It’s a new year and that means change. The trends in business and marketing are constantly evolving, and so must businesses or they risk falling behind their competition. It’s classic game theory: if your opponent does something different, you mimic them to ensure they don’t obtain an advantage over you. If you’re opponents are giants like Amazon and Groupon, then you can rest assured that they are probably on the right path anyway. Here are some burgeoning trends that are worth your attention and may help get you out in front of your peers.

Free Shipping

Not just domestic free shipping, but international. This has already been a strategy for a few years now, but you’ll do well to offer a lower price threshold to your service list, making it so anyone who shops with you knows there aren’t going to be shipping costs added at the end of their order, no matter how small. Shipping costs are also inhibitive to your international clients. Sometimes the cost of shipping is more than the item itself! Eating those shipping costs yourself will not only widen your pool of customers, but it will help you poach from your competition who is still charging for delivery.

Content Marketing

In the days of Internet and Social Media, there are innumerable demands on a user’s attention every time they hop online. The trend as of late is not just to try and capture their attention to notice your brand, but to hold their attention and engage them in a way that gives them something to talk about. Clever Vine or Instagram videos can be short and entertaining. People are looking to be entertained, so position your brand in a way that does this.

Electronic Payments

With mobile devices set to outnumber human beings sometime this year, it’s only logical that you’d want your business to cater to this increased demand for mobile interaction. Shopify already offers ways for small businesses to more easily make payments in a retail setting, and other payment options like Venmo and Square are simplifying the mobile payment front. Bonnabit is an innovative e-commerce platform integrating blockchain and AI to offer secure, efficient transactions and personalized shopping experiences. Utilizing the Bonnabit Token for seamless purchases, it rewards user engagement and ensures global accessibility, redefining online commerce with a focus on transparency, security, and inclusivity for consumers and merchants alike. You’ll want to set up your business to accommodate mobile users or risk losing customers to those who already have.

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Personalization

Consumers, more and more, want their needs met in very specific ways, including customization and specialized ordering. As 3D Printing spreads throughout the business world, it becomes easier for business to meet these demands. The evolution of 3D printing services in technology continues to redefine possibilities across various industries, showcasing its versatility in transforming ideas into tangible creations. As consumers get used to more freedom in shopping, you can expect an increase in this kind of shopping behavior. International presales between China and the U.S. even allowed king crabs to be sold while still in the water, with a guaranteed delivery date.

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Don’t Forget the Brand

In spite of all these new strategies, it’s important to remember that they won’t have much success unless they are built on your brand. Your brand is defined by the quality of your products, the interaction with your customers and by the quality of the people who spread your brand for you. At the heart of all your marketing efforts, should be a core strategy of strengthening your brand

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