2021 ecommerce trends reflect a consumer society that is forever changed. Click, click, buy. The global pandemic imposed never-before-seen restrictions on societal behaviours. Work from home became the new normal. In the months following the onset of COVID-19 in March 2020, consumer shopping behavior underwent a radical shift that forged new systems, shopping platforms, customer expectations and buying patterns. The interesting phenomenon that has emerged out of this crisis is that many of these changes are here to stay. In developing and reinforcing options that circumvented in-person shopping, businesses connected with customers in new ways – and customers have embraced the ability to shop from the comfort, and safety, of their homes and offices.
In fact, studies show that within the first six months of the pandemic, online sales experienced a staggering five to ten years of growth acceleration. And through it all, the at-home consumer has become one of the most compelling targets in a pandemic economy. With the understanding that ecommerce – across all brands – is the “make or break” sales model, the most successful businesses have taken it a step further to identify the critical importance of the last component of the purchasing path: shipping.
When studying this step of the customer’s purchasing journey, it has become evident that nearly 2/3 of a brand’s audience will withdraw from the buying process if the shipping policies are not to their liking. In fact, research shows that 58% of shoppers will abandon their cart altogether due to shipping costs, 39% will select a specific site simply due to an attractive shipping offer, and 58% will even increase their purchase to meet a free shipping offer threshold. In a time when shoppers have discovered that they don’t need to drive to the mall to shop, the actual online shipping process itself has become a significant sales incentive.
It might be time to collect insightful customer data that can create a robust ecommerce shipping policy for your brand. This could involve surveys, providing one on your website in exchange for coupons, or simply expanding offers at the checkout portal to evaluate how willing your customers are to spend their money in exchange for perks. Another set of data to keep in mind is that, based on research, both younger – and male – shoppers are more likely to pay for faster shipping, although women are moving significantly into this lane.
With that in mind and considering that today’s consumer has multiple purchasing options that include social channels and Amazon, it’s a smart move to provide a clear choice for non-expedited shipping service. For the price-sensitive audience, patience pays – 88% of shoppers are willing to wait a little longer for free shipping.
BPO (outsourcing) companies can become a dynamic part of the flourishing ecommerce model that has replaced in-person shopping to a large degree. An established outsourcing company like award-winning Anexa can partner in your development of robust online sales platforms, providing unmatched customer service that authentically represents your brand, along with customer outreach campaigns and surveys, tech support and social media management. Trusting Anexa’s specialized agents to operate your customer-centric activities leaves you in the driver’s seat to capture a strong position in the critical ecommerce lane.
Questions? Reach out to Anexa for information on how we can support your ecommerce activities.