E-Commerce Trends in 2018

3. Smartphones will soon dominate online conversions.

• By the end of 2018, about 36 percent of people worldwide will own a smartphone.

• According to a report by Ofcom (the U.K.’s Office of Communications), 16 percent of adults worldwide use only a smartphone to access the internet. This includes many millennials who have never owned their own computer. This number is expected to increase as more social and productivity apps are released. In the past two years, even employers have gone to app-based scheduling and communication systems.

• The increased popularity of Apple Pay, Google Wallet, and PayPal for mobile makes for quick and seamless m-commerce transactions. The speed and security of using a thumbprint or other ID method trumps entering credit card numbers.
• Improved retailer apps will attract more mobile users that actually purchase.

• An increase in mobile-only or app-only deals provided by larger retailers will convert more shoppers to use smartphones to purchase – please look at Wish App

• More businesses and public areas are offering free Wi-Fi. This, in conjunction with unlimited cellular data plans and expanded service areas, means more people will be able to connect, from anywhere.

Be Mobile for SEO

Google started this process 3 years ago by changing its SEO rules.  Now it is a must-to-have mobile or responsive design in your online shop. To remain in the game per e-commerce trends, an online store must be mobile-friendly in both design and features.

• Go responsive. A responsive site loads differently on a smartphone than on a desktop computer. Most templates are responsive now. You can adjust font size, a content presentation, hiding/ enabling some frames or create a different offer for mobile users. It is quite easy to do on Magento.
• Make navigation, search, and checkout as quick and painless as possible. Mobile shoppers are often pressed for time. When they’re ready to buy, make sure the site responds fast and leaves them with no questions about what to do next.
• Implement popular mobile payment methods. They’re faster and provide more security.
• Allow for autofill. The faster that shoppers can create accounts and check out, the higher the conversion rate.

Summarizing: