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E-Commerce Technology To Be Thankful For

By Rory Dennis, Amplience

 

Thanksgiving is right around the corner. In addition to all the good food about to come our way, another holiday tradition for many is sharing what they’re thankful for each year.

Along with the usual suspects like family and friends, there are numerous potential options that are rarely considered. Many technology conveniences we benefit from each day fall into this category. It’s easy to take technology advancements for granted — we use tech regularly, and with little fanfare. But it often makes everyday activities significantly easier, particularly in the retail sector. With this in mind, and in light of the continued growth of online and mobile shopping revenues, I thought I’d share my list of e-Commerce technology that both shoppers and retailers can be thankful for this year.

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Product Interaction

One of the biggest drawbacks of online shopping is that historically it couldn’t deliver the same kind of product interaction that shoppers got in-store. Sure, it’s convenient to shop from your couch, but without the ability to touch or try on products, it can be difficult to gain the confidence needed to make a purchase.

Thankfully, this problem is addressed by some of today’s cutting-edge e-Commerce technology. Shoppers can now utilize extreme zoom on their screens to get up close and personal with items. So close, in fact, that they can see details, such as stitching and texture, that are otherwise hidden online. Shoppers also benefit from technology like 360-degree spin, which enables them to see products from all angles, not just the front. This is something that’s a given when shopping in-store, but can often be lacking from online experiences. 

The ability to understand how products interact or move is another luxury that’s often lost online. With the addition of video, however, retailers can demonstrate how products are used, which helps potential buyers visualize how they might interact with them, as well. Video is especially helpful when shopping for clothing online. Having the ability to see how fabric falls and moves is a big selling point and can help shoppers pull the trigger on purchases. From both the retailer and the consumer perspective, this is certainly something to be thankful for.

Easy Checkouts

If you’re like me, shopping isn’t about lingering. I want to get in, get what I want and get on with my day. The same holds true for shopping online. Complicated checkout processes are frustrating and can often cause shoppers to abandon their carts before purchasing. For this reason, improved checkout technology is something to be thankful for.

The ability to buy directly from the product page, at the point of inspiration, greatly simplifies the purchasing process. Going through the payment steps is the least engaging and interesting part of the online shopping experience, so the ability to expedite and simplify it is something that benefits all of us. Shoppers enjoy a better overall experience and retailers benefit from reduced cart abandonment.  

Anywhere Access

Mobile commerce is taking online shopping by storm. In fact, Forrester predicts that by 2018, m-Commerce will account for 49% of online sales.

Being able to shop from the palm of our hands, from any location, is truly a remarkable feat, and those who take advantage of it should be thankful for the behind-the-scenes technology that makes it possible. Adaptive design using dynamic imaging technology is one element of this.

Adaptive design gives retailers the ability to resize content on the fly, as well as automate and streamline the resizing process. This means that the retailer’s site will adapt to the physical parameters of any mobile device and deliver a high quality experience, complete with updated navigation options that cater to mobile use. From the user perspective, these content changes happen seamlessly, and usually they “just work.” It’s certainly easy to take elements like this for granted, but the advanced technology making it possible on the backend deserves some recognition. 

The online and mobile shopping experience has changed significantly in recent years, and the advent of advanced e-Commerce technology has delivered a superior user experience, no matter how shoppers choose to interact online. In my opinion, any technology that makes holiday shopping doable from the living room is certainly something to be thankful for.

 

Rory Dennis is the CMO at Amplience, a provider of rich media production technology for e-Commerce. Rory previously worked as Business Development Manager for O2 Ireland’s Interactive Media Team.

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