Getting our goods from point A to point B once relied entirely on the consumer, with shipping only necessary to get the products from the manufacturer to the store. Today, shipping and shopping work as closely together as beer and pretzels, to service the over 2.14 billion online shoppers, worldwide.

Why are eCommerce trends so important in 2021? The answer is easy. Ecommerce helps reduce your costs, and means your store is open 24/7, and 365 days per year, and is easy and convenient to access using the internet. Finally, the marketing options with eCommerce are quite advanced, meaning getting the word out about your product or service is easier than it once was. With eCommerce on an astronomic rise, what trends can we expect to see in the upcoming months, and how can you use them to your advantage?

What is Brand Awareness?

Brand awareness is the extent to which customers recognize your brand name when seeking out a product. For example, have you ever asked for Coke when you just wanted a soda? Or Tylenol when you just needed a painkiller? You might not be poised or planning to take over the world like these two brands, but building brand awareness can be as simple as ensuring customers know your business, choosing your product over others that might be cheaper, or searching for your specific business or product name online.

In light of the changes that the pandemic has brought about, setting clear business goals is more important than ever. For your business to thrive in the long-run, you must know how it is doing. The best strategy is to have a detailed plan and track the progress. Do not be misled by the challenges you may be facing in these times. With a renewed strategic direction and realistic goals, your business is looking towards a bright future. Here are some tips for planning and accomplishing your business goals for this year:

Growing is essential to your business. So, why wait for sales to level off? You should find ways to increase your sales to be on top of your game. If you are not growing, you are losing new business opportunities with your competitors being constantly ahead of you. COVID has changed the equation of sales in 2021.

Data is your business’s soul. Your company runs on data as vehicles run on fuel. Data includes customer information as well as company information, both of which are crucial to your business. So much so that data security can make or break your business. Regardless of the cause, it can cost you a large amount of money trying to fix your data breach. What is more, it can damage your brand's image and reputation.

Running a retail business is hard, regardless of whether your store is online or in-person. The industry continues to change as technology pushes forward and stores stay beholden to customers’ expectations that also change over time.

The past year drastically changed how customers view and interact with retail shopping in everyday life, but there are ways to work with the recent changes rather than fighting against them. The typical landscape of retail businesses might be different from what we knew a few years ago, but that is not necessarily a bad thing, as change can bring new opportunities or avenues that you might have never considered otherwise.