From 2020, eCommerce retail surged around the world as people held back from shopping at brick-and-mortar stores. The habit took hold and experts predict that this will become the norm even when physical shops open again. The convenience offered by online shopping is hard to resist for many. Statista estimates that more than 2.14 billion people around the world will be purchasing goods and services online in 2021.
The Figures in 2020 to 2021
According to the Global Ecommerce Update 2021 of eMarketer’s Insider Intelligence, eCommerce retail sales worldwide increased by 27.6 percent in 2020, totaling $4.280 trillion. The fastest growth in 2020 was in Latin America at 36.7 percent, followed by North America at 31.8 percent, Central and Eastern Europe at 29.1 percent, Asia-Pacific at 26.4 percent, Western Europe at 26.3 percent, and the Middle East and Africa at 19.8 percent. Among countries, Argentina had the highest eCommerce retail growth at 79 percent, followed by Singapore at 71.1 percent.
The Global Ecommerce Update 2021 expects eCommerce retail sales worldwide to be going toward $5 trillion in 2021. Forecasters from eMarketer still see China as the leader in online purchasing this year, with 792.5 million digital buyers making up 33.3 percent of global buyers. It will also lead in eCommerce sales at $2.779 trillion or 56.8 percent of global eCommerce sales. The country will do more than half or 52.1 percent of its retail sales online and it will be the first country in history to do so. Also, according to eMarketer, the Philippines, Spain, and Malaysia are among the countries that will grow by 20 percent in eCommerce retail this year.
Setting up Shop Online
One of the most important things you need to have if you are selling online is a reliable courier service. You need to work with a company that will send your products to your customers on time, protected from damage and pilfering. Prompt and safe delivery will endear you to your customers and will encourage repeat orders.
If you will be selling products manufactured by others, be extra careful in choosing your suppliers. Your online shop will only be as good as the quality of the goods you sell. If the products do not pass through you for quality control, make sure your suppliers are strict in inspecting the goods before releasing these to customers.
Many people around the world are already enlightened about the need to protect the planet’s wellbeing. You can contribute to the environmental protection movement by choosing to sell products that are from sustainable and ethical sources. Minimize packaging and eliminate single-use plastics. Alternative packaging made from natural materials is available and some are even reusable. Doing this can even make your online store stand out among the competition.
Research on products that are currently sought after by online consumers. Projections from Oberlo on the top online shopping categories are worldwide are fashion at $759.5 billion; toys, hobbies, and DIY materials at $590.7 billion; electronics and media at $542.4 billion); food and personal care at$468.5 billion; and furniture and appliances at $362.9 billion. If you can handle it, have a variety of products to have a wider range of customers. Just make sure to categorize your products properly so that they are easy to find by online visitors.
Website and Marketing
You must invest in the best website you can afford because it has to offer the best possible online shopping experience for visitors. This is a basic expectation of every online shopper because your competitors already have it. Your website must be attractive, easy to navigate with smooth and fast processing, with all the categories of your products clearly presented, and several online payment options.
You must have a chatbot ready to answer queries 24 hours a day, seven days a week. According to research data curated by the FinancesOnline Research Center, 85 percent of customer interactions will be handled through artificial intelligence (AI) in 2021.
Make sure your website is also mobile-friendly because more people are accessing the Internet through their mobile phones than through a personal computer. Among the global population, 93 percent have access to a mobile broadband signal, with 82 percent having an LTE or higher mobile broadband signal and 11 percent having a 3G signal.
You will also do your marketing through social media usually accessed by your target market through mobile phones. Make sure you establish a presence in all the social media platforms and engage with your target audience regularly by posting about your products and promptly replying to queries. If you can afford it, hire a social media influencer for each segment of your target market because they are highly effective in motivating their followers to purchase.
Keep Yourself Informed
These data will help you in your business decisions as you set up your eCommerce retail store this year. You must not stop here, though. Always be on top of what you need to know to be a successful online seller.
It is important to keep yourself updated on the online shopping business so that you can swiftly adapt to changes in the market. Remember that the global eCommerce retail business succeeded during the pandemic only because these companies were quick enough to pivot when brick-and-mortar stores had to close their doors.