Social media is used by online stores to boost the reach of their brands.

In addition to being important sales channels, Social media is used by businesses in all sectors to enhance the reach of their brands and provide support to users. According to Tiendanube's 2021 annual e-commerce report, Instagram ranked highly for both content distribution and investment in online advertising campaigns and customer service.

While Instagram ranks first for create and publish content (98,71%), followed by Facebook (78,74%) and WhatsApp (55,64%), the survey showed that online stores are increasingly seeking to diversify their distribution channels.TikTok is, without a doubt, a growing social network, So we suggest you analyze whether your audience is on this channel so you can start investing in the production of these types of videos,” they hinted in the Nubecommerce annual report, produced by the Argentine unicorn, provides statistics, trends and analysis of e-commerce based on data from the 45.000 businesses that use the Tiendanube platform.

Ranking of social networks used to create and publish content.

Among the other channels that were given special emphasis, there is Pinterest: a network that, according to a study by Hootsuite and We Are Social, is used by 48,2% of Argentinians. “This social network can be a great ally in attracting more visits to your website,” Tiendanube emphasized.

Regarding the online advertising campaigns, Instagram Ads (74,68%) and Facebook Ads (60,63%) were the most used tools by respondents. However, it was observed that entrepreneurs also invested in other promising platforms on the market, such as Google Ads (22,92%) or Google Shopping (6,10%).

The most used social networks for advertising.

Regarding the channels for providing customer service, Instagram (87,62%) and WhatsApp (86,32%) were predominant. Despite the relevance of traditional channels such as email and telephone, Online chat is gaining ground. According to Tiendanube, this diversification demonstrates the importance of offering all possible communication channels in order to provide support, answer inquiries, and serve customers.

The predominant channels for providing customer services.

Increased revenue in e-commerce in 2021

“Cloud stores” billed 89% more last year than in 2020 and reached an average ticket per sale of $5.977. They totaled more than 10 million transactions (25% more than in 2020) and registered a total of 38 million products sold.

La E-commerce revenue within the Tiendanube platform reached a total of $61.653 billion in 2021, According to the report, the 47-page study... Data from more than 45 active businesses was analyzed. who use the platform to sell online in the country; and it was also revealed what the Main challenges and trends for this year.

According to the survey, of the total billing, The three categories with the most sales during the last year were: Clothing (44%), Fashion Accessories (11%) and Health and Beauty (8%). “The revelation of the segment is the displacement of Home and Garden and Food and Beverages, which had a greater role during 2020,” mentioned the leading e-commerce platform in Latin America.

“The most chosen products denote a current change that directly impacts consumer preferences when buying” (Franco Radavero)

According to Franco RadaveroAccording to Tiendanube's Country Manager, during the quarantine, people chose products for their homes and prioritized family consumption of essential foods, due to the large amount of time they were spending at home. However, a year later, “with the reduction of restrictions, The most chosen products indicate a change in circumstances. which directly impacts consumer preferences when buying,” he noted.

Trends and challenges for e-commerce this year

Among the main challenges and trends in e-commerce for 2022, Tiendanube emphasized several issues: omnichannel strategies, chatbots, and more. smart lockers and the direct to consumers (D2C).

“Customer preferences rule”: Omnichannel is the strategy by which A brand is present and available to users across multiple platforms and channels.This includes everything from offline and online commerce to sales through social networks or email marketing.

“Instant customer service”: Chatbots or conversational bots are Artificial Intelligence (AI) programs that simulate a dialogue with the customer. One of its main features is proactively initiating the exchange and responding automatically. Optimizing and centralizing multiple points of contact in one place, as well as gaining a deeper understanding of the ideal customer they interact with, are some of its most notable benefits.

Chatbots are Artificial Intelligence (AI) programs that simulate a dialogue with the customer.

“Flexibility to withdraw purchases”:   smart lockers are smart lockers which aim to reduce the number of trips made for home deliveries. According to the report, They are located at strategic points with the aim of concentrating product delivery during extended business hours.

“Without intermediaries or direct to the consumer”: direct Direct-to-consumer (D2C) sales is the model that is becoming increasingly popular. “We are presenting it as a trend for 2022 because, Without a doubt, it will be one of the highlights“,” projected Tiendanube. In the D2C model Manufacturers are the ones who market their products directly to their customers, without intermediaries. One of the most widespread ways is through the use of your own sales website.

In these cases, the brand itself distributes its products directly. One of the main advantages of this model is that there's no need to pay rent for a physical store to start a business and generate sales.

Trends in the world

Among the preferences emerging worldwide, the annual e-commerce report highlighted two trends that are starting to make a strong impact on e-commerce.

1) Cryptocurrencies as a means of payment.

"This is a a digital and global currency that is not regulated by any country or bank. Transactions are validated by users using technologies such as blockchain. As it is a digital medium of exchange, its arrival in e-commerce is only a matter of time,” the report stated.

And then he added: “We will have to analyze during 2022 how much this trend grows globally in order to "Consider including it in your own online store."

Cryptocurrencies are a trend as a means of payment worldwide (REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration).

2) Shoppable TV.

The idea of ​​"shoppable television" is transforming the way we enjoy audiovisual media. "Shoppable TV is a model through which Brands have the opportunity to promote the products that the actors are using in the scenes. Through QR codes that appear on the screen "At certain moments in series or films, users can scan them with their cell phone to buy, for example, the shoes of their favorite character," the report illustrated.

Ultimately, these trends seek so that each user can personalize their shopping experience, according to their needs and preferences so that e-commerce becomes the most attractive option every day.

Argentina, among the countries with the greatest growth potential

“We are watching the evolution of e-commerce with great anticipation for 2022 and the coming years. Latin America is an emerging market that is gaining importance year after year and accelerating its expansion,” Radavero remarked regarding the development of e-commerce.

Finally, he maintained that In the case of Argentina, studies show that it ranks fourth among the countries with the greatest growth potential worldwide. He stated that, for this reason, Tiendanube wants to promote this development "so that more and more SMEs and entrepreneurs can take the leap and take their businesses to the next level."