The pandemic produced astronomical growth for the e-commerce sector, but what will be the trends for online sales going forward into 2023?

Consumers may be back to brick-and-mortar shopping, but their interests and expectations for e-commerce are still going strong – in fact, research suggests that global retail e-commerce will increase from $5 trillion USD to $8 trillion USD in just 3 years. 

If you want to maximize your business’s e-commerce sales in 2023, you’ll want to make sure you’re on top of the latest trends. Here are 5 that will be important:

1. Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) Sales

Do you still rely on a third-party to broker your online sales? Ever since the pandemic, there has been a rise in direct-to-consumer selling. Customers have grown accustomed to searching out and dealing with brands directly online, and it can help to improve your business’s profitability to cut out the middle man.

The recent notable example of this trend has been Nike, who decided to cut ties with Amazon and sell directly to customers via their website. With this strategy, Nike has experienced a 30% increase in direct sales.

2. Shopping on Interactive Livestreams

As livestreams have become mainstream (with 482.5 billion hours spent on mobile livestreaming in 2020), it’s no wonder that the format has become attractive to advertisers.

Would you like to engage with a global audience in real-time, answering questions about your products and boosting sales through promotions that customers have to take advantage of before you shut down your camera? That’s the promise of live shopping.

While live shopping via social media is still in its early stages in the US, it draws on the longstanding success of TV live shopping and is expected to account for $25 billion in sales in 2023. Your business could be on the forefront of this rising trend.

3. Voice-Activated Shopping

Is your business optimized for voice commerce? With voice assistants like Alexa and Siri helping people complete their every day tasks (like shopping) with ease and efficiency, it’s one of the hottest trends for savvy online retailers.

Don’t make your customers have to scroll to buy from you.  Take advantage of voice recognition technology and let your customers shop through simple voice commands. Over 45 million consumers already have experience with voice shopping – can they find your products and purchase from you without having to lift a finger?

4. TikTok Marketing

If your business caters to people 40 and under, you might want to take advantage of short video marketing on TikTok. In fact, while Gen Z and Millennials still dominate the platform, a community of older users is growing there too.

TikTok is currently the fastest growing social media platform and holds the record for the world’s most downloaded app in 2021. Its total downloads exceed 3 billion – and with the surge of resources now available as part of the TikTok for Business hub it’s easier than ever for businesses of all sizes to get started creating video ads.

5. Omnichannel Cohesion

Did you know 73% of e-commerce customers will use multiple channels before making their purchase? Their online experience with your brand goes beyond your website to your various social media accounts as well as your digital ads on both desktop and mobile. If you have a physical brick-and-mortar location, that could be a key factor in their post-pandemic customer journey too.

Going beyond mere “multichannel marketing,” “omnichannel marketing” implies a not only a wide-ranging presence but a brand experience that is consistent and cohesive across all platforms. You want to make sure to eliminate friction so that your customers can have a seamless experience – for example, by ensuring your in-store inventory is updated in real-time online or by providing account details and other shopping data across different platforms.

An omnichannel strategy will meet your customers where they’re at to give them a smooth experience – can your business offer it?

Are you ready to make 2023 your most profitable year yet? If so, let JXT Group be your partner in success with our expertise in digital marketing and social media marketing. We have a proven track record providing highly personalized services for e-commerce retailers and online service providers to ensure you achieve to the results you seek.

To find out more, schedule a conversation with our team by calling 718-690-7302 or submitting our inquiry form online.