The basis to choose an online store went from being the availability of products to the prices to the user experience in no time. Analytics suggest that users tend to value their time on a website a lot and if that time is what they think is worth it, they are more likely to make a purchase.

One of the most promising trends recently in the ecommerce business is that a lot of the “browsing” is happening on sponsored social media ads. Posts are carefully designed to detail the products so that the users don’t have to leave their favorite platforms to browse products.

Outdated Trends in Ecommerce

Before having a look at some of the latest trends in the ecommerce scenario, it is important to know which ones are completely irrelevant and should be replaced as soon as possible by online shopping websites. Have a good read about some of the most outdated trends of ecommerce in today’s times.

Generic Tracking

Tracking has to be a lot more detailed and elaborated than what it used to be. Providing basic tracking details on the website is a big no. Users want to know if their package is being wrapped or picked up from the first facilities right to the last.

Low-Resolution Pictures

Pictures are the defining piece of content for any product. If a website has low resolution pictures then users are not likely to make purchases from there. High resolution pictures which also define the accurate size of the product is almost a necessity for an online shopping website.

Lack of Documentation

Because of the confusion and overwhelming amount of information available on the internet, users have now become very specific about their shopping practices. They want a detailed description of the product in a layman’s language along with as much technical detail as possible.

Heavy Graphics

High resolution graphics and animations sometimes take ages to load. This is the case at places with moderate quality of connectivity. Users like simplicity in the UI along with a lot of direct functionality over fancy graphics and animations.

Best Trends for Online Shopping Websites in 2023

2022 was a stunning year for ecommerce. The final figures are not out yet but it is estimated that the market is expected to touch $5.7 trillion in 2022. What’s even more interesting is that just a couple of years ago, 17.8% of the total sales was online which is expected to go beyond 20% in 2023.

All the gigantic numbers apart, there are some growing trends too that are being lauded by users. Most of these trends can be integrated through either website builders or tools that use technologies like PHP.

A top custom PHP web development company would help you have all the latest trends at your disposal with the help of platforms like Shopify or WooCommerce. Here are some of the most popular trends that are set to rule in 2023 for online shopping websites.

Social Media Integration

Social media integration is no more just placing share buttons at the bottom of the product view. Considering how useful social media apps are to navigate traffic onto these websites, many stores have started to list their products right on to the sponsored ad posts. The placement of the posts is of course done via the analytics and user data tracking available to these apps.

By mentioning a list of products with their prices and latest offers into a single post, stores are able to quickly grab the attention of the users. This has turned out to be the most lucrative way of getting traffic on the websites.

Recommendations

Recommendations make the purchase relatively easier for the users. This is achieved by the concepts of machine learning and artificial intelligence. Better the recommendations, likelier the user to make the purchase. Many websites offer recommendations but most of them are very irrelevant or based on promotions.

Apt recommendations that match the user search query and analytics can help the user make a faster purchase. This is a rare feat that not too many websites have been able to perfect.

Content

Apart from the purchase experience, users tend to like the usual pieces of content that a website has on it. For instance, a nice article about a relevant product or its styling can be an interesting reading experience for the user. An interview from the trade experts and guests can help improve the overall engagement on the website. Regular posting can make an intangible yet huge difference to an online shopping website.

Reviews

Reviews are usually written in a boring fashion right at the bottom of a product’s description. One very interesting way of putting reviews right on top of a product page is to have a ticker reading out best or most relevant reviews at the bottom of the screen.

Another very popular method is to allow users to post images of their shipments or products in the comments section. This adds a lot of authenticity and reliability to both the product as well as the website.

Relevant Coupons

Discounts and offers dictate many purchases even today. It is important to keep a track of discounts on similar products on rival websites to not lose out on orders. It is often very difficult for users to bundle the coupons or discount codes for their purchases.

One very convenient way is to recommend coupons that are applicable to a particular purchase either at the product description page or at the checkout page. This saves a lot of time for the users and they can avail the best offers from your website without having to extensively search for it.

Conclusion

The trend of shopping online is on a continuous rise. We may see record breaking sales figures in 2023 just like how we saw for the last few years. The best time to put up an online shopping website was five years ago but the second best time is now. It takes time to build authenticity and a loyal audience. The aforementioned trends will surely help your website attain both loyalty and authenticity quicker than your rivals.