As we all know that the ongoing pandemic has impacted business models.  But Artificial Intelligence with its self-teaching and learning algorithms will play an important role in transforming e-commerce businesses in 2021. AI Transforming Ecommerce in 2021 in many ways.

Artificial intelligence has become a part of our daily life. Big Companies such as Amazon, Google, and Microsoft have started to use AI and these companies have grown due to the incorporation of AI for forecasting. Best Information Technology Companies are using AI to adopt changing market conditions and generating profit. We’ve five ways of how Artificial Intelligence is transforming industries in 2021.

Also See: How Artificial Intelligence Could Make Drugs for the Future

AI Transforming Ecommerce

1. Chatbots Use for Better Customer Support

In today’s digital world, there are lots of organizations that use AI-powered chatbots for business communication, especially for customer support and sales. Chatbots are effective to increase customer engagements and help to collect data. Chatbots are helpful to drive business revenues as they bring down operational costs. AI-powered chatbots bring down the need for human intervention, conventional customer support equipment, and floor space. You can easily interact with customers and enable businesses to engage during non-working hours through chatbots.

2. Use of AI-Powered Chips to Boost Performance

Some applications run on AI algorithms such as computer vision, object detection, facial recognition, and Natural Language Process (NLP). AI-powered chips will help to enable these applications to perform much faster.  These chips are used to boost the performance of applications for banking, finance, gaming, healthcare, and manufacturing industries. AI-powered BMW factory in Germany is a popular example of the implementation of AI in an industrial and commercial environment. AI-based software is also used by the automobile factory to check auto parts and perform a complete inspection in milliseconds.

3. Evolution of Data Highways for Startup Sustainability

Data is an important factor in this digital world and the generation of data is growing day by day. In this competitive world, it is necessary to adopt advanced analytics and AI for creating dynamic business models to stay ahead for startups. AI-based systems and solutions will help the start-ups to determine strategic marketing based on customer insights with data mining, implementing predictive analytics, and analytics of business data.

4. Use of AI in Cyber Security

Cyberattacks are happening every day because of easy access to data. Every company wants to secure their organization’s data and information and for this, companies are investing more to improve the cybersecurity infrastructure of the organization. AI will come with advanced predictive algorithms that will give the facility of cybersecurity in organizations. Companies will be able to reduce the response time to threats with the use of incorporating AI in cybersecurity and it will also help to reduce the expense of preventing breaches. AI will also help to protect your organization from cybercrimes by enhancing the cybersecurity measures.

5. AI-Powered Voice-Based Searches

Voice-based searches are the most common example of AI-powered examples that are used in our daily life. Apple’s Siri, Amazon’s Alexa, and Google Assistant are popular examples of AI-powered voice-based applications. These applications have set the benchmark high on how people will look for anything online. In the upcoming time, people will use voice features more than typing.

Some of the top Information Technology Companies are already enjoying the benefits of their early investment in Artificial Intelligence. But many companies are here that have started incorporating AI to utilize the huge amount of data generated each day.

Can u recall the process of searching your favourite TV shows on YouTube? You just type the name and start your search, and once the search starts, you can see a list of all the videos in a row. Here is where API (Application program interface) plays the role of running in the background to find even those videos that have not been famous. API basically acts like a bridge that links two apps for them to interact and exchange data for the user’s benefit.

A lot goes on behind the scenes like the movies that are not directly viewable by the user. But, in case you have to decide to create & implement API to give added benefit to the users, you must know what is happening behind the scenes. What will you use the REST API or GraphQL?

Also See: 5 Ways Technology Can Help Your Business

Though Web API is a trivial and simple-to-use solution that has shown to be a trendy choice for many developers, you still have many factors to consider. How can you tell if it’s the right decision for your specific project requirements? Will the final products meet your requirements?

A better choice for Web API

One must consider four things while choosing Web APIs are Routing, Versioning, Error Handling and Documentation.

What is REST?

REST is an API design architecture for web apps. This represents one of the ways to transmit data over HTTP.

REST has been in existence for years, defining precisely how APIs are going to look and act. It’s a secure, time-tried-and-tested platform. REST’s full form is “Representational State Transfer”, and it comprises a set of guidelines developers stick to as they churn out APIs. In REST APIs, the information that is requested is highly dependent on the query technique. Let’s take an instance here, a rule says that you can get a piece of data if you link it to a specific URL. Here, the URL is the request, whereas the data you get is the response.

