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By Ruchi Pardal
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~ 13 minutes to read
~ 13 minutes to read
In today’s world, where the global cost of many everyday items is an issue, spending design is scrutinized. What do clients buy, how would they go about it, and, in particular, for what reason do they invest their energy and cash?
Data and technology are driving this change, providing new opportunities for retailers looking to capitalize on patterns. Online retail sales have accounted for a significant portion of worldwide shopping in recent years.
Retail e-commerce sales worldwide were assessed to be worth 5.2 trillion US dollars in 2021.
This value is expected to increase by 56 percent over the following few years, reaching around 8.1 trillion dollars by 2026.
With that, some of the major topics we will cover in 2025 include:
In 2025, we anticipate a surge in AR apps that allow clients to virtually try on apparel, test out furniture placements in their homes, and even experience things in real time before making a purchase.
This interactive shopping experience not only boosts customer engagement but also reduces the likelihood of returns, which benefits both businesses and consumers. Ignore hazy item photos!
IKEA’s Place app essentially allows you to place furniture in your home, ensuring an ideal fit before purchasing. Virtual display areas and test drives are not too far off, further blurring the lines between online and in-person shopping.
According to Gartner research, by 2025, 60% of large firms will have integrated augmented reality into their e-commerce platforms.
A practical example is IKEA’s Arrange app, which allows customers to virtually arrange furniture in their homes, improving the purchase experience.
Impact: reduced product returns, increased customer confidence, and deep product discovery.
Also Read: Fashion E-commerce Trends 2025
Whether you agree or not, AI is here to stay. It has long been a helpful tool for e-commerce enterprises, but generative AI will bring it into the mainstream in 2023, demonstrating to consumers how powerful it can be.
With artificial intelligence growing more prevalent, it’s easy to see why it’s ranked second for 2025 e-commerce trends.
It is no surprise that 97.2% of organizations are investing in big data and artificial intelligence (AI). Furthermore, 91% of top organizations say they invest in AI regularly and hope to enhance it.
AI can be an effective tool for online shops to:
Example –. An excellent example is Pinterest’s new upgrade to its Chrome extension, allowing users to select an object from any photograph online and then request that they surface comparable products using image recognition software.
Also Read: E-Commerce SEO Trends You Shouldn’t Miss in 2025
Platforms such as Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube are adding seamless shopping functionality, allowing users to discover and buy things immediately from their feeds.
In the United States, 96.9 million people use social media to shop.
And as younger millennials and Generation Z continue to consume the market, that number will only increase.
83% of Generation Z buyers begin their purchase journey on social media.
Live streaming with interactive features, influencer relationships, and shoppable posts blurs the distinction between entertainment and commerce. It results in a dynamic and engaging purchasing experience.
Social commerce is predicted to generate $2.9 trillion by 2026. This means that the time for shops to get social is now.
2025 e-commerce trends integrated with social commerce:
For Example
1: Enable Facebook Pay: Modern buyers want options—9% will abandon their online shopping basket if the retailer does not accept their preferred payment method. For some shoppers, this includes Facebook Pay (also known as Meta Pay).
2: Host Instagram Lives: Every day, over 100 million people watch these native livestreams, with 13% preferring Instagram Live to other social media platforms. Glamnetic, a direct-to-consumer beauty firm, is a merchant that utilizes Instagram Live. It holds live shopping events via the app, allowing customers to engage with the entrepreneur and purchase items on display.
Also Read: E-Commerce Grocery Trends 2025
Due to the rise of fulfillment options such as BOPIS and Same-Day Delivery, as well as Buy Now, Pay Later, one-click checkouts (think Shop Pay), and digital wallets (think Apple Pay, PayPal, Venmo, and others), the checkout process can be overwhelming and time-consuming.
Determine the best method to improve your checkout by testing and optimizing, reviewing website or app data for insights, and even surveying customers. These preferences may differ depending on the brand, product, or consumer segment, so avoid taking a one-size-fits-all strategy!
In a recent Baymard Institute study, 25% of respondents indicated they abandoned their cart because the site required them to form an account. Consider providing context about the benefits of registering an account—storage of information, targeted offers, free shipping—and then delivering on those benefits to build brand loyalty.
Also Read: Jewelry Ecommerce Trends 2025
Customers shop across various channels and touchpoints for any one purchase.
People are researching, comparing, shopping, and seeking support almost anywhere you can think of, from internet shops to third-party markets to social media apps to brick-and-mortar businesses. They anticipate being able to do so with little to no inconvenience.
51% of shoppers make purchases on their phones inside a store.
73% of retail customers shop across several channels, and retailers who employ three or more channels enhance customer engagement by 251% more than single-channel retailers.
Example –
Sephora prioritizes omnichannel personalization, with rich in-app messaging, individualized push notifications, and simple options for customers to schedule in-person consultations.
Its in-store technology is a valuable addition, allowing personnel to access customer preferences and recommend things they would like next.
Its loyalty program also plays a vital role. The efforts are already paying off for Sephora: research indicated that clients who visited the retail website within 24 hours of visiting a store were three times more likely to make a purchase. Orders were 13% higher than for other customers.
2025 e-commerce trends integrated into multichannel experiences:
Sustainability stays at the forefront of consumers’ minds as they witness the effects of climate change firsthand. This tendency will only gain momentum in 2025.
Consumers are becoming more concerned about the environmental impact of their purchases.
E-commerce companies are responding by implementing sustainable practices such as eco-friendly packaging, carbon-neutral shipping alternatives, and product origins and materials transparency.
This shift to sustainability coincides with consumer ideals and provides a competitive edge.
60% of US customers believe that many businesses only claim sustainability.
Consumers are looking for and prioritizing environmentally friendly solutions, and many are even willing to pay a premium for sustainable products and businesses.
Customers believe the most significant sustainable eCommerce practices are:
Sustainable eCommerce is important to consumers.
According to a recent consumer poll, 88% of customers consider sustainability vital in their purchase decisions, and 66% believe it has become more relevant since the COVID-19 pandemic 2020.
For example –
Thousand Fell Shoes is reducing the gap in the footwear market. Their trendy sneakers are manufactured from sustainable materials and are completely recyclable.
When a wearer is finished using their Thousand Fell Shoes, they can return them to be renovated, given to someone in need, or completely discarded. Customers will never have to send another pair of footwear to the landfill again.
Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) has become one of the most effective payment trends in recent years, and its growth is set to continue in 2025.
BNPL allows customers to break down their purchases into smaller, interest-free instalments, making high-value items more accessible.
In fact, the global BNPL market, valued at USD 30.38 billion in 2023, is projected to reach USD 167.58 billion by 2032, with a CAGR of 20.7%.
Image Source: retailer.com
For example:
Platforms like Klarna, Afterpay, and Paypal are continuously using Buy Now, Pay Later services globally.
These companies collaborate with online retailers, enabling customers to complete transactions quickly and confidently.
The e-commerce race is no longer just about products but also about speed.
Today, online shopping brands like Flipkart, and Amazon deliver in less than 24 hours at your doorstep.
Fast delivery is no longer a luxury—it’s an expectation.
Advanced logistics powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI) and automation are changing the supply chain.
Surprisingly, AI in the Logistics and Supply Chain market, valued at USD 4.45 billion in 2023, is expected to reach USD 65.04 billion by 2031, growing at a CAGR of 46.50%.
Nearly 50% of shoppers report that same-day delivery increases their likelihood of shopping online.
Businesses are using drone deliveries, real-time tracking, and hyper-local warehouses to meet these demands.
In fact, The global delivery drones market was valued at USD 530.2 million in 2022 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of 42.6% from 2023 to 2030.
Additionally, predictive shipping—where items are shipped before an order is placed based on data—will become more common.
For example:
Amazon’s Prime Air program uses drones to deliver small packages quickly in less than 30 minutes. These drones are designed to fly autonomously, reducing delivery times.
In Amazon’s advanced fulfilment centres, robots and AI help organize, pick, and pack orders efficiently. This combination of drones and smart warehouses allows Amazon to speed up the entire delivery process.
Content marketing is the backbone of effective e-commerce strategies, driving customer engagement and influencing buying decisions.
eCommerce content marketing has become widely adopted, with 73% of B2B marketers and 70% of B2C marketers incorporating it into their advertising strategies.
Consumers are increasingly seeking detailed and reliable product information before making purchasing decisions. High-quality content builds trust and positions brands as authorities in their niches.
Image Source: Tekshapers
Glossier excels in content marketing by leveraging customer stories and tutorials. Their community-driven approach, where real users demonstrate product benefits, builds trust with potential customers.
A 2023 survey found that 92% of consumers trust recommendations from individuals over branded content.
Additionally, Yotpo reported that 79% of customers are influenced by user-generated content in their purchasing decisions.
Voice search and smart shopping assistants are transforming the way people shop online. With advancements in AI and Natural Language Processing, these tools are becoming more intuitive and effective.
Forbes precisely defines Natural Language Processing as: “A form of Artificial Intelligence that analyzes the human language. It takes many forms, but at its core, the technology helps machines understand, and even communicate with human speech”.
By 2025, voice shopping is expected to account for 15% of all online retail sales. This growth is fueled by the convenience of hands-free shopping, allowing customers to add items to their carts or reorder products effortlessly.
Do you know that the global voice commerce market, valued at USD 42.75 billion in 2023, is expected to grow at a CAGR of 24.6% from 2024 to 2030?
For instance, users can restock groceries or household essentials directly from their connected devices.
For example:
Walmart has integrated voice assistants into its ecosystem, enabling customers to add products to their carts using natural language commands. This feature significantly enhances the efficiency of the shopping process, making it more convenient, especially for busy households.
A report reveals that 23% of global consumers regularly use voice-activated smart assistants to make purchases.
Additionally, 19% have used these assistants to place orders, with a significant portion of these sales originating from younger consumers.
Walmart’s integration with voice assistants allows for a more personalized shopping experience, catering to customers’ preferences and habits, ultimately improving customer satisfaction.
These six trends are simply the tip of the iceberg. As technology advances and consumer expectations rise, e-commerce retail will experience even more dramatic upheavals. The future of e-commerce shopping seems promising for retailers who embrace these developments and adjust their tactics accordingly.
They can design a personalized, engaging, and sustainable purchasing experience that caters to today’s consumers’ ever-changing demands.
As E-commerce retail trends continue to evolve in 2025, the imperative for a robust online presence has never been more crucial. Amidst the myriad strategies available, retail businesses must not overlook the paramount importance of SEO, and in this landscape, opting for pay-for-performance SEO services stands out as a game-changing approach. To truly thrive in the digital marketplace, retail businesses need to focus on SEO and ensure that their investment translates into tangible outcomes.
Additional Read:
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