How can a manager stay up-to-date with emerging trends in E-Commerce?

To stay informed about the evolving landscape of e-commerce, it's beneficial to regularly consume content from various newsletters, each focusing on different aspects of the industry. For updates on UX/UI design, I recommend reading Dribbble's newsletter, which recently featured an excellent article on the concept of Design for Vulnerability (D4V). Foxintelligence offers a monthly newsletter providing data and statistics, often presented visually, derived from online purchases made by their panel of over 5 million e-shoppers. Weekly newsletter AdsBack offers valuable insights and actionable tips for implementing a SEA strategy. Additionally, E-commerce Nation media is one of my go-to resources for comprehensive e-commerce information.

Newsletters and podcasts are a great source of gaining insights from experts. I would recommend you to find the right source of gaining knowledge, e.g. If you like to listen or prefer knowledge through audio then podcast will be the best option and vice versa for newsletter. Subscribe to those that you love to hear and read from, e.g. I enjoy the Upwork and Google newsletters the most. There are many benefits of newsletters and podcasts, but few are... ? Keep you updated on emerging trends ? Educate you on the industry ? Get recommendations and tips from experts ? Discover best practices ? Inspired by stories.

Don't just subscribe, do what I did and start a podcast. Since I started it I've had 193 conversations with ecommerce experts about all aspects of business and marketing. This is of course on top of all the other networking and conversations I have. There are some great newsletters out there, but I find having 1-2-1 conversations with other experts is a great way to pick up new tips and ideas.

Here are some strategies as an e-commerce manager to stay informed and stay ahead of the changes in e-commerce: 1) Attend events and conferences: learn from industry experts and discover the latest trends and innovations. 2) Read specialized blogs and articles: Regularly read e-commerce blogs and websites to stay updated on emerging trends and best practices. 3) Follow influencers and thought leaders: Engage with influencers and thought leaders in e-commerce on social media platforms to gain insights into the latest trends and strategies. 4) Take courses and training: Invest in continuous education. 5) Stay updated with market research: Keep track of market research reports. 6) Network with industry professionals.

There's so much content out there, one tactic I've personally found very effective when wanting to keep up with particular trends is: - Start with newsletters before any podcasts - Find 5 - 10 newsletters to subscribe to - Subscribe to them all - After a week or two (depending on their frequency), unsubscribe from all but the 2 or 3 you've found most valuable - Based on those 2 or 3, you'll probably have heard about a podcast or two, and then begin that exploration This has been a fast way for me to begin educating/keeping up, while also quickly filtering through a ton of content.

Join the Add to Cart podcast. Simple

There are many podcasts in which you can listen and learn a lot about what happens in the industry. You can also watch webinars and attend conferences around the world.

Talk to your customers! They are boots on the ground and actively navigating to keep up with relevant market trends and “the new hotness” that may impact their biz. Build funnels to your product and marketing teams with this info and see what aligns and what should be moved up/shelved. In addition, there are tons of great (free) resources via podcasts, trade shows, online round table/fireside chats, and most importantly, building a solid network of people that you can trust and can rely on for accurate info. Spend 30-45 min a day reading about a topic. I subscribe to several in payments, fraud, business, and others, and I’ve learned what I do/ do not like which made it easy to refine subscriptions down to what is relevant

I have always supported networking and the development of communities. Facebook is home to a fantastic e-commerce community in South Africa. Whether you are a pro or a novice, you should join the Insaka Facebook Community. Warrick Kernes established the community and has done a fantastic job managing it ever since. This place is where you can get all the help, information, support, or venting you need. As it says here, "These communities and forums can help you network, learn from peers, and spot emerging opportunities and challenges." I couldn't have expressed it more clearly.

Staying connected with online communities and forums is a great way to stay updated and engaged in the e-commerce industry. Platforms like Reddit, Quora, Facebook Groups, LinkedIn Groups, and Stack Exchange offer a variety of communities catering to different niches. Joining these platforms allows you to connect with other e-commerce professionals, share insights, ask questions, and receive feedback. Engaging with these communities can expand your network, help you learn from peers, and keep you informed about emerging opportunities and challenges in the industry.

