Future of E-commerce: Trends That Will Reshape Our Lives

E-commerce has come a long way since its beginning in the late XX century. Today, it makes up 11,9% of total sales, which is 1,7% more than in 2017. This number is going to continue to grow due to the popularity of online shopping, which has become an essential part of everyday life for millions of people.

It seems that the future of e-commerce is going to keep changing. New technological trends will shape it in different ways. Let’s discuss some of the most important e-commerce trends that I believe will have the biggest impact on our lives.

Chatbots
Chatbots seem to be the next big thing in online business. As you already might know, chatbot is a software that is programmed to have conversation with people. They communicate using text or voice, but they can also perform actions (e.g. search for specific information on the Internet). Over the years, chatbots have been influenced by rapid, technological development. Due to this, they became better at communication and their popularity among consumers has grown.

There are two kinds of chatbots:

• Scripted – based on set of rules such as; Slack, Facebook Messenger, Telegram and etc.
• Intelligent – based on artificial intelligent such as; Alexa, Cortana, Siri,  and etc.

Both types can be created as an application, which means a chatbot gets graphical user interface.

Problem with chatbots is that people think that they would sound completely like humans. With current technology, this is not possible (although the improvement is undeniable). In the future, it will probably be possible, but for now it is a fiction.

On the other hand, using website chatbots is very cost efficient for companies, because they can have 24/7 customer support without huge expenses.

Deliveries and drones
When it comes to deliveries, customers are expecting to receive their packages in a shortest possible time. Biggest problem with fast delivery is logistics. Companies have facilities all around the world, as well as customers. However, it is not always possible to meet customers’ expectations for fast delivery. One of the ways to shorten that time is to send products by drones (unmanned aerial vehicles). Just imagine your package being dropped on your doorstep by a small flying object. Sounds unreal, doesn’t it?

Six years ago, Amazon promised to start doing this. They would deliver packages up to 5 pounds in under 30 minutes. This option would not be available all around the world, due to locations of their facilities. They still have not delivered on that promise. Biggest obstacles in the implementation are regulations considering air traffic. Many of the regulations need to change in order to ensure human safety. There is also an issue of people’s acceptance of this. Many of them would be scared that something can fall on their heads, so it is very important to make them feel that they’re not in danger.

Virtual and augmented reality
Virtual and augmented realities are trends that are present in all aspects of human life. Why should online shopping be any different? First, let me explain the difference between the two. VR is completely computer-generated reality, while AR is our reality mixed with computer-generated. For VR, you need those fancy glasses or helmet to see everything. But for AR, you only need your smartphone and the right app. I do still remember how Pokémon Go was a popular game a while back ago. Honestly, I was one of the fans. 🙂

Using VR or AR is an amazing opportunity for companies to enrich shopping experience for online customers. Easiest way to do it is to create virtual stores. It would give the customers feeling of real, physical shopping experience. It would make it easier, because they would be able to see the product in 360ᵒ view.

One of the companies that have implemented AR into their value is Magnolia Market. Magnolia’s app allows customers to place virtual 3D furniture into their homes and see it as it is real. This saves a lot of time for busy people or the once that don’t want to go to the physical store and look at the product.

Every day, there is something new and the future that we all thought was impossible, is actually only couple of years away. E-commerce companies can make this future possible by implementing new technologies and innovations which would help them create a better experience for their existing and potential customers. Whether it might be futuristic deliveries with drones or allowing them to see the product virtually in their own space, the point is to make it more fun and less time consuming.

Would you like to see your package being dropped off by a small, flying object?  Let me know your thoughts. I’d love to hear from you! 🙂