PROS of REST

• REST depends on the cache that is developed in HTTP specification. The semantics of obtaining the information you need has already been defined and are easy to follow. GET requests…
  • Can be stored in the cache
  • Can remain in the browser history
  • Can be bookmarked
• REST could also be easily checked with the control from HTTP status code.

CONS of REST

• They deliver only a single-resource fetch.
  • Any request should be connected to the client before creating the answer.
• Implementation is necessary.
  • When using REST APIs, users must manually apply to parse and return reasoning to stipulate the information they need.
  • JSON schemas can be used to show schemas and strong types
  • Query languages such as OData can be used.

To understand better, REST is time-tested and a handy API with remarkable multitasking capabilities, despite that it still requires certified enhancements every now and then to make the most of it.

What is GraphQL?

GraphQL is a query language for APIs that allows fetching explanatory data to provide the client with the power to define exactly the data required from the API, making it easy to develop APIs over time. Facebook developed GraphQL to be able to run queries with existing data. GraphQL can improve RESTful API calls. It also has a declarative approach of procuring and upgrading your data.

GraphQL assists you in uploading data from server to client. It allows programmers to select the types of requests they want to make.

PROS of GraphQL

• Strong data typing, contract-driven by nature.
  • It supports Boolean, String, Int, Float, ID, Scalar, etc., all specified in the Schema.
  • Uses SDL, which is lucrative and beneficial. Because:
    • Fewer errors appear.
    • Has an improved-authenticated integrated development environment (IDE).
    • Streamlines the process through auto-completion.
  • Capable of fetching data in no matter what is the volume.
    • Having strong typing, you get the exact data when it is fetched.
  • This is used specifically for serverless work. Serverless functions do not require the users to worry about subscriptions and works well with a single endpoint.

CONS of GraphQL

• It can be tough to monitor.
• Caching gets very difficult with GraphQL.
• It allows only JSON representation.
• Fewer vendors in the ecosystem while the main one pretends it owns the show
• Stiffer testing makes it more complicated to predict and solve all of the potential problems beforehand.

Currently, GraphQL can be used by teams of all sizes in different languages & environment. Companies that are using it are Facebook, Github, Shopify & Pinterest.

Where GraphQL is better than Rest APIs

When using REST API to retrieve the information, it will always come back with a complete dataset. If you request the data from two objects, it is required to carry out two REST API requests. The main benefit of using the REST API is its easiness because, in REST APIs, there is a single endpoint that focuses on a single task, making it easy to understand and control.

In REST API, extracting information from a specific endpoint, the end result will be that you get a complete data set because you cannot restrict the fields that the REST API returns. This instance is called over fetching. But, while using GraphQL, you can run away from the over fetching. You can request to fetch the exact information you need from multiple objects. Once you familiarize yourself with GraphQL, it is simple and powerful. It enables you to retrieve only the required data, so; allowing you to restrict the amount of processing required.

How is REST better than GraphQL?

REST is a basic industry standard for most of the companies deploying APIs. It provides many great features such as client-server architecture, stateless server, cachability, layered system, load balancer, uniform interface, etc. Here are a few benefits of using REST that also deserve mention.

GraphQL enables you to retrieve the exact information that you want from the server, leading to some security concerns. If a hacker intends to take out a DDoS (Denial-of-service-attack) to an exposed server, all he must do is perform an expensive nested query to overload your server. But with REST this is not the case, giving you a freehand to use separate HTTP calls to extract data.

HTTP caches are being used by contemporary browsers to recognize the means and ensuring no two resources are the same to avoid re-fetching. With GraphQL, there is no method to use a universal identifier as it uses the same URL for all the requests leaving you with no choice but setting up your own cache in GraphQL, which is very tedious at times.

Difference between GraphQL & REST

Closing Note

REST API is a time and tested approach used for developing APIs. This is still not specific and methodical enough. Most of the requests end up recovering either too much or too little information with very fewer statistics on performance. Not only this, developers frequently need to check the status of front-end and back-end, ensuring the data requirements are consistent with.

GraphQL exemplifies an easy approach, but debatably more viable in the long run. If you are developing a small service, REST and its robust typing system will be doing a far better job. Nevertheless, GraphQL and its robust typing familiarize the organization to the code base restricting changes, based on personal development styles making GraphQL more appropriate for large teams and enterprise-level development.

