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The world of eCommerce is hotter than ever. Consumer shopping trends have shifted to the online world for good, and there’s more opportunity out there for willing entrepreneurs than ever before.

There are many trends that eCommerce marketers need to keep track of, but what are the eCommerce trends that every dropshipper needs to act on, and how?

Starting a dropshipping business may seem obscure, but with the right tools and some grit, it can become an incredible lucrative business venture that could be your escape from the dreaded nine-to-five.

By the end of this article, you’ll be well versed in the happenings of eCommerce and how they pertain to your dropshipping business. You’ll be equipped to action on all these trends and get your store up to speed on eCommerce trends in 2020 and beyond.

So, What are the top eCommerce trends every dropshipper should know about?

Let’ s jump in!

Mobile Shopping

According to Business Insider, mobile shopping consisted of a quarter of all eCommerce sales in 2019. By 2020, mobile sales are expected to be 45% of all eCommerce sales, resulting in a $284 billion segment. Mobile shopping is here to stay, so getting your store ready for mobile shopping is critical, if not compulsory.

So how can you make your online store mobile friendly?

Whether you’re using an eCommerce platform or standalone website, you need to invest in making the design more responsive. Look into updating your website so it has a responsive design and adjusts to all devices.

When creating or improving your mobile store there are three key factors to consider.

1. Simplicity is key

A small phone screen leaves little room for clutter and unimportant information. To add, mobile devices also have a slower processor, so you need a simple layout that loads at lightning speed.

This means; fewer high-resolution images, no banners, and a single column layout that keeps things clean and easy to browse.

You’ll need to re-evaluate the layout of your mobile website and how you’d like to simplify it so that your viewers can seamlessly browse and add items to their shopping cart.

For example, the mobile store below shows the category tiles immediately so viewers can select what they are looking for and start shopping right away.

Take a look at the example below:

The simplicity of it is enticing, professional, and straight to the point with fast loading images and a visible “Shop Now” button.

The Zara mobile website starts off with a simple new arrivals tile followed by categories. Again, simple, easy to navigate, and gives you exactly what you’re looking for within one tap.

2. “Touch” Friendly

Keep in mind that people need to be able to “tap” and “scroll” your website easily with their thumb. This changes the dynamic of your website flow, so:

Make buttons big
Make the layout a single column and as scroll friendly as possible.
Keep your CTA in the green “thumb-Zone”

The layout should appeal to the natural flow of the human thumb, and your Call to Action button should always be within one “tap”. This means your search and checkout button, “add to cart” button and product editing buttons should be within the green zone below.

3. Checkout Optimized

Consider implementing an “express checkout” feature that allows your customer to checkout as easily and efficiently as possible. This is key with impulse purchases, which is usually the criteria for winning dropshipping products in your store.

Try making the final checkout process less than three taps away.

Having an easy (and trusted) checkout option is absolutely critical for mobile online shoppers. This can be enforced by having trust badges leading up to, or on this page. Remember, you’re still fairly new to them, so they need reassurance that you’re a legitimate small business with secure payment options.

Personalization is the future

Being able to personalize your store experience to appeal to different customers is something successful dropshipping businesses swear by.

But, what does personalization even mean?

It means creating a unique experience for each user and using the data you have of them to make informed communications.

In your case, it can mean having a messenger bot or email flow, that automatically adjusts to your customer’s preferences and history. A customer service chatbot is one of the eCommerce trends you absolutely need to get ahead of this year.

It’s projected that 80% of businesses will need chatbots by the end of 2020. So don’t fall behind!

Not only does it help you with leads, but it creates a customized experience that your customers will never forget. All with a human touch!

Try implementing Manychat or Chatfuel to bridge the gap between social media and your store. It can do your marketing and target research for you, and keep everything streamlined and easy to track.

To top it all off, it can increase your ROI and conversion rate by ten folds.

Another incredible example would be to implement a flow that automatically suggests products that your customer will love.

If they purchased a bikini in the spring, why not send them a message with new Fall arrivals in September? The messenger bot makes it feel personalized, targetted, and it makes it easy for them to see and click on the options available to them.

Augmented reality

One of the main struggles with online shopping is that you can’t physically see the product, and can’t get a feel for what it looks like in your hand, in your home, or in general. This can deter many customers, and it creates a barrier to acquiring new leads, and being able to make more sales.

Augmented reality is the solution to this problem. AG has come a long way and continues to be a trend that improves customer online shopping dramatically.

In a survey, 63% of customers agreed that the AG experience helped improve their experience dramatically. If you’ve ever used Wayfair, you can take a look at how a rug or chair would look in your home, with great accuracy.

