Ecommerce Website Development Changes During the Last 10 Years.
Ecommerce
website development has revolutionised the way people buy and sell goods.
Ecommerce is rapidly accelerating and innovations in computer technology and
networking are growing at a rapid pace. More than 10 percent of all retail
transactions were attributed to ecommerce in 2015 in the US alone, with sales
pegged at $300 billion. Ecommerce comes with a rich history, starting with the
first online retail transactions in 1994 all the way to the popularity of
ecommerce giants in present time like eBay and Amazon.
- The Emergence of Ecommerce Titans
The
rise of ecommerce giants like eBay and Amazon revolutionized retail. Amazon
created one of the first full-scale business models for online retail. Amazon
sold its first book in the mid 90s. This modern online book-store soon made the
transition to a virtual storefront. This is how ecommerce sites developed
gradually, with searchable titles, browsing by category and reviews that are
user-generated. Amazon expanded the inventory beyond books while eBay was formed
around the same time. By 2007 alone, eBay popularised auction through online
site using technologies that created a level playing field. The result? The
ecommerce company earned $52.5 billion and had a 220 million user-base in the
same year.
- Cost-Efficient Website Development
Ecommerce
merchants enjoyed the developed and specialised market. Launching an online
store now no longer required massive overheads and technical expertise.
BigCommerce estimates that the average cost to build an online store in 1999
was USD 100 thousand alone. This excluded purchasing inventory, calculating
shipping logistics or warehouse space. Web design and development now cost less
than $30. Stores launch online in a couple of days.
- Advancing Web Technologies on the Rise
Ecommerce
remains the fastest growing segment in retail. New web technologies have
evolved over the past 10 years and more innovation is now in store. Online
shopping has become the buzzword as the internet as a marketplace has evolved.
More people are purchasing items online to meet needs. The online sales market
rose by more than 20 per cent year-on-year. Ecommerce web stores are expected
to generate over USD 4 trillion in 2020. As per BigCommerce, a majority of
shoppers prefer to purchase online.
- Functionality Versus Features
As
per HubSpot statistics, close to 47 percent of website visitors check a
company’s product or services page before considering any other site section.
Most users stop engaging with the site if the content lacks value or the layout
is less appealing. Ecommerce website development has evolved over the years, with the emergence of
AI, machine learning, chatbots and push notifications, as a result of this. It
is even predicted 85 percent of all customer interactions will proceed with
machine or chatbot-based assistance in 2020.
Ecommerce
titans like eBay even use chatbots via Facebook Messenger for communication.
Motion UI is another emerging trend, as is the use of blockchain technologies
for data storage. Video will emerge king, as video content increases sales by
as much as 85 percent. Every online store will be using video content for
product description by 2020. Video marketing can boost click-through rates by
200 to 300 percent and increasing purchase intent by 97 percent.
With
augmented and virtual reality, there’s a golden opportunity to harness these
revolutionary technologies for marketers to reach their target audience. Brands
can also project products through special filters on social media platforms.
Top ecommerce website development trends and technologies are building a
framework for effective web presence as time advances and digital frameworks
acquire primacy.