Latest E-Commerce Trends for WordPress Websites

There is no doubt that WordPress is one of the best CMS (Content Management System) in place. Actively used by more than 75 million websites, it’s free to install and offers a user-friendly interface.

From blogging to more traditional forums and from online stores to media galleries, it shares close to 40% of all the open software landscape and successfully caters to the needs of individuals and enterprises alike.

WordPress development services cater to millions of websites and business owners trust this platform to reach their respective goals and targets.

E-commerce Site

An E-commerce website requires the right platform to capture audiences’ interest. With unique and impressive web designs, WordPress fits this requirement like no other. WooCommerce (WordPress plugin) provides powerful features and great services to online merchants. Whether you are planning to be a merchant, or have just started, or perhaps are already established and want to move online, WooCommerce should be your ideal choice because it’s easier to manage and maintain.

WordPress developers continue to prioritize user experience by rolling out features that improve the site and make them more responsive and SEO friendly to the needs of the day. Having full control over a website is what a merchant would want and with WordPress, one gets that.

Advantages of WooCommerce
  • WooCommerce is free and lets one add unlimited products with attributes.
  • Full control with many customization options that work seamlessly on all devices.
  • An intuitive and interactive interface can be leveraged without any prior knowledge of coding.
  • Easy to install and use.

E-commerce Trends with WordPress Websites

There are certain trends that have caught the eye of the end-users, developers, and site owners alike. E-commerce trends are homogeneous in nature and continue to evolve and shape over time. They are independent of each other but share the same objective that prioritizes the user experience. Below are the trends that are to look out for because they have set benchmarks in the industry that is too good to replicate.

E-commerce Trends with WordPress Websites

#1 Enhanced Product Page

The ability to enhance products and accessories will be one of the biggest improvements in the E-commerce site. WooCommerce is ready to scale the online shopping experience with AR and VR technology.

a) Augmented Reality Plugins

Augmented reality is on the verge of revolutionizing the online shopping experience. By blending the digital with the real world, customers would be able to view and examine products and items from all angles. AR plugins will help merchants to launch additional information and content in their stores for smoother checkout. For e.g. AR plugin with a webcam or smartphone can render a virtual trial room that manipulates accessory or garment within a display and superimposes it on the picture of an individual. Size differences and color choices can be tweaked automatically or manually. By placing the products in the physical field of view, AR puts things into perspective and improves the buying decision of the customer.

b) Virtual Reality Plugins

WooCommerce supports 360-degree and Virtual Reality content and images. There are many plugins available that one can use to scale the sites. By installing VR plugins, you will enhance your user’s product viewing experience on mobile and web browsers. A user could be able to immerse themselves in this 3D space with or without a VR headset.

e.g. WebVRshop plugin can add 3D models to any of your products or accessories.

Note: A merchant should opt for a web development company that provides 360 degree images, immersive videos, interactive infographics etc to make products more appealing so that they sell faster and drive sales.

#2 Video Headers

Video backgrounds have become more prominent than ever and will continue to dominate the website design. Your E-commerce site can do without the need of having videos on the backgrounds. Instead of them occupying large space, have them located close to some content on your site. Video headers have turned out to be an effective marketing technique. It works well for the audience who doesn’t like reading. Teaser videos on your products are a good example of utilizing video headers on your site. They can also be used to attract first-time visitors by highlighting what your company stands for and give them a little insight into everyday workings etc.

Note: Google prioritizes user experience and it may penalize you if your site takes more than 10 seconds to load. Google’s algorithm can detect whether the load speed is good enough or not. Ideal time should be three seconds for a page to load so that the SERPs (search engine results page) is not compromised. If the page is not usable when the video is loading, then one should not go for video headers.

#3 Drag and Drop Themes

With the drag-and-drop builder, manage/tweak themes into the main layout of your web page with integrated videos, images, and more. Drag and drop functionality gives merchants complete control over their website without requiring the assistance of a programmer. There is no prior coding knowledge or programming needed to build the interface. It is not complicated to use, a lot of time is saved and the quality is not compromised in any stage of the building phase. To add video heads, simply drag and drop them to the video header widget. The same can be done for images. In less than a second, you can set and change elements in your E-commerce site. From monitoring activities to rendering templates, scale your E-commerce site to boost sales and drive conversion rates. Drag and drop themes are known for the simplicity of the interface and there is no lack of options when you decide to go for customization. There are a variety of plugins from simple to more complex designs at different price ranges. Select the one that matches your requirements and set up your site with accuracy and precision like you always wanted.

