Top 9 eCommerce Trends You Should Know in 2022
Tags: ecommerce, trends, productivity
Published: 2022-04-08 11:17:00

## Overview of eCommerce Trends
The Covid-19 virus has changed everything for eCommerce businesses and the change in consumer behavior will continue to be a factor. According to statistics from the U.S. Department of Commerce, eCommerce trends accounted for more than 21.1 percent of merchandise sales across the U.S. at its peak in the fourth quarter of 2020 as compared to 14.8 percent at the start of the year. Similar increases have occurred across the globe, and it is showing no sign of slowing down.

The flurry of activity around eCommerce has prompted well-known brick-and-mortar retailers to step up their online game, and the increasing competition has brought about some truly revolutionary trends. It's a great moment to participate in the world of online retail sales however, surviving in 2022 requires you to be able to adapt and incorporate some of these new trends in eCommerce.

## Top 9 eCommerce Trends for 2022
Here are a few of the most prominent eCommerce trends that online retailers are expected to adopt in 2022.

## 1. Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL)
In the US the United States, the amount of BNPL users in the US is expected to increase from 45.1 million in 2021, to 76.6 million by 2025.

It is a Buy Now, Pay Later model that lets customers purchase products in installments over time. People often prefer this model over credit card purchases because BNPL agreements usually do not have an interest.

A few popular platforms that support BNPL transactions are Klarna, PayPal, Afterpay, Affirm, and Sezzle. Mastercard is scheduled to join the BNPL marketplace in 2022.

**Retailers are embracing the BNPL model because it has been proven to:**
- Reduces cart abandonment rate
- Increases sales
- Accelerates the checkout process
- Increases the size of order value

## 2. Sustainability
May 20, 2021, Stifel and Morning Consult survey discovered that 71% of US adults between the ages of 18 and 55 are extremely concerned about product sustainability.

Achieving eCommerce trends sustainability means building a brand that supports environmentally-friendly practices, from green packaging to more eco-friendly shipping. It's not only the best thing to do for the environment, however, but it's also an important aspect for many customers. So it could increase your market share and aid in making the planet more sustainable.

## 3. Loyalty Programs
According to a YouGov survey, 68 percent of US adults are loyal to loyalty programs that offer customized offers or discounts according to their past purchases.

People are enthralled by eCommerce trends loyalty programs since they reward loyal customers for their frequent purchases. You can earn rewards such as cash-back discounts, coupons for the next purchase, and even giveaways. In addition, companies such as Starbucks can make use of the data from loyalty programs to analyze their customers' purchasing habits and provide them with exclusive discounts based on their individual purchasing histories.

**The benefits of loyalty programs are:**

- Improves customer retention
- The increase in sales
- Enhances customer experience overall
- Promotion through word-of-mouth sales
- Providing valuable data about consumer behavior

## 4. Rise of B2B eCommerce
96% of Business to Business (B2B) buyers who opted to purchase online during the pandemic stated that they might consider continuing to buy online when everything is back to normal.

A lot of the focus eCommerce has received since the Covid-19 epidemic has **[focused on B2C (B2C) eCommerce](https://www.oneclickitsolution.com/how-much-cost-to-develop-an-ecommerce-app/)**, but it's vital to remember Business-to-Business eCommerce. It also saw a huge boost.

## 5. A steady rise in MCommerce (Mobile Commerce)
In the year 2025 mCommerce is expected to account for more than 10.4 percent of merchandise sales made in the US.

Mobile Commerce (also known as mCommerce) is an abbreviation for eCommerce which is targeted at mobile devices and makes it simpler for customers to buy items from tablets and smartphones.

Many eCommerce businesses are developing mobile-first strategies, as the number of mobile users continues to grow. Peer-to-peer (P2P) payment platforms enable users to conduct business on smartphones. Additionally, text-based (text-based) marketing helps to make it easier to communicate with customers to increase business.

SMS marketing tools such as LiveRecover help you communicate with customers via SMS, giving order details and reducing carts that are abandoned by encouraging customers to return to place orders. LiveRecover is now available for Shopify stores.

## 6. Video Marketing
According to research conducted by Moz the Moz research, 67% of people are influenced by reviews on videos.

