That is a significant figure!

What is voice search in eCommerce?

Voice search allows the use of speech to search for products and information on a website, and users are spared the hassle of typing in keywords. The search happens on the go. In fact, voice search is faster and more convenient than typing.

These facts and figures show an upward trend in the general adoption of voice apps and smart home technologies. Hence, it’s not a surprise that the voice shopping industry touched a whopping $40 billion in the US in the year 2022.

Such aggressive figures are enticing the retail world, and retailers are doing everything they can to tap into voice technology and make their product lines available through voice search.

A plethora of products are now available through the voice shopping apps, and their availability is growing steadily with every passing year. The best part of shopping for products using voice search is that it streamlines the entire online shopping experience and resonates well with Generation Z. Also, with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the popularity of voice search has grown among older customers since they have become more digitally sophisticated.

Voice Search: An Advantage for Retailers

Early Bird Advantage: Every brand is keen to make their products available to customers before their competition. However, in a fiercely competitive market, it’s not an easy task. Therefore, brands that delay their investment in voice shopping technology will have difficulty cutting through the noise as the competition keeps growing. It’s wise to take the plunge and make your products available with ease before your peers do.

Higher Lifetime Value: The value of voice shopping may not be that high, but the good news is that a customer’s lifetime value tends to increase once they develop trust in a company and have experienced the convenience of voice shopping. This is especially true for everyday items like dish soap and paper towels. The key for retailers is to tap into this loyal group of customers.

Discoverability: Discoverability in voice search is a highly critical and competitive element of the voice shopping realm. In fact, voice search offers retailers a great opportunity to increase their visibility both among new and old customers.

Automatic Reordering and Replenishment Reminders: Enabling voice shopping to reorder items is a smart business move, and if that’s extended to the genre of automatic reordering, retailers can tap into customer purchase histories and order items even when they use casual terms like, ‘order more’ or ‘reorder groceries.”

Aside from making shopping easier for customers, automatic reordering increases average customer revenue and overall purchasing order.

Voice-based replenishment reminders can also go a long way. Reminders based on certain activity triggers or after a specific time interval notify customers to replenish a particular product. All these boost the overall lifetime value of a customer and promote repeat purchases.

Notifications: There can be different kinds of voice-based notifications. For example, there can be delivery-related notifications so that customers aren’t surprised in the event of delivery impediments. However, the notification happens through the smart speaker that the customer has at home.

Similarly, status updates throughout the purchase journey can also be offered through voice-based apps. It increases the customer’s confidence in a brand.

Last but not least, voice apps can be a great way to notify customers about upcoming promotions, deals, or flash sales.

It’s quite evident that voice search will soon revolutionize the retail landscape, but the question is how to get started.

There are multiple options. For example, you can build your own app or even contact an agency to build it. Nevertheless, getting in touch with talented professionals could be a daunting task. At this juncture, you may consider speaking to our expert consultants at Aspire Systems to foray into the world of voice search.

Empower your customers by letting them command their devices!

It is time for retailers to focus on voice search optimization strategies in their eCommerce businesses to remain ahead of the curve. In fact, voice search technology has now become an imperative for retailers to engage their customers better.

A recent survey says 91% of businesses are already making significant investments in voice, and 94% plan to increase their voice investments in the coming years.

The exponential potential of voice technologies has created a sense of urgency among retailers. But retailers must first understand the voice capabilities and value proposition they seek to deliver to their customers and invest accordingly in voice technologies to achieve customer delight. The goal should be to foster trust, reliability, transparency, validation, and control.

Additionally, another study says 76% of companies that have implemented voice services find voice to be a differentiator. It clearly indicates that the growth of voice shopping has strategic implications for retailers and consumer goods companies, and those who move quickly will reap a significant first-mover advantage.

You can get in touch with us at Aspire Systems and become a forerunner in the world of modern retail.

Together, let’s turn every shopping moment into an unforgettable experience!

References

  1. https://www.thinkwithgoogle.com/marketing-strategies/search/voice-search-mobile-use-statistics/
  2. https://www.invoca.com/blog/voice-search-stats-marketers
  3. https://blu.ai/hubfs/Ebook_Guides/Ebook-Blutag-The-Rise-of-Voice-Commerce-Within-The-Retail-Industry.pdf?hsCtaTracking=41c4af69-b331-4e77-b7bf-7cc208c3beeb%7C8613763f-7413-4510-bfa7-d7488b4482fe
  4. https://www.krishtechnolabs.com/blog/voice-search-in-ecommerce/
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