7 ecommerce trends in 2022

Did you know that 9.1 million Australian households shopped online in the last financial year?

In 2020, people around the country spent $50.46 billion. The final numbers for 2021 are still being tallied but based on indicators such as Black Friday sales growing by 298% year on year, the total is expected to be significantly higher once again.

There is no sign of online shopping slowing down. However, there are a number of ecommerce trends in 2022 that many businesses are preparing for to keep the momentum going. If you're working on your strategy for the new year, here are some things to keep in mind to take your company to the next level.

1- Increase in Voice Shopping

More people around the world are starting to become more comfortable speaking into their phones or asking their Alexa or Google Nest questions. In fact, the voice-assistant device market is projected to reach $US4 billion by 2022.

Voice shopping is forecasted to boom in the year ahead. The market is expecting an increase of 55%, equating to $US40 billion by next year. You can take advantage of this ecommerce trend by ensuring your business ranks for phrases and keywords that are also popular voice queries.

2- Demand for Personalised Experiences

Sadly, you can't please everybody, and thankfully this isn't an ecommerce trend in 2022. However, one of the customer expectations becoming more prominent is providing them with customisation options or personalised experiences.

It could be allowing shoppers to choose their own designs or colours for their products. Alternatively, it's using customer data to provide more effortless and seamless shopping experiences. Whatever you decide to choose to personalise the sales journey, it needs to go beyond a long list of categories.

3- Sustainability to Become More Important

Customers are deciding how to contribute to a more sustainable environment with their wallets. Many ecommerce businesses have already begun transitioning to greener practices, and shoppers have rewarded their efforts. So, you can expect to see it continue in 2022 and beyond.

The changes don't necessarily need to be radical. It might be eliminating unnecessary packaging or using biodegradable materials. Going paperless is also becoming a best practice in the industry. Approximately four out of ten shoppers claim they won't buy from brands that don't demonstrate environmentally friendly techniques. The more emphasis on sustainable practices will see this number increase over the next 12 months.

4- Fast-Tracking the Omnichannel Strategy

One of the best ways to grow your ecommerce business is to start selling your products in multiple places online. It means you can get your items in front of more eyes and broaden your audience in ways that you might not be able to achieve using only one method.

Some of the best ways to expand your reach are utilising social media platforms and other online retailers like Etsy, eBay, and even Amazon, which is who is responsible for generating this trend. More than 50% of units sold on the platform comes from third-party stores. Tapping into this opportunity can open your business to new markets and take it to places you may have never considered before.

5- A Desire for Creative Packaging

It's easy to underestimate how much influence packaging can have on the customer experience and in attracting new people to your ecommerce business. It becomes a fashion trend where shoppers want to be associated with your brand and show off to their neighbours the products they've purchased.

Many popular brands and stores don't ship their products in generic boxes. You want to choose a design that is not only aesthetically pleasing but is associated with your ecommerce store. You also need to make sure it's environmentally friendly and doesn't stand out for the wrong reasons.

Prepare Yourself for Another Record Year

There are no signs of online shopping slowing down. In fact, the ecommerce trends in 2022 are forecasting that businesses will need to continue to evolve to remain front of mind of customers.

Whether it's optimising your keyword strategy to consider voice searches or redesigning the packages you ship products in, the easier you can make it for your customers to do business with you, the more online sales you can expect to see in the year ahead.