If you’re selling products the people buy for their homes, then AG might be the feature that separates you from competitors and solidifies you in your niche.

If it isn’t something that you need for your store, keep in mind that people can now try on glasses virtually, and soon be able to try on jewelry or accessories.

Augment or Zapworks are excellent options to start with if Augmented reality is right up your dropshipping store’s ally. Be one of the first to implement these features, and you’re sure to make waves and create some happy (and returning) customers.

Visual search and video

If you never thought about making videos before, it’s time to shift your attention to it. Let me show you why: 84% of consumers are convinced to buy a product after watching a brand’s video. This means consumers need to visually see the product and get a feel for what it looks like, how it can be used, and why they would want to purchase it.

What does this mean for an eCommerce business?

You need to focus on creating compelling video content, from product reviews to a simple video of the product from all angles and in use. You don’t need a production crew or expensive equipment, you can edit videos on cost-efficient apps like Magisto or Hyperlapse to name a few.

The best part is, this can go hand in hand with your Youtube channel, your Instagram, as well as your TikTok account. An overall increase in content on these platforms can only solidify and help you build your dropshipping brand – and your sales.

If you’re still not convinced, consider this statistic: Including a video on your landing page can increase conversions by 80%. So, get started on creating some video content that tells a story and connects with your audience’s lifestyle – with the use of your products.

Green consumerism

Green consumerism may seem like it’s been around for a while, but the truth is, it’s becoming more of a central value for consumers every year.

This means that your customers will ask: Where is this product coming from? What is it made of? Will It have longevity?

Being environmentally friendly and conscious of impact is now another requirement to check off when selecting dropshipping products. Picking products that are reusable, made of lasting materials and make environmental initiatives easy to follow are part of winning products in 2020.

Take a look at the google trend for “Reusable”:

The word alone has skyrocketed in search demand this year alone. Take advantage of this trend and make your store as eco-friendly as possible. Incorporating a “give-back” percentage to global environmental associations is also an incredible feat to let your customers know that you care about them, and the planet we all live on.

If you’re interested in what the demand for eco-friendly products is, take a look at the infographic below on the impact it has on each age demographic.

Every generation ranging from 16 to 54 (excluding the boomers) has a majority preference to pay more for eco-friendly products. This means you can focus on products that may be pricier, but have a promise of positive environmental impact and a clean, green conscience.

This can mean many things for your niche: reusable cotton bags, contemporary clothes made from sustainable materials, wooden housewares and decor or even contributing a percentage of sales to environmental organizations!

The possibilities are endless, and they all have a high return on investment.

Social Shopping

If you’ve noticed influencers on social media tagging products in their photos, you may already be in tune to what’s going on with Social media and shopping.

Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest have all incorporated a “Shop” feature that allows users to purchase products, in-app.

This is not only an incredible opportunity to tap into massive markets of potential customers, but it is an easy way to boost your brand awareness, find your customers easily, and create a name for yourself through social media content.

Social media is an attention game. You’ll have to focus on creating content that resonates with your targeted audience, and then finding ways to present it to them. The best way to do this is with Instagram influencers.

Influencers have a cult-like following of people that are looking to be inspired, and don’t mind purchasing something that they trust is going to look great, and make them feel happy.

Finding these influencers can be as simple as:

Looking through hashtags that resonate with your market
Picking influencers that match your brand
Sending them free products, or paying them to promote

Most influencers are happy to cooperate, and they will send direct traffic to your page, which automatically increases your leads and potential sales.

Pinterest is another incredible platform that needs to garner more attention from eCommerce store owners. With their massive user base, pinterest has created a shopping experience that allows users to shop in the app, and gives you the ability to target people that you couldn’t otherwise gain the attention of.

Try pinning daily, and create boards that inspire users to follow you, check out your store, and eventually, purchase your products.

So, make sure that your Social media shops are full of amazing products that grab their attention, and make them impulsively press “buy”.

Conclusion

eCommerce will always be a hotbed of entrepreneurial opportunity, and constant change. With these trends in mind, you can start a dropshipping business that’s relevant, compatible, and has competitive advantage over the rest.

Staying on top of trends isn’t always easy, But these six trends are absolutely pivotal to being successful with your dropshipping business. Acting now gives you a push in the right direction, and gives you the upper hand with your competition.

With Shopbase, we’ve got your most important bases covered. From responsive themes and trusted payment options to store automation. All that’s left is the marketing and grit involved in creating your small business. We’ll take care of the rest.

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