Online Commerce: Adapting to Customer Buying Behavior

By Anna Kiner, Strategic Director, Proximity

Online sales is growing rapidly in the world, particularly due to the pandemic. In addition to traditional e-commerce, such forms of online sales as D2C, C2C, Edu-commerce are developing.

Before the pandemic, we were overwhelmed with information around us, there were so many opportunities—all the studies told us that people wanted to regulate this abundance without wasting extra time and energy on unnecessary movements. The increasing complexity of the choice has been leading to a dissection.

Of interest, today's consumer comes to an online store not only for a specific product, looking for the best price and a convenient solution. Due to the limitations of offline trade (and life), people shop online, while striving to satisfy their hunger for wise solutions, for a positive attitude towards life, searching for supportive, inspiring information.

People want to learn about new inspiring opportunities, get bright impressions and, most importantly, get the feeling that the world around them is still open, generous, varied and abundant.

This affects the way online commerce should behave to fulfill people’s needs:

• Formulate your mission. Think of why it is important for today’s world and for today’s people. Does your brand bring forth new approach and experiences? Does it embrace change or just serves as a cozy island of stability and clarity?
  
  
• Put the product on a pedestal. Help consumers realize how special your offer is, how much passion has been put in its development. Demonstrate your approach in action. Make an artistic, exquisite photo-shooting. Think of a story behind the product and its development; convey it in a creative way you would love to share the story.
  
  
• Try your best in providing the best seamless experience for e-shopping. If a simple adaptation of your online store for smartphones has been sufficient enough before, today one would be choosing a product via a smart phone and then make a purchase from a personal computer. Do not forget about the UX for an adaptive version of your site.
  
  
• Not only should you think about "online sales" and "conversion rates", but also a plan to create a friendly and welcoming shopping environment. Do you want to provide an atmosphere alike with a festive mall or should it be an exquisite boutique, offering a strict selection of original, unusual items? People will visit your site in various moods, and we take it for granted, but what we can affect is the mood that one has after having finished one’s shopping.
  
  
• At last, but not least, the world has changed, and now we all have to live through the lack of real personal contact and lack of hugs, so we should think of smart ways to give our consumers a feeling of a big, supportive virtual hug. And the relevant, proper ways to deliver it.