Finally, both approaches are worth considering, leaving the final choice on the scope of the project, team size, and requests received.

With all the websites and software that allow you to create your own graphic design, you are probably thinking that hiring professionals is a futile move. But that’s far from the truth. Not hiring professional graphic designers, most especially for your brand or business, will have its drawback.

Here are the 10 things you would miss out if you don’t get a graphic designer.

1. Professional-Looking Visual Assets

Many entrepreneurs who are just starting their businesses don’t see the value of working on their visual assets, specifically their logo. They do not prioritize it thinking they could just create a better one when their business flourishes. However, that’s one of the common mistakes most people commit.

If you are serious about your brand, invest in a good logo that could last for years. If you keep changing your design, you might lose your loyal customers as they won’t realize it’s the same company.

Also  See: Common logo design mistakes

In addition, lousy designs have a direct impact on how people will perceive your brand. Unprofessional looking ones might send a signal that your business is not to be trusted.

2. Consistent Branding

Another thing you will miss by not hiring a professional graphic designer is consistent branding. Experts know how to expose your brand message to your market using several design elements. It’s not just about offering them images or billboards containing random photos.

And that is why it is important to have a brand kit. This is where you organize your brand identity in one place. It includes the colour palette, the typeface, logos, and even the images to be used. Brand kits are useful, most especially if you are hiring a designer outside of your company. It will serve as their guideline when creating marketing collaterals.

If you don’t have one yet, a professional graphic designer can create it for you.

3. Turn Your Marketing Ideas Into Reality

Most people have brilliant marketing ideas, but only a few can execute them. Hiring a graphic designer will ensure that your ideas will be turned into actual marketing materials. And they will do so with outstanding quality.

It’s not just about putting design elements together. You need technical knowledge and the right software to complete designs.

4. Fresh Ideas and Perspective

The truth is, we are all biassed when it comes to our own ideas. We feel that since we know the business by heart, our ideas will always be the best. But in most cases, we need an outsider’s point of view to see if there are designs that will fit better to our brand.

Professional graphic designers have worked on several projects and have seen what works over the years. Great designers do not just take orders from their clients. Instead, they provide suggestions that could help your brand. And this brings us to the next point.

5. Stand Out From the Competition 

It’s easy to create visuals. But the question is, will it help you stand out in the market? That’s what graphic designers can do. That’s what the Penji team does. They do not just think of your brand, they consider the entire industry and work on designs better than anyone else. You might not be able to do this, considering that you have other responsibilities to work on.

6. Send the Right Message to Your Market

Graphic design is defined as visual content that could help communicate your business. And if you are using the wrong design elements, then it goes without saying that you are sending the wrong messages.

Every shape and every colour could influence your buyer’s behaviour. And graphic designers are well-aware of this. They know which design elements to include in your project and how to use them to your advantage.

This skill is not learned overnight. It takes years to study, and we bet you don’t have the luxury of time to start studying from scratch. Thus, we recommend leaving it to the expert.

7. Generate Profit From Your Website

Graphic design is not just confined to social media posts, posters, brochures, and billboards. In today’s age, your website should be backed up by a graphic designer or a web designer. It’s your representation online, which can be seen by a considerable portion of the market.

And if yours is professionally designed with the right tools that can engage the visitors, you could end up making sales right then and there.

8. Maximize Offline Sales

Good graphic design could also help you with your offline sales. For instance, think about your storefront signage. Having a mundane one or a logo that doesn’t resonate with your offering can make you lose a lot of potential sales. If you don’t get it the first time, you will end up at the bottom of the competition.

Bear in mind that your storefront does not need to be shocking or controversial. Although at some point, that could help. But if you want to send the right message, and to create the right impact, targeting your intended market, hiring a graphic designer should be on top of your list.

9. Save Time For Your Core Job Responsibilities

Outsourcing has become a big hit for a reason. You get to finish projects on time, and you get quality at the same time. And that’s exactly what would happen if you hire a graphic designer. You can let them do the heavy lifting of creating marketing materials, while you focus on working on the more important leg of the business.

You can start networking with potential investors, sell your services or products to end-users, or improve your processes. There are many things to do, and working on your graphic design half-baked will not help your operations grow. We say, leave it to the experts.