The events circuit in DTC and ecommerce is incredible. There is a mega-phenomenon happening where brands and SaaS companies are partnering together to host highly impactful and frequent events that bring founders and vendors all into a room.... in a way that is less promo/vendor heavy... but rather, getting all of those passionate about ecommerce into one room. It's some of the best learning I acquired in 2023. No better way to forge relationships and learn from one another than from events IRL.

Many SaaS products in the e-commerce industry host highly relevant webinars, enabling integrators of their solutions to stay updated not only on evolving features but also on trends and regulations in the industry. Recently, I attended a webinar hosted by Didomi, a French consent management platform, titled "Data Privacy Trends to Look Out for in 2024," which was full of useful insights. Sovos, a tax compliance software streamlining tax reporting and filing across 70 countries and thousands of jurisdictions, also hosts fantastic webinars relevant for e-commerce professionals working on cross-border e-commerce projects. #ecommerce #ecommercecompliance

Webinars annd events are the great sources to get valuable insights from the industry experts, also you can get more knowledge about the current treds and how its performing. Also you can build the network and find the potential connect!

Participar ativamente de webinars e eventos, é crucial para obter insights sobre as últimas inova??es e melhores práticas no setor. Essa estratégia n?o só mantém minhas habilidades atualizadas, mas também oferece oportunidades para conhecer líderes do setor e ganhar uma vantagem competitiva. Aprendizado contínuo e networking em eventos destacados s?o pe?as-chave na estratégia para um crescimento sustentável e diferenciado no comércio eletr?nico.

Participar de comunidades e fóruns on-line é uma estratégia valiosa para se manter atualizado no campo do comércio eletr?nico. Esses espa?os proporcionam uma plataforma para networking, troca de conhecimento e discuss?o de tendências, permitindo que os profissionais do setor estejam sempre bem informados e preparados para enfrentar desafios e aproveitar oportunidades emergentes.

One of my recent discoveries in terms of CMS is Webflow. While Webflow is not suitable for high-volume e-commerce platforms, it’s a CMS perfectly adapted for showcase websites or simple e-commerce websites, such as those for events that don’t require a high variety of product diversification but still demand a heavy focus on the visual aspect. Webflow allows for the mutualization of the UX/UI design stage of web project development, along with the integration of said layouts by combining the power of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript in a 100% visual canvas. #ecommercetrends #webflow

Emerging trends may blow like a desert sandstorm, but with a thirst for experimentation and a playground of new tools and platforms, we can turn those grains into shimmering gold nuggets of success. Dive headfirst into the experimentation playground! Sign up for those free trials, explore those demo webinars, and let your curiosity run wild. Experimentation isn't a gamble, it's an investment. Every new tool, every platform explored, brings fresh perspectives and ignites the spark of innovation. So, embrace the thrill of the unknown, dive into the world of possibilities, and let your E-Commerce adventures be paved with the gleaming gold of continuous learning and evolution.

Actively experiment with new E-Commerce tools and technologies. Stay open to testing different platforms, software, and solutions that claim to enhance various aspects of E-Commerce operations. Check Productshunt, G2, AI directories (Futurepedia) and Forrester reports once a month to keep you updated in terms of service providers and their competitors.

All great things start small. One first clumsy effort can become an elegant piece of work with practice, dedication and grit. I'm all for experimentation. ??

By experimenting with new tools and platforms, you can gain firsthand experience and knowledge of the latest innovations in e-commerce. Trying out different options allows you to evaluate their effectiveness and suitability for your specific business needs. Whether it's a new marketing automation tool, a customer review app, or a customer service platform, exploring these tools can help you discover new ways to improve your operations and stay ahead of the game. Taking advantage of free trials, demos, and tutorials allows you to test these tools without a significant financial commitment. Ultimately, by exploring new tools and platforms, you can enhance your e-commerce performance and better serve your customers.

