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How Technology Has Made The Online Shopping Experience More Enjoyable?

Tag: chatbots

How Technology Has Made The Online Shopping Experience More Enjoyable?
Mohab Growth Hacks 0

How Technology Has Made The Online Shopping Experience More Enjoyable?

If shopping without walking a few miles has become possible, it is because of technology. Over the last few years, the e-commerce industry has reached a whole new level and it is growing consistently. Undoubtedly, if the technology had not advanced, the easy online shopping experience you see nowadays wouldn’t have been possible.

Thanks to a variety of avant-garde software and applications, online businesses are being able to reach customers globally and boost their sales. Similarly, shoppers are benefiting by saving their time and energy which they would have otherwise wasted on visiting physical stores. Plus, technology has made online payments smooth, simple and safe, thereby encouraging more businesses and customers to go online.

How is technology benefiting online shoppers?

  • Chatbots to guide you

Technology has made it possible for businesses to handle their online customers easily. This means, customers get proper assistance and guidance when they are browsing products or deciding to buy one.

For example, with the help of advanced technology, an e-commerce store can get customers’ queries resolved and can accept payments online, free. So, if you are an online shopper, chatbots can clear your doubts, provide information about the product you have in mind or help you navigate to the right website page etc.

Moving forward, let’s dive into the points which genuinely explain how technology has leveled up the game of online shopping experience.

  • Mobile-friendliness is a big plus

Do you find it annoying to get on the laptop for every single detail? Well, this is where the invention of mobile phones comes into the picture. Most online shoppers find it convenient to browse on their phones and actually spend their time to search for the products they are planning to buy. This has actually made the procedure of buying good products very easy. Also, with the help of secure online payment systems for mobile phones, the online shopping experience has become very convenient.

  • Hey Siri – What Is the Role of Technology?

With the help of technology, buying clothes, footwear, food and anything you want has become much easier. And now, if you don’t even feel like scrolling on your phone, just say “Hey, Siri!” or “Hey, Google!”, and your virtual assistant is going to solve all your queries.

It’s up to you whether you want to appreciate technology for making life much easier or blame it for making you lazier? You decide!

  • Secure payment is a reality

Online shoppers can now rest assured about the safety of their online transactions. Modern payment gateways adopted by trusted websites have many anti-fraud measures in place so that your sensitive information doesn’t get stolen or compromised. Moreover, with such gateways, you will be able to pay using various modes like card, net banking or mobile wallet. So, essentially, technology is making it possible for you to pay for your order in the most convenient way.

  • Express checkout

You might be aware of how frustrating it feels when it takes a lot of time to get your payment processed at the checkout. Good news is that improvement in online payment technology has made express checkout possible, where shoppers won’t be redirected to a different page when they are paying for an order. The payment gets processed very quickly, whether you are shopping from your laptop or mobile.

Conclusion:

No doubt, technology plays a very important role in easing the online shopping experience. Whether it’s about a mobile-friendly interface, secure online payment mechanism, or helpful chatbots, shoppers can now make the most of technological advancements to make their shopping experience enjoyable and smooth.

5 years ago
Important E-commerce Trends You May Be Missing Out On
Mohab Growth Hacks 0

Important E-commerce Trends You May Be Missing Out On

More than half of the global population today loves to shop online from the comfort of their homes. Clearly, the e-commerce boom has brought about remarkable changes not only in consumer buying behaviors but also in the retail segment. For most companies, having an online presence isn’t optional; it is necessary for survival in the current internet-oriented market. You should be able to showcase your products and take payments online.

If you truly want to be a leader in the e-commerce marketplace, you’ll need to know all the online shopping trends. Below are some ever-changing trends you can explore to stay relevant in the industry.

Increased Mobile Use

Mobile devices have become an important factor in online shopping, and this isn’t about to change. According to estimates, it’s projected that 50% of revenue will come from mobiles this year. A large part of consumers now reach to their smartphones and other mobile devices to place orders rather than logging onto websites through their PCs. What’s more, Google’s announcement regarding the ranking algorithm that counts on the responsiveness of a site on mobile devices has made these devices even more crucial.  Mobile shopping is set to increase the overall e-commerce revenue since people can shop online irrespective of their location.

Increased Voice Purchases

The recent mobile devices come with voice assistants that consumers can rely on to operate the gadget or search the internet via speech. Additionally, smart home speakers such as Google Home and Amazon Echo have gained a lot of popularity too. E-commerce has managed to leverage this to provide more customized shopping experiences to their customers. An e-commerce application can deploy the feature to help buyers search products simply by voicing their wants. 40% of millennials have used the voice assistant before making an online purchase.

Enhanced Payment and Fulfillment Options

Other than the flexible shipping options, e-commerce owners are providing offers like free shipping above a specific order amount or within a certain distance. More lucrative fulfillment is being provided to beat the competition. Currently, businesses are creating premium shipping options such as speedy, same day delivery, etc. New options have also been unveiled on the payment side such as mobile pay, e-wallet, purchase now pay later, etc. Therefore, consider all these options if you wish to secure your position in the current competitive market.

