Omnichannel trends of 2021 that
eCommerce businesses can’t miss

The COVID-19 pandemic has evidently changed the way people shop and pushed them to the digital space in numbers. We all know that social distancing has become an inevitable norm. Consequently, it is imperative for online retailers to offer their customers omnichannel experience on whichever device or channel they stumble upon to access the eCommerce stores.

By providing omnichannel experience, you are enabled to create a seamless, constant consumer experience from the very first time they discover your brand to their interactions with your on-site chatbot, until the final purchase. If they leave your website with a smile, they will come back again and even put in a good word for you to their friends and family.

Furthermore, being an online business, it is important for you to keep a track of the omnichannel trends of 2021 so that you are able to cater to the constantly changing consumer behaviour.

Social selling using video content is all the rage!
Social media has now been integrated into everyone’s daily lives, so much so that you can convert social media followers into loyal customers through efficient video marketing strategies. Consumers spend round about one-third of their time watching videos online. According to researchers, 8 out of ten customers end up buying a product when they have watched a video about it. The year 2021 is a perfect time for social selling using video content that has become a major trend!

Video content targets non-readers, tells a story, and is pretty engaging. Online business experts have stated that they see social selling via video content gaining popularity. They believe influencer selling would begin to be monitored more closely by brands with core concentration on managing omnichannel experiences. Selling direct-to-camera through livestream is growing exponentially. This is perfect for influencers who are interested in selling through live videos on Facebook, Instagram, and other social platforms.

Doing away with disconnectedness and emphasizing on community

The COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns brought in feelings of disconnectedness in people, especially impacting the age group between 18 and 34. In such a scenario, it is but natural that people have started looking for a sense of community from their favorite brands.

Experts believe that this trend of loneliness and disconnectedness has led to higher expectations for customer experience, especially, in case of returns and shipping notifications.

To create a sense of community, online business should opt for omnichannel approaches such as:

⦁ Reduce distance between consumer and brand – For case in point, a US shoe brand, created a sense of community with its customers by doing away with the layers of distributors and resellers and showing how its products are delivered straight to the buyer from their warehouse.

⦁ Make customers part of your story: For case in point, a jewelry brand employed survivors of human trafficking as artisans. It incorporated this element into an omnichannel approach. The brand ran an email campaign where it included direct quotes from its artisans, showcasing the community behind the show. This motivates customers who can be part of a cause with every purchase they make.

Customer disconnects and isolation can be dealt with successfully by pairing omnichannel technology with emphasis on community.

Omnichannel experience across multiple channels

With the rise of omnichannel, marketers are increasingly seeking verification for their online campaigns to result in offline sales. Companies who embrace multiple sales channels pursue analytics that inform a holistic picture of customer journeys.

According to experts, one of the most notable trends is meeting customers across multiple channels and offering them omnichannel experience wherever they are. Businesses can deploy cross-channel analytics to analyze their omnichannel performance. As a matter of fact, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, small businesses can only thrive by being creative with their omnichannel approaches across various marketing and sales channels.

In addition, it is necessary for businesses to offer consistent omnichannel experience across all channels. If they can maintain the quality of their customer experience across all touchpoints, no one can stop them from earning high ROI.

Shoppable video
Shoppable video is the omnichannel trend to watch in 2021, say experts. A shoppable video is the most viable digital replacement for live interaction with customers which brands are unable to do right now due to social-distancing and lockdowns.

However, the technology is not available everywhere yet. For case in point, on Instagram, there are product videos that are only shoppable on Instagram’s mobile app. Therefore, the year 2021 has brought you an opportunity to master such a growing trend before it becomes common and easily available.

Shoppable video is an omnichannel solution that can help marketers and advertisers target specific customer segments without appearing to be invasive and annoying customers with advertisements every now and then.

Omnichannel payments is key to good customer experience and business growth

As payments become increasingly digital, the technology behind them should be improving customer engagement and minimising costs. Most of the global online retailers have stated that an omnichannel approach is imperative to creating seamless customer experience.

How to do it?
To stay afloat in the ever-changing eCommerce market, online retailers must foster powerful payment partnerships with companies that understand their market verticals, help them augment their omnichannel capabilities, and reach potential customers.

Just knowing the eCommerce trends of 2021 will not help you gain high ROI. You have to adopt them to be able to stay ahead of competition.

We can help!
Check out our latest product – eCommerce Growth Engine (EGE)!
EGE is a secure, feature-rich, multi-channel solution for Microsoft Dynamics and SAP ERP systems. It helps businesses build a fully functional, integrated eCommerce store that offers an omnichannel experience across multiple platforms.