Last week Fred Wilsion (@fredwilson) posted on his blog, AVC.com, about the movement of Social Commerce – the shift to an evermore social and interactive form of commerce on the web. He declared Etsy.com as the web’s closest equivalent to a real life open air market place, like that of the San Telmo market in Buneos Aires (see photo above).
His post got me thinking about the direction of ecommerce in the decade to come. In the last decade, we’ve seen an incredible evolution and diversification in the ecommerce space. We’ve seen Amazon.com with their “one click” shopping system take the hassle out of shopping online. We’ve seen virtual goods sales exceed those of real life equivalents in virtal worlds and online gaming platforms. And, recently, we’ve seen “mom and pop” style artisan stores gain an internet presence on sites like Foodzie.com and Etsty.com.
The evolution is easy to comprehend. Simply enough, the spectrum of shopping experiences online is beginning to mirror the same spectrum of experiences that we can find in real life today.
Whereas 10 years ago all ecommerce platforms looked and interacted with users in exactly the same way, today the way you interact with a site that sells you books is very different from a site that sells you food. And, in the decade to come, these experiences will continue to evolve and diversify to match their real world counterparts . Not all online shopping will conform to the most efficient check out process (like amazon), nor will it necessarily become more social and interactive (like Etsy.com).
In the real world, I don’t want to interact with a salesperson when I buy shoes or books. I want to make my purchase and get out the door. That same criteria holds true when I’m shopping online. And, Amazon.com and Zappos.com have designed their platforms in a way to meet that criteria – with simplicity and efficiency at their core.
However, when my girlfriend (@jessicadaniels1) purchased a unique bracelet in the San Telmo markets of Buenos Aires last summer, she wasn’t in a hurry. She wanted to haggle with the seller, see all of his products, and hear the story behind his jewelry shop. She wasn’t just buying a bracelet, she was purchasing a unique experience and a memory of that day and our trip. An experience that, currently, can not be fully replicated on the web.
Efficiency is easy to create on the web. A memorable, unique experience is not. I’m excited to see what innovations the next decade produces in the “social commerce” space.
1. Creating an environment where shopping is not the core purpose. 90% of
the joy from a open air market comes from the experience (sights sounds) not
the purchase. Think, instead of a website full of ski jackets for sale, an
experiential media experience of you (1st person perspective) cutting S's
down a back bowl in Vail. After, if you want, you can buy the jacket right
off your own back in the vid.
2. Deep insight into the seller's personality and being - an "about us"
page ain't gonna cut it. Example, half of what i remember from my guided
trips I purchased (online) and took while traveling was how cool the guide
was, not how cool the tour was.
3. Be curious to see some experimentation integrating augmented reality.
Twitter
What Will Ecommerce Look Like in 10 Years?
Last week Fred Wilsion (@fredwilson) posted on his blog, AVC.com, about the movement of Social Commerce – the shift to an evermore social and interactive form of commerce on the web. He declared Etsy.com as the web’s closest equivalent to a real life open air market place, like that of the San Telmo market in Buneos Aires (see photo above).
His post got me thinking about the direction of ecommerce in the decade to come. In the last decade, we’ve seen an incredible evolution and diversification in the ecommerce space. We’ve seen Amazon.com with their “one click” shopping system take the hassle out of shopping online. We’ve seen virtual goods sales exceed those of real life equivalents in virtal worlds and online gaming platforms. And, recently, we’ve seen “mom and pop” style artisan stores gain an internet presence on sites like Foodzie.com and Etsty.com.
The evolution is easy to comprehend. Simply enough, the spectrum of shopping experiences online is beginning to mirror the same spectrum of experiences that we can find in real life today.
Whereas 10 years ago all ecommerce platforms looked and interacted with users in exactly the same way, today the way you interact with a site that sells you books is very different from a site that sells you food. And, in the decade to come, these experiences will continue to evolve and diversify to match their real world counterparts . Not all online shopping will conform to the most efficient check out process (like amazon), nor will it necessarily become more social and interactive (like Etsy.com).
In the real world, I don’t want to interact with a salesperson when I buy shoes or books. I want to make my purchase and get out the door. That same criteria holds true when I’m shopping online. And, Amazon.com and Zappos.com have designed their platforms in a way to meet that criteria – with simplicity and efficiency at their core.
However, when my girlfriend (@jessicadaniels1) purchased a unique bracelet in the San Telmo markets of Buenos Aires last summer, she wasn’t in a hurry. She wanted to haggle with the seller, see all of his products, and hear the story behind his jewelry shop. She wasn’t just buying a bracelet, she was purchasing a unique experience and a memory of that day and our trip. An experience that, currently, can not be fully replicated on the web.
Efficiency is easy to create on the web. A memorable, unique experience is not. I’m excited to see what innovations the next decade produces in the “social commerce” space.