The Future of eCommerce: 6 Trends in Shopify Development (2024 Forecast)

In 2016, the New York Times interviewed computer programmer, entrepreneur, and Shopify founder and CEO Tobias Lütke. The first question asked about the CEO's early years.

Lütke discussed why he became an entrepreneur and started Shopify. Here is part of Tobias Lütke's response.

"I'm always trying to think of ways to make something more efficient. If I have to do something once, that's fine. If I have to do it twice, I'm kind of annoyed. And if I have to do it three times, I'm going to try to automate it."

Almost a decade later, Lütke's response still rings true.

Shopify is undoubtedly one of eCommerce's biggest success stories, and the platform has come a long way since its inception in 2006. It has undergone many changes and introduced many advancements, such as when it introduced Shopify Payments — its proprietary credit card processing system — in 2013.

Despite being a leading eCommerce platform, Shopify hasn't stopped evolving since its launch. Almost 20 years later, the platform is still finding the most efficient solutions to the problems of Shopify customers and business owners alike. Every year comes with new Shopify trends and practices that benefit the entire ecosystem.

What about 2024? What Shopify trends should we expect this year? What solutions will Shopify developers offer in 2024? You've come to the right place for answers.

In this article, Ivan Serrano will discuss the various Shopify trends we'll likely see in 2024. You'll also learn the data or reasoning behind our forecasts.

Enhanced Mobile Checkout Experience

Regarding Shopify trends, a better mobile checkout experience may be the most important one to consider.

Why? An intuitive and hassle-free mobile checkout is crucial for all Shopify businesses. Most people no longer shop online on their desktop computers at home. They prefer to shop on the go using their smartphones or tablets. This trend rose significantly during and after the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In the latter half of 2023, people spent over 60 percent of their time online on mobile phones. Data also showed that over 58 percent of all online traffic in the fourth quarter of 2023 came from mobile phones. In Asia and Africa, this percentage is even higher.

According to Statista, global mobile eCommerce sales in 2018 amounted to approximately $982 million. While this number is by no means insignificant, it pales in comparison to mobile eCommerce sales figures in 2023, which reached over $2.1 trillion. Sales figures increased by over 113 percent in just five years.

Based on the data above, there's no question that you must pay attention to Shopify trends like improved mobile checkout. You must prioritize your mobile checkout experience to drive more sales to your Shopify store.

Shopify mobile checkout enhancement developer tools

You can improve your Shopify store using Shopify Checkout UI extensions and Shopify Functions.

Checkout UI

Checkout UI extensions let software developers create custom functionalities you can install in your store's checkout process. You can add functionalities to order summary, shipping, payment, and more. The downside with Checkout UI extensions is that you can only use them if your store is under the Shopify Plus plan.

Shopify Functions

Meanwhile, Shopify Functions lets developers add Application Programming Interfaces (APIs) to customize Shopify stores' backends. Examples of APIs you can add include Cart and Checkout Validation API and Payment Customization API.  

Cart and Checkout Validation API lets you add specific validations to your Shopify store. According to Shopify, use cases can include asking the customer to verify their purchase with an ID or requiring the customer to present a membership at the checkout page.

Payment Customization API lets you customize the payment options available to your customers at checkout. You can hide specific payment methods based on the customer's country, change the order of payment options according to your customer's preferences, and more. 

More Personalized Customer Experience

Personalization is one of the biggest Shopify trends to look out for because it drives eCommerce.

At its core, eCommerce or online shopping is a hugely impersonal endeavor for customers. You are likely a customer who's bought an item or two online, so you can understand the feeling. You don't talk with anyone face-to-face. You communicate with machines and websites, enter your credit card details, and wait for your order to arrive at your doorstep.

Customers want a better, more enjoyable shopping experience, so they often buy from online stores offering significant personalization.

According to Forrester, 77 percent of consumers choose, recommend, and even pay more for products from brands that can provide a personalized experience.

A survey by Accenture revealed that a staggering 83 percent of consumers would willingly share their data if brands used it to provide personalized experiences. In the same poll, 91 percent preferred buying from brands that remembered their preferences and offered relevant, customized recommendations.

