What eCommerce Features You Should Be Implementing in 2022

If you're running an eCommerce business, it's important to stay ahead of the curve and implement the latest features to ensure a successful future. Here are some of the features you should be looking to implement in your business in 2022:

1. Responsive mobile design - With over half of all online transactions now being made on mobile devices, it's essential to have a mobile-friendly eCommerce site. This means having a responsive design that displays correctly on all screen sizes, as well as ensuring that the user experience is optimized for mobile devices.

2. Augmented reality - Augmented reality (AR) is set to revolutionize the online shopping experience, and early adopters are already seeing the benefits. By allowing customers to see how products would look in their homes or on their bodies, AR provides a level of customer satisfaction that is unrivaled by traditional eCommerce sites.

3. Chatbots - Chatbots are artificial intelligence-powered programs that can mimic human conversation. They're commonly used to provide customer support, but they can also be used to increase sales and conversions. By providing a personalized experience, chatbots can make it much more likely that a customer will make a purchase on your site.

4. Personalization - Personalization is key to providing an exceptional online shopping experience. By using data such as browsing history and location, you can provide customers with relevant product recommendations and targeted content. This personalization will not only improve the customer experience but can also lead to increased sales.

5. Social media integration - Social media is a powerful marketing tool, and it should be used to its full potential in your eCommerce business. Integrating social media into your eCommerce site will allow you to showcase products and drive traffic back to your site.

6. Voice search - With the popularity of voice-activated assistants such as Amazon Alexa and Google Home, it's no surprise that voice search is on the rise. Optimizing your eCommerce site for voice search will ensure that you're ahead of the competition.

7. International shipping - If you're not already shipping internationally, now is the time to start. With the global market for eCommerce expected to reach $4.5 trillion by 2023, there's huge potential for businesses that are willing to ship overseas. Offering international shipping will not only allow you to tap into new markets but can also help to build brand awareness.

By implementing these features, you'll be sure to stay ahead of the competition in the ever-changing world of eCommerce.

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3PLs and eCommerce: How to Stay Ahead

When you're running an online business, your main job is satisfying customers. That means delivering the items they bought quickly and accurately. One way to do that is by partnering with a reliable 3PL (third-party logistics provider) who can handle the shipping and order fulfillment piece of the business for you, leaving you free to focus on staying ahead. Here are three tips for how to make that happen:

1. Know Your Shipping Costs

The first step is understanding your shipping costs so that you can find a 3PL that offers rates that fit within your budget. There are a few different ways to do this, but the easiest is to fill out a Request for Quote for your free, personalized shipping analysis with one of our dedicated logistics experts.

2. Compare Fulfillment Services

Once you know how much you're willing to spend on shipping, you can start comparing different 3PLs and their fulfillment services. This is where it's important to know what your priorities are. For example, if you need someone who can handle returns quickly and efficiently, that's something you'll want to look for in a provider.

3. Choose a 3PL That Offers Flexibility

Finally, you'll want to choose a 3PL that offers some degree of flexibility. This is important because your shipping needs will likely change as your business grows. For example, you may start out shipping only a few times a week but eventually, you need to ship daily. A flexible 3PL will be able to accommodate that change without any problems.

Conclusion

As an eCommerce business owner, it's important to stay ahead of the competition. By implementing eCommerce features such as voice search optimization, chatbots, and secure payments, you'll be sure to stay ahead of the curve. And partnering with a reliable 3PL can take your business to the next level by freeing up your time so that you can focus on other tasks.

Rakuten Super Logistics offers a suite of shipping and order fulfillment services that can help you reduce your shipping costs while delivering fast and accurate order fulfillment. We offer a variety of shipping options with our revolutionary shipping solution, Xparcel, so you can choose the service that best meets your needs. And our order fulfillment services are backed by a flawless or free guarantee, so you can be confident that your orders will be fulfilled correctly and on time.

Learn how to reduce shipping costs with Rakuten Super Logistics, while delivering fast and accurate order fulfillment to help grow your online business. Download our free guide Xparcel: Reducing Shipping Costs For Ecommerce and get started today.