Do you have a solid grasp of e-Commerce trends in online optical? Spoiler: the industry is growing fast!
Broadly speaking, e-Commerce has seen explosive growth in the last couple of years following the outset of the pandemic, thanks in part to the levels of
customization and accuracy associated with shopping online. Consider a recent Stackla report which revealed that 83% of consumers want more authentic shopping experiences from retailers. Meanwhile, 67% of consumers have increased online spending since the pandemic began and 91% are planning to continue that trend moving forward. In fact, the overall number of digital shoppers in America has increased by 21 million from 2016 to 2021, according to a Statista report.
There are a few good reasons why the climbing figures are showing no signs of slowing down. The primary drive of online shoppers isn’t so mysterious upon closer inspection: generally, people are looking for personalized experiences, transparent user-generated content, simple functionality, and a community that provides engagement. All of these elements can be achieved through web stores and other eCommerce platforms, but nailing each one takes time and effort.
Brand loyalty and trust are other factors that are driving customers to digital storefronts. Many consumers (especially Millennials) are less likely to click away from an online store if they can easily access customer reviews, pictures, and other user-generated content that validates the product’s authenticity.
Online optical is feeling the same trends as the rest of the e-Commerce world. If your inventory isn’t online and utilizing tools such as virtual try-on, pre-shop options, and in-store pickup, you’ll be missing out on an entire generation of customers who know a good shopping experience when they see one (not to mention it will be increasingly more difficult to retain your current buyers who start riding the digital wave).
But there is good news: as a private practice, you already have the audience and reputation to smoothly transition your offerings online! By using Optify, you can easily give your optical wares a home within a sleek website with all the features they need to succeed with today’s e-Commerce trends. Best of all, our team of industry veterans can manage the move for you so your business doesn’t lose any momentum.
Ready to take your optical shop to the digital age? Book a 15-minute demo with us today and discover how you can get higher capture rates than ever before!