10. Save Money

For most, hiring someone for graphic design instead of doing it yourself is just a waste of money. But any wise businessman will tell you otherwise. Having a reliable graphic designer saves you tons of money in the long run. There’s no need to reprint and redo marketing materials, and your logo is set for decades.

In recent years, much has been published about the potential of cloud technologies to become the next great leap in business technologies. Cloud tech has heralded a new age for remote computing and given birth to a whole new side of the computer industry – one that offers truly exciting prospects for companies around the world.

As more businesses continue to move their computing requirements to cloud-based operations, so the scope and range of remote services will continue to diversify. Below is a quick guide to what cloud computing could do for you and how it might just transform your current business model.

What is cloud computing?

The term “cloud computing” refers to the delivery of remotely-based, scalable computer services, typically over the internet. Cloud technology offers remote storage, processing power and applications – all hosted on distant servers. As mobile communication speeds continue to increase – and with the imminent roll-out of 5G networks – it seems likely more and more companies will move their operations online and benefit from the considerable cost savings and powerful service provision offered by cloud tech.

The benefits of moving to the cloud

In essence, there’s nothing much new about the idea of using remotely-located computers – we’ve been doing that for years with web hosting and services like Dropbox. However, what has changed considerably with cloud servers is the idea of hosting apps and software on these computers. By using the cloud, companies can leverage the considerable power and storage capacity offered by remote machines to perform complex tasks that typically couldn’t be done on smaller devices. Moreover, the cloud centralizes a firm’s resources in one place, allowing access by multiple users in multiple locations.

In today’s world, we rely on our devices more than ever and mobile internet access now outstrips that of fixed-line connections. However, there are some major stumbling blocks with mobile computers – namely, processing power and storage capacity. Cloud computing augments the mobile experience by performing tasks and holding files remotely.

Cloud Technology is Transforming Modern Business

Without even realizing it, you probably already make use of cloud tech – examples include Netflix, Spotify, Gmail and Google Photos. In essence, any software that seemingly runs on a local machine – but that is actually processed remotely – relies on the cloud. Benefits include (but are not limited to):

Unlimited storage: As your storage requirements increase, so your space on cloud servers can scale-up to match requirements.

Processing power: Similarly, if you find your processing requirements increase, you will be able to draw on the vast power of remote servers and scale-up accordingly.

Virtual software: So long as they have an internet connection, clients can access software online and perform complex, processor-intensive operations using the power of remote computers.

Secure access, security and protection: Cybercrime is a massive problem these days and poses a significant threat to all companies around the world. By employing cloud-based network protection and systems like SASE, firms can mitigate the potential problems of unwarranted access or compromised data.

A completely scalable solution: No company stands still and a firm’s software and hardware requirements undoubtedly change over time. Rather than constantly trying to stay abreast of new tech or having to upgrade internal servers, with the cloud, companies can request increased service provision in seconds. Likewise, should your needs decrease, your cloud service can be reduced, adapting and scaling as and when you need it.

Reduced hardware and software costs: It’s in the interests of cloud service providers to utilize the best and fastest machines available so cloud companies are constantly upgrading their tech to stay current with modern innovations. Moreover, as resources are shared among multiple users, providers can drastically reduce the costs that companies traditionally would have incurred from having to constantly update or upgrade in-house servers.

Having a beautiful website isn’t enough. The goal is to convince visitors to become customers—the conversion rate matters since it contributes to the business’s increasing profit. Having a winning design for your eCommerce website takes a lot, and it requires a thorough analysis of what people want to see.

Of course, it starts with having a responsive web design. When the website doesn’t evoke a response, it won’t be of any use. Anyone who sees it wouldn’t consider buying. To increase the conversion rate, these tips are useful.

Also See: SEMrush Review 2020: 10x Your Traffic [Step-By-Step Guide]

Winning Design for Your eCommerce Website

The calls to action have to be clear

The call to action dictates what people do next. After they browsed the items and services for sale, the button should indicate “Buy Now” or “Add to Cart.” These are the common actions done to convert visits into sales.

If the information read isn’t sufficient yet, the next button might say “Read More” or “Click here for info.” After going through more detail, the visitor might decide to close the deal. The strategic location of the buttons also matters.  Every landing page needs to have one without necessarily overwhelming the page.

