Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), and chatbots you can chat with at a human-friendly level.
All these sound like something you usually see and test at a tech conference, right?
Well, the good news is that they’re here, in the present, ready to make your life better. The better news is that these technologies are the e-commerce marketing strategies that will keep you in business for the foreseeable future!
We’ll talk about all of them (and a bit more) and how to use their power to get your business to new heights and keep it there.
The best marketing strategy for an e-commerce store is one that considers the long-term development of the property. As such, the trends show that Augmented and Virtual Reality may be the next big step in making customers feel more comfortable on your site.
AR is already making waves in the industry with apps that let you arrange virtual furniture in your home (shout out to the Ikea App) or try new hairstyles or clothes. The technology is an emerging trend with tons of materials about learning augmented reality online but it’s already making a difference for the platforms that dare to use it.
Virtual Reality is more of a long-term dream, as it’s supposed to help you re-create an authentic shopping experience. We’re not there yet, but it’s best to keep an eye on it!
How often do you talk to your phone or smart speaker? With the development of virtual assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant, we learned a new way of interacting with the online world.
As their functions evolve, so does our conversation with them. For instance, more people today trust their smart speakers to make simple purchases from their favourite online stores. Even more, according to OC&C Strategy, specialists predict an increase of $40 billion in voice shopping by 2022.
While it’s true there is more work to be done, this trend is about to rise to new heights because it taps in one of the main drivers of human existence – convenience. When you make an order via voice, you can do it while performing other activities. For instance, you can drive and ask your virtual assistant to buy the ingredients for a pie you plan on making.
A good and fulfilling customer service experience can convince undecided viewers to become loyal customers. However, it’s difficult (not to mention expensive) to achieve this with only human resources on the other end of the line.
Luckily, you don’t have to.
The intelligent chatbots industry is already gaining traction in several areas of interest besides e-commerce, and things are looking good. Customers get used to the idea of chatting with an intelligent robot and enjoy its promptitude and efficiency. On the other hand, companies enjoy a reduction in costs and an increase in sales.
Did you know that, according to GrowCode, 48% of customers spend more on a website that cares about their personal preferences and needs?
E-commerce personalization is like getting special treatment at your favourite spa or hair salon. People there know you, know your preferences, and welcome you with a friendly smile and fun small talk.
While online platforms can’t provide this level of personalization and human interaction, they do the next best thing. Using intelligent algorithms (a combination of AI and ML), e-commerce platforms such as Magento and Shopify can observe and learn customers’ behaviour. This way, the aspect of the site can be customized for every customer’s needs.
Furthermore, AI algorithms can make recommendations based on previous purchases. They can also send relevant newsletters and keep in touch with subscribers for special brand events. It’s still marketing, but at a more personal level.
It’s important to understand that, while we do refer to these technologies as trends for the future, the time to implement them is now. People are more invested in human-friendly interactions with their smart devices and younger generations are more interested in online shopping. As such, the only businesses that will move forward are the ones willing to take the extra steps.
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