E-commerce class
STUST
Top E-commerce Trends to be
Embraced in 2014
Michal Kriziak
March 2014
Shift to B2B
Hybris and Forrester Research shows that
businesses are now following consumers in
their footsteps and sourcing products via the
web – creating huge opportunities for B2B
retailers to move online.
 The study showed that 50% of B2B companies
are currently selling direct to business partners
online. (see: Alibaba.com)

Making use of big data
Many companies have been collecting data for
years but are not necessarily putting it to good
use. 2014 will see a greater number of e-tailers
making use of this information to personalise
their offerings to customers and predict market
trends.
 Tesco is a good example of a retailer making the
most of big data to innovatively increase sales. It
uses weather records and detailed sales data to
help predict demand for certain products based
on weather forecasts.

Multi-channel shopping 1/2

Thanks to the growing popularity of
smartphones and tablets, more people now
want to be able to shop using many different
channels. The research also showed that in just
five years almost half of all purchases will
involve more than one channel, with people
using physical shops as showrooms, buying
online and being kept up to date about delivery
via mobile phone.
Multi-channel shopping 2/2

Tmall.com is an example of one retailer
embracing multi-channel shopping and bridging
the gap between online and offline. Tmall
encouraging people to visit the stores to try
out goods. They could then scan product QR
codes with their mobile phones to add goods
to their virtual shopping cart and automatically
receive the appropriate discount.
Next day delivery

As the e-commerce market becomes more
crowded, a growing number of e-tailers are
likely to try and satisfy people’s desire for
immediacy by offering next or even same day
delivery. The Micros Online Retail Delivery
Report showed that 68% of retailers currently
offer next day delivery, compared to 61% last
year.
Quality content
2014 is all about improving the user experience,
starting with retailer’s websites. With increased
competition, boring repetitive product
descriptions and lackluster images will send
people running from your site, and possibly
straight to a competitor.
 Exclusive, high quality and genuinely engaging
writing, images and videos will help drive people
to online stores.

References
(2014). Retrieved March 04, 2014, from alibaba:
http://buyer.alibaba.com/forum?tracelog=discuss
ion_forums_20130419
 startyourbusinessmag.com. (n.d.). Retrieved March
05, 2014, from
http://www.startyourbusinessmag.com/top-ecommerce-trends-to-be-embraced-in-2014/
