Online shopping is booming, and understanding customer behavior is becoming increasingly important for e-commerce. The statistics speak for themselves: 78% of global consumers make online purchases at least once a month. In addition, it is expected that in 2026, e-commerce will generate some 5.4 trillion dollars in sales.
Behind these figures lies a significant change in consumer behavior: little by little, the pleasure of browsing the aisles of a physical store has been replaced by the convenience of clicking “Add to cart” from home.
This change has generated a comprehensive transformation in consumer behavior. In this dynamic landscape, e-commerce businesses must keep pace with the dance of technology and human behavior to succeed.
This article will explore some traits and trends in online consumer behavior. Get ready to learn all the steps of electronic choreography and provide the experience consumers want in your e-commerce, thus ensuring more conversions.
Different types of electronic trading platforms
There are different types of platforms in the electronic commerce ecosystem for goods and services. Knowing them is essential to decoding the mentality of the consumers who use them.
Virtual shopping centers
Platforms that bring together a large number of sellers in the same space are characterized by a variety of offers and competitive prices. Amazon and eBay fall into this classification, two platforms that have become symbols of electronic commerce.
Specialized e- commerces
Just as physical stores specialize in some product or service, there are also specialized e-commerce stores. A good example is DevmanExtensions, which has an e-commerce for marketing its extensions for OpenCart.
Social networks
These “social” exchange spaces have become tools for buying and selling products and services through particular functionalities. The best examples are Facebook and TikTok Marketplaces. These are spaces where people and companies can purchase goods and services within their digital community.
Applications for smart devices
With the development of technology, online stores have landed in the home menu of smart devices through thousands of applications, native or not, that put the online stores that customers need at your fingertips. to satisfy your shopping needs… and your whims, too.
Google Shopping
This Google service offers users a platform to search, compare, and buy products from different online sellers. Google Shopping has revamped the shopping experience, providing quick access to product and pricing information while helping retailers improve their online visibility and sales through easy integration with Google Merchant Center.
Once these concepts of the digital purchasing ecosystem have been clarified, let’s see who comes to it and who constitutes potential customers for your store.
Who are the customers who buy online?
Knowing who the customers who buy online are is another crucial element for your e-commerce business to prepare for their visits.
According to recent statistics, the number of digital consumers is quite equally divided between genders, with a slight female preeminence representing 52%, compared to 48% male participation.
In terms of age, the majority of online transactions are carried out by individuals between 35 and 44, reaching 30.9%, closely followed by those between 25 and 34, with 30.1%.
But beyond cold figures, let’s see below what these clients’ behavior is like. Knowing them is the first step to using them to develop your e-commerce.
The behavior of online customers: factors that induce them to purchase
Exploring the behavior of online customers is to immerse yourself in a world where psychology and technology intertwine fascinatingly. Each click reveals individual preferences and collective trends that drive the digital market.
Let’s unravel the elements that seduce online consumers to discover what drives them to fill their carts and click ” buy.”
Ease and accessibility 24/7
The digital revolution has blurred the boundaries of time and space, allowing for impulse purchases at 3 a.m. or strategic purchases during a coffee break. Gone are the days of crowds and parking problems at big box stores. Today, you can buy anytime from anywhere through agile processes and with unmatched ease.
For this reason, offering customers the convenience they aspire to is practically a guarantee of loyalty to your e-commerce business.
Irresistible prices and offers
One of the reasons people, especially Generation Z and Millennials, shop online is the possibility of discounts. It’s easy to find deals online if you need help finding promo codes on third-party coupon websites.
E-commerce stores can attract more customers by offering promotional codes for new or existing customers. This marketing tactic never disappoints and constantly improves customer trust and profit margins.
Use of technology
The customer of 2024 is digitally savvy and appreciates the simplicity and speed of online shopping. For this reason, technology enhances the digital purchasing process. In other words, a well-crafted e-commerce platform can set the pace for the online shopping dance.
An intuitive user interface (UI), backed by visually appealing graphics, can make browsing an absolute pleasure. Meanwhile, with simplified and barrier-free checkout procedures, an effortless user experience (UX) can effectively transform a curious surfer into an engaged buyer. With these two elements combined, the magic is done, and the cash register won’t stop ringing.
Impulsive decisions
The digital sphere amplifies the propensity for impulse purchases, with 84% of consumers making spontaneous online purchases. Flash sales, time-limited offers, and countdown timers induce a sense of urgency that takes precedence over logical thinking.
The strategically designed and placed ‘Buy Now’ button is a masterstroke of seduction to take advantage of passing cravings and fear of missing out. Browsing through a continuous stream of product suggestions and flash sales subtly induces a sense of urgency, giving the impression that you may miss out on a great deal if you wait to click immediately.
Social influence
Customers’ online shopping habits are not exempt from this influence, as beings develop in social environments, so much so that 97% of consumers turn to online reviews before deciding to purchase.
The immense power of reviews, the endorsement of influencers, and personal recommendations from friends and family play a crucial role in clicking the “Add to Cart” button. Seeing someone passionately endorse a product or sporting the latest fashion trend can evoke an irresistible desire to be part of this socially accepted norm.
Online customer behavior: key for e-commerce
Without a doubt, electronic commerce represents a dynamic and constantly evolving environment. Its development is influenced by innovation and the emergence of trends, productivity tools, and advanced platforms. These elements, in turn, reconfigure the way people shop online.
Knowing these elements and how the customer reacts to them is critical to creating an environment that induces them to buy what you sell and to participate in the electronic commerce dance with your chosen music.