Like the previous trend, it's clear your Shopify store must offer shoppers a personalized experience to encourage purchases and generate sales.

You can use many tools and apps to customize your Shopify store and offer customers a more personalized experience. However, most of these tools require paid subscriptions, so consider your budget and the products and services you offer to find the ideal app for your needs.

Personalization tools for Shopify merchants

Examples of personalization tools you can use include Zepto Product Personalizer and Polymatiks Intelligent Pricing.

Zepto Product Personalizer

https://apps.shopify.com/product-personalizer

Zepto Product Personalizer is an app that lets customers personalize products.

The great thing about this app is that you can add however many customization options you want, including the following:

• Personalized images that customers can upload
• Custom colors and color swatches
• Custom text (including custom fonts and colors)
  

You can also set conditional, dynamic pricing that automatically increases or decreases the product price based on your customer's chosen customization options.

This app also lets customers see a preview of how their personalized product will look, allowing them to edit any customization to their satisfaction before proceeding to the checkout page.

Zepto Product Personalizer's pricing starts at $9.99 monthly, but you can use the 15-day free trial to try out the software.

Price: $9.99 monthly

Polymatiks Intelligent Pricing

https://apps.shopify.com/personalized-pricing

Polymatiks Intelligent Pricing is an app that leverages AI to help you enrich and personalize your customers' shopping experience.

You can use this tool to offer different types of personalization, including the following:

• Use customer data to create personalized offers unique to each customer.
• Create ultra-personalized email marketing campaigns with specific offers for each customer.
• Create "members only" promotional events that are available only to select customers.
• Create personalized discount codes.
  

Polymatiks Intelligent Pricing starts at $99 monthly and has no free trial. While $99 monthly may seem expensive to some Shopify entrepreneurs, it's worth it, according to reviews. The app has a perfect 5 out of 5 rating from 12 reviews.

Shopify will bill you separately, though your Shopify plan is different if you use any of these apps. You can have many options to pay for your app subscriptions, including Visa, Mastercard, and American Express credit and debit cards or an online checking account that you linked to PayPal.

Price: $99 monthly

Prebuilt Themes That Reduce Costs

Like any business owner, many Shopify store owners want to minimize costs while maximizing profits.

Even though inflation has decreased in 2024, and analysts don't expect a recession, saving money wherever possible is always a wise and practical choice.

For many Shopify merchants—especially those with limited budgets and smaller stores—one of the easiest ways to cut costs is through prebuilt themes.

Custom Shopify theme development can cost a few hundred to a few thousand dollars, depending on your needs and the theme's complexity. These prices can be too exorbitant for Shopify merchants just starting their eCommerce journey.

We foresee prebuilt themes among the top Shopify trends in 2024 because more merchants will want to use them to cut costs.

Although most of the themes in the Shopify Theme store aren't free, prices only range from around $250 to $380. Some themes cost considerably less, from $170 to $180. 

Naturally, prebuilt themes' most significant advantage over custom Shopify themes is their budget-friendly price. Shopify merchants with limited business budgets would likely prefer to pay $250 for a Shopify theme instead of $2,500.

Besides budget-friendliness, prebuilt themes allow new Shopify entrepreneurs to start their stores and sell their products more quickly. With prebuilt themes, you only need to install the theme to your store, add your products, and start selling.

Shopify merchants can also choose from an assortment of prebuilt themes. As of February 2024, there are 178 themes on the Shopify Theme Store, making it easy to find the ideal one for your needs.

You can filter the themes to find what you need to simplify things further. You can filter according to your industry: home and decor, food and drink, health and beauty, or other industries. You can also filter Shopify themes according to the number of products in your catalog: 1 to 9, 10 to 199, or 200+ products.

However, keep in mind that prebuilt themes do come with certain conceits. 

Unlike custom themes, prebuilt ones have limited customization, making it more difficult for your store to stand out. 

Prebuilt themes are affordable, but editing or adding functionalities will likely cost more. If you don't have coding skills, you'd have to hire a Shopify developer to do the work.

