Ecommerce UK predictions: 3 years on - Part Two

We bring you part two of our Ecommerce UK predictions, looking at industry experts’ opinions of what was to come for ecommerce three years ago. Part one can be found here.

You can see all their opinions below, before we go back to the future and see who was right! If the next Ecommerce UK event is of interest to you, find out more here. 

mCommerce or fCommerce?

It was almost a clean sweep for mCommerce, save for a quick vote in favour of fCommerce. There was also a shout out for ‘Social Commerce.’

Let’s have a quick look at the two choices we offered. fCommerce had very mixed results when launched, but with brands launching their products into the social stratosphere, it seems Facebook are having a second attempt as the go to social marketplace. It faces competition in the form of Twitter, Pinterest and Instagram who all have buy buttons in the pipeline. Perhaps ‘Social Commerce’ was the right answer after all…

But, in today’s mobile heavy climate, can we distinguish between mCommerce and fCommerce anymore? A huge amount of mobile usage is shared amongst apps, and Facebook grabs a good share of this. It now relies on the best user experience of these commerce apps, and how easy it is to make a purchase. ALL mCommerce campaigns are making this a top priority. Trust is also massively important to consumers, and commerce is something people think of when Facebook is discussed. People will buy from brands they know, which is why mCommerce leapt ahead.

Sales on smartphones and tablets continue to rise, and if Facebook is utilising this through the app, it is just another spoke on the huge mCommerce experience wheel. 

Twitter or Facebook?

Twitter ruled the roost for this quick fire conundrum.  Social networks are primarily ‘social’, so members sign in to get updates on friends and family first. We should consider that Twitter is the go to network for anyone in a digital industry, to network and find the latest news. In terms of commerce, the real task for all social networks is to ensure the advertisements do not annoy their users.

As discussed above, Facebook is relaunching its commerce channel while Twitter are rolling out product pages and ‘collections’; with the purpose of a flawless shopping experience while users browse. We also have Pinterest creeping into the fold, as ‘buyable pins’ allow users to see the product, choose desired preferences such as colour and click buy. While the performances will be something to monitor, it is interesting to note the ‘social commerce’ answer given for the previous question. It’s all a matter of which social network really differentiates itself to be considered a wonderful commerce experience. Furthermore, if each network succeeds in generating sales by targeting their specific audience, we will see a great difference in sales figures across the networks. 

Cautious or Experimental  
 

“They go hand in hand. You are being cautious just by being experimental; testing things out first, and using what works best going forward.”

“Both. The importance is knowing when to be either cautious or experimental.”

Interesting insights from the respondents above, who chose not to differentiate the two options offered.  So, are ecommerce campaigns in 2015 using daring tactics, or playing it safe and sticking to what they know? Perhaps we should look at ‘Experiential Marketing’ instead, as brands immerse themselves both offline and online. Carlsberg placed what they called ‘Probably the best poster in the world’ in the early months of summer, where a fully functional beer tap was available for the public to use. It was safely monitored of course, but a brave experiment for a mainstream brand to carry out in Brick Lane, where lesser known beers and ales are the top pick. It got people talking online, and people queuing at a billboard. Not bad!

It is through learning about the customer experience, and getting them actively engaged, that a brand can understand how the audience interacts with the product. They can’t do this without experimenting with all the ominchannel capabilities at their disposal. Caution should always be used for any marketing campaign, considering if each aspect would be well received after an experimental brainstorm.

We hope you enjoyed our two parter! We wonder what predictions people have for 2018? If you want to read more, look no further...

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