industryopinion


The e-commerce trends of 2022


Dom Mernock, a director at Engage, discusses the trends he sees as being


prevalent in the e-commerce world in 2022 and what we might need to expect.


B


ecoming successful at e-commerce can give brands plenty of opportunities to make a significant profit and attract new customers. But with massive businesses like Amazon


triumphing in the space, SMEs need to think outside the box. With global ecommerce exceeding £3.4


trillion in 20211, effective strategy and planning has never been more critical for success online, growing revenue and market share. Goliaths like Amazon continue to invest heavily to keep customers within their funnels and on their platforms, so competition is fiercer now than ever. If brands are to succeed they need to consider the whole journey across multiple touchpoints, and really get under the skin of their customers needs, wants, and feelings.


“Although it’s


early days, we will see the metaverse become


a commerce platform.


Facebook is currently leading the charge, however there are already metaverses out


Collect more first party data We’ve not yet landed in a fully cookie-less world, however we’re starting to see tighter rules around banners thanks to GDPR come into play, leading to a huge drop in the ability to optimise performance and track consumer behaviour. Finding new ways to leverage and grow first party data will be


there, from buying ‘packs’ on Xbox as basic versions of NFTs. Digital assets have value and if brands can adapt and prepare for changes in this emerging technology, there’ll be significant opportunities to open up even more digital sales avenues.”


Product diversification We’ll see continued diversification from brands as they look to build loyalty and ultimately offer ‘more’ for their consumers when coming directly. Brands need to tap into what drives consumer behaviour and deliver an offering over and above this. Tis can appear as anything from unique products and wider ranges, to collaborations with ‘wheelhouse’ brands. Ranges need to be increased and brands


need to drive ‘want’ and ‘need’ from what they’re selling online, otherwise


consumers will have no reason to purchase.


Brands with a purpose Te rise of B-Corps, indie businesses with a core purpose, and major events like COP26 has caused consumers to turn away from global brands like Amazon. Tis has started with Gen Z where 65% of individuals will spend 48% more on an average for products from a purpose-driven business2, but over the next few years we’ll see older generations begin to consider more ethically minded brands. Tis will


ultimately shape consumer behaviour and the e-commerce world.


more of a focus than ever before, and brands should ensure this is considered as part of a wider e-commerce strategy moving into 2022.


A shift towards headless platforms It’s no longer about sprawling e-commerce websites. 2022 will see a greater focus on how quickly and easily


businesses can sell to their consumers across a myriad of platforms. From native shopping with third party apps, for example social


media platforms, to headless e-commerce websites which make transitions super slick and speedy across any platform, there are multiple opportunities for brands.


www.pcr-online.biz


AR /VR and the metaverse We’ve seen significant developments here over the past 12 months, with forced tech advancements and adoption due to Covid-19. Businesses and brands are finding ways for consumers to


experience and understand their products ‘virtually’, which will eventually move to augmented reality (AR) outfitters. Although it’s early days, we will see the metaverse become a


commerce platform. Facebook is currently leading the charge, however there are


already metaverses out there, from buying ‘packs’ on Xbox as basic versions of NFTs. Digital assets have value and if brands can adapt and prepare for changes in this emerging technology, there’ll be significant opportunities to open up even more digital sales avenues.


February 2022 | 21


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