The changing view of ecommerce and brand experiences
There’s no doubt about it, being kept out of retail stores over the past couple of years has seen online shopping become the go-to way to shop for most people, with no sign that ecommerce business is slowing down. In this blog we’ll take a look at the new online shopping landscape, and the successful ecommerce retailers that are getting on board.
Kiwis spent more than $2.2 billion on goods online in the first quarter of this year; up 31% year on year and a whopping 86% up on the first quarter of 2020, with Clothing & Footwear enjoying a 36% lift. This continued digital growth has changed how consumers experience retail; people are becoming more and more discerning about the businesses and brands they shop with, and are looking for faster, more authentic online experiences.
In the quickly evolving landscape of online shopping, it’s more important than ever for brands to create user-friendly and authentic online shopping and brand experiences. People want and need to be able to shop with confidence, knowing the businesses they’re choosing to spend their hard-earned money with actually care about their online experience. In turn, this will help to not only increase brand loyalty and boost sales, but also reduce ecommerce bounce rates, cart abandonment rates, and the number of returns people request.
We’re already seeing many online businesses overhaul their website experience; from improving website navigation and accessibility through to providing more engaging imagery, and offering different views of garments and products. This is particularly important for fashion retailers, with the increasing need for a more diverse representation available to consumers – people want to be able to see how clothing looks across different formats, skin tones, and body types.
Don’t underestimate the importance of your customer’s online experience in building brand loyalty and trust. Asset Factory clients such as Porter James, Kowtow and Stolen Girlfriends Club are leading the charge in this area. These brands are already improving their website navigation to make it easier for customers to find their way around, add items to their cart, and removing a purchase barrier by including filtered views that allow people to see garments and accessories across a range of different formats, angles and details – including flat lay, on a ghost mannequin, and on model.
Why is it so important to give consumers this choice? Put simply, it’s expected now. Brands can no longer get away with having a sub-optimal online retail or brand experience, because there’s so much choice available to people. Fashion retailers need to put in the effort to stand out from their competitors offering similar products, and it’s no longer enough to just have a brand story that people respect.
As well as an exceptional online shopping experience, businesses need to be considering engaging omnichannel digital strategies. You just need to look at the rise of video-only platforms like Tik Tok, and Instagram’s new format optimised towards video content, to know that just having plain old 2D brand imagery isn’t going to cut it anymore. Including engaging video content, imagery, and other digital assets has become, and will continue to be, a vital piece to every retail strategy puzzle. In store sales will slowly gain some traction again, but digital will remain strong. It will never replace the personal interactions you get in store, but will need to complement them in order to create more meaningful experiences for the consumer. Put simply, brands that deploy new digital channels and focus on perfecting their customer experience and creating engaging content will keep experiencing growth.
With new ecommerce businesses popping up every day and retail ecommerce spend on the rise, investing in your customer experience and engaging brand content is even more vital. That’s where Asset Factory comes in! Our expert team of creative, fashion, and product photography experts and stylists are on-hand to create incredible content that will enhance your customer engagement, help drive traffic to your ecommerce business, and boost your sales.
Get in touch with us to chat about your content goals, or to book a demo at our Kingsland studio.