#4 Mobile Shopping

Catering to mobile users has become an absolute must if you are running an E-commerce site. 2018 and onwards, a third of all purchases done online came from smartphone users and the figures will continue to rise. Mobile shopping peaks up in festive periods and users are more likely to interact with your website through a smartphone or tablet for ease of convenience. The majority of the E-commerce site owners continue to revamp their sites but fail to integrate the mobile experience that the user is looking for in the first place. Any faulty interaction and users are quick to switch to someone else’s services. Considering how competitive the market is, E-commerce sites have begun to capitalize on sales by creating a progressive website that is user-friendly and mobile responsive. Having a mobile responsive site is not just appealing it has the potential to boost conversion rates.

Progressive Web Apps: PWA combines the best of the web and mobile apps. Current features such as offline mode, push notification, home screen loading, smooth transitions and animations etc work seamlessly on a smartphone. With the introduction of Web APIs, progressive web apps render experience similar to mobile apps on the web. They are reliable, fast, and engaging. With PWA strategy Alibaba boosted its sales to 70% with a 4X jump in interaction rate.

#5 Conversational Commerce with Chatbots

Chatbots are not just a simple messaging service. They are designed to perform cognitive functions and can comprehend and respond to any language.

WordPress has introduced WooCommerce Chatbot known as WoowBot that does not require any bot training and can be installed with zero configuration. This commerce shop bot or plug and play chatbot does not require any third-party service integration either. WoowBot helps consumers find the products they are searching for in quick succession and assists them whenever needed.

With the pro version of the WoowBot, a merchant can access tonnes of advanced features from automated customer support to Goole ML (machine learning) API dialog flow to AI (Artificial Intelligence). You can also create custom responses, rich messages with cards and can integrate social media add-ons for seamless conversations.

Plugins like WoowBot are the future of E-commerce. This new way of customer interaction allows brands to connect with their customers in personalized ways. They are 10 times more efficient in multitasking as they can manage more than a thousand customers at once. E-commerce startups with a simple plugin can run efficiently without having to deploy a full-scale client servicing team. A 24 hours non-stop service is all you need to boost your sales.

#6 Designs

Designs are important because they not only convey brand values but also attract the right audience for the right products and services. In today’s age, designs go obsolete in no time and are replaced by the best solution to the problems faced. And sometimes the best solutions are those that are simple enough to finish simple actions. Basic designs are catching the attention of the audience unlike before. It is the year of the minimalistic designs that prioritize content over style.

Some of the design trends that are tickling the imagination in 2019 are:

  • Flat Designs: Minimalistic flat designs have become increasingly popular. With plenty of white space, they focus on simplicity and clarity. This type of approach not only enhances the product on screen but also loads a site faster on any device.
  • Asymmetrical Designs: Asymmetrical designs are opposite to the flat and minimalist ones. The designers deliberately break grids and push boundaries to create unconventional designs. Overlapped elements, images, and twisted looks catch the eyes of the audience who like paying attention to the details.
  • Bold Typography: Words are turned into a piece of art by typography which is setting its own trend across website verticals. Designers like to insert large text with font variations so it adapts effortlessly on smaller screens. There are ready-made fonts available that are fused with other fonts to create unique results. For e.g. a font made out of sans-serif and serif produces a literary vibe that is favorite among many website owners.
  • Monochrome Palettes: There is a lot that has been written on color psychology in branding and E-commerce. For the majority, black and white is not an option. However, the jury is still out and many have gone back to experiment with black and white schemes to carve out the perfect symmetry of their liking. Web developers use blacks, grays, and whites in strategic places to map out areas of interest and CTA’s (Call to Action) for smart interaction and conversions with monochromatic designs.
Conclusion

With more than 4 million active shops, WooCommerce is here to stay that offers excellent ecosystem to merchants. The themes are easy to design and customize that can be tailored for any target audience. It has also been a remarkable year for the E-commerce industry and the genuine trends (mentioned above) will simply get better in the near future. Some of the trends for e.g. AR and VR will be game-changers but are yet to be launched on a full scale while the majority of them have already been embraced to enhance user experience and drive sales.

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2 Comments

  1. Nice And piece full information But I think A website represents a business. It is for sure that the existing user will remain engaged and also new will land on your website to seek information if the above-mentioned criteria are fulfilled.

  2. Hi,
    Thanks for sharing such a amazing blog.

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