# eCommerce trends
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2022-03-22
Category: BUSINESS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business
Meta Title: Top eCommerce Trends for 2022: Insights from Retail Director
Meta Description: Discover the top eCommerce trends for the year ahead, including brand agnosticism, responsible consumer data collection, personalisation, sustainability, and
URL: https://financedigest.com/ecommerce-trendshtml

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_By_ **_Elissa Quinby,_** _Global Director of Retail Insights,_ [_Quantum Metric_](https://www.quantummetric.com/)

If eCommerce companies and retailers have learned anything in the past two years, it’s that they can no longer rely on the pre-pandemic ways of doing business. Volatility with supply chains and inflation have forced retailers to keep evolving. Here are my eCommerce trends for the year ahead.

# With certain goods, people will become more brand agnostic

With [supply chain](https://www.financedigest.com/2023-supply-chain-trends-for-businesses-to-ensure-a-more-efficient-supply-chain-strategy.html "2023 supply chain trends for businesses to ensure a more efficient supply chain strategy") disruptions making it harder to purchase certain items, customers are less brand loyal. With people waiting months for goods to arrive, consumers will focus less on [brand loyalty](https://www.financedigest.com/bad-interactions-and-unethical-practices-impacting-brand-loyalty.html "Bad interactions and unethical practices impacting brand loyalty") and more on finding the most efficient way to purchase what they need. But rest assured that people will remain loyal to brands as well, especially in categories like toys, [video games](https://www.financedigest.com/ubisoft-shares-slump-20-after-french-video-game-maker-warns-on-revenue.html "Ubisoft shares slump 20% after French video game maker warns on revenue"), and apparel.

# Finding new ways to collect consumer data responsibly will be key

With Google planning to [stop tracking third-party](https://www.quantummetric.com/blog/google-is-eliminating-third-party-cookies/) [cookies](https://www.quantummetric.com/blog/google-is-eliminating-third-party-cookies/) in 2023, brands will be tasked with rethinking their approach to collecting customer data. For retail and eCommerce companies, the [future will involve collecting data in ways](https://www.financedigest.com/5-ways-to-protect-your-wealth-for-future-generations.html "5 Ways to Protect Your Wealth for Future Generations") that provide instant value to the customer. This can be done through gamification and shopping profiles that help personalise their [offerings without compromising consumers’ personal data](https://www.financedigest.com/aon-data-empowers-unica-to-offer-flood-insurance-for-5-2bn-canadian-peril.html "Aon data empowers Unica to offer flood insurance for .2bn Canadian peril").

**Retailers will continue to strive towards one-to-one eCommerce personalisation** When it comes to retail and eCommerce trends, one thing is obvious: businesses must continue [inching towards](https://www.financedigest.com/ftse-100-inches-towards-recent-highs-as-bp-shines.html "FTSE 100 inches towards recent highs as BP shines") one to one personalisation. This means [delivering personalised](https://www.financedigest.com/workday-extends-personalisation-capabilities-to-deliver-a-new-people-experience.html "Workday extends personalisation capabilities to deliver a new people experience") shopping recommendations for each shopper.

To achieve this, brands need to continue aggregating and utilising [first-party customer data](https://www.financedigest.com/investing-in-a-first-party-data-strategy-can-save-the-day-for-retailers.html "Investing in a first-party data strategy can save the day for retailers"). They will need to get better at micro-segmentation, which means understanding what different customers want based on their age, geographic location, and other [important factors](https://www.financedigest.com/4-important-factors-to-consider-when-choosing-an-eb-5-visa-investment-project.html "4 Important Factors to Consider When Choosing an EB-5 Visa Investment Project"). [Testing and optimisation will become even more important as retailers strive towards](https://www.financedigest.com/the-dengue-testing-market-to-show-an-inclination-towards-digitized-innovation.html "The Dengue Testing Market to show an inclination towards digitized innovation") true 1-to-1 personalisation, especially as brands contend with younger shoppers with no brand loyalty.