Big Data Analytics

Due to big data and analytics, all types of industries have been transformed, including e-commerce. Almost all actions users conduct online can be converted into data, which can be later used to analyze and optimize e-commerce websites.

Through big data analytics, businesses can predict the demand, optimize pricing to boost sales and personalize consumer experiences.  You should always keep in mind  that a slight increase in price can lead to a huge increase in profits. Simply put, big data analytics will help you make informed decisions to increase sales and also offer your customers the best experience.

Chatbots and Messenger Apps

The chatbots which operate via messenger applications like Facebook Messenger are on the rise in the e-commerce sector. Online businesses can use these technologies to send special coupon offers and deals, send customized marketing content, and suggest a purchase to customers. Furthermore, chatbots also help retailers to heed to their client’s queries and requests and free up staff to handle more complex customer service problems, among other projects. Since the technology is still improving, chatbots and messenger application marketing are going to become even more popular and useful.

Personalization

Through online shopping, businesses get the opportunity to create unique consumer experiences for each individual client. For instance, a platform like Amazon suggests products depending on consumers past purchases, and streaming services such as Netflix recommend similar shows to those you watched in the past. Personalization will likely be common in the future so your business should adopt it to improve customer experience in order to retain old customers and attract new ones.

It is clear that e-commerce has become a substantial segment of the overall marketplace and companies that do not plan to make their presence felt in this segment do so at their own peril. If your business doesn’t have an online presence or you haven’t implemented any of these e-commerce trends, you are likely missing out on a significant section of your potential sales. By keeping up with the ever-changing trends, you will be able to capture the growing online audience and convert this into more sales and profits.

5 years ago
Should You Use Chatbots for Your Small Business?
Mohab Ecommerce 0

Should You Use Chatbots for Your Small Business?

Automation is the way ahead, and businesses are beginning to realize that. One way or the other, companies are trying to automate as much as possible, thus minimizing the need of human intervention. So far, it has worked well. But while the big players reap the benefits of chatbots, can small businesses enjoy some of it too?

The answer is yes. Chatbots are not grand mechanisms suitable only for big conglomerates. Innovative yet simple, even a random blogger could use chatbots to be more efficient.

Analyzing the benefits

Here is how chatbots can improve things for small businesses:

1) Improving the reach

With chatbots, you can be there for your customers 24×7. Chatbots ensure that nothing, from interaction to complaints, go unnoticed. The interactivity goes a long way in growing the reach of your business and thus, the overall growth.

2) Simple to use

Many innovative ideas came and went without making a mark. The reason chatbots stuck was their sheer simplicity. Understanding chatbots is something that even the most non-technical person could do. While it is no big deal for a business-owner, it is an even smaller deal for the customers. In other words, using a chatbot is far simpler than many other ways of interacting with a business, which is why chatbots are fast gaining popularity among users.

3) Cheaper than you guessed

Once you get a chatbot, everything else is free of cost. Chatbots do not need lunch breaks, vacations or weekends. After the initial investment, you can have chatbots working 24×7 without worrying about their salary. Compared to humans, it is both more effective and cost-efficient.

4) Customizable

When we hear the word “bots”, we imagine pre-programmed robot texts that are boring at best. However, the new-age chatbots are anything but boring. Highly customizable, chatbots could be tailored to suit the specific needs of your customers. You have to program all the responses, of course. But from the user’s perspective, chatbots appear like cool agents who have a quirky response to everything.

Few things to consider

Chatbots are great, of course. But that doesn’t mean they are the solution to all your problems. There are some reasons why chatbots may not be the best solution for your business. Here are some:

1) Alienation from the customers

One of the biggest (and perhaps rightful) concerns small businesses have is getting alienated from their customers. Chatbots are great for programmed responses, but even the Machine Learning-powered chatbots could not hope to compete with the level of personal touch human interaction provides.

2) Not everyone’s cup of tea

One thing to keep in mind is that chatbots work best with B2C businesses, where template answers to predictable questions get the job done. However, in B2B companies where complaints are raised only in serious situations, chatbots are largely ineffective. Thus, big or small, the type of business largely defines the need of chatbots.

3) Skewed demographics

As a business owner, you would prefer your audience to be diverse (until and unless you are extremely niche-specific). However, chatbots have been found to be the opposite of diversity. Majority of chatbot users are teenagers, while an overwhelming majority are Americans. Restricting your audience to a single country and age group is not the most desirable outcome you might have hoped.

Conclusion

So, chatbots are not meant for everyone. But, for the large part, they are agents of innovation and effective in most cases. Especially if you are a B2C business that needs to be in touch with your customers at all times, nothing beats chatbots. In the coming years, we will see a growing use of automated tools for customer interaction. It is your chance to be part of the future, now.

6 years ago