How Is WooCommerce Shifting the Future of eCommerce?

Everyone in the market has the question, “What is going to be the future of eCommerce, and which platforms can be useful for your online business?”

I hope you are curious to know about the future of eCommerce… So here in this article, we are going to discuss the same…

There are numerous platforms currently in the market to assist you, to begin with, with your online business.

A famous instance of eCommerce is online shopping, described as buying and selling goods through the internet on any device. However, eCommerce can even entail other kinds of activities like online auctions, online ticketing, payment gateways, and internet banking.

Regardless if you are planning to launch an online store or to relocate to another eCommerce software for your existing online store, there are various choices present in the market. Each business has its specific requirements at distinct stages, which drives you to pick a solution that fulfills your store’s necessities. To assist you to make an informed determination, we go through one such favored choice, WooCommerce, and assist you to understand if it works for your business.

As WooCommerce powers most online stores. It is a free plugin on WordPress that can effortlessly transform your website into a customizable eCommerce store. It helps in delivering exceptional content management.

WooCommerce provides features like add-to-cart, checkout processes, payment methods, tracking, inventory, and everything necessary for an online store.

How Does WooCommerce Work?

WooCommerce is a mechanism made on top of WordPress. It operates as a plugin and allows you to execute a functional eCommerce store.

When selecting your eCommerce platform, you must consider your technical skill, funding, and business objectives. To decide whether it is the correct solution for your business, here are essential aspects to think about:

Launch

If you already have an online site, which has been with WordPress then WooCommerce could be a choice worth considering. In case you do not have it, you must find a host, install WordPress and configure WooCommerce.

Migration

To migrate from your current software to WooCommerce, you will require to foremost export store data, buyers, orders, and products. The subsequent action would be importing all that information into your new WooCommerce store.

Customization

WooCommerce is open-source software that offers you unlimited customization. The in-built traits function splendor in the issue of content-heavy sites where the products are not the priority, like bloggers, affiliate marketing websites, subscription services, etc. Big eCommerce players with complicated catalogs will find the requirement for premium plugins to remain competitive.

Data Control

An online store needs to have high-level security because you not only process the customers’ money but also hold their details.

WooCommerce does not come with built-in security. This aspect will be covered via additional plugins. You will need to source an SSL certificate and place PCI-DSS compliance yourself.

Maintenance

With vast customization and maximum control comes responsibility for maintaining your online store. Thus, players may face maintenance problems like server crashes, troubleshooting, bug fixes, etc. they have to deal with on their own.

Cost

The cost relies on many aspects like fixed costs for hosting, domain, and payment gateway. Variables cost for premium themes, maintenance, and plugins. For small players, this choice is an upfront investment in a self-hosted alternative. If you are testing with your products, this may not be an advised option. On the other hand, if you have a well-defined long-term approach, you might like to opt for WooCommerce.

Why WooCommerce?

WooCommerce is one of the most favored and widely used eCommerce platforms known today.

WooCommerce excelling in eCommerce has touched several milestones. It is more cost-effective than other platforms. As tailored online shop design, development, modifications, and installation can be expensive and take a long period. With WooCommerce, one can put up a store in a couple of days, relying on its size and having fresh themes that are both inexpensive and functional.

Let us look at some of the facts, stats, and milestones that WooCommerce has accomplished over different times below:

1. The WooThemes was introduced in July 2008, whereas Twitter registration took place later that year in October.
2. WooCommerce got hacked in April 2012 for the first time.
3. In January 2013, the foremost learning management system for WordPress, Sensei was launched
4. The release of version 2.0 of WooCommerce ensued in March 2013
5. On 15th August 2013, WooCommerce witnessed the first 200,000th order
6. WooCommerce average annual salary of a Developer ranges up to $92,785
7. According to a BuiltWith report in January 2021, WooCommerce is used by 3,876,748 websites worldwide.
8. Till January 2021, the current all-time downloads of WooCommerce stand at 82,375,929
9. 68,000 websites where 0.2% of all websites and 6.8% of the top million websites use WooCommerce as of January 2021
10. Currently, WooCommerce is over 29% of the top million websites that use eCommerce technologies.

How WooCommerce Would Change the eCommerce Landscape in Coming Years i.e. The Future of eCommerce

Shopping Powered by AR

Shopping and Augmented Reality (AR) together can make a powerful combination. With this tech, users can try the products, place the product in particular surroundings, and more. In 2022, one can see a host of various plugins supporting AR like Sephora.

Improve Speed and Performance

Enhancing the performance of your website is an essential part of engaging and retaining customers. The plugins that will make your page mobile responsive and load faster are a thing to look out for.

WooCommerce themes like Flatsome, Kallyas, and Woostroidare were developed to be mobile responsive, with other features like drag-and-drop functionality, SEO infrastructures, and ease of usage.

Voice Search Over Typing

As we use voice search daily for convenience, we have become more familiar with the technology. With Google search queries to commands for Alexa, voice searches are evolving into a standard. Just add this feature to your arsenal for boosted convenience and customer retention.

Personalized Content Based on History and Location in the future of eCommerce

Owning a website customized individually to the customer is a sure investment that will succeed, product recommendations based on search history and location drive for quicker sales passages and customer retention.

Chatbots

This little tech is altering the way customers interact with businesses. A chatbot is functional 24×7 to the customer and gives intelligent responses to queries, and it has become essential for business these days.

