The biggest eCommerce trends of 2022

The eCommerce industry is always growing, but the industry has seen an exponential growth rate since the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, we saw a huge decrease in in-store shopping due to lockdown restrictions, with most consumers opting to fulfil their shopping needs online.
With this, we have also seen a number of trends within the eCommerce (and logistics) industry. In 2022, we saw a growing number of eCommerce trends, and there is little doubt that 2023 will see further trends burgeoning. It is important to take note of these trends to stay ahead of the curve in the world of eCommerce, so let’s take a look at some of the emerging trends.

Of course, the demand for 3PL’s has seen a huge increase, with more people looking to outsource their eCommerce fulfilment and delivery due to the increased popularity of online shopping.

However, an increased demand for 3PL’s means that there is a greater need for eco-friendly practices to be adopted in order to reduce carbon emissions. To put it simply, the planet needs our help, and businesses are now taking the necessary actions needed to become more sustainable.

Consumers are redefining their expectations and values, and are more interested in supporting eco-friendly businesses. When customers purchase from an eco-friendly business, they feel part of the worthwhile cause and their purchases are helping to benefit the environment. Consumers are opting for businesses that use eco-friendly packaging and CO2 neutral shipping.
At this point, not being a sustainable business could be enough to turn customers away. In 2023, we can expect a continuous rise in businesses opting to become sustainable and eco-friendly.

As we already touched upon, customer expectations have increased, not only in terms of sustainability, but in terms of how quickly they receive their order after pressing the ‘confirm purchase’ function.

Customers don’t want to wait long for their orders, especially when major companies like Amazon have set the expectation by offering next day shipping through their Prime feature. A growing number of companies are offering next day shipping and same day dispatch to help meet the new delivery expectations of their consumers, with this giving businesses a competitive advantage if this is something that they can offer.

Almost all social media platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram, have incorporated product marketing and shoppable adverts into their marketing strategies. Approximately, 68% of users claim to have made purchases through social media in 2022, and it is expected that figure will climb to 98% across 2023. You can reach these customers and boost your potential sales by creating a social media presence for your company and using these platforms to sell your items.

With that being said, a greater emphasis on the need to provide engaging product representation has also grown, especially with platforms like TikTok and Instagram. Images of products are no longer enough, consumers want to see products more thoroughly before deciding to make their purchase, giving a product videos, reviews, and interactive material can increase its online marketability.

Customers rely on safe, online payment options like PayPal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and Square. Not only this, but the introduction and usage of ‘pay later’ services such as Klarna and ClearPay have gained popularity by consumers. Customers have gained trust in the quick, convenient and secure checkout processes, rather than giving their credit card information to each unique website they shop from.

Giving customers a variety of payment choices at the point of purchase is a terrific way to prevent sales from falling through and boost conversion rates. Customers want a simple, secure, and speedy checkout process. Your business will be more valuable if there are additional ways to pay.

Internationalisation is one of the main trends in fulfilment. Today, it is entirely profitable for even smaller businesses to access larger markets and sell their goods across borders and in numerous worldwide locations. Wide-ranging web store solutions and, more importantly, globally active fulfilment centres—whose huge logistical networks enable simple cross-border trade—make this possible. Customers are happier with, and comfortable with making purchases from different countries.

When utilised properly, subscriptions can keep customers coming back for more even though switching some services to a subscription model has irked many users and cost some organisations support. For many consumers, investing in convenient, hassle-free solutions for regularly accessible material and goods might be profitable.