E-commerce trends for success with Shopify in 2024

The last three years have had a definite impact on the entrepreneurial landscape around the world. Start-up executives have had a hard time keeping their businesses going. Many have had to work very hard and face many uncertainties to get back on track.

If in 2023, you are a bit lost, I am here to guide and support you. You should also know that you are far from being alone and that solutions exist to help your business grow. It is often said that information is an entrepreneur's greatest weapon. You must therefore know how your competitors and your customers react. E-Commerce is nowadays, an effective method to continue to grow and expand your empire.

Among the systems of creation of online store, Shopify 1$ is undoubtedly one of the most powerful on the market. With powerful tools like these, you'll be able to find customers, increase sales and manage your day-to-day operations. Here are some key trends for success in online business with Shopify in 2024.

Make the customer experience a fundamental element

When you want to be a successful merchant, if there's one thing I recommend you never neglect, it's the customer experience. It should be at the heart of every merchant's efforts.

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Indeed, when a customer is satisfied with his experience during his customer journey with a brand, he is likely to rely on this brand again for a future purchase. A study commissioned by Shopify shows that 27% of companies worldwide have established customer experience as their first or second priority for the year 2023.

It's also important to know that a pleasant customer experience means a smooth and reassuring process from the moment your company appears to the moment you provide after-sales service. You need to consider the entire customer journey.

This includes the navigation of your site, the quality of your images, the perfection of your product sheets, a prompt after-sales service and clear frequently asked questions. As a company, you should also make sure to optimize every step of the way if you feel it is necessary.

Betting on transparency and stability

If there's one other piece of advice I can give you, it's to work transparently. Indeed, the competition is very fierce nowadays. To be successful, you need to be transparent and unique. This is how a brand can succeed in being unique.

Nowadays, a consumer who shops online is spoilt for choice. They choose a brand because they know it and have enjoyed using it. They may also trust a brand through trust or word-of-mouth.

Above all, what the consumer wants from a seller is transparency. He will appreciate the efforts of a company that chooses to clean up its site from top to bottom. It is in this register useful to put forward the values which characterize your company.

You can also touch up the development process of your products and their packaging. All these things will allow you to be even more in line with your need to offer customers quality and ecological products.

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In addition to your website, you as a company can transparently promote values. Values that customers can relate to. This will make them even more interested in your products. The fact of buying from you represents a demonstration of shared values between the brand and you.

Between brands and customers, these shared values revolve essentially around social and environmental ethics and sustainability. Investing in what is sustainable is a certainty as much as a requirement. I quote as proof a Shopify study published in 2021, which says that 53% of companies worldwide are resolutely committed, making this issue one of their priorities.

Consumers are not left out. The same study found that 42% of those surveyed said they would prefer to buy from a company that is more likely to buy from an ethical brand.

It is therefore clear that ethical commitment is not only a priority for consumers. It is just as important for employees. Many employees love working for more ethical companies.

These companies therefore take pleasure in investing in recyclable, natural and renewable materials. Obviously, what is important when it comes to eco-responsibility is the logistics side. There are also ways to make your supply chain as responsible and ethical as possible.

Importance of building your community

Another trend I strongly recommend is to create and maintain a community. A point very much related to the previous ones. This option will allow you to increase customer loyalty and consolidate brand awareness.

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In addition to increasing sales, it also seriously lowers the costs of customer support. It's no coincidence that 40% brands around the world have decided to spend time and money to suggest new ways for consumers to interact with them.

Today, there are several methods to federate a community around a brand. This can be done through social networks or in a physical way. Better yet, you can also use chatrooms as well as blockchain, which are options that can be taken into account.

Prioritize online sales without abandoning marketplaces

I'm not teaching you anything by saying that digitizing the physical business has saved a very significant number of young entrepreneurs in 2020 and 2021. As an example, Yoze gyms is a proof.

It is true that physical locations have almost normally resumed their activity. However, online sales must remain a priority to be maintained or explored for most companies. The latter have understood this very well. More than 54% of them have chosen to rely more on e-Commerce in 2023.

Focusing on online sales shouldn't cause you to neglect the power of marketplaces. According to Shopify's on-demand study, at least 38% of consumers make product purchases at least once a month on marketplaces.

