How E-Commerce is Going to Change in 2020
The internet has completely changed how we make purchases. Now, instead of having to drive to a store, sit in traffic, pay for gas and then wait in line, we can go online and buy what we want (at a lower price) and have it show up in a couple days.
And, with services like same-day from Amazon, we can sometimes have what we want within a few hours. No wonder retail is dying a slow and painful death.
You can buy anything online these days, from supplements and clothes, to carry on luggage and home appliances. It couldn’t be any more convenient. So, with e-commerce booming right now, what changes should we look for in the coming year? Let’s look at some.
E-Commerce Will Be Entirely Mobile Focused
We are already seeing this a little, and one look at the websites of the largest e-commerce companies will show you that they are building for mobile traffic.
The goal is to make is easy to buy anything from a mobile phone, whether it’s a pair of sneakers or a new washer and dryer. Mobile optimization is advancing and you can look for a much seamless checkout process to be introduced for mobile phones.
Yes, even more seamless than it already is.
Social Media Networks Will Become E-Commerce Platforms
With the number os users networks like Instagram and Facebook have, as well as the number of business and brand accounts with pages, don’t you think they already have their own e-commerce platform ready and waiting to be rolled out?
“I think we will see Facebook lead the charge and come out with a huge e-commerce solution, allowing businesses to sell directly on their pages,” says Lisa Rush of customer service outsourcing company Staff Outsourcing.
It’s just a matter of time until it’s a reality. Businesses already have users on their Facebook pages, so why not let them purchase directly on there rather than sending them to another platform. The revenue Facebook can make on just a fraction of the transaction volume is billions of dollars.
Shopify Will Experience Its First Competition
Shopify has dominated the e-commerce space for a long time. Look at their stock prices over time. It’s amazing how quickly they grew. They process the most money out of all e-commerce platforms, and it’s not even close.
But, there are always going to be competitors, and 2020 is the year that Shopify will face its first major competitor. What Shopify does have going for itself now, though, is that it now allows CBD products on its platform. Who will that be? Many experts predict that Facebook is going to roll out its own platform and immediately take a huge market share from Shopify.
More Self-Hosted E-Commerce Players Will Emerge
Shopify hosts all of the websites that use its platform, which makes the online store not 100% fully controlled by its owner, and that doesn’t sit well with everyone.
“Many don’t like Shopify because it’s not a self-hosted options, and I think the demand for a new option other than WooCommerce exists,” suggests Chris Dziak of Pure Nootropics. WooCommerce is the option many go with that do want full control, as it is WordPress-based.
Look for some other options to come out that feature the ease and simplicity of Shopify, with the total control that many online business owners demand.