Prebuilt themes you can use for your store

Here are some of the best-prebuilt themes according to Shopify.

Local

https://themes.shopify.com/themes/local/styles/light#FeaturesTabContent

Local is a feature-packed theme that lets you customize over 20 flexible sections. This theme is also responsive, giving you a mobile-friendly store. It also supports several European translations (ex., French, Italian, German, Spanish), making it easier to sell internationally.

This theme is ideal if you sell food or beverages. Local also supports age verification for age-restricted products, making it a great theme if you sell alcohol. 

Price: $360

Impact

https://themes.shopify.com/themes/impact/styles/sound

Impact is best for high-volume stores with extensive catalogs of electronic products. It's mobile-friendly and has over 35 sections, letting you create a unique store that prioritizes visuals and mobile responsiveness.

Use this theme if your catalog comprises various electronics and you want to showcase their features using different, visually appealing sections.

Price: $380

Dawn

https://themes.shopify.com/themes/dawn/styles/default

Dawn may be free, but it still has many features. The theme lets you customize the design of sections without coding, so it suits store owners who aren't software developers.

Dawn is an excellent theme for Shopify beginners without the budget for expensive custom themes. The theme also has a minimalist design, so it's ideal for merchants who want their products to be the center of attention.

Deciding whether to use prebuilt themes for your Shopify store means weighing the pros and cons. Prebuilt themes can save you thousands of dollars, but don't expect a high level of control over your theme's design elements and functionalities.

If you're a beginner, you can start with a prebuilt theme and then pay for a custom theme once you have the budget. 

Price: Free

Using Chatbots To Solve Customer Problems and Generate Sales

Chatbots will likely be one of the most prominent Shopify trends in 2024.

These AI-powered tools have recently gained immense popularity in eCommerce, with approximately 80 percent of eCommerce businesses using chatbots.

ECommerce businesses using chatbots usually report positive results, and those that use high-quality chatbots see a 70 percent increase in customer responses or interactions.

Meanwhile, those using chatbots to communicate with customers report an 85 percent average open rate and 40 percent average click-through rate.

Data also shows that many consumers like chatbots, with 90 percent expecting businesses to use chatbots. Sixty-eight percent of customers also say they're happy that chatbots provide fast responses. Chatbots can respond instantly to many queries because they leverage AI and can run 24/7 without human intervention.

Like other Shopify trends, chatbots can help you improve your customers' shopping experience and generate sales.

Shopify makes it easy to integrate chatbots into your store. Another benefit of these chatbots is that you don't have to be a master developer to integrate them into your store. 

You can use Inbox, Shopify's proprietary business messaging solution, or one of the dozens of third-party chatbot apps available on the Shopify App Store.

The downside is that most chatbots on the Shopify App Store require a subscription, so consider your budget before using one. Some chatbot apps have free trials, so don't hesitate to try those.

Chatbots for Shopify

Here are some of the best chatbots to integrate into your Shopify store.

Formilla

https://apps.shopify.com/formilla-live-chat

Formilla offers both live chat and chatbot functionalities. This app also works with Shopify's latest themes, so you won't have any issues integrating into your store. 

Several helpful features are available even on the free plan. You get automated marketing popups that help promote your products to customers. Mobile apps (iOS and Android) are also available on the free plan, allowing you to live chat with your customers anywhere in the world using your smartphone.

Unfortunately, the chatbot is only available on the paid plans, but you also get other excellent features. You get automatic chat popups and the ability to integrate third-party software into Formilla.

This app also has a 15-day free trial, so don't hesitate to use it.

As of February 2024, Formilla has a 5 out of 5 rating from 41 reviews on the Shopify App Store.

Price: $17.49 monthly 

Rep AI

https://apps.shopify.com/rep-ai-sales-associate

Rep AI is a chatbot that leverages the power of ChatGPT. 

This app's best feature is that it can act as your automated sales representative. It can recommend products, answer inquiries, and guide customers throughout buying. 

The chatbot's AI can also learn and express your brand's unique personality via chat, giving your customers a more personal experience because it's almost like talking to an actual human representative.

