Matt here, your resident e-commerce guru at Volusion.

Welcome to two minute Tuesdays, where I give you

two minutes of e-commerce advice to bolster your online success.

It's news to no one that e-commerce continues

to grow at a rapid pace.

In fact, Forrester predicts that online sales

will make up 11% of all retail sales by 2018.

But what's behind all this growth?

Check out these five factors driving the e-commerce boom.

One of the biggest drivers of e-commerce growth

is the rise of mobile commerce.

Reports show that around 50% of web traffic

comes from smartphone and tablet devices.

And thanks to increased comfort from consumers purchasing

via mobile, you'll see mobile commerce continue to shine.

Second on our list is the increase

in what the industry calls Omni-channel capabilities.

For example, the ability to buy online, pickup in store,

or buy online, return in store, makes

it very easy for shoppers to conveniently make purchases

on the web, then take any additional steps

at a physical store location.

The third driver is our newfound on-demand society.

We live in a world where a driver is just seconds away,

groceries can be delivered within an hour,

and you can hire someone to help you

do just about anything online.

This type of instant gratification

can also be seen in e-commerce, where shoppers

want their items purchased and delivered

in a convenient, timely manner.

Fourth up is the increasing need of highly specialized,

or niche, products.

So if you're looking to find that original light

saber from the very first Star Wars movie,

you're unlikely to find that at your local mall.

But online, that's a completely different ballgame.

Thanks to niche e-commerce sites and shopping feed sites,

those hard to find products drive a very important chunk

of online sales.

And last but not least, shoppers continue

to search for the best deals both on and offline.

Do you remember the last time you were in a store

and you went online to find a cheaper price or a coupon?

That behavior is only accelerating,

and e-commerce is the perfect platform

for shoppers to compare prices and save

a few bucks, which leads to even more industry growth.

Now with all of this growth taking place,

it's an exciting time to be in the e-commerce game.

Keep these five drivers in mind to help

frame your e-commerce strategy, and get yourself

a bigger slice of the pie.

Have any questions?

Feel free to drop me a line in the comments below.

From me to you, happy selling.