Article

Categories Ecommerce, Mobile

The future of e-Commerce - online shopping in 2014

If the online sales figures from last week are anything to go by, 2014 will certainly be an important year for eCommerce

Mobile shopping to go mainstream

The way shoppers are purchasing goods of course continues to change too. Any retailers who have neglected to optimise their website for mobile usage will soon be left behind.  And the figures show- 56% of traffic to the John Lewis website on Christmas Eve came from mobile devices, while this rose to a massive 76% on Christmas Day. With around 30.9 million smartphone users and around 17.4 million tablet devices in the UK at the last count, it is definitely time for those who haven’t already optimised to make the move to mobile.

 

Online shopping will continue to grow and grow

Millions of people in the UK were said to have started browsing the sales early with retail experts estimating that six million transactions were processed on Christmas Day. Showing the rise and rise of eCommerce, online shopping in December broke all previous records with more than three billion visits to shopping websites taking place.

On the whole, Christmas 2013 consistently outperformed Christmas 2012 on virtually every single shopping day throughout the month.

 

Sales starting sooner

But what does this mean for 2014? One thing is for sure, gone are the days of traditional January sales. With the rise of mobile and tablet usage and the increasing dominance of eCommerce, retailers got wise and brought their sales forward. The likes of Harvey Nichols, Debenhams, House of Fraser and John Lewis all began slashing their prices on Christmas Eve.

2014 looks set to be a year of innovation and development. Mobile shopping emerged as a key driver of sales in 2013, something that is set to continue in 2014, though perhaps in a slightly different way.

 

More retailers to offer click and collect services

Shoppers want choice, but they also want things as quickly as possible. Using a mobile allows shoppers to purchase items on the go, but unlike shopping in the traditional sense, they still have to wait for their items to be delivered. This is set to change in 2014 with more and more retailers adopting click and collect. Click and collect brings retailers closer to their customer, allowing them to offer a personal and convenient service.

Also this year, expect to see retailers adopting the Currys/PC World approach to click and collect. Unlike retailers which make you wait a day for delivery before you can collect your goods, Currys/PC World allow to reserve your goods online and collect them just an hour later in-store.

 

While for those with no bricks and mortar premises, expect more and more retailers to go down the ASOS route of utilising the Collect+ service. Giving customers the convenience to collect and return their online purchases at their leisure, Collect+ utilises 5500 corner shops around the country – many of which are open 7 days a week from early until late.

 

Faster delivery times

Click and collect won’t replace delivery entirely though,  rather than having to go and collect goods themselves many customers still like the convenience of having goods delivered to them. Retailers know this and as a result of customer feedback, 2014 will see faster delivery times – the Micros Online Retail Delivery Report showed that 68% of retailers currently offer next day delivery, compared to 61% last year. 2014 could also see Sunday deliveries becoming the norm too – whilst something that is relatively unheard of but something that Amazon has now begun to trial to its Amazon Prime members. Perhaps something that many retailers will adopt this year?

 

 

eCommerce Strategy and Merchandising - Miromedia.co.uk
 

Please login or register to add a comment.

Contribute Now!

Loving our articles? Do you have an insightful post that you want to shout about? Well, you've come to the right place! We are always looking for fresh Doughnuts to be a part of our community.

Popular Articles

See all
‘Complainer marketing’ – should we harness rage to promote brands?

‘Complainer marketing’ – should we harness rage to promote brands?

As marketers, we're always looking to get the best results for our clients. But should we highjack the emotions of their customers to do so? No, as I explain in this post, you're better than that.

Tom Chapman
Tom Chapman 18 July 2018
Read more
How AI is Revolutionizing E-commerce and Online Shopping

How AI is Revolutionizing E-commerce and Online Shopping

In recent years, the world of e-commerce and online shopping has experienced a significant transformation thanks to the advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI).

Andrea Crook
Andrea Crook 14 August 2023
Read more
Accelerate Your Content Creation Process With These Valuable Tips

Accelerate Your Content Creation Process With These Valuable Tips

As a writer, you must accelerate your process with timely, quality content. Read this post for content creation tips.

Dave Brown
Dave Brown 16 August 2023
Read more
Streaming Society: The Social Impact of Live Streaming in the Digital Age

Streaming Society: The Social Impact of Live Streaming in the Digital Age

This article delves into the social impact of livestreaming, analyzing its influence on communication patterns, community formation, celebrity culture, mental health, and economic opportunities.

Sim Johnsons
Sim Johnsons 1 September 2023
Read more
Bridging the Digital Divide: The Next Frontier in Employee Communication

Bridging the Digital Divide: The Next Frontier in Employee Communication

While marketers are seamlessly connected to the world of work via our computers and mobile phones, some 80% of the global workforce operates outside the confines of a traditional desk.

Nick Watt
Nick Watt 12 September 2023
Read more