Top eCommerce Trends To Watch Out In 2022

No doubt the pandemic caused several industries to rethink their business strategies, but when it comes to the ecommerce sector, it tells a different story. Covid-19 has been a boon for the ecommerce business. In the fourth quarter of 2020, ecommerce accounted for over 21.1% of all retail sales in the United States which was at its peak and 6% higher than that in the beginning of 2019. Likewise, ecommerce sales worldwide surpassed $4.2 trillion, boosting the need for technology-infused automated software and ecommerce managed services among businesses.

In a way, ecommerce is shaping the way people interact and purchase from businesses. Consumers are embracing new means of shopping such as social media. Moreover, companies are reinventing their strategies to adapt to these new mediums.

Online commerce is the future and therefore, businesses need to understand new and emerging ecommerce trends , which we are going to uncover one by one.

1. Direct to Consumer Marketing

With the advancement of ecommerce, firms can now afford to sell directly to customers, eliminating the need for a huge number of resellers and intermediaries. In the ecommerce world, the term used to describe this type of transaction is D2C commerce, or direct-to-consumer commerce.

If we talk about Direct to Consumer (DTC) marketing, it has changed the way buyers shop. The advancement in DTC marketing overtakes traditional DNVB practices because of the increased scalability it offers.

But what is DNVB? DNVB, also known as a digitally native vertical brand, is simply a DTC brand that began online and now manages the full customer journey from factory to consumer.

Manufacturers and big wholesalers have become more focused on this sort of trade because of their direct connections through online retailers. Big companies frequently exit huge trade platforms such as Amazon since they already have their own web store. Nike, for example, has abandoned Amazon and eBay in favor of its own store.

2. The Social Media Plaza

Social media is known for its diversification. From podcasts to YouTube, video content to social media ads, you can leverage this platform to boost your ecommerce sales.

74% of internet shops use social media to market their products to their target audience. Consumers’ interest in social media purchasing is growing: 27% of customers say they'd want to buy things directly on social media if businesses use these platforms to offer their products.

Brands can leverage their Instagram feeds to create end-to-end retail shopping experiences, keep customers informed about products available in shops, or sell things through Livestream.

3. Sustainability

Sustainable brands are gaining popularity among customers. Their message is clear: if firms continue to engage in unsustainable methods, they will face a dark future.

Developing an eco-friendly brand, from green packaging to more eco-friendly delivery, is essential for ecommerce sustainability today. It's not only the correct thing to do for the environment but also a major concern for many customers.

To put it another way, going green might help you grow your market share significantly while also making the world a better place to live.

This trend reveals a shift in consumer environmental sensibility, as well as huge potential for ecommerce firms eager to embrace sustainability.

4. Personalization 

It is critical to be able to tailor the purchasing experience in order to keep customers happy. Customers who purchase online demand assistance in locating items and seek a more personalized experience. Furthermore, shoppers may avoid specific businesses outright due to dangerous product suggestions.

To improve the purchasing experience, ecommerce companies are following the trend of personalizing content and investing in customization tools. One of the ways to do so is sending personalized emails to your prospects. It helps ensure that you are sharing only useful and relevant information with your target market.

Personalized content delivers the greatest shopping experience and enhances the relationship with your clients by providing individualized customer communication, giving relevant discounts, and interacting with customers through videos.

5. Mcommerce – The Rising Future of Ecommerce

Mcommerce or mobile commerce might sound like a fancy term for ecommerce users, but it is the future for not only the world of ecommerce but also marketing. It is geared at mobile consumers; this makes it easier for consumers to purchase things using their smartphones and tablets.

As a result, marketers and developers must traverse this extremely competitive arena. Striving for a simple and engaging buying experience is no longer an option—it's a need.

Between now and 2025, mobile commerce sales in the United States are predicted to more than double. To be competitive, your company must provide an easy and compelling experience for mobile users. A great mobile commerce experience will keep your clients coming back to your business and ensure your sales continue to increase in the years to come.

6. Loyalty Programs for More Impact

Ecommerce loyalty programs are popular because they reward loyal consumers for making repeat purchases. Consumers get cashback, discounts, next-purchase coupons, and freebies, among other things. Companies such as Starbucks can use data from their loyalty programs to better understand their customers' shopping behaviors and provide them with individualized offers based on their purchase histories.

Loyalty marketing can transform new consumers into repeat customers and persuade those repeat buyers to buy more across all channels. Making loyalty reward programs simple to engage in, benefits both companies and customers.

7. Omnichannel Selling for Business Expansion

A report from Sprout Social shows 84.9% of buyers don't start shopping until they've seen the items many times.

Consumers targeted through a single channel have a lower likelihood of engaging with new customers and growing your business. Every business and store should plan to expand their sales channels across numerous marketplaces in 2022.

Online buyers also utilize social media to learn about product features, user feedback, and company reputation. Taking your business to different social media platforms, online sites, marketplaces, and other platforms will help you gain new clients and grow exponentially.

8. Live Streaming Is to Stay

The primary trends predicted to disrupt the shopping experience in 2022 include live video commerce, virtual trial rooms, bespoke lifestyle items, and 3D animation UX interactions.

Influencer or user-generated content would be a major driver of video or content commerce attracting end users. Multiple SAAS businesses will offer solutions to streamline handshakes between brands and influencers in the content acquisition, ingestion, and performance-driven payment areas to boost scalability.

In the consumer internet sector, 3D and animated material has become a UX trend. Many designers and developers used to avoid using animations since they might slow down the website loading speed and use a lot of data. But now, designers will choose to utilize more animations as 5G expands and 4G becomes the standard all across.

9. Augmented Reality for More Satisfactory Customer Experiences

Another ecommerce technique that encourages clients to make a purchase is augmented reality. Companies needed to provide clients with in-store experiences without requiring them to leave their homes during the worldwide lockdown. Users have additional opportunities to browse for new items, compare them, try them on, and make purchases with AR in retail.

Since many business titans are using AR, it's not surprising that it will be a flourishing trend in 2022 and beyond. Let’s take an example of Nike; it has created an augmented reality software that exactly scans the user's feet and displays the shoe size. 

The list is long, and it is possible to see more and more use of AR in the ecommerce industry.

Final Thoughts

The above trends show how the world of ecommerce is continuously changing to accommodate the needs of new customers. Simultaneously, ecommerce companies are turning to advanced technologies to automate marketing, manufacturing, fulfilment, and other aspects of their business operations.

Related : Top 8 Marketing Trends To Watch Out For In 2022