Every startup jumping into the e-commerce segment will have to leverage every trick in the book to succeed. The segment is fiercely competitive and is home to thousands upon thousands of companies fighting for a market share, including giants such as Amazon and Google that have essentially monopolized their respective markets.
E-commerce took center stage during the coronavirus pandemic when global lockdowns forced hundreds of millions of people worldwide to shelter indoors and rely on the internet to secure their needs. People are now more accustomed to shopping online and often prefer it due to the convenience and wide product selection it offers, providing businesses with a large and receptive market of customers to tap into.
Personalized shopping experiences are increasingly becoming key to ensuring customer satisfaction. More e-commerce companies are leveraging machine learning and algorithms to analyze their customers’ behavior and provide personalized recommendations.
With 91% of consumers reporting that they prefer brands that offer relevant suggestions and offers, early-stage startups should consider using machine learning and artificial intelligence (AI) to predict their customers’ future needs and create unique and personalized shopping experiences for each consumer.
The direct-to-consumer brand model is a game-changer that eliminates the traditional retail structure and connects manufacturers directly to their consumers. Getting rid of intermediaries and liaising directly with consumers allows startups to control every facet of the customer experience while gathering critical data straight from the horse’s mouth, giving companies the real-time feedback they need to adapt and evolve.
eMarketer estimates that direct-to-consumer e-commerce sales surpassed $150 billion in 2022. The segment accounts for only 2.5% of total retail sales but has been incredibly successful at disrupting the retail segment and diversifying the customer experience.
Social commerce platforms can allow you to tap into the market that spends significant amounts of time online. According to Statista, the average individual spends close to 2.5 hours per day on social media, allowing startups to integrate commerce elements into social media platforms. They can do this by incorporating social elements from the platform with virtual shopping and enabling customers to discover and purchase products without having to leave their top social media networks.
Nurturing communities where online shopping develops into a collaborative and social experience will be key to entering and flourishing in the social commerce niche.
Gamified shopping experiences have proven to be quite effective at enhancing user engagement, especially among younger generations. Startups can incorporate gaming elements such as challenges and rewards into their e-commerce campaigns to build a brand identity and increase sales.
Integrating gaming elements into a e-commerce strategy will give you a leg up among consumers looking for engagement and entertainment and help you build your brand among a digitally savvy customer base. The key to creating fun, engaging and ultimately profitable gamified shopping experiences will lie in a startup’s ability to create an immersive, one-of-a-kind experience for its customers.
These niches apply to varying degrees in different industries. For example, healthcare e-commerce players such as NextPlat Corp. (NASDAQ: NXPL) (NASDAQ: NXPLW) could rate personalization highly because different categories of patients need different products.
NOTE TO INVESTORS: The latest news and updates relating to NextPlat Corp. (NASDAQ: NXPL) are available in the company’s newsroom at https://ibn.fm/NXPL
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