We have seen more advances in ecommerce over the past ten years, than at any previous period in the history of the industry. Underpinning these gains; are massive leaps in technology and its applications. Let’s take a look at some of the more dynamic technologies helping ecommerce to evolve.
Mobile Computing
There was a time, not so long ago, when the vast majority of personal computing took place on desktop machines such as IBM’s PC and Apple’s Macintosh. While both devices still hold considerable sway, handheld computers such Android-based smartphones as well as iPhones and iPads have surpassed their static predecessors for functions such as email and ecommerce transactions.
When you fold the rise of social media into the equation, retailers now have the ability to entice shoppers with deals and close the sale all on the same device—regardless of where the shopper might be physically, or what they’re doing. In fact, more and more people are whiling away what used to be idle moments shopping online.
Augmented and Virtual Reality
According to Forbes.com, these two advances are redefining the online shopping experience.
Forbes Council member Alexandro Pando says, “The advent of virtual and augmented reality technologies has provisioned e-commerce vendors with an avenue to display their wares in immersive detail, comparable to the real-life experience.”
He cites the debut of virtual reality options on eBay and website themes provider Shopify as examples of this. Shopify now offers “Thread Store”, its personalized virtual reality application, while eBay has created a full-featured virtual reality store.
These advances give shoppers the ability to “use” products before making purchases. This has the potential to improve customer satisfaction considerably. In turn, this will minimize returns—one of the most expensive aspects of running an ecommerce business.
Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning
Chatbots have revolutionized customer support. Given how many customer concerns tend to be manifestations of the same issues, customer service automation is just a logical thing to do, but that’s just the beginning.
According to the digital customer communications firm Acquire, examples of artificial intelligence automation tools range from customer service applications to voice-powered assistants such as Apple’s Siri, Google’s Home and Amazon’s Echo.
The company’s research found some 40 percent of millennials are already using voice search for online shopping. This bodes well for the future of this technology in ecommerce.
What’s more, in addition to customer service, Acquire says applications for chatbots include ordering food, scheduling flights, booking hotel rooms, checking luggage at airports, and getting recommendations regarding anything you can think of.
Meanwhile, machine-learning technologies have enabled retailers to provide highly personalized shopping experiences, wherein customers can be guided directly to merchandise with specific appeal for them. This too has led to massive gains in customer satisfaction, as well as increased purchases.
Automated Fulfillment
If ecommerce can be said to have an Achilles Heel, it’s the wait customers must endure between the time they make a purchase and receive their merchandise. This is a significant issue in our instant gratification society.
To counter this, amazing advances in automation have taken place, which in turn have fostered the viability of the largest fulfillment centers ever created. Robotics, self-driving trucks and drones are among the approaches the world’s largest retailer is taking to minimize the interval between payment and delivery.
Even a cursory glance inside one of Amazon’s fulfillment centers leaves minds blown at the degree of automation on display. And remarkably, these developments are in their nascent stages.
With these technologies helping ecommerce to evolve, the business model has grown by leaps and bounds since the first legal internet purchase was made back in August of 1994. Seeing how far things have come makes anticipating the future even more exciting.
This is a collaborative guest post. The words and views do not necessarily represent those of Mommy Ramblings.
