Emerging trends in e-Commerce

(a) Real-time Shopping Experience at Online Shopping

. People prefer to talk to real sales person and hold the product in their hand.
. Most online retailers have facilities to chat online, get suggestions and answer all
customer queries. Online subscriptions even allow customer to hold the product and touch
it (i.e. Stylemint, Birchbox (also called discovery commerce, Trunk Club then sends a box of
clothes based on the client's needs and preferences. Mr. Benk buys what he wants and
sends back the rest.), and some even lets customer chat all along while customers are
shopping with Catalog.

(b) Using Mobiles and Android Apps for Transaction

. With the mobile devices outnumbering the desktops, the use of these devices for buying
will increase in the near future.
. websites must act like any app and must be very responsive in terms of design
. Many kinds of apps now are available that assist consumers to check out on his own, use
payment wallet, store coupon codes like Indiaplaza coupons, loyalties, card numbers and
also have GPS for proper advertisement of companies.
(c) Multi-channel
. Consumers these days
expect a very effortless transaction, and they expect that a
commodity added to the cart will be available if one calls the customer care or land up in
the store.

. This will encourage the IT directors to invest in commerce packages, e-commerce POS
systems and CRM systems.

(d) Big Data

. Big Data or Hadoop methodology are handling a lot of data.

. It is syncing offline data and online data together so that the retailers’ decision-making
capacity may be enhanced.
. It allows retailers to understand the hidden consumer patterns.
(e) Customization and Personalization
. Inan extremely volatile market one must be ready for changes all times- not otherwise but
for personalization.
. Personalized recommendations will find more prominence in the market.

(f) Valuing Customer Engagements than Conversion Ratio

. Conversion rates were given the most priority but with the rise in e-commerce sites,
gathering new customers will be very tough.
. Retailers will depend on holding on to the existing customers.
. Customer engagement will ensure people develop a liking for retailer’s site and follow it
regularly.
(g) Push, not Pull, Technology and Personalization

. We live in a “pull” environment.

. That is, customer visit Web sites and request information, products, and services.
. The future is a “push” environment.
. Push technology – environment in which businesses come to customer with information,
services, and product offerings based on customer profile

. This isn’t spam or mass e-mail

. Businesses will know so much about customer that they can tailor and customize offerings.
. Consider a GPS cell phone and a movie rental store that monitors where customer are
. A system will determine if there are any movies customer like but haven’t seen
. The system will call customers on their cell phone
(h) Social Networking Sites

. Retailers are using social networking and selling their products. Facebook,
Twitter, LinkedIn are the platforms where customer will get data about the
latest discounts and offers. Even in websites like way2sms.com customer can
get (refilled ) his mobile recharged.

(i) Mobile POS and Accessing Via Mobile

. Mobile POS to make each and every employee work and allow the customer transact
without being to the billing counter.
. For example, Android 4.2 Jellybean and iOS 6 that allows apps that lets the customer do
endless jobs with such apps.
(j) Retailers Support to Omni-Channel Consumers
. Mobile apps available in the market that lets customer to compare prices, check the
reviews online and share the products with friends.
. Retailers will be integrating their separate channels into one for offering support to
the consumers.

(k) F2b2C

. New e-commerce business model

. F2b2C, Factory-to-business-to-Consumer, a consumer communicates through a
business on the Internet and directly provides product specifications to a factory that
makes the customized and personalized product to the consumer’s specifications and
then ships it directly to the consumer
F2b2C Continued …………..….
. The business (small f) is only an intermediary between the consumer (capital C) and the
factory (capital F)
. A form of disintermediation
. Disintermediation – the use of the Internet as a delivery vehicle, whereby intermediate
players in a distribution channel can be bypassed