It’s a new year and another chance to tackle the ecommerce world.

Electronic commerce is an ever-growing and increasingly popular method for retail therapy as more and more shoppers crave convenience. With this in mind, it is important to be aware of the new, dynamic trends that will make their debut in the year to come.  This blog will delve into seven exciting trends that will be very prominent this year; some of them may sound familiar to you, others might be completely new. Let’s explore!

1. Dynamic shopping experience
   You are probably thinking; ‘Well yes! This is old news!’ Creating a dynamic shopping experience is something merchants have been trying to achieve for years. However, this is a trend for 2017 because the aim here is to adapt to the shopper in real time.This means we want to customise the online shopping experience to each individual customer.Each online shopper will be given unique information. For example, product recommendations are provided based on certain criteria such as shippers’ individual preferences, previous purchases, market trends and geographic location. Even though you may think that this is very invasive, it is actually a very effective way to provide each online shopper with the exact information they want.
2. Chatbots
   Ever heard of a chatbot? Simply put, it is an automated chat agent that answers questions. It is designed to simulate an intelligent conversationwith one or more human users through auditory or textual methods. Using a chatbot can help an online store increase the number of platforms it is active on in order to communicate with and assist customers as quickly and efficiently as possible. It seems chatbots will soon replace automated phone systems, so it might be worth your while to check out this method of communication!
3. Need a wallet? No more!
   These days, consumers don’t even have to take out their wallets to make a purchase. With the introduction of new mobile payment systems and point of sale systems such as snap scan – who needs a wallet? Even more so with online shopping, as most payment options are easy, quick and don’t involve exchanging cash physically. This coming year will see an increase in online payment systems.
4. Predictive analysis
   Who wouldn’t want to predict their customer’s next purchase? Now you can! To do this, merchants need to collect a large amount of data by keeping tabs on customer profiles and customer interactions. All this information combined allows merchants to learn and better understand consumer preferences and common purchasing habits.What makes predictive analysis unique is that you can even predict a consumer’s next purchase. How? By analysing the behaviour of other customers who are similar in terms of purchasing behaviour and purchasing patterns.
5. Mobile takes over
   Mobile traffic has surpassed desktop traffic on the web in the last year. With this in mind, we are reminded that having a strong mobile presence foryour ecommerce business is more important than ever before. Not only do online shoppers use mobile devices to research products and shop, they also use them to pay for items online because it’s convenient and easy. Mobile payment apps and loyalty programme apps will definitely be on the rise in 2017.Utilising these apps for your business is also beneficial for collecting a large amount of consumer behaviour information, which is great for research purposes and making improvements where necessary.
6. Increasing same day delivery
   Research suggests that there is an increase in the demand for same day delivery. About 30% of consumers would be willing to pay for this speedy delivery option. Two factors that often stop people from buying online is speed of delivery and returns. However, this new year sees many improvements to these factors as speed of delivery will become a differentiating factor that can make your ecommerce business stand out from competitors.  Keep an eye out for this trend, as it is very prominent in 2017.
7. Customisation and personalisation
   Due to the vast amount of data and information made available online everyday, shoppers may feel overwhelmed and bombarded. However, this is good news for the merchants, because  now they can collect data and information about consumer behaviour and preferences. The continued evolution of customisation will be a very strong and relevant trend in 2017. Heaps of data allow merchants to show relevant products and advertisements to the right shoppers at the right time. Personalisation is linked to customisation as they go hand in hand; personalising a shopping experience will allow you to differentiate yourself from your competitors.

These are your seven 2017 trends for ecommerce businesses. Now that you are aware of them, keep an eye out for them and if you are an online business; consider implementing them. Here is to another great year in the ecommerce world!