The growth of cross-border eCommerce is a hot topic in the Western markets, especially within the EU free trade zone. Geographic proximity and logistics make it possible for sellers to offer attractive shipping times and convenient returns to not only local buyers but to the entire EU population.
eCommerce marketplaces continue to gain momentum. Marketplaces such as eBay and Amazon have a firm grip on the market as they have long become primary product search engines. They enjoy a significant amount of repeat customers, who come back for best prices,
transparent quality, and easy returns. We expect marketplaces to become the primary shopping destination for almost all product
categories. The exception will be context-rich categories such as luxury goods, interior design, and fashion, where stand-alone shops will have their share of the market.
Mobile eCommerce is now the fastest-growing segment as customers enjoy shopping on the go and increasingly browse shops and place orders on their smartphones or tablets. Its scope is not limited to creating mobile-friendly shop interfaces or separate shopping apps. Rather, its major potential lies in AI applications, augmented reality, voice eCommerce, and customer profiling.
Both online-only players and traditional retailers are developing various multi-/cross-channel strategies to reduce inconvenience and increase customer satisfaction throughout the customer journey. Package delivery boxes and precise delivery times for working people, drone deliveries of time-sensitive products such as medicines as well as same day- delivery services are only a few of many ambitious innovations and optimizations in the area of product and service delivery.
