Personalization and Globalization Represent the Future of E-Commerce

As online shopping becomes more prevalent, an organization's website is literally its brand. Peer 1's survey of e-commerce decision makers found that 76 percent believe the quality of the user experience on their website directly impacts perceptions of their brand — which is why 29 percent plan to invest in improving the overall user experience on their websites this year. As geographically widespread and diverse audiences visit e-commerce sites, they all expect the same in-store-like experience, and the human element of online shopping really starts coming into focus. No amount of back-end or front-end website optimization can fully address this human element; real success requires knowing your customers and engaging them with attentive support and staff.

It's a global, local world in e-commerce today, and it will only become more so. If it's 3-D printers, the Internet of Things and big data that are key forces today, who knows what's to come. What's certain is that the way we buy and sell things will never be the same again, but that doesn't mean the online shopping experience has to be impersonal. Instead, it should help power the human potential of the internet to create better human interactions and user experiences around the world.

Robert Miggins is the senior vice president of business development at Peer 1 Hosting, a provider of internet hosting services.