It is very popular to come up with a host of predictions at the outset of a new year.

Here are 10 of the best predictions I have found relevant to eCommerce. Some of them have been adapted or inspired by other trends in the Web Industry.

1. Impact from a much feared recession in the US

The fluctuation of the dollar and the state of the economy in the USA will impact online retailers on both sides of the border.
A few trends will be noticeable:

- US citizens will spend more time online searching for the best buys before deciding where to buy (online or in a store)
- an increasing number of Canadians will look into shopping on US online store (shopping sprees across the border have noticeably increased in Q4 2007)
- US websites will be more inclined to having Canadian online storefronts in order to diversify their distribution and adjust their pricing strategy

2. Retailers will look into modernizing their IT infrastructure

An increasing number of retailers will start to understand the benefits of embracing the 2 digit growth eCommerce market segment. As a consequence they will start looking into upgrading their IT infrastructure to implement modern and streamlined software solution in order to delivery multi-channel sales and promotions.

Smaller retailers will struggle with the increasing need to have real-time inventory management systems to be able to compete in the marketplace. Many will have to invest in revamping their enterprise applications as well as their websites.

3. The next most popular eCommerce features on websites

eMarketer.com gives a prevision of the most popular and relevant eCommerce features for 2008:

- Alternative online payment solutions. Retailers will see the value of offering more payment gateway options than just Paypal. New solutions will be made available such as different payment gateways (Google Checkout, Bill me later, etc.) and direct debiting.

- Buy online pick up in store. Multi-channel retailers will see the competitive advantage as well as the promotional benefits of allowing customers to pick up their orders in stores. This will also contribute to maximizing their cross-channel marketing.

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4. Online retailers will spend more on online advertising

Traditional advertising spending is steadily shifting to online advertising spending. Merchants will see more and more see the value of reaching more targeted audiences and being able to professionally measure the effectiveness of online campaigns.
Online marketing tools (online ads, email campaigns, etc.) will be more naturally adopted to expand the reach of cross channel and cross media advertising campaigns.

5. eCommerce still surfing on a 2 digits growth in North America

eCommerce will keep a steady 2 digits increase in revenue in 2008. In uncertain economic times shoppers will want to maximize the value of their spending dollars and use any means to find the best deals. So it is online where, more and more, the shopping experience will begin.

6. 2008 will be all about your brand (again)

How would you choose between 2 retailers who are both listed online with the same product for the same price?

Would you compare them by the way their sites look? Would you test how easy and fast their checkout process is? Would you look at the fine print of their Terms and Conditions?
Or would you be more inclined towards the one with a brand you know and where 3rd party reviews say that they are a good and reliable online merchant?

7. Getting and betting on “cross” and “multi” channel marketing

Small and medium retailers will do very well in leveraging cross-multi channel best practices through actionable strategies. This will enable brick and mortar retailers to minimize the threat of pure online retailers who will keep on emerging in every vertical market.

8. eCommerce will engage in Social Networks

Facebook, YouTube, MySpace, and Bebo are highly popular and almost addictive websites drawing millions of users to their services every day. They have brought forth the concept of social networking by which we are able to build our own community of interests and relationships on these websites.

2008 should see the emergence of best practices that will leverage these social networking websites for online merchants with advertising and branding campaigns targeting social niches.

9. The eCommerce market will experience some consolidation

This a bit far fetched and very speculative but as the revenue growth of eCommerce becomes more and more noticeable, medium and major retailers will see the benefits in acquiring profitable online retailers in order to broaden their online presence and product range.

10. No mass adoption for mobile eCommerce

The iPhone (from Apple) is the first serious attempt to provide an enjoyable surfing experience on the Internet with a mobile device. 2008 should a be very interesting year in terms of seeing a range of new devices competing with the iPhone but unless there is a dramatic change in data plan pricing and a massif adoption of these new generation (and still rather expensive) smart phones there won’t be any mass mobile online shopping.

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