The future of e-commerce is here. New ways of shopping, the rise of social commerce and the use of immersive technologies are just the tip of the iceberg in an industry that is constantly reinventing itself. DTC brands, subscription models, and voice search are just a few of the trends to look forward to in the coming year. Here’s a list of our top e-commerce trends for 2022:
1) The rise of DTC brands
The idea of “direct-to-consumer” sales has been gaining popularity over the years. According to SEM Rush, the monthly volume of keywords associated with this concept went from 880 in 2017 to 4000 in 2021. The DTC establishes a direct relationship with the consumer without the need for intermediaries. This is why big brands are abandoning platforms like Amazon to focus on their own e-commerce sites. Also, as a result of the lockdown, consumers are spending less and less time in physical stores and more time on their devices..
2) Headless e-commerce sites
One of the trends that will gain space during 2022 is the separation of the e-commerce platform from brands’ websites. This means headless or hybrid sites that serve as online storefronts and enable enhanced shopping experiences in which the protagonists are the products and the buyer’s journey.
3) Voice search is implemented in PPC ads
In 2022, mobile commerce is expected to account for almost 60% of e-commerce sales. Mobile devices have become an extension of the consumer and voice searches the easiest way to access products and services. It is predicted that PPC ads will include this type of search taking into account the way consumers use it to determine the keywords associated with the enquires: Consumers usually ask questions in natural language.
4) Immersive technologies as allies of e-commerce
The implementation of Ai in e-commerce sites will stop being a trend to become a common practice. This technology not only allows optimising a website but also helps brands predict purchase patterns and improve consumers’ shopping journey by offering a personalised experience based on their browsing history and preferences.
Likewise, the use of augmented reality in social commerce will permeate the experience on other devices. Using AR means that a user can “view” a product before purchasing it using their smartphone or laptop. In this way, the abandonment of the shopping cart is much lower and the purchase intention will be greater.
5) Growth of subscription models.
Subscription models have proven to be successful online and many brands have found that this format allows them to maintain a loyal customer segment for much longer. As we stated in our article in The Drum: “Subscriptions have proved popular with customers due to their convenience and competitive pricing. For companies, hitting that sweet spot can require hard work and investment, but the payoff can be worth it.”
6) True personalisation
With machine learning and Ai, e-commerce sites can provide each customer with a highly personalised and individualised experience. Take, for example, personalisation platforms like Recommend, which take advantage of AI to improve business performance by making product recommendations based not just on style or preferences but on stock and profit margin for the brand.
7) Machine learning to optimise sales.
The use of machine learning will allow a substantial improvement in the gathering and analysis of data from e-commerce sites. This technology collects, analyses and predicts behaviours in real time that will allow your marketing team to understand what motivates your customers and what are the pain-points for improvement of the online experience offered by your brand.
8) Changes in consumer privacy preferences.
Restrictions on the use of data and the imminent disappearance of third-party cookies (a plan that has been delayed until 2023), has made online advertising and email marketing increasingly challenging for brands. The trend in 2022 and onwards is the search for alternatives to reach the audience including social media and first-party data –information already collected by filling forms or registering in your brand’s website.
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