What are the 5 e-commerce trends for 2024?

Looking to boost your online shop? Recommendations, personalisation, the use of AI, better delivery options… Here are the 5 trends to follow this year on the e-commerce side.

1. Personalising the customer experience

Companies are looking more and more to improve the shopping experience by personalising the user’s journey. They can do so by:

• Collecting data linked to their purchases (preferences, purchase history).
• Making recommendations for relevant products based on the analysis of that data.
• Displaying personalised content on their site according to each visitor’s interests.
• Interacting live with their customers through chatbots.
• Setting up personalised loyalty programmes: companies can offer personalised loyalty programmes that reward users according to their shopping habits.

2. The growth of e-commerce through apps

This means allowing consumers to buy products online from smartphones or tablets. Companies can now develop new features to improve the mobile shopping experience, such as one-click payments, push notifications for offers and discounts, and voice recognition to make product searches easier.

3. Optimising delivery options

Fast, convenient delivery has become a requirement for many consumers. New options have therefore emerged, such as:

• On-demand delivery: Consumers can now request deliveries in real time, which helps them receive their products more quickly.
• Night and weekend delivery: Some companies offer night and weekend delivery to meet the needs of consumers who are at work during traditional opening hours.
• Sustainable delivery: More and more companies are adopting sustainable practices to reduce their environmental impact, such as using electric vehicles or delivering by bike.
• Personalised delivery: Some companies offer personalised delivery options, such as delivery at specific times or to specific places.

4. Integrating AI technology

Artificial intelligence plays an increasingly important role in e-commerce, helping companies to better understand the data they collect, optimise their operations and improve the customer experience. This happens through:

Personalised recommendations: at Fitizzy, we have built a plugin that offers shoppers an online size recommendation while they are browsing your product pages. On the retailer’s e-commerce site, and more specifically on its product pages, this recommendation plugin is installed via the “Find your size” call-to-action button.

• When users click on that button, they are asked to enter a few pieces of information about their body shape.
• This data is cross-referenced with the brand’s technical information in order to give them a recommendation of the most accurate size for the garment they have chosen.

This plugin is used by many ready-to-wear retailers such as Promod, Naf Naf, Celio, Tara Jarmon and Caroll.

Trend analysis: by using AI to analyse fashion trends, companies can anticipate future collections and adjust their strategy accordingly.

Stock optimisation: by using AI to optimise their stock according to demand, companies can reduce their costs. The goal: better efficiency, greater customer satisfaction and improved profitability.

5. A focus on sustainability and social responsibility

Consumers are increasingly aware of the environmental and social impact of their purchases, which has driven up demand for sustainable, ethical products.

On their e-commerce sites, companies therefore need to be completely transparent about their business practices.

Online retailers can take the following steps to become greener:

• Eco-friendly packaging: By using sustainable, reusable packaging.
  Sustainable delivery: By using more sustainable means of transport, such as electric vehicles or bikes for short-distance deliveries.
• Recycling schemes: By offering recycling schemes for used products, companies can help reduce waste and support environmental initiatives.
• Working with sustainable suppliers: By working with suppliers that adopt sustainable practices, companies can minimise their impact on the environment right across the supply chain.

By putting these measures in place, online retailers can demonstrate their commitment to the environment and build a positive image with their customers and their stakeholders.

Would you like to digitalise your purchase journeys?

You sell clothing, lingerie or footwear and you want to improve your online offering and give your customers size recommendations. Contact our team to find out more and to arrange a personalised demonstration. Our experts will answer your questions.