Investing to find solutions to supply chain problems

The COVID crisis is the clearest evidence that supply chain anomalies can cause major disruption, even to small businesses. As a result, more than 43% merchants have decided to change their approach. They are doing so to fundamentally rethink their manufacturing and shipping strategies.

Beyond the goal of protecting against potential large-scale damage like what the world experienced as early as 2020, there is another benefit. Readjusting and repurposing manufacturing and shipping strategies is a great option to lower costs, but also to enhance service to consumers.

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Having an efficient supply chain may not be the most attractive part of retailing. However, it is without a doubt the most important part that should occupy any business that aims to grow.

Indeed, the way various companies move their products around the world is an important issue. The fact that brands are looking at this issue and developing ideas to be more efficient is a sign of seriousness and results.

Increase customer confidence through faster and more transparent shipping

To make the customer experience more serene, here's a solution I strongly suggest. Buyers who shop have adopted certain habits. Shopping on marketplaces gives them clear and unambiguous information about price and delivery times.

They also expect this clarity from all online stores where they make their purchases. It is true that it is a real challenge for a young company to ensure delivery conditions comparable to those of large marketplaces. However, there are ways to ensure that your customers receive the highest possible quality of delivery. Even if you are a small company.

The vast majority of companies have identified three areas in which they would like to invest more for 2023. First, reducing shipping rates through free and flat rate shipping.

Second, there is greater flexibility in shipping and return policies. Finally, we can point out the change in shipping methods to lessen the impact of international shipping delays.

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Make international shipping easier for your customers

This is an important part of the magic of online sales. It's all about helping consumers acquire your products no matter where they reside, including halfway around the world. However, for consumers, it can be nerve-wracking to acquire products from a store located far from their borders.

Many questions may come to the mind of the consumer. What is the total cost of shipping? Are there customs fees? How long does the order take to be delivered? How do I get the returns on time?

In order to deal with all of these concerns, I recommend that you do everything possible to make this a pleasant and reassuring experience. This includes finding logistical solutions. There are also inexpensive options to simplify international shipping. Trust Shopify to have some very convenient options in this regard.

Prioritize an omnichannel strategy and be creative

The way consumers buy food has changed considerably. This is due to the health crisis. Changes that show what the retail world will be like in 2023.

These days, digital native brands have gained a lot of power. Most of them are even considering going into physical retail. An option to provide new experiences to customers. This will consolidate the competition that exists in the sector.

Consumers are becoming more and more discerning and expect to have easy and consistent shopping experiences both online and in person. The time has come to propose omnichannel strategies and to compete creatively. The goal is to provide exceptional and memorable experiences to your customers.

In order to achieve this goal, I ask you to adopt solutions such as live chat, virtual shipping or social commerce. In this perspective, you will have to train your staff to these new technologies.

Think and adopt a "social commerce" strategy

The world of e-commerce is in constant evolution. Thus, any company that wants to compete with more and more competitors must be able to make changes. It is a question of adopting any new online sales strategy when it appears in the online sales universe.

For 2023, among the most serious trends, we can mention "social commerce" as well as "live shopping". The figures corroborate this trend and prove that "social commerce" will only grow. Indeed, more than a third of Facebook subscribers have estimated that they will make a purchase directly on the platform in 2023.

Almost half of the brands plan to increase their investments in social commerce in 2023. Finally, "live shopping" is not left out. It is gaining space with 61 % of growth in the rank of livestream shopping app installers worldwide. A percentage that, according to Shopify's internal data, is between January 1, 2021 and September 30, 2021, compared to the same period in 2020.

Enhancing the employee experience to strengthen the customer experience

Consumers are increasingly demanding and want impeccable customer service. I suggest that you do everything possible to ensure that your employees meet these requirements. You must therefore implement a better employee experience in order to achieve a better customer experience.

This means putting your employees in the best conditions to work serenely and achieve performance. Bonuses must also be provided for performance. An employee rewarded for his sales figures will always want to do more, for the company's reputation.

Today's business sector requires adaptability. For an entrepreneur to be successful, he or she must adapt, improve, and start over if he or she makes a mistake. These trends listed above will help you determine the path to take in 2023. Ask yourself the right questions and define a clear strategy in order to set out to achieve the performances that are in line with this year 2023. It could be the year of achievement and success for you.