Vital COVID-19 eCommerce and Online Shopping Trends You Must Know

COVID-19 has certainly changed the world around us by affecting all kinds of industries, and eCommerce is no such exception. While a lot of other industries have seen negative impacts of COVID-19, eCommerce is one of the few domains that has witnessed more growth than ever.

Though, amidst all these emerging online shopping trends, you can try to be a few steps ahead of your competitors. That’s why I have come up with this post to make you familiar with some vital eCommerce trends that are related to COVID.

Key Impact of COVID-19 on the eCommerce Industry

It is a known fact that COVID-19 has impacted the entire world and has even changed the way we shop. Since more and more people prefer staying indoors during the ongoing pandemic, they consider buying all kinds of things online. This has drastically fueled the eCommerce industry by making it a $26.7 trillion industry as of now.

Even though there has been an increase in the overall demand for products online, the eCommerce industry has also witnessed numerous issues. For instance, the fluctuating demand for several healthcare products and a global shipping crisis have certainly limited a lot of eCommerce stores from growing. Though, by identifying some ongoing online shopping trends, you can easily gain more customers and give a push to your eCommerce business.

Emerging COVID eCommerce Trends You Must Know

Let’s be honest – the way we shop online has been drastically changed in the last few years. Therefore, if you want to get more leads and make profitable decisions with your eCommerce business, then consider identifying and working on the following online shopping trends.

Tip 1: Focus on Healthcare and Hygiene Products

It is a known fact that the demand for healthcare, hygiene, and personal sanitization products has been drastically increased since February 2020. With the onset of COVID-19, the demand for products like N95 masks, hand sanitizers, respirators, disinfectants, and so on has seen rapid growth.

For instance, according to the United Nations, around 2.4 billion masks were needed in 2020 alone and the number will steadily increase in the coming years. Therefore, if you want to make the most of these eCommerce trends, then you can work on new niches for your online store.

Ideally, you can come up with a dedicated section on your store to sell masks of all kinds (like customizable, washable, kid’s masks, and so on). Apart from that, you can consider selling other healthcare and sanitization products that have a growing demand in the market.

Tip 2: The Rise of Hyperlocal Online Shopping

With so many restrictions going on, it has become harder than ever for people to go out and shop locally. While this has affected the business of brick-and-mortar stores, it has given an opportunity for hyperlocal online shops to thrive.

Out of them, grocery shopping has seen drastic changes as people would like to shop for their day-to-day products online instead of physical shops. Not only would it inhibit the chances of getting exposed to any infection, but it also turns out to be more convenient.

To make the most of these eCommerce trends, you can consider coming up with a hyperlocal online market and target location-specific demographics. In this way, you can start by delivering products in selective cities and can gradually expand your range and target customers.

Tip 3: Target Niches that Have Grown Recently

Apart from healthcare and grocery, a few other domains have also witnessed an increase in demand since 2020. You can start by identifying these online shopping trends for your market and including these products in your store.

According to a study published by Deloitte, gym and recreational products have seen a rise of around 18% since the lockdown. This is because more and more people are spending time indoors and would like to focus on their health without heading outdoors. Furthermore, domains like furnishing, household products, pet care, childcare, self-development, food and beverages, and so on have also seen growth in the last few years.

Ideally, you can make some extra effect to identify niches related to your online store. They can be short-term, long-term, or seasonal eCommerce trends that you can target based on different parameters.

Tip 4: Customer Acquisition Trends: Less Loyalty and More Experiments

One of the major eCommerce trends that we have seen after COVID is the willingness of customers to try new brands. Particularly in 2021, the impact value of brand loyalty has been changed as around 80% of customers reportedly bought products from a new brand than their existing choices.

Even though there have been numerous reasons for decreasing brand loyalty, the difference in the pricing of a product and their unavailability are some of the primary reasons for it. That’s why, if you want to get new customers, then make sure you have competitive prices, different delivery plans, and constant availability of your products.

Similarly, you can take some preventive measures to retain your customers in the long run. Letting them know about out-of-stock products, suggesting their alternatives, and providing valuable loyalty rewards would be some of the best ways to retain your users.

Tip 5: Integrate Contactless Payment and Shipping Features

Needless to say, one of the most prominent online shopping trends is related to contactless order fulfillment services. After all, the whole reason for consumers shopping from online stores is because they don’t want to head out and be exposed to any infection.

That’s why you should provide all sorts of contactless options related to the shipping of your products or the processing of payments. Consider partnering with shipping fulfillment agencies that would perform secure yet contactless delivery of products.

Also, you should provide a wide range of payment options, letting your customers pre-pay for their orders. Besides the usual payment options like PayPal, Mastercard, Visa, Discover, and so on, you can also provide smart peer-to-peer payment options (like the scanning of QR codes that are linked to your wallet).

Tip 6: Expand Your Reach with Social Media Platforms

Do you know that you can directly sell products on popular social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook? This has been one of the most promising online shopping trends as it has made the entire experience more interactive.

You might already know the diverse use of social media platforms related to lead generation and brand promotion. Though, you can also use these channels to directly sell your products and improve the overall reach of your catalog.

In the last few years, a lot of social media users have started using these native platforms to directly buy different products. While around 3.4% of eCommerce sales are driven by social media platforms, the number is going to increase in the coming days.

It has been noticed that users feel more connected to a brand that already has an engaging presence on social media. This helps them make a more trusted purchase instead of first looking for the brand (or a product) on search engines. That’s why you can consider using the available features on platforms like Instagram and Facebook to showcase your products and directly sell them without any trouble.

I’m sure that by utilizing these ongoing and upcoming eCommerce trends, you can not only expand the reach of your business but can also get profitable results in less time.

Explore DSers to Empower Your Dropshipping Business

While COVID has certainly changed the eCommerce industry, you can push your online store with the help of a freely available tool like DSers. It is the official AliExpress dropshipping tool that is equipped with tons of features to help you manage your online store easily.

· You can explore thousands of online sellers in numerous categories so that you can find just the right product for your store.

· With its advanced Supplier Optimizer feature, you can easily handpick the most profitable and best-rated suppliers for your online business.

· Since DSers is fully compatible with leading eCommerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Wix, you can easily integrate it with a preferred resource.

· DSers offers tons of advanced store management features like automatic order status updates, bulk purchasing, bundle products, variant mapping, and more.

Final Words

As you can see, the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has certainly disrupted the eCommerce industry. While it has given a must-needed push to online shopping, it has also led to several issues.

Therefore, one of the best ways to grow in this rapidly changing industry is by identifying all the major online shopping trends and utilizing them in your favor. Besides making the most of these eCommerce trends, you can also use a tool like DSers that would let you manage your online dropshipping store without any unwanted hassle.