ECommerce Trends For The 2020 Festive Season

While the move to eCommerce has been growing steadily for years, it has been pushed into a new gear by the recent COVID-19 pandemic. According to retail experts BaZaarVoice, 85% of industry professionals predict that eCommerce will increase this winter.

What does this mean for you? It means that those who aren’t ready for a completely different type of festive shopping season are likely to be left behind. If your business could profit from more eCommerce sales, now is the time to enhance your website’s eCommerce technology. 

As more and more shopping moves online and the pandemic continues to disrupt our ability to visit high streets and shopping centres, clever business owners are increasing their eCommerce capabilities, in order to grab a bigger slice of the market than their less switched-on competitors.

71% OF ADULTS WILL DO MORE THAN HALF THEIR SHOPPING ONLINE

All age groups, right from the young adults of Gen Z down to Baby Boomers born before 1964, are planning on doing more than half their Christmas shopping online, according to research company eMarketer. This means that consumers of all generations will be shopping from their tablets and mobile phones as they sit in their living rooms in the next few months (possibly while binge-watching Netflix).

Businesses that want to cash in on this surge need to be prepared, making sure that their websites are up to date, fast, and accessible. It’s no longer enough to have great products, you need to make sure they are out there, getting seen by consumers!

FESTIVE SHOPPING WILL START IN OCTOBER THIS YEAR

The increase in online sales is predicted to start in October this year, instead of late November. It is rare for an eCommerce trend to significantly move the traditional retail calendar, but when an industry giant like Amazon makes a major change, the effects can be far-reaching. 

After holding “Prime Day” during the month of July in past years, Amazon is rumoured to be shifting its Prime Day online sales to mid-October for 2020. This is expected to form the start of the online rush. 

As well as this move by Amazon, eCommerce purchasers are expected to allocate more time in their shopping to allow for possible shipping delays. This means shopping will start earlier in the season. Businesses need to get their websites ready now to take full advantage of the 2020 eCommerce shopping season.

“BLACK FRIDAY” WILL LOOK VERY DIFFERENT IN 2020

The COVID-19 restrictions, combined with increasing concerns around large crowds, will significantly change the Black Friday “doorbuster” sales witnessed in the past, as more commerce moves from in-person to online in order to comply with local restrictions, company policies, or both.

As major retailers significantly change their Black Friday approach, well-prepared independent businesses have an opportunity to fill gaps historically occupied by their big cousins. Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are set to rise again in 2020. According to Adobe Analytics, 2019 saw a near-20% uplift in traffic for those searching for savings on their festive gifts in some regions, and there is an expectation that this is likely to continue for 2020.

“CLICK AND COLLECT” ECOMMERCE IS PROJECTED TO GROW BY 60.4% OVER LAST YEAR 

Compared to 2019, “click and collect” eCommerce orders, where a shopper orders an item online and then picks the item up at the physical retailer, is projected to grow by 60.4% this year, according to eMarketer.

Click-and-collect offers three major benefits for customers in this time of COVID-19. It combines the convenience of ordering online, the immediacy of same-day or next-day pickup, and the social distancing benefits of kerb-side collection. For people who don’t want to spend an extended period of time shopping in indoor venues with large crowds, click-and-collect is a convenient alternative.

MORE “BUYING” AND LESS “BROWSING” IN SHOPS MEANS MORE BROWSING WILL BE DONE ONLINE

Physical shops will need to reconfigure their in-store layouts to support social distancing and will need to minimise or eliminate the length of time customers spend inside. As a result, it is expected that more of the “browsing” activity that historically took place inside retail businesses will move online and take place before any actual retail visit.

This means that in 2020, there is likely to be a shift away from attractive window displays that entice customers into shops, to dynamic, personalised websites where visitors can browse and discover the items that they will want to add to their festive shopping lists for friends and family.

RETAILERS SHOULD PREPARE TO SHIP MORE FESTIVE ITEMS DIRECTLY TO CONSUMERS

More eCommerce means more shipping of items, as consumers expect the convenience of having purchases delivered to their door, or delivered directly to their friends and family. Successful eCommerce businesses will have processes in place to handle the shipping rush, and will be prepared for longer shipping times as the demands on courier companies increase. 

Businesses will also need to manage their customers’ expectations for shipping times given these circumstances, as no one likes gifts to be late. Online retailers must prepare for this eCommerce trend early so they can correctly determine and communicate cut-off dates for orders placed via their websites.

BUSINESSES SHOULD EXPECT MORE ONLINE RETURNS COMPARED TO LAST YEAR

Along with an increase in online ordering and shipping, it is inevitable that eCommerce returns will increase as well. Retailers will need to update their websites to clearly outline their return policies and procedures. This will help to give purchasers peace of mind before they click. 

Similarly, businesses must make sure that product descriptions and photographs help buyers understand exactly what they are getting, which will help to lessen returns. Processes for refunding payments and handling return shipments should be tested prior to the holiday rush, and the option of gift cards or e-vouchers is seen by many retailers as a useful addition to their product portfolio.

2020 IS GOING TO BE AN EXTRAORDINARY YEAR FOR ECOMMERCE

This eCommerce festive season is going to be extraordinary in just about every sense of the word. The interaction between consumers and retailers will be different, possibly with long-lasting results, as many industry experts predict that there will be no returning to the high street for many consumers, even after the pandemic. eCommerce sales are also predicted to be remarkable in size and scope, compared to past years. Now is not a time to be left behind. Businesses that have dipped their toes in eCommerce waters in the past must update their websites and processes without delay if they want to effectively participate in the festive season this year. And similarly, companies that haven’t yet made efforts to embrace eCommerce need to start now if they want to be able to take advantage of these trends that are reshaping the industry.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR SMALL RETAILERS - ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?

If you think this only really pertains to the big online retailers, think again. Yes, they are always going to be a force to reckon with, but small local retailers have the obvious advantage of being, well, local...

Even if traditionally your business was not geared towards e-commerce, having your products in an online store will enable local customers to find them. If you go the extra mile and provide an easy 'click & collect' or 'kerbside pick-up' service, customers will soon start to appreciate what you do, they will tell their friends and before you know it, you have turned a few more people away from buying at Amazon and supporting local business instead.

Getting your online store in order is not such a daunting task. At Island Web Design we're here to support you all the way. Get in touch for a no-obligation consultation and take the first step towards making money while you sleep!