Two years ago, only 17.8% of sales were made online; in 2025 the number is expected to reach 24.5%. Currently, the global e-commerce market is worth about $5.5 trillion globally. All those numbers say one thing – e-commerce is the future of shopping, and it’s better to get ready for it sooner rather than later. To kick start, here is our list of top e-commerce trends to keep an eye on.
E-commerce: increasingly popular, despite all
E-commerce started in 1995 with the first-ever Amazon order of a book. Since then, we’ve seen a series of massive changes, which made e-commerce what it is now – one of the hottest and most lucrative areas in business.
In the last two decades, our lives shifted to digital mode, and so did our purchases. Big players such as Amazon and smaller retailers who sell online only, take advantage of it as we speak.
It seemed that COVID-19 or the war in Ukraine and the resulting problems in supply-chain might have made e-commerce slightly weaker. None of this is further from the truth. Online shopping is still flourishing as it offers flexibility and adjusts to changes, always surprising with new solutions.
The most important e-commerce trends to look out for
E-commerce development depends on new technologies and new trends in the IT world. Here are some of the hottest innovations that will shape the future of online shopping:
M-commerce
M-commerce (also known as mobile commerce), including mobile shopping, mobile banking, and mobile payments, allows customers to shop using mobile devices (a smartphone or tablet) anytime and anywhere they want. With the increasing number of mobile users around the world, it is no wonder m-commerce is getting incredibly popular. Statistics say in 2025 mobile retail e-commerce sales are projected to exceed $710 billion.
M-commerce advantages include its convenience, automation, accessibility, and easiness of use. Its main disadvantages are security and safety of data – the main concern for people keen to use m-commerce on daily basis.
Virtual reality
Virtual reality means an immersive visual environment, which allows customers to look at products from different angles, exactly as if they were in an actual shop. It is still a very new technology but is already used in e-commerce for:
- viewing products in 3D,
- trying products on like in real shops,
- allowing customers to visualize products such as furniture in their own interiors,
- making online customers feel as if they were in shops or as if they were taking part in special events.
According to Perkinscoie, virtual reality’s top adoption barriers are poor user experience and the lack of quality content, but given the speed at which new technologies are being developed, it is very likely those barriers will disappear completely within the next few years.
Chatbots
Chatbots – an AI-powered virtual solution used to engage customers – are another big thing when it comes to new technologies and customer experience. They have been around for some time now, and the results are impressive: 23% of customer service companies are currently using AI chatbots and 80% of people have interacted with a chatbot at some point during their customer journey.
The main reasons why customers like them are their accessibility 24 hours a day, easiness of communication, and ability to get an instant response.
Social commerce
Social commerce means promoting online shops on social media. The latest reports indicate that 59.3% of the global population uses some kind of social media. It, therefore, seems only natural this tendency is used by retailers to increase brand awareness, build reputation and relationships with clients, and increase customer retention. What’s more, social commerce allows for selling goods within social media platforms, allowing customers to instantly buy what they are interested in.
The most popular social services are Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok and ads generated there bring tangible results to businesses all over the world. Yet only 26% of companies integrate social media into their business strategy – this trend is also likely to change in the nearest future.
UX
UX, also known as User Experience, is all about the users, their needs, experiences, and behavior. When shopping online, each customer goes through a complicated process and the aim of all e-commerce businesses should be to make this process as easy and pleasant as possible. When creating a website, online shop, or virtual experience, UX designers need to think about a variety of factors, from what convinces people to enter a website to what makes them decide to leave it before concluding their shopping. UX is a trend that is being developed all the time and there is still a lot to be done for owners who want their businesses to be as successful as possible.
BNPL
BNPL, or buy now pay layer, is a scheme that allows users to defer payments for goods. Currently, about 30% of the adult population owns a BNPL account. 75% of them are under 45, showing it is a strong trend that will be growing in the years to come.
Times when e-commerce was just a “nice to have” are long gone – today it’s a necessity if you are willing to be competitive and get new clients. To speak about the ways of making your e-shop a reality and about how to improve your customers’ experience, do get in touch with us.
