{"id":14197,"date":"2020-12-03T10:00:22","date_gmt":"2020-12-03T10:00:22","guid":{"rendered":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/?p=14197"},"modified":"2025-04-11T02:21:15","modified_gmt":"2025-04-11T01:21:15","slug":"10-ecommerce-trends-that-will-thrive-in-2021","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"\/gb\/en\/blog\/10-ecommerce-trends-that-will-thrive-in-2021\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Ecommerce Trends That Will Thrive in 2021"},"content":{"rendered":"

The past year has seen a massive boost in eCommerce growth. <\/span>Statista reports<\/span><\/a> that eCommerce retail revenues are projected to reach $6.54 trillion in 2022. Online shopping is one of the most popular online activities worldwide.<\/span><\/p>\n

Although shoppers still like to see some products in-person, eCommerce is set to surpass in-store retail sales by almost <\/span>900% in the coming years.<\/span><\/a> New technology is becoming more accessible, allowing brands to create unique, personalised shopping experiences that are convenient for customers.<\/span><\/p>\n

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But eCommerce growth via online storefronts is just part of the trend. Mobile eCommerce sales are also increasing as shoppers use apps and exclusive mobile offers. Let’s review some trends we saw in 2020 and how they’re paving the way for next year.<\/span><\/p>\n

Latest Ecommerce Trends of Note<\/span><\/h2>\n

This year, several unexpected trends cropped up as a result of many businesses having to create an online presence. Some of these businesses are new to the online environment, while others have worked to improve their online store to compete with pre-existing eCommerce brands.<\/span><\/p>\n

Other trends came from the interests of those shopping online, as well as the devices they use. Let’s take a more in-depth look at the significant recent trends in the eCommerce industry.<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Mobile commerce soared.<\/span><\/h3>\n

According to a <\/span>report from Adobe<\/span><\/a>, total online spending in May hit $82.5 billion, which is a 77% increase year-over-year. Mobile commerce grew by 10%.<\/span><\/p>\n

More shoppers regularly use their mobile devices for many tasks, including checking email and paying bills. Using a smartphone to make purchases is getting more comfortable, especially with dedicated apps and \u2018buy now\u2019 buttons on social media platforms.<\/span><\/p>\n

By the end of 2020, <\/span>Insider Intelligence<\/span><\/a> predicts that mobile commerce will reach $284 billion, or 45% of the total U.S. eCommerce market.<\/span><\/p>\n

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As many as 59% of shoppers surveyed by <\/span>Google<\/span><\/a> said that being able to shop on mobile is essential when deciding which brand or retailer to buy from.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to <\/span>Statista<\/span><\/a>, mobile commerce is set to outpace other digital business in 2021.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Chatbots and real-time customer service.<\/span><\/h3>\n

A chatbot is a software that provides help to customers without human assistance. Chatbots<\/a> can complete a text chat conversation on a website, send notifications, and highlight special offers. As many as <\/span>80% of businesses<\/span><\/a> use or are planning to use chatbots.<\/span><\/p>\n

Chatbots appeal to younger shoppers because they often prefer text messaging over email communication and <\/span>phone calls<\/span><\/a>. A chatbot provides direct information for online shoppers who need it. They\u2019re handy for answering basic, repeated questions such as \u2018what\u2019s your return policy?\u2019 and \u2018can you give me a delivery update?\u2019 that might not need a full conversation.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Chatbots also can automate <\/span>customer service<\/a><\/span> and provide it in real-time. This software can help customers find specific products, answer questions or send personalised offers based on their preferences. This is the kind of personalised online shopping experience many customers are looking for.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. BNPL options.<\/span><\/h3>\n

Buy now, pay later (BNPL) is a checkout option that allows shoppers to get the items they want and pay for them later, similar to how a credit card works. A customer has to be approved for a BNPL agreement, and they usually will pay in instalments over a specified period. There is often a service fee (generally between <\/span>2% and 8%<\/span><\/a>) added into the price of the items as well.<\/span><\/p>\n

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This type of financing capability is expanding and looks set to continue doing so. According to <\/span>Mastercard<\/span><\/a>, the market is growing at an annual rate of 20%. A <\/span>report from IBISWorld<\/span><\/a> predicts that the BNPL industry will produce approximately 10% annually to reach $1.1 billion in 2025.<\/span><\/p>\n

A survey from <\/span>PYMNTS and PayPal<\/span><\/a> revealed that 48% of consumers who prefer BNPL options wouldn’t buy from eCommerce stores that did not offer it. Even smaller purchases like high-street fashion, rather than expensive furniture, can take up BNPL offers now.<\/span><\/p>\n