Create a sense of urgency

Another excellent way to increase the conversion rate is by creating a sense of urgency without lying. For instance, if the items for sale are of limited stocks, there should be a banner saying that the stocks will soon run out.

It convinces people to close the deal before someone else does it. Using the word “now” as part of the call to action phrase is also helpful. It indicates urgency and tells people that the best time to take the next step is now.

Eliminate the extra steps to purchase items

Making it difficult to buy the products is a big no. People are always in a hurry. They even decide to go for online stores because they don’t have to drive to a local store. Asking them to take several steps before buying a product will make them feel turned off.

They will close the site and look for another store where they can buy what they want. Eliminate the extra steps needed to buy items. A one-click solution for checking out items would help. Instead of telling potential buyers to add to the cart, they will immediately hit the purchase button and pay.

While doing it, there’s no need to leave the website. The option to save information should be available. For the next purchase, there’s no need to type all the personal and financial details again. It’s time-consuming, and it discourages buyers.

However, the safety of the site remains a priority. No one will save these details if they don’t get an assurance that it won’t leak.

Utilize the green-bar SSL

The green-bar SSL might not mean anything to some people, but it’s important. This bar indicates the reliability of the website. If there are transactions involving the use of online payment accounts and credit cards, some people might be hesitant to pursue them.

However, seeing the green-bar SSL is an indication that the page is safe against hackers. Any information saved on the page won’t get leaked to any other source. There’s a 42% increase in conversion for websites that utilized the green-bar SSL. Given the number of people attempting to steal money from online buyers, receiving an assurance would help a lot.

Provide as many payment options as possible

People want to use their most convenient payment method and not rely on a specific payment mode. If they don’t have the store’s payment mode, they might decide to look for other stores.

It’s a big loss. Imagine if two dozen potential buyers decided to leave the site because they didn’t have the right payment mode. Apart from security, some people don’t want to use credit cards because they don’t have one.

Credit card policies aren’t comfortable for many, and others want to resist the temptation of using it. Besides, it’s easy to consolidate all the payments even if there are several payment methods accepted.

Make vouchers and promotion codes visible to make it a responsive web design

Price is an important factor before people decide to buy an item online. If they think that the products are too expensive, they might decide against buying it. If they see vouchers or promo codes somewhere on the website, they might feel convinced to buy.

They know that the listed amount isn’t necessarily what they’re going to pay. Of course, getting the promotion shouldn’t be difficult, or it will turn them off.

Make the reviews easy to read

Before people decide to buy products, they will check the reviews first. It doesn’t mean that all reviews are trustworthy, but it helps some people to decide if they will pursue the transaction.

They will at least read details not coming from the business, but people who patronized the products and services before. Using the reviews badge and widget makes sense. They display the reviews on the website for everyone to read easily.

Another option is to place some reviews right below the products. Without leaving the page displaying the products, the potential buyers should read some of the reviews available.

Select the pictures well

Avoid using stock images since they don’t convince anyone to buy the products. Instead of getting free photos online, an excellent alternative is to take photos and use them. The key is to take beautiful photos and from the right angle.

These images are enticing. If real people are holding or using these products, it’s even better. They become relatable to potential buyers.

The product descriptions should be concise

The pictures should have descriptions since people won’t rely only on the images seen. They want to read some details about what they’re going to buy to determine if the price is reasonable.

Some people don’t have time to go through a long description. Therefore, a shorter version must be available. It’s part of the responsive web design strategy that can help convince more buyers.

Keep the layout simple

Look at how Apple presents information on its website. The company doesn’t use too many colors or exaggerated fonts. Everything looks clean and simple. Despite that, the pages offer a classy and professional feel.

Apple understands what their target audiences want, and the website is proof of it. Removing unnecessary content would be useful. Not everything that seems appropriate will help increase the conversion rate. Some of them will only crowd the site but have no impact at all.

It takes time for some people to feel convinced that they found the right website to buy the products and services. They have to keep browsing until they get what they want. Having a responsive web design will guarantee that they will eventually buy the products.

Evaluating the response of these visitors is also helpful to improve the website in the future. Besides, a website with fresh content and reliable information will rank higher on search engines.

Working with a company that provides web design services could be a solution to these issues. They know a lot about how web design works and what would be best for the business.