Modern consumers want authenticity, hyper-personalization, and user-friendly shopping experiences, which means converting and keeping customers is more challenging than ever for e-commerce brands.
Composable commerce continues to dominate thanks to its high scalability and flexibility, but what does 2024 (and beyond) have in store for brands using, or considering adopting the composable approach? Read on for five key trends.
Composable commerce is a method for building e-commerce shopping experiences using interchangeable building blocks (apps/assets/platforms/code) without being beholden to a specific vendor or coding language.
With so many different terms and approaches discussed in the tech space what makes a system specifically composable?
- It must be component-based. Monolithic platforms are out. The e-commerce system must consist of independent components (software, tools, plugins, etc.) that can quickly and easily be added, removed, or replaced to ensure every piece specifically benefits business objectives.
- It must be cloud-native. Composable commerce systems operate in the cloud to enable scalability and adaptability.
- It must be compatible with all coding languages. A composable system can use any coding language or cloud infrastructure, allowing it (and the developers) to benefit from complete flexibility and freedom to design ideal customer journeys.
From Headless to MACH (Microservices, API first, Cloud-Native, Headless), composable commerce can seem like just one more trend, but it’s not. Here’s why:
- Scales easily. Composable commerce infrastructure exists entirely in the cloud; ideal for those who want limitless scaling, regardless of the size or stage of business.
- Compatible with low and no code. The rise of low and no code helps innovative brands create exceptional online experiences regardless of the size or expertise of their dev department.
- Offers vendor options. People prefer composable commerce because it lets organizations choose the best software for their business goals without locking into one specific vendor.
The common theme of 2024 composable commerce trends is how tech creates a more human connection. Today’s customers expect brands to provide highly personalized, ethical, and authentic experiences before they’re willing to buy. Here’s how to gain your advantage.
Composable commerce offers the flexibility needed to determine what tech stack delivers the best results based on your team, objectives, and customers. Making technology democratization a must for brands wanting to get the most out of their commerce strategies.
No and low-code tools make it easier for teams to access tools that help them build skills and optimize productivity. Staying competitive means adopting a culture of innovation driven by technological democratization.
AI has made its impact felt on practically every industry.
Composable commerce’s component-based nature allows brands to test different AI strategies and find ways that generative AI can help optimize personalization, processes, and creative endeavors. As with any technological advance, it’s crucial to use the right platforms to make the most out of visual content strategies or back-end dev processes.
Thanks to a user experience that feels platform-based, combined with offline capabilities, minimal security vulnerabilities, and excellent load speeds, PWAs (Progressive Web Apps) are driving innovation in customer experiences.
Based on reports from Google Developers, PWAs boost conversion by up to 52%. Their agnosticism allows them to integrate easily with other apps and offer the convenience of a single codebase (regardless of the platform or device being used.)
AI isn’t the only innovation revolutionizing the retail industry. VR/AR technology is steadily gaining traction in everything from education to healthcare and construction.
According to research by Statista, there will be 1.7 billion mobile AR devices in use across the globe this year.
According to insight from Epsilon, 80% of those surveyed said they prefer brands that provide personalized customer experiences.
Personalization offers both convenience and builds trust (when data is obtained ethically), and trust is a significant factor in buying decisions. Regardless of how, where, or when your customers connect, your brand needs to provide a consistent experience. Adopting omnichannel personalization tools can offer a considerable advantage.
Additionally, the added benefit of composable architecture allows brands to integrate the best personalization technology and data protection software.
One of the best aspects of switching to composable commerce architecture is the low barrier to entry. It’s well-beloved for its TCO (Total Cost of Ownership), partly because organizations can adopt a “one-by-one” implementation strategy.
Formulate your ideal composable strategy, and experiment with user-friendly low or no-code tools like Cloudinary to enhance product pages, optimize visual content processes, and build out your tech stack as you (and your customer) need it.