Rep AI takes only a few minutes to set up. It also integrates with other apps on Shopify to ensure you don't experience any issues using the chatbot.

This chatbot doesn't have a free plan but does offer a 30-day free trial.

As of February 2024, 32 reviews gave Rep AI a 5 out of 5 rating on the Shopify App Store.

Price: $29 monthly

Wizybot

https://apps.shopify.com/wizybot

Like Rep AI, Wizybot is a chatbot that uses the power of ChatGPT.

The strength of Wizybot lies in its ability to provide automated yet high-quality customer service. This app leverages ChatGPT to answer customers' questions while responding like a live representative. You can also use the tool's built-in chatbot strategies to send automated product promotions and encourage sales.

This tool has a free plan, albeit with severely limited features. Besides live chat, you get only 30 automated customer support messages, 100 automated outreach messages, 30 tickets, and 30 clients monthly.

As of February 2024, Wizybot has a 4.8 out of 5 rating from 39 reviews.

Shopping With Voice Search

Voice search will be among the top Shopify trends in 2024 because it has played an increasingly significant role in eCommerce in the last four or five years.

Customers now use voice search to shop more than ever. 

According to a recent report, 43 percent of consumers researched products using voice search.

Meanwhile, research from Voicebot.ai indicates that 26 percent of people have purchased products using voice commands. Voicebot.ai data also states that 11.5 percent of consumers purchase by voice monthly.

Consumers using voice search is good news for eCommerce, with Juniper Research predicting that voice-based commerce would reach $80 billion in value by 2023.

More and more people rely on voice search to shop online. So, if you're looking to follow Shopify trends, integrating voice search into your store is ideal.

Voice search apps for your Shopify Store

Here are a few of the best apps with voice search functionality on the Shopify App Store.

Searchanise Search & Filter

https://apps.shopify.com/searchanise

Searchanise is an advanced search app that lets you create customized search bars and product filters for your store.

The best thing about this app is that you don't need to be a software developer to maximize it. The app's widgets work with Shopify themes automatically. 

Searchanise also lets you easily personalize the search plugin to suit your needs. You can add voice search to improve your customers' experience and add instant search bars, product collection filters, and custom product labels.

Although the app has a free plan, you only get voice search functionality starting at the Basic plan, which costs $19 monthly.

As of February 2024, Searchanise has a 4.8 out of 5 rating from 1,567 reviews on the Shopify App Store, making it highly popular among merchants.

Price: $19 monthly

DOOFINDER

https://apps.shopify.com/doofinder

Doofinder is an AI-powered app that can help increase your product's visibility and improve search results.

Use features like long-tail keyword and synonym query understanding, smart suggestions, and autocomplete to provide shoppers with highly personalized search results.

This app's voice search functionality allows users to search for your products via voice using their mobile or desktop device.

The free plan already has the voice search feature, but you get much more with the premium plans. Starting with the Basic plan, you get voice search, synonym query understanding, and 90-day statistics. The statistics can give you insight into how shoppers interact with your store using voice search, and then you can use those insights to make the necessary adjustments.

As of February 2024, DOOFINDER has a 4.9 out of 5 rating from 879 reviews on the Shopify App Store

Price: $35 monthly (A free plan is available.)

ExpertRec Smart Search Bar

https://apps.shopify.com/expertrec-smart-search-bar

ExpertRec is an app with a customizable smart search bar and voice search functionality.

This app allows you to create product filters according to brand, color, size, price, availability, etc.

Customers can use voice search to look for your products, and ExpertRec's smart search can give them instant and accurate suggestions (including synonyms).

Although a free plan is available, it's only for 50 products or fewer. You'll have to pay a subscription if you sell over 50 products. With the $9 plan, you get up to 500 products and unlimited search queries and filters.

Not many voice search apps are available on the Shopify app store yet. However, the increasing number of shoppers who use voice search for eCommerce will likely lead to Shopify developers creating more apps with voice search functionalities in 2024. 

Price: $9 monthly (A free plan is available.)

