing a long-lasting relationship. Be transparent about why you are collecting their data and how it will be used. Strive to become a brand that customers can trust to use their data responsibly to deliver them the personalized experience they expect.

Seamless Omnichannel Experience

You’ve likely heard of the importance of creating an omnichannel experience, but what does that mean? Omnichannel isn’t just a trendy buzzword, it’s a critical component to the success of your eCommerce business. 73% of retail customers are now shopping across multiple channels, and retailers using 3+ channels see a substantial increase in customer engagement by up to 251%. 

Omnichannel retail seamlessly integrates marketing, selling, and customer support across various platforms regardless of the channel the customer has chosen to engage with your brand. This can be a combination of website, mobile, desktop, social media, and brick-and-mortar retail locations. 

One of the first steps to create a seamless omnichannel experience is to ensure you present consistent branding across all platforms. This includes images, logos, text, and content. All content should be optimized regardless of the platform customers are shopping on. Ensure you provide a cohesive experience across all channels to create a brand experience your customers recognize. 

So, how do you begin building an omnichannel strategy for your business?

  • Develop a website and mobile site with consistent content and branding
  • Ensure accessible support on every channel your company offers
  • Offer flexible fulfillment to customers
  • Utilize social commerce

In 2024, delivering a high-quality omnichannel experience is no longer optional—it's essential for businesses seeking growth. Whether customers engage with your brand through your website, mobile app, social media platforms, or physical stores, consistency across all channels is paramount.

By providing a seamless omnichannel experience, businesses can meet customers' expectations for convenience, accessibility, and personalized interactions. This approach fosters customer satisfaction, strengthens brand loyalty, and drives growth opportunities.

What Now?

Understanding your business and its dynamics is paramount. Recognizing the emerging eCommerce trends of the year is pivotal to maintaining a competitive edge. Identifying trends that resonate with your business and crafting a strategy to capitalize on them is key to success in this rapidly evolving industry.

Directing your efforts and resources toward trends that align with your business objectives ensures that you're investing in initiatives with the greatest impact potential. Staying in tune with the preferences and behaviors of your audience is vital for keeping your brand top-of-mind in the dynamic eCommerce landscape of 2024.