Video is the latest trend in the world of eCommerce, with online retailers making use of everything from product information videos, to testimonials on videos within their marketing campaigns. It's logical when you consider it since it eliminates any uncertainty when purchasing a product that you've never had before. It lets you see the product in the action, gain an understanding of its dimensions (which pictures may not convey), and know the way it functions if the item has moving parts. Additionally, many people prefer videos to read the product's descriptions.

**Video marketing messages:**

- Engage with ease and in a dynamic way
- The chance to show genuine reviews from customers and provide social proof
- A lower chance of having to pay for costly returns because customers are aware of what they're purchasing

## 7. Sales within Metaverse and other Gaming Platforms
Facebook has changed its name to its parent company under the title "Meta," and soon it will be launching Metaverse, the Virtual Reality world where users can join to play and compete in games. This is a new and powerful advertising channel for eCommerce businesses.

Facebook launched its brand the brand-new Horizon Worlds platform at the close of 2021. However, it's not yet prepared for advertising or eCommerce sales, they'll be coming very soon!

Brands from around the world like Nike, Gucci, Coca-Cola as well as Vans plan to offer online, brand-named goods to the public. While other gaming platforms will also open their online platforms to sales. For instance, fashion company Balenciaga recently joined forces in a partnership with Epic Games to launch their Fortnight clothing collection. Additionally, Nike recently launched Nikeland on Roblox's gaming platform which allows gamers to purchase virtual Nike equipment to use as their avatars on Roblox.

**The benefits of eCommerce companies making use of virtual words:**
- The possibilities are wide-ranging in this exciting, fresh area
- It is highly visible particularly for reaching younger generations.

## 8. Social Commerce/Influencer Marketing
Social Commerce was responsible for 30 billion dollars worth of revenue in the US in the last year alone.

Social commerce is the process of selling goods directly on platforms on social media. Short videos, paid ads and influencer marketing make purchase decisions on social media platforms like TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and Youtube Shorts.
Shopify along with other online platforms has put in efforts to assist their customers make use of social commerce. Through the partnership with TikTok eCommerce companies who use Shopify can advertise easily through the platform. Its TikTok Ads Manager sits on the Shopify dashboard, which makes it simple to create customized, personalized, and published advertisements for products.

**The benefits of social commerce:**
- Social proof from influencers could help boost sales
- Brands can increase their followers and increase their reach
- Social commerce helps improve brand-to-consumer communications and increases customer satisfaction

## 9. Live Streaming Commerce (Swipe up to Buy Now)
A study from McKinsey estimates that live commerce may make up 10–20 percent of all eCommerce sales by 2026.

Have you ever been browsing through channels on TV at your hotel, only to stumble across the Home Shopping Network? You might have wondered why anyone would purchase a pair of earrings from a stranger watching the TV. Similar to this, something similar is being used to take the eCommerce trends world in a flurry!

Live Streaming Commerce (LSC) is an emerging trend in which companies (or influential influencers who they've hired) use live streaming (i.e. create live-streamed content that their viewers can engage with them) by putting commercial products at the forefront. It's not just about promoting the products by putting an affiliate link within the description. Certain video streaming platforms offer the possibility of purchasing these items directly from the live stream.

Livestream commerce is extremely popular in China and is beginning to gain traction across the U.S. as well. Brands can Livestream their shows on TV or social media channels, on their websites, or even on their mobile application.

## Wrapping Up
Retail sales are among the most enduring business models around the globe, however, eCommerce trends are always changing. Being aware of the most recent trends can keep you ahead of your competitors by incorporating those that are best for your business and brand model. Keep close to your competitors be aware of the innovative strategies they employ to communicate with their customers, and then prioritize those that have the greatest benefit to your profitability.

Do you require a tech partner to integrate these updates? Net Solutions has built and developed several **[eCommerce websites](https://www.oneclickitsolution.com/ecommerce-web-and-app-development-solutions/)** over time, serving anything from small businesses to huge retailers such as Euro Car Parts, 2XU as well as Legend Footwear. Net Solutions has updated its eCommerce software to keep up with its expansion international and helped them adjust to the latest developments in this rapidly changing industry.