If you're a parent, then you already know.
If you're not, imagine that you're juggling a couple of young children, a laundry list of daily chores, and endless errands - and right in the middle of it all - you realize that you are out of diapers.
There are a few options:
Many baby products and supplies require constant replenishment: diapers, wipes, formula, bath and cleaning essentials, sunscreen, batteries, and many others that parents and caretakers need to repurchase repeatedly.
These consumers are not looking for a new product. They are not browsing to see what's available. They know exactly what they need, and they need it daily, weekly, or monthly.
E-commerce is changing right under our noses. The way that people shop for products is evolving in real-time.
With the rise of smart devices and smart home speakers, more and more people are using voice technology to complete their everyday tasks. This is particularly true for voice-based shopping, which is growing into a massive industry year over year.
In 2020, there were over $22 billion smart home payment transactions. It is predicted that by 2025, voice commerce sales will amount to over $164 billion.
Voice commerce is having a big impact on many industries, and the gap is widening between companies who have adopted this technology and those who haven't.
The ability to shop through voice is becoming an expectation that many customers uphold, and it's becoming more urgent as an increasing amount of people begin to implement this technology into their daily lives. In a recent study, 47% of the respondents have used a voice assistant to make an online purchase, and this number is only expected to increase in the coming years.
This rise in voice commerce revenue is apparent across many industries, but the baby product industry is one niche that has seen considerable growth.
A common use-case for the baby industry is parents who are seeking replenishment on commonly used baby products. When they are running low or running out of a product, using a voice device to reorder that product is a quick and easy method of shopping that is ideal for busy parenthood.
This is particularly convenient for last-minute purchases on products that a parent might have forgotten at the store or maybe don't even have time in their schedule to purchase at the store.
From a brand perspective, this is a beneficial method to encourage higher volume and higher frequency of purchases from their customers, all while helping to make their lives easier.
The baby industry is a $67 billion industry in the US, with $10 billion of purchases happening online.
As more and more online purchases are shifting over to voice-based shopping, companies need to remain competitive in the baby industry by getting ahead of the curve and ensuring that their products are available to customers through this technology.
As some of the world's largest brands continue to drive forward innovation, consumer expectations for an online experience and the Internet of Things (IoT) connected convenience is also rising. Voice technology plays a key role in the evolution of the digital shopping experience, and brands need to ensure that they can stay on the cutting edge.
Particularly with the impact of COVID-19 on retail, online shopping and voice-based commerce have seen a sharp increase in adoption rates, which will indefinitely impact the baby industry in the coming years.
Voice-based shopping is expected to grow by another 9.7% and increase to 122.7 million users by 2021, a clear indicator of the direction of voice-based technology and its growing adoption rates. The heaviest users of voice apps according to a study by PWC are people in the 25-49 category. And, what is the average age of today’s first-time mothers? It’s 26, according to Forbes. BOOM! Voice apps in BABY!
Companies in the baby industry need to be sensitive to this trend and adapt to the new technology to remain relevant and available to their customers.
Learn more about how to delight your customers with convenience in our ebook, The Rise of Voice Commerce Within The Retail Industry.