# People will choose brands that align with their values

Amidst various lockdowns, [consumers have had time](https://www.financedigest.com/adapting-payments-to-reassure-consumers-and-safeguard-profitability-during-times-of-uncertainty.html "Adapting payments to reassure consumers and safeguard profitability during times of uncertainty") to stop, reflect and realise the extent of the damage being caused by wasteful shopping habits. This ever-increasing focus on the environment, combined with the current economic climate, means that many consumers are [moving away](https://www.financedigest.com/exclusive-eu-to-move-away-from-emergency-phase-of-covid-pandemic-document.html "Exclusive-EU to move away from emergency phase of COVID pandemic – document") from unsustainable products.

With growing consumer momentum to embrace circular and sustainable fashion choices, the fashion industry is leading the [way by offering increasingly sustainable](https://www.financedigest.com/5-ways-to-sustain-productivity-when-the-clocks-go-back.html "5 ways to sustain productivity when the clocks go back") choices. A Quantum Metric [survey](https://www.quantummetric.com/news/quantum-metric-consumer-survey-uk-shoppers-set-to-become-frugal-yet-loyal-in-2022/) recently revealed that more than a quarter of UK consumers intend to ‘make do and mend’ in 2022, rather than buying new items.

This year, shoppers, especially GenZers, are [voting with their money](https://www.financedigest.com/how-much-council-tax-train-tickets-and-rent-voted-worst-value-for-money-things-in-the-uk.html "How much!? Council tax, train tickets and rent voted worst value for money things in the UK"). Rather than buying on a whim, this influential [group of consumers wants to support brands](https://www.financedigest.com/tech-amigos-provides-unrivalled-aws-cloud-service-support-for-autorama-groups-leading-brand-vanarama-2.html "Tech Amigos provides unrivalled AWS cloud service support for Autorama Group’s leading brand, Vanarama") that align with their values. To meet this trend, retailers must focus not only on providing high-quality goods at the best [price but also on providing a knockout customer](https://www.financedigest.com/shell-energy-to-pay-for-overcharging-price-cap-customers-ofgem.html "Shell Energy to pay for overcharging price cap customers -Ofgem") experience. Mission-driven [brands with commitments to social issues like sustainability](https://www.financedigest.com/big-brands-set-to-miss-plastic-sustainability-targets.html "Big brands set to miss plastic sustainability targets") will undoubtedly win.

# eCommerce returns process will improve

If there’s one area that [continues to frustrate online](https://www.financedigest.com/adnami-continues-its-european-expansion-by-introducing-new-partnership-with-largest-pan-european-online-car-market-autoscout24.html "Adnami continues its European expansion by introducing new partnership with largest pan-European online car market AutoScout24") shoppers, it’s returns. We can all agree that the [return process can be a nightmare, especially when brands don’t clearly communicate their return policies](https://www.financedigest.com/beijing-nervously-returns-to-work-as-china-doubles-down-on-zero-covid-policy.html "Beijing nervously returns to work as China doubles down on ‘zero-COVID’ policy"). Can you drop the item off in a store, or do you need to ship it back yourself?

As the eCommerce space continues to evolve in 2022 and beyond, retailers will need to [offer super flexible returns](https://www.financedigest.com/bellways-kent-wharf-offers-excellent-returns-for-city-bonuses.html "Bellway’s Kent Wharf Offers Excellent Returns For City Bonuses") policies, with more options and ease.

From [supply chain issues to rising expectations](https://www.financedigest.com/gsk-expects-us-launch-of-rsv-vaccine-with-no-supply-issues.html "GSK expects US launch of RSV vaccine with no supply issues") from consumers, eCommerce has much to contend with this year. However, DTC brands as well as traditional retailers that keep these [trends in mind will be well-positioned to address these challenges to reach new audiences and thrive in the year](https://www.financedigest.com/2022-the-year-future-payment-trends-become-reality.html "2022 – the year ‘future payment trends’ become reality?") ahead.


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