Remember a time when we were free to easily travel overseas, meet people indoors, and shop without restrictions? It feels like a different world now. And when it comes to ecommerce, it actually was. Current ecommerce trends show that things will never be the same again.
These numbers say it all: at the beginning of 2020, only 31% of people shopped online. By August, 82% said they intended to continue shopping online even when stores reopened.
Or just compare 2019 to 2020, when US consumer online spending skyrocketed from $598.02 billion to $861.12 billion – a 44% increase. Four ecommerce trends of 2021
New and emerging trends are accelerating the future of ecommerce, driving record online sales, and reshaping an entire sector. You can find out more about four keytrends – and how to react to them – in our latest publication: Supercharge your product feeds and drive sales: the ecommerce marketer’s guide for 2021 and beyond.
Ecommerce trend #1
BOPIS unites the best of both worlds
Rather than dying out, brick-and-mortar stores are adapting – and the rise of BOPIS (buy online pickup in-store) is all set to continue in 2021. In August 2020, 43.7% of the 245 retailers in the Digital Commerce 360 Top 500 offered curbside pickup, up from 6.9% at the end of 2019.
Ecommerce trend #2
Social commerce will get more liked
Social channels like Facebook and Snapchat are always adding and improving features that make it easier to discover and buy products. An estimated 8% of all product searches globally now take place on Facebook alone. You’ll find a lot more eye-opening stats in our guide.
Ecommerce trend #3
Sustainable ecommerce is flourishing
Environmentalism continues to be a concern for many consumers. An increasing number of shoppers want to reduce their ecological footprint, limit waste, and choose sustainable purchasing options.
Ecommerce trend #4
The shop local trend will go further
2021 could be a boom time for local businesses as shoppers look for transparent, trustworthy and “home-grown” products or services. 64% of respondents in the UK say they have been shopping closer to home and supporting local businesses.
A change in expectations
The shift to ecommerce will also have an effect on the way you plan business promotions. Traditional calendar milestones are being replaced by fast, flexible promotions that match customer wants and needs. By actively monitoring your channels, you’ll be ready to spot new purchase movements and act when the time is right.
Agile feed management helps you react to these trends
Success depends on getting your products in front of your shoppers at the right time and in the right place. Agile feed management helps you put it into practice by creating perfectly structured product content and optimizing it for thousands of channels quickly, easily, and seamlessly.
Want to know more?
Our new ecommerce marketer’s guide will show you how feed management helps you quickly react to new trends – and make sure you’re ready for what’s next.
