As the world of e-commerce continues to expand into new territories, we’re going to see new technologies being used by emerging businesses as they try to take a dominant position in markets such as grocery shopping. If you’re just now starting an online business or are struggling with your business, learning about new technologies can help give you an edge over some of your competitors. This article takes a look at some of the most essential technologies impacting the world of online grocery shopping.
E-Commerce and Mobile Shopping
By now, you’ve probably heard all the talk about how mobile technology is shaping the future of e-commerce and acting as the driving force behind many of the platforms being set up by large retailers. With over a hundred million consumers in the U.S. using smartphones to make purchases, retailers have to invest more in technologies that improve the customer experience, specifically by optimizing websites for an enhanced mobile experience. Studies suggest that over 40% of consumers will seek out a competitor website if yours takes longer than 8 seconds to load, or if they experience a ‘bad’ experience on their mobile devices.
E-Wallet and Mobile Apps for Grocery Shopping
Since mobile optimization is now a standard for all e-commerce platforms, this alone won’t be enough to make your website stand out or to reach any significant portion of the market. What’s needed are a few additional tools that you can set up on your website to increase options for shoppers while also addressing essential consumer needs. One of these technologies is an integrated mobile wallet, which will help your shoppers get through checkout faster.
Shoppers today expect a higher level of service for online shopping, and aside from having their groceries delivered on time, one of the ways you can do this is by setting up a mobile wallet for them to finalize payments. This makes the shopping experience more convenient and is expected to have several benefits, such as:
- An increase in sales
- Higher conversion rate
- Offers more immersive experience
Are you wondering how e-commerce stores get their customers to stick around and shop more? They do everything to pull consumers into their apps, instead of using a web browser. You likely need to write a mobile app for your store, which, according to studies, can lead to a higher number of customers. Seek to create an all-encompassing mobile app for your consumers – preferably one that can be applied to a more extensive set of items than what you’re offering at the moment.
Subscription Services for Customers
If you have any doubts about how subscription services can generate revenue for a business, think of the impact that Netflix or Amazon Prime has had in their industries. Subscription is a standard in e-commerce, and personalized service will always attract and keep customers, both for small businesses and industry leaders as well. This works for fashion, entertainment, news, and right down to homemade meals. Online grocery stores offer an even more personal service than online streaming companies, which gives you a lot of space to create an experience for your consumer that addresses some of their most important health and nutrition questions. The most immediate benefit of a subscription service is that it offers steady revenue. Still, it also allows you to gather essential analytics for use when scaling up your business.
Automation and Product Customization
Thirty years ago, when Thomas Parkinson set up Peapod, the first e-commerce platform, one of his biggest challenges was trying to get consumers to see what they were buying. The graphics were terrible, and if that wasn’t bad enough, the ordering process was too complicated for the average consumer.
Things have changed a whole lot since then, and in the world of groceries, consumers now can see quite clearly what the goods look like; which is a good thing because the reason online grocery shopping has been slow to pick up is that consumers tended not to get the exact products they purchased online. Product visualization is taking over the whole e-commerce industry, and it’s time you learned how to make your groceries stand out. Combine this with automation to help customers become repeat clients by recommending products and setting up additional automated services.
Voice Ordering
Voice shopping is growing fast, and according to the research firm OC&C Strategy Consultants, grocery shoppers are at the forefront of using this technology for a more convenient experience. Some studies estimate that by 2022, the total number of e-commerce purchases made through voice ordering will soar beyond $40 billion annually. Convenience is what consumers are looking for, and if you can find new ways to enhance their experience on your platform, by all means, install new features to your website. Don’t hold back on the design, or the number of tools available to them. Cheers!
DepositPhotos – online grocery shopping