Prevalence of Social Commerce

Social commerce is already popular, but it's still growing and will still be one of the top Shopify trends to watch in 2024.

What does social commerce mean for Shopify merchants? Social commerce refers to leveraging social media platforms to market or sell your products.  

How can social commerce help your Shopify store? By taking advantage of various social media platforms, you can:

• Introduce your products to new shoppers (whom you can convert into buyers)
• Meet your target audience where they are
• Effectively promote your products on different channels simultaneously
• Encourage customers to purchase directly from social media
  

With how much people worldwide use social media, it's safe to say that social commerce is here to stay.

Statista said people spent approximately 151 minutes on social media daily in 2023. 

To put this number into perspective, 151 minutes per year is 55,115 minutes or approximately 918.5 hours, or over 38 days, meaning people spend 38 days of the year just on social media.

Meanwhile, the three most popular social media platforms as of January 2024 are:

• Facebook – approximately 3.049 billion users
• Instagram – approximately 2 billion users
• TikTok – approximately 1.56 billion users
  

How do people use social media for eCommerce?

Statista surveyed social media users in 11 countries and found that 77 percent of people discovered new brands or gained information about products. These people also said social media gave them ideas about brands or products they hadn't considered. 

Online entrepreneurs can take advantage of how consumers use social media to shop online, so consider integrating social commerce into your Shopify store.

Social media tools for Shopify

Here are a few of the best social commerce tools for your store, according to Shopify itself.

Instagram Shop & Facebook Shop

https://apps.shopify.com/ig-fb-shoppable-comments

Instagram Shop & Facebook Shop is a third-party social media app with features that can help you expand your audience and generate sales.

Add calls-to-action (CTAs) to your Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Pinterest posts. You can also implement automatic posting on these platforms. This app also has a "social shopping" feature that allows customers to shop and pay for your products directly within their social media apps.

Although this tool has a free plan, daily schedule posts are the only feature you get. To maximize the app, you must pay for the monthly "Pro" plan.

As of February 2024, this app has a 4.9 out of 5 rating from 120 reviews on the Shopify App Store.

Price: $9.99 monthly 

CedCommerce Social Connector

https://apps.shopify.com/facebook-marketplace-connector

CedCommerce Social Connector lets you integrate your Shopify store with your TikTok Shop and Facebook Business accounts.

This tool syncs your Shopify inventory with your Facebook, TikTok, and Instagram accounts. You can also keyword-optimize your products for increased visibility.

The basic Premium plan allows you to upload up to 5000 products on Facebook and unlimited products on TikTok. You can also manage up to 50 orders. 

To upload limited products on Facebook and TikTok and manage more orders, you'll have to pay for the more expensive Exclusive or Elite plan, which is $19.99 and $49 monthly, respectively.

Price: $9.99 monthly 

TikTok

https://apps.shopify.com/tiktok

This tool is the official TikTok app for Shopify from TikTok Inc. Since many people shop on this globally popular social media platform, integrating the official app into your store is an excellent idea.

This app makes selling on TikTok easy by letting you sync your Shopify catalog with the social media platform. 

You can also run ad campaigns to promote your products to TikTok's 1.5 billion users.

The app is free, and you only pay for the ads you run. You set your preferred budget for your ads, and TikTok bills you directly via your account. 

Remember that optimizing your Shopify store for social commerce doesn't mean using the apps for every social media platform. You must do the proper research to determine which platforms your customers use. For example, if most of your shoppers are on TikTok, use the official TikTok app.

Price: Free (Additional charges may apply, depending on your use case)

Understanding Shopify Trends

Shopify is an ever-evolving landscape, bringing new advancements, challenges, and trends every year.

Keeping yourself up-to-date on current or upcoming trends is an effective way to outpace the competition and simultaneously improve your customers' lives.

However, it's not just about learning Shopify trends—knowing when and how to apply them is also critical. 

Don't worry; you don't have to follow all the trends in this article. Since most of the tools you need to apply these trends to your store require a financial investment, the trend (or trends) you choose to apply will depend on your budget. It will also depend on your industry, your products, and the customers you serve.

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