Industry Trends: Websites - (De)Sign of the Times
A recent article on silicon.com predicts that by 2026, revenue generated from online sales will be higher than mail order, telephone orders, and in-store sales combined. The best vertical to see this shift happening are pizza restaurants who have jumped on the bandwagon well in advance; in fact, Dominoes reported that one-fifth of their pizza sales were ordered online. All this means that a well-designed website is critical since consumers will be presented with more options than before, and thus will be harder to please. Your tired, old site won’t make the cut in 2026.
It makes sense on many levels that consumers are turning to the internet to place orders. First, internet stores are open 24/7 and there are never any lines. Next, consumers are exposed to the entire inventory of items a company has to offer, whereas your local store may be out of stock. Companies also offer the same sales and discounts that they do in their stores on their websites, and some even promote different or extra discounts to customers who have subscribed to their email lists. On top of a weekend sale offering a 15% savings, consumers might also get free shipping for qualifying orders – what’s not to love? Ordering online removes having to deal with less than stellar customer service, and most importantly – it’s quick; just a few clicks and the contents of your shopping cart will be delivered. Those hectic weekend sales can be shopped from the privacy of the consumer’s home which also means that a more relaxed shopper may be inclined to purchase more than originally planned.
How can you capitalize on this trend? Look at your website objectively, as if you were a consumer coming there for the first time. Is your content fresh? Have you had the same old promotions running for years? When was the last time you updated the information section, or added a blog or customer sign-up page? Regularly updated content, new menus and fresh offers give your customers something to keep coming back to visiting. By investing the time to make regular updates your consumer base will be excited to see what’s new, and you’ll be creating a sense of urgency among shoppers – if they don’t buy now or take advantage of a particular offer they may never have the chance again!
More than great web design, your site needs to be able to be easily updated and this means having a smart content management system (CMS). A quality CMS will also allow for greater search engine optimization of your site which means higher organic rankings among your competitors. Further, the latest CMS’ offer solutions which help you to reach your customer base through other means of advertising like email marketing and newsletter distribution.
While internet ordering will never completely replace the need for brick and mortar stores, the shopping habits of your consumers can’t be ignored. Don’t get left behind as your customers, and your competitors, are making changes to keep up with consumer shopping habits. If your site needs a makeover, can you afford to ignore the problems? Taking the time now to examine your site, review your products, and make updates to content and design will push you ahead of your competition – now, in 2026, and beyond.