As chatbot plugins for WooCommerce, choices like Facebook Messenger for WooCommerce, Omise, and WooWBot are excellent for customer service.

Progressive Web Application (PWA)

With Progressive Web Application (PWA) your website will look and perform like a mobile application. It is appropriate for an online service provider with no native mobile app. If you want to design PWA apps manually, it will request details of standard web technologies like HTML, CSS, and other equivalent technologies.

Moreover, WordPress lets you efficiently create such applications via ready-to-use WordPress plugins such as Super Progressive Web Apps.

Security Advancements

WooCommerce security does have a crucial role in evolving a part of WooCommerce trends because the risk of eCommerce stores being attacked has risen over time. The WooCommerce security plugins will safeguard the websites from common DDoS attacks, phishing, and cyber threats.

Blockchain Technology

If you are running an eCommerce store, there are chances that you may face the problem of payment acceptance mode in a few countries or territories. That is where blockchain technology comes as an aid and allows you to fix such problems quickly and efficiently. With the rise in demand for this technology, many WordPress plugins help you with payment acceptance via cryptocurrency.

Parallax Scrolling

Parallax scrolling is a fantastic technique with a visual effect where a web page’s background remains still while the foreground changes horizontally or vertically. This technique adds visual appeal to a website and engages users. In straightforward terms, it is a computer graphics strategy used by web designers to form a faux-3D effect.

The Expected Updates in the Future of eCommerce

The global eCommerce market has expanded rapidly and changed retail. With so many new technologies and advances in the industry, eCommerce has experienced vital transformations. And it is just the start.

Here we list some of the trends for the forthcoming years. Some are already part of our daily lives, but others are nearly on the brink of evolving into a reality. Let us see what will be the future of eCommerce –

Customizable Products & Personalization

Every consumer group carries its tastes and preferences, so online stores should fulfill them. If it’s unattainable to do it completely, it’s time to execute customizable products.

Custom products are the epitome of eCommerce personalization. For example, Nike is using this trait for years showing its efficiency and advantages. The Nike buyers are free to pick a base, laces, airbag, Swoosh color, etc.

Also, one more suitable example is Nissan. Buyers can select engine models, interior and exterior accessories, etc. Nissan declares that customization and personalization will produce 25% of the company’s after-sale revenue by 2022.

Custom products fulfill the most demanding customers’ needs, boost brand loyalty, and make shopping more interactive. This procedure evolves less exhausting but more exciting.

Flexible Payment Options

Flexible payment options such as loyalty rewards make customers sense they can purchase your products without reaching into debt. Besides, it will allow you to deliver a fantastic user experience and create long-term connections.

Exclusive Products & Subscription-Based eCommerce

Subscription-based eCommerce suggests a path for individuals to acquire what they require, including pharmaceuticals, groceries, and toiletries.

A membership program is the simplest example of this eCommerce model. It is sort of a closed society on a website. Separately members attain particular advantages like discounts, exclusive products, free shipping, etc.

Let’s take a glance at Adidas’s instance. In 2018 Adidas declared the launching of its new membership program, the Creator Club. Each participant earns early access to Adidas production, exclusive offers, and invitations to special events. These rewards rely on customers’ activity. The more members attend Adidas events, the more rewards they will own.

Exclusive products and subscription-based eCommerce are the foremost mechanisms to gain customer loyalty. In this way, clients are more likely to continue proving long-term connections with a brand because of the extras they gain.

Visual Merchandising

The subsequent eCommerce trend works with one of the drawbacks of online stores, which is the inability to have a product and look at it from other angles. That is one of the great brick-and-mortar benefits of online stores. The more realistic a product will look, the easier customers make purchasing conclusions.

For instance, Porshe delivers online shoppers with a 360 3D model picture. A visitor can revolve it in all directions and analyze everything.

You can create your products more live by adding little interactivity. For example, a buyer clicks on any part of the product and widens it. You can also add information or videos to these pictures.

Micro-Moments

It is a spontaneous moment when users like to see facts or locations and order a product or assistance via mobile devices. Usually, these instants occur in snatches, and a conclusion is created quickly.

Sellers should deliver all the required information which fulfills the users’ demands at the correct time. They have to understand when a buyer needs this product or service details.

Video Content

Online buyers frequently search for video tutorials, tips, reviews, and hacks to complete the buying decision. In addition, 40% of individuals under the age of 35 searches for the details mostly on YouTube instead with the help of search engines.

A post that includes videos or stories on social networks makes content more happening than produced or stock photos. A product video on a landing page is the best manner to glance at the product from all sides. Utilize this eCommerce trend to grab and prevent your audience.

Promote Content, Not Store

Content marketing will always be the leading eCommerce trend in the future also. The content should be beforehand from your opponents. The video training, reviews, and tips should be advertised equally as landing pages. It will allow you to be at the correct time and grab the target audience in micro-moments.

Final Words

The eCommerce market is rapidly evolving and altering since continued technological and infrastructure advances point that the future of eCommerce will be more vibrant and scalable. To face the challenges of the shift in eCommerce it is required to update and prepare. However, by utilizing the trends shown here, you are surely on the proper path to victory!

Of course, there will be even more enhancements in the future of eCommerce out there. If you know some other eCommerce trends that are worth noting here, feel free to add them in the comment section below.