Whether an online retailer is also on top of the (virtual) world or is just starting out, they’ve likely got a lot to learn.  And as worlds both physical and virtual move forward, Donna Hoffman of the Sloan Center for Internet Retailing (and UC Riverside) has shared “10 Trends You Can’t Afford to Miss.”

Hoffman spoke at the Shop.org Annual Summit 2007, and asserted that we are now moving into Web 3.0 (from an era generally defined as Web 2.0).  One of the more interesting things she believes will come along with this transition is the concept of “ABBA” - atoms to bits, bits to atoms - as seen in 3D printing.

Consumer-generated media is also likely to become more common, and Hoffman believes this third-party content could have a great effect on reputations and sales.  At the same time, she warned people to stay away from anything identifiable as spam, and to keep an eye out for “brandjacking.”

It might be possible, at least to some degree, to stay ahead of that threat by offering increased amounts of personalization and customization.  These trends are on the rise, anyway, and are a good way for companies to differentiate themselves.

But as all this transpires, Hoffman cautioned listeners to keep an eye out for something very simple: the best channel to reach consumers.

Tags: Shop.org Summit, Online Retail, Trends