1. Emerging Markets will Play a Major Role
Ecommerce’s future will be dominated by emerging markets such as India, Brazil, Russia and South Africa. This may not seem surprising given the recent economic growth in some of these countries, but let’s dig deeper. By 2022, there will be 3 billion potential buyers from emerging markets who have internet access. In 2022, 20% of retail sales will be made by buyers living in these emerging markets. This is a huge potential market. Many of these markets are not yet being tapped by ecommerce businesses. Existing businesses have a lot of potential to expand and reach new customers. This means that new ecommerce brands can easily pop up in emerging markets and tailor their online shop services to local customers. Are you curious about which international markets dropshipping entrepreneurs have been generating large revenues?
2. The Physical vs. Online Debate
The ever-growing debate between online and offline ecommerce is a must when discussing the future of ecommerce. This debate is generally divided into two camps within the ecommerce sector. Some people believe it is only a matter of time until brick-and-mortar shops are replaced by an even greater shift to online shopping. There are also those who believe that physical shopping will see a revival. However, brick-and-mortar shops are still valuable assets for ecommerce businesses. Brick-and-mortar stores are no longer able to function as an online store, but instead they offer unique shopping experiences.
Shopify, an ecommerce company, has recently opened a LA retail location to assist current and future entrepreneurs. This allows customers to see their products and brand in a new way. We see exclusive experiences as the future for physical retail. These experiences are unique and can only be found in these locations.
3. Ecommerce Automation
Ecommerce automation is an important part of growing online businesses. This includes everything from marketing automation to warehouse management and beyond. Every department and business unit can automate an element at this point. This is a great trend as it allows employees to save time and allow them to focus on more important tasks. Businesses that have large warehouses can use robotics to increase efficiency and allow staff to focus on more important tasks. Automation software can help with supply chain management by scheduling inventory alerts to reorder stock when it is low. Ecommerce automation is endless. You can find software that will work for your product by doing some research.
4. Fulfillment and Shipping
The growth in global fulfillment and shipping centers is another slow-moving trend for ecommerce website potential. Fulfillment centers are needed to ship and deliver goods in the fastest time possible as more people buy their goods online. Fulfillment centers around the globe are becoming more intelligent and automated. These full-service fulfillment centers can guarantee your business fast shipping and access to real-time data. They also allow you to represent your brand to customers from checkout to delivery. Ecommerce entrepreneurs today have a lot of options, especially in busy ecommerce hubs. You can store inventory in many locations around the country or world which makes it easier to get your products to consumers. This also reduces transportation costs and time. There is an affordable way to be competitive in the race for quicker delivery times than ever before.