I would even go so far as to say that it’s not only useful to benchmark against your competitors but also to monitor other e-commerce platforms (even in different sectors) and check out the tech features or commercial offers used on their websites. Then, evaluate if these features can be relevant for your e-commerce business. Recently, I noticed how DeMellier, a British handbag brand, includes in their transactional emails care guides or a brief history of the brand. It's a fantastic strategy to maximize the attention of customers who have already purchased from the brand and to immerse them further into its universe. #ecommercetrends

Define what you want to learn from monitoring competitors and customers. This could include marketing strategies, product offerings, customer service approaches, or website functionality. 2. Use Google Alerts for news and updates, SimilarWeb for website traffic and engagement analysis, BuzzSumo for content and social media trends, and Hotjar for user experience insights. 3. Look for patterns, strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in the data. Pay special attention to any significant changes or trends. 4. Use customer feedback tools not just to listen but also to engage. Address customer concerns and communicate how their input is shaping your business.

For monitoring competitors, you can use scraping tools which can provide you a view on share of voice by navigation/ keywords, bestseller/ hot new releases, selection width for Categories you want to monitor, assortment split by pricing and discounting and how this pricing/ discounting is changing etc

Tools like Google Alerts, SimilarWeb, BuzzSumo, and Hotjar allow businesses to track competitors' websites, social media, content, and reviews, revealing strengths and weaknesses. Additionally, utilizing tools such as Google Analytics, SurveyMonkey, and UserTesting helps gather customer feedback, providing insights into their preferences and concerns. These tools aid in identifying gaps, opportunities, and potential threats in the e-commerce strategy, allowing businesses to adapt and innovate to stay ahead in the dynamic e-commerce landscape.

Staying on top of e-commerce trends as a manager is all about keeping your radar finely tuned. Maintaining a keen eye on your competitors can provide invaluable insights into emerging trends and strategies within your niche. Regularly monitor their activities and analyze their marketing approaches, including how they build their landing pages. To make it easier, use tools made for ecommerce competitor tracking like Panoramata.co

I believe that in 2024, several e-commerce trends will emerge from the following pain points: - Marketing assets used in e-commerce. - Unoptimized search (we’re already starting to see this with Google introducing on January 31st 2024 their feature “Circle to Search”). - How to help customers imitate the ‘touch and feel’ of products in e-commerce (you couldn’t have not noticed the rise of promotional videos among luxury brands showcasing behind-the-scenes footage of production at manufacturing sites and ultimately craftsmanship). - The ROPO effect (Research Online, Purchase Offline) (many e-retailers now offer the opportunity to verify stock availability of the SKU in specific store locations, Zara is a prime example). #ecommercetrends

Read reports and whitepapers from consulting firms and market research companies. They often contain valuable data and analysis on market trends.

I wish “All the Above” was available. Of course you can subscribe to 1-2 podcasts, blogs, etc, but I try to subscribe to the top 3-5 in all those free/educational channels. Reason-being… I get to compare the different perspectives for those with different backgrounds. When I start hearing the same trend across all mediums; that’s when I know that trend or topic is something I really need to pay attention to. eComm focused: Podcasts: - Digital Shelf Institute - Digital Deep Dive - eCommerce Brain Trust - CPG View Blogs / Marketplaces - Marketplace Pulse (All + Global) - Martin Heubel (AMZ 1P) - Sellcord Updates (Walmart) - eCommerce Bytes (eBay) General Retail - Modern Retail + AMZ Briefing - OmniTalk - PYMTS - Total Retail Report

Experimente os relatórios que consultorias relevantes entregam ao mercado, bem como grupos do setor.NO Brasil, ABCOMM e ECBR s?o bem relevantes. Assine os conteúdos, acesse os whitepapers, acompanha e siga pessoas inspiradoras que você encontra no Linkedin, Instagram e TikTok com insights e estratégias que podem te abastecer de idéias.

Honestly, be on the tools. That is where you spot the opportunities first. Not what everyone is talking about on social, in newsletters etc. I've been up and down the hierarchy of businesses, but I became better at strategy the more details I knew. If you think you don't have time, it actually means you aren't prioritising staying on top of the latest things happening.