As society moves into a deeper digital era, physical storefronts are becoming something of the past. Many businesses are finding their way into the internet landscape and taking advantage of E-Commerce, and shops continue to pop up daily. There are many reasons for this shift, with one being the fact that online shopping is just… easy. You can do it from anywhere. Another reason is that it provides so much opportunity for store owners, as gaining visibility with the internet is immensely easier than it is with a storefront. Your customer base and opportunity are essentially infinite. 

As the market grows, the revenue from online sales grows with it. E-Commerce is estimated to hit $6.5 trillion by 2023. The COVID-19 pandemic further pushed a massive customer base online and showed physical storefront-oriented businesses the importance of E-Commerce. 

This has produced a wave of E-Commerce trends related to how users shop and what they look for. Because much like fashion or home decorating styles, E-Commerce maintains trend cycles. Let’s look at some of the E-Commerce trends for 2022 that will play into the final sale of a product.

What trends will happen in 2022?

Online shopping trends are always evolving and changing. The trends that arise can come about through social media, pop culture, politics, world events, and more. In 2020 and 2021, COVID-19 had a major influence on E-Commerce as physical businesses were forced to close. This showed many business owners how important the online sphere is, and there was a massive uptick in online shopping over visiting physical storefronts.

As 2022 creeps closer, shop owners can rest assured that the year will be just as exciting as the last two years for E-Commerce. Many trends from 2021 will carry over to the new year and can help create major growth. At the same time, new technology and products will bring a whole new wave of trends and customers.

 

1. Mobile Device Shopping

Ask anyone if they’ve ever shopped for something on their phone, and the answer will very likely be yes. Customers like convenience, and many buyers choose to browse about from their phones. In 2022, mobile sales alone are estimated to reach $3.97 trillion!

As E-Commerce trends move further into the palm of customers’ hands, the mobile shopping experience cannot be ignored. Shop owners must give their website’s mobile view as much attention as desktop to accommodate the rise of mobile device shopping. Nothing ruins sales faster than a poorly designed website. If a shopper cannot find a button or navigate with ease, the sale is over.

 

2. Social Media Shopping

On average, anywhere in the world, the average person spends 1 to nearly 3.5 hours on social media each day. With that much usage, shop owners would be smart to integrate their stores into their apps. 

Many E-Commerce retailers are taking advantage of this, and for good reason. Through targeted ad campaigns, social media influencers, and a multitude of other strategies, online businesses are suddenly able to put their product right in front of the eyes of their perfect customer. This has continued to advance and become more sophisticated.

Now as we start to roll into 2022, we have social media outlets allowing products to be sold directly on the app to accommodate the growth of mobile device shopping. 

Social media hubs like Instagram and Pinterest are changing the online shopping trends. Before, an ad would pull the customer to the E-Commerce website, but now it is all happening in one place. This makes it easier for the customer to make the quick decision to purchase a product.

On Instagram, shop owners can easily link up their Shopify products and allow customers to browse items through their posts or the Shop tab. This tab links up to brand accounts, allowing you to easily shop by store and even save with Instagram-exclusive promotions. Little changes like this can make all of the difference as customers are able to place orders in 2 or 3 clicks

 

3. Camera Shopping

We have already covered the rise in mobile device usage in the online shopping space, but there are many other applications that can be considered when using a hand-held phone. One is shopping with your camera. 

Imagine you are walking down the street and see a bike that you really like but have no clue what to search for to find it online. You take out your phone, open the camera app, and boom, a browser window becomes available with direct links to purchase the bike online.

This type of technology (similar to QR code browsing) is already present, so it is only a matter of time before E-Commerce stores see an uptick in camera-based searches leading to sales.

 

4. Video Shopping

If you use social media, you more than likely have come across video shopping. Like television shopping on channels such as HSN and QVC, video shopping creates a real-life personable experience between the seller and the potential customer. The customers can ask questions about the product, see it being worn or used, etc. This type of experience is becoming increasingly popular throughout the world. Take China for example. In 2020, the country saw 37% of online sales come from video shopping, a trend that brought in $70 billion in sales.

This E-Commerce trend is one that will likely gain heavy traction in 2022 and years to come as users will always be searching for the authentic interaction between seller and buyer they once had with physical businesses.

 

5. Influencer Marketing & Brand Ambassadors

If you have any type of social media account you have likely seen influencers or brand ambassadors sharing products.

Influencer marketing is where a business pays an influencer to advertise and promote their product. This strategy is beneficial to E-Commerce websites as studies show 70% of millennials say they are convinced to buy something based solely on influencer marketing. 

Brand ambassador marking is quite similar to influencer marketing but it doesn’t always involve payment. Often, this type of marketing is more “rep” style, as brands send ambassador clothing or products for free in exchange for content. You can read more about influencers and ambassadors here.

In 2022, expect to see more and more businesses use influencer and ambassador marketing to drive sales. 

The future of Business-to-Business E-Commerce and its trends

Business-to-business (B2B) E-Commerce is nothing new. In the last few years, dropshipping has become increasingly accepted. The dropshipping business model is interesting:

1. A customer places an order
2. The seller forwards the order to the supplier
3. The supplier ships the product to the customer

This method is similar to a physical storefront in that a seller is ordering the product from a wholesaler. However, the seller is not required to hold onto physical inventory because their E-Commerce brand never touches the product. 

Is dropshipping still viable in 2022?

The short answer is yes. While the dropshipping market is saturated, the right product can still bring in massive revenue. It is estimated that 27% of online retailers are now accepting the dropshipping model and see it as profitable. No inventory means less physical costs like warehouses, inventory stock, etc. 2022 will see many businesses switching to this model and that percentage will likely rise quite a bit.

 

So what is the future of B2B E-Commerce trends?

Like regular E-Commerce shopping, business-to-business E-Commerce trends will continue to gain popularity. The B2B E-Commerce space is moving more and more mobile, increasing the importance of a UX/UI experience that is easily navigated and accessed.

As we move into 2022, the call for more refined B2B E-Commerce processes will get louder. Companies like Alibaba, Aliexpress, and Amazon will work to alleviate any concerns that B2B customers may face. Whether it is through better ad campaigns to drive products to potential sellers or creating an easy-to-use application allowing faster shipping times, 2022 will be a great year for improvement in the business-to-business E-Commerce space.

What is the future of E-Commerce?

E-Commerce is going to keep growing more and more. The more digitally-oriented society becomes, the bigger E-Commerce will get in popularity. Companies like Amazon will continue to push for innovation of technology and infrastructure to make shopping easier for its customers, thus creating a standard across the board for E-Commerce trends to follow. At the same time, smaller E-Commerce websites and businesses will continue to find new ways to beat out bigger companies to get their product in front of potential customers.

Online shopping is here to stay and businesses need to be prepared to market and sell to the digital audience.

 

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