10 ways to boost e-commerce

...and what awaits around the corner

Running an e-commerce business today is not just about having a nice looking webshop and good products. The competition is fierce, and what worked just a few years ago is no longer enough. At the same time, the opportunities are greater than ever. Technology is evolving rapidly, and so are customer expectations (which are probably increasing faster than technology in some respects).

Here are ten concrete strategies and insights for those of you who want to strengthen your e-commerce, increase sales and at the same time stay one step ahead of developments.

1: Personalization done right

We’ve been talking about personalization for years, but it’s only now that the technology is really starting to deliver. With the help of AI, you can personalize the entire customer experience: from the home page to the product page, to newsletters and push notifications.

Examples of what you can do:

• Customize content based on visitor's past behavior

• Show product suggestions based on location, weather, or time of day

• Create fully personalized campaigns with dynamic content

Insight:

Generative AI makes it possible to create personalized content in real time, such as product descriptions or newsletters that adapt the tone, style and offering to each customer.

2: Build for mobile, don't adapt

The importance of mobile is nothing new. Most people have their phone as a third hand these days. But there is a big difference between having a responsive website and building the experience for mobile first. Small screens, short patience and multitasking require much more than what a desktop version requires.

Trick:

• Think about click zones: your thumb should reach everything

• Simplify the menu structure: maximum two levels

• Make the search field accessible and smart (autocomplete, spell correction, smart suggestions)

• Have a fast and frictionless checkout flow: preferably 3 steps or fewer

Insight:

Voice control is on the rise, especially in mobile interfaces. It will become increasingly common to "buy with your voice" via, for example, your mobile assistant or a chatbot.

3: Social commerce

Traditional e-commerce is based on the customer coming to your store. But today we consume the product more in feeds, such as TikTok, Shopify and Youtube. Therefore, e-commerce must move out.

Example:

• Live shopping on Instagram or TikTok

• Link directly to purchase in reels & stories

• Collaborate with microinfluencers who have high credibility in niche audiences

Insight:

TikTok Shop has already changed the way young people shop. And platforms like Instagram are experimenting with AI assistants that recommend products directly in chat.

4: Omni, omni, omni

Customers today move between physical stores, the web, social media and apps, often multiple times during the same purchase process. Therefore, the purchase journey must be connected.

Checklist:

• Same stock balance regardless of channel

• Possibility to shop online and pick up in store (click & collect)

• Customer service that has access to ALL history, regardless of whether the customer emailed, chatted or called.

Insight:

The boundaries between digital and physical continue to blur. More and more people are using their mobile phones in stores to read reviews, compare prices or scan QR codes for product information.

5: Work actively with Tone of Voice

Your communication is an important part of the experience. A visually appealing interface and smooth checkout are of course incredibly important components of the customer journey. However, what makes the customer stay, come back and feel something for the brand is how you talk to the customer.

Tip:

• Set the tonality in a guide so that the entire team writes the same way

• Adjust the tone by channel, but keep your voice

• Dare to have personality, even in error messages and order confirmations

Insight:

Generative AI can create personalized communication, but it requires a strong underlying tonality. The clearer your voice, the better and more accurate the results.

6: Speed is everything

Loading times aren't just a technical issue: they directly impact your conversion, SEO & customer satisfaction. Yet it's often a neglected area.

Checklist:

• Measure loading times regularly (Google PageSpeed)

• Compress images and use modern image technologies (e.g. WebP)

• Use caching, CDN and as little unnecessary JavaScript as possible

Insight:

Google and other search engines are increasingly placing a premium on speed. It's no longer a nice-to-have, it's a requirement.

7: AR/VR: bring products to life

AR (augmented reality) and VR (virtual reality) are no longer the stuff of the future. IKEA has had its "Place" app for a long time, and the technology is increasingly being used in home furnishings, beauty, and fashion.

Example:

• Let the customer "try on" glasses or makeup digitally

• Show how a sofa fits in the customer's living room

• Create 3D models of the product directly in the browser

Insight:

E-retailers are investing in visual experiences because they’ve discovered that it reduces returns and increases conversions. With the arrival of Apple Vision Pro, VR experiences are becoming more accessible to more people.

8: Build the brand

Product offerings are easy to copy. But the feeling of shopping from a brand you like is hard to beat! Strong e-commerce brands therefore work not only with sales, but with content, values and relationships.

Trick:

• Tell the story behind the product or company

• Working with valuable content: guides, inspiration and storytelling

• Be transparent with production, sustainability and conditions

9: Make it easy to buy

.. and regretting it! Checkout is often a bottleneck. Many people add products to their cart but never complete the purchase. There is almost always room for improvement here.

What you can do:

• Offer multiple payment options (Swish!)

• Simplify: remove what is not directly necessary

• Clarify what happens after the purchase (shipping, returns, customer service)

Insight:

"One-click" is coming back, but in a GDPR-friendly format. More and more solutions are making it possible to securely save data for future purchases.

10: Dare to try new techniques

... but only if it creates added value for the customer. There are new buzzwords every month. AI, blockchain, Web3, headless, composable commerce... It's easy to get dazzled (and maybe a little confused too). But the most important thing is not to be first, but to be relevant.

Tip

• Choose technology according to need, not trend

• Test on a small scale, measure and scale up only when you see an effect

• Work with flexible systems (e.g. headless) so you can change and adjust without tearing everything down

Insight:

The winners of the future are not those who have the most plugins, but those who can adapt quickly, both technically and communicatively.

Bubbler: Design for silence

It may sound counterintuitive in an industry that is based on conversion, but more and more e-retailers would actually benefit from keeping quiet sometimes. In other words: not always chasing clicks, selling something new or reminding about discount codes. Instead: giving the customer space and thereby creating trust.

It's basically about working with the lack of signal as part of your tonality and brand strategy.

What this could mean in practice:

• An order confirmation that is just an order confirmation. No upsells, no additional discount codes or calls to join your referral program.

• A break from newsletters that aren't filled with "we miss you" emails, but an honest promise of silence.

• A chatbot that doesn't pop up immediately, but waits for the customer's initiative.

Why it works:

We are inundated with sales messages. If it's not an email, it's a text message or a push notification. Those that don't scream the loudest stand out.

It shows self-confidence. You don't have to chase, the customer can come to you. Of course, without being arrogant.

It builds long-term trust. And that's where the magic happens: loyalty.

One last insight:

In a future where AI generates endless amounts of content and the customer journey becomes more autonomous, brands that dare to create quieter, freer zones will be perceived as more respectful and valuable. It’s not about doing less, but doing smarter .

Summary

E-commerce is no longer just about selling, but about creating experiences. The companies that succeed the most are those that:

• Knows their customer and understands their needs

• Builds brand and trust

• Uses technology as a support, not as a gimmick