Challenges and Opportunities of Ecommerce in 2021
Online commerce has experienced a liftoff thanks to the pandemic. 2020 signaled a before and after in e-commerce since the pandemic forced brands and professionals in the sector to struggle to adapt at full speed to the new reality and the new consumption.
But What is the profile of an e-consumer? A recent study of comparison between prices and offers online by “Idealo” has described some of the habits of consumers. Most consumers performed their searches in the morning. If we are discussing weekdays, the analysis shows Sunday and Monday as the chosen days by consumers to perform their online shipping; surprisingly, Friday is the least chosen day to obtain products.
Mobile has conquered terrain over personal computers when it relates to making purchases online, making a more intensive use of all the functionalities of the applications. Example given, an increased used in the tool “Price Alarm” has had an increased used, this is an option that notifies users when the product reaches the ideal price that has been recorded previously.
These new habits, arising due to necessity or as an opportunity for facing the pandemic, reveal the new necessities that have come up in 2020 and that will continue gaining terrain in the present course.
The new trends in search ensure the peak of technology with products such as smartphones, computers, televisions and smartwatches. Sports and sneakers have also become in a sought-out product, just as appliances.
Besides, it is estimated that the bulk of online shoppers doubled organically during the quarantine, this amount, continues to grow and increase its shopping frequency, and regionally, e-commerce advanced and grew in 2 months what would have taken 5 years.
10 CHALLENGES FOR E-COMMERCE IN THIS YEAR
1 – Education to Offers
It is necessary to personalize the offer that exists in e-commerce, be it products or service, by any non-presential channel, and provide specific knowledge to provide a better experience.
2 – Understand the demand
Companies must identify and differentiate the products that users prefer to buy online and which ones they prefer to buy in person. This will allow to have a clearer picture, spread the benefits of online shopping and perform necessary adjustment to provide a better experience and online interaction.
3 – Strengthen the private-public relationship
It is necessary to strengthen alliances between the private enterprise and the government to have a better decision-making process and the design of strategies that are beneficial for both parties and for the country by tributes and conditions in the market. Working together to spread the advantages and improvements in topics such as: logistics and payment methods.
4 – Improve the reach of banking
To make it easier for people to have access to banking, this will allow to generate an environment of formality in the sector, increasing the trust of consumers to perform transactions and purchases online.
5 – Access to technology
To improve the reach of digitalization of several sectors easing the access to devices, such as internet band width, this not only as a method to energize the economy through e-commerce but also to ease telework and e-education.
6 – The physical and online sale border is diffused
During the pandemic, local businesses have had to reinvent themselves forcefully to avoid closure and having an online presence has been one of the most necessary changes. Combining the online with the physical channel offers enormous advantages for businesses since it allows to create multiple sale combinations according to each need.
7 – Social selling
On another hand, sales through social networks have been an alternative to those businesses that have not been able to create their own ecommerce platform. But using social selling as a reinforcement to web sales is ideal. The biggest hurdle that this method has is lack of trust by users. To break this barrier using a social media strategy based on transparency and communication will be a challenge for companies.
8 – Globalization
An unstoppable trend is globalization. Specially by those companies that have created unique and original products or services and wish to export to other countries. Technology makes it easier every day, in this sense, centralizing the sales through a payment runway, any company that wishes for it, can start to export their products to neighboring countries.
9 – Sustainability
Another undeniable trend is the progressive preference of consumers for sustainable and nearby products. Selling products with recycled materials, ensuring fairness in the whole fabrication process or taking actions of company responsibility are details that clients appreciate more each day. It is very recommendable to start a carbon footprint compensation plan in order for international clients have the peace of mind that they are buying responsibly and sustainably.
10 – Safe Payments
It is important to bet for a payment technology that allows physical and online payments, both on websites as well as in social networks and eases internationalization.
