Ecommerce Trends in Furniture for 2022
As 2022 comes to a close, we wanted to break down some of the top ecommerce furniture trends in furniture. It’s been an interesting year, for sure. Across the country, many have transitioned back to the workplace, at least partly. We have also experienced abnormal supply chain interruptions and a shift in technology. So what has helped furniture sellers make the most of 2022?
S&P Global predicted that 2022 ecommerce trends would steer toward a more comprehensive digital outreach. So far, the predictions are mostly true. Let’s take a look at some of the many ecommerce trends in furniture that have succeeded in the past year.
1. 3D and AR Product VisualizationWithout stepping foot in a brick and more store, consumers needed a better way to view furniture and home decor. Images of a sofa from multiple angles demonstrate the overall style, but it only goes so far. Consumers need help to visualize furniture – especially larger pieces – in their personal space to capture how it works in an interior setting. It offers a more accurate representation, which gives consumers more confidence to make an online order.
Luckily, one of the growing ecommerce trends in furniture retail is 3D and AR (augmented reality) visualization. This helpful visualization also does double-duty with product customization and tailored preferences. Seeing a furniture piece at its correct dimensions to scale within a space and in a preferred fabric or finish is a lot more useful than even visiting a showroom. You can experience it instantly and it makes shopping online a lot more fun!
According to some statistics, 61% or consumers prefer to shop at ecommerce furniture stores that offer AR, and 40% are willing to pay a bit more for the convenience.
2. Site Search OptimizationHaving a well-optimized website is something all businesses need to draw in customers. At Cennos, we offer search engine optimization that includes alluring romance copy and long-tail keywords for all your decor and furniture products – and that’s a great start!
However, additional site search-related optimization with the help of AI can help customers find precisely what they’re hunting. Automated spelling corrections and autosuggestions can assist buyers discover the right words and descriptions they may not even realize they need to hone in on the perfect piece of furniture or decor. This is why site search bars and site organization is just as important in making online sales.
3. SMS MarketingText messaging offers customers a more personable and direct notification of furniture sales and other updates. Instead of them glazing over the countless ads, customers can sign up for direct SMS to be notified of last-minute flash sales and when their order has shipped or has even arrived at their door.
The best part is that this ecommerce trend has been proven to work better than other social media channels and other marketing tactics. With lots of advantages, SMS might be here to stay. Customers provide their direct consent, opting in and out with the push of a button, making it much more straightforward for furniture suppliers and brands to avoid regulations that are often tricky to navigate and stay on top of.
4. Easier Payment OptionsAnother trend in ecommerce is making payments easier. From seamless checkouts to a “Buy now, Pay Later” system, consumers will hit that purchase button when it's more convenient.
Seamless checkouts ensure a clean and fluid experience, keeping buyers on a path to purchase, instead of hitting hiccups or getting distracted. Cart abandonment is often the result of a disorganized or unaccommodating checkout experience.
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) options also offer customers a way to finance furniture over time, even interest-free. Dividing payments over several weeks or months gives customers more flexibility, making their purchases more appealing and easier to manage financially. Allowing them to get approved for a BNPL program at checkout is just one way to make ecommerce payments easier.
5. Recommerce and Sustainable OptionsWith the increase in online sales comes the increase in returns. Even with 3D and AR visualization, once an item arrives, some customers simply want something else or have a change in heart. So what happens to large returned furniture pieces? That’s the eco-conscious question on many customers' minds as they consider before purchasing these types of items.
Offsetting or reducing the carbon footprint of your business and offering a more eco-friendly process overall is a first step to reducing waste. And being transparent goes a long way to create loyal sustainably-focused customers. However, one of the newer growing ecommerce trends in furniture is to also resell used or previously owned furniture. Offering recommerce, or reverse commerce, means that consumers will be more willing to purchase a larger furniture item and feel guilt-free if it doesn't work out in their home. A recommerce solution is essentially a promise to customers that you won’t send their returned item to a landfill.