Top Ecommerce Trends That Will Thrive in 2021<\/span><\/h2>\n

The notable eCommerce trends of 2020 will factor into what’s popular in 2021. After all, 2020 was a big year for change in the way people shop and what they shop for. Although online retailers succeeded with traditional retail tactics, other methods of selling are on the rise. Let’s look into the future of eCommerce:<\/span><\/p>\n

1. Omnichannel retail will flourish.<\/span><\/h3>\n

Omnichannel retail is a business model in which all existing sales channels become wholly integrated to offer customers a seamless shopping experience. This type of model sends shoppers on a non-traditional customer journey that may begin with a search engine and go through an online storefront and paid content before making a purchase. It\u2019s no longer enough to have a Shopify store and call it done.<\/span><\/p>\n

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With this approach, all of the efforts \u2014 both organic and paid \u2014 are focused on the customer completing the purchase, no matter how they get there.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

According to <\/span>research from UC Today<\/span><\/a>, consumers go through an average of six touch-points with nearly 50% regularly using more than four before making a purchase. This research also revealed that 9 out of 10 consumers want omnichannel service.<\/span><\/p>\n

For example, when a shopper has interacted with a brand online via chatbot and then is redirected to another agent on the phone, they expect the agent to have access to the previous conversations and be able to continue the interaction seamlessly.<\/span><\/p>\n

The custom furniture company, <\/span>Burrow<\/span><\/a>, went from being a single product, single-channel, single vendor business to a multi-product, multi-channel, multi-vendor enterprise. For it to work, they used BigCommerce as their <\/span>eCommerce platform<\/span><\/a>, which helped integrate all of their channels for a seamless shopping experience.<\/span><\/p>\n

2. Automation enables productivity and growth.<\/span><\/h3>\n

Automation<\/span><\/a> allows tasks to get done without human assistance. This could include anything from scheduling emails in a customer relationship management (CRM) solution, providing data analytics, or leveraging advanced technology to help with hiring.<\/span><\/p>\n

Automation is often discussed in terms of robotics and machine learning. One good indicator of coming trends is funding \u2014 and this one is a winner. In just the last several months, an open-source <\/span>conversational AI platform<\/span><\/a> for chatbots and voice apps received its fourth round of funding, and an <\/span>autonomous forklift developer<\/span><\/a> has raised $15 million.<\/span><\/p>\n

Robotics<\/span><\/h4>\n

Retailers will be able to use robotics to scan SKUs in warehouses and maintain inventory. This will save money and time. According to <\/span>research from ABI Research<\/span><\/a>, more than 50,000 warehouses around the world are expected to include commercial robotics by 2025. This is a dramatic increase from the 4,000 warehouses with commercial robotics in existence in 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n

Many retailers with an online presence use these robots for a range of tasks. There are autonomous mobile robots that can transport inventory to articulated robotic arms that can manipulate items to automated storage and retrieval robots that retrieve items for use.<\/span><\/p>\n

Machine learning and artificial intelligence<\/span><\/h4>\n

Machine learning and AI are significant drivers in the rise of automation. <\/span>Servion<\/span><\/a> predicts that AI will power 95% of all customer interactions by 2025, with consumers expected to prefer interacting with machines over humans.<\/span><\/p>\n

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According to <\/span>IDC<\/span><\/a>, revenue generated by AI hardware, software and services is expected to reach $156.5 billion globally, by the end of 2020. This is a 12% increase from 2019.<\/span><\/p>\n

3. Rapid global eCommerce expansion.<\/span><\/h3>\n

The <\/span>eCommerce<\/span><\/a> portion of retail sales <\/span>worldwide<\/span><\/a> has been on the rise for at least the past five years and is expected to continue.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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McKinsey data<\/span><\/a> shows that consumer optimism has decreased in most countries, because of the coronavirus. But the pandemic was also the driver in the acceleration of eCommerce, as many consumers could avoid brick-and-mortar stores by placing orders for essential items.<\/span><\/p>\n

This creates an opportunity to expand sales to other countries where e-commerce rates were once low.<\/span><\/p>\n

The same report found the countries with a higher intent to shift to online shopping include the U.S., India, South Korea, and Japan. While <\/span>Australia has lagged <\/a><\/span>in e-commerce adoption, COVID-19 has led to accelerated shifts in shopping for non-basics on websites they haven\u2019t used before.<\/span><\/p>\n

With so many global e-commerce stores, like Amazon, competition can be fierce. Brands will have to do their research into whether or not an international expansion makes sense for their business. Some things to consider:<\/span><\/p>\n