E-commerce is a must for businesses. Digitization and automation have gradually become the norm for every modern organization. In this blog, you’ll learn how this evolution came about. Finally, we’ll also provide a forecast for the future (2024–2026).
Forecast for 2024–2026: What Can We Expect?
Jammers for 2024–2026
It’s always risky to predict trends that might take off within the next two to five years, but it seems that certain areas—user experience, environmental awareness, and innovation through emerging technologies—will remain top of mind for leading organizations.
Since these organizations have access to predictive data, we will focus on proactive strategies that meet customer needs before buyers start demanding that their expectations be met, and to finally put an end to the cycle in which companies are always just one step behind what their customers actually want.
Annual Trends in E-Commerce
2023: The Year of Technological Innovation in B2B E-Commerce
In 2023, technological innovation will play a crucial role for companies with e-commerce operations. Organizations will increasingly turn to technological solutions—such as artificial intelligence, automation, and the Internet of Things—to optimize their e-commerce processes and make them more efficient.
This can be achieved, for example, through the use of chatbots for customer service, advanced recommendation systems, or the automation of the logistics process. By making smart use of these technologies, companies will be able to reduce costs and gain a competitive advantage.
2022: The Year of Personalization in E-commerce
Personalization is a trend that has been gaining popularity in the e-commerce industry for some time. In 2022, this trend continued to grow. Companies are increasingly using customer data to personalize their offerings and marketing strategies. This can be done, for example, by offering tailored recommendations, personalized discounts, and customizing the website experience to match customer preferences.
With Microsoft Power BI as business intelligence tool You can use all your available data as a guide to make smart decisions in the area of e-commerce, as well as at every other level of your business.
2021: The Year of Accelerated B2B E-Commerce Adoption
Thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, most businesses are already online, but that number will rise even further in 2021. Many businesses have plans to e-commerce platform will implement it or are already implementing it in 2020.
We've summarized the most relevant trends to watch out for in the coming year.
What You Need to Be Prepared For: 3 Key E-Commerce Trends for 2021.
- E-commerce for businesses is becoming inevitable
2021 will give the digital transformation process a huge boost. Many companies say they plan to implement an e-commerce solution in 2021. For companies comparing e-commerce software, the choice will be determined by which solution is ready for 2021 and beyond. Need help figuring out which e-commerce software is the best fit for you?
- API-driven e-commerce is becoming a must-have
An API essentially defines how software should function and communicate with one another. API-driven e-commerce solutions enable companies to innovate more quickly and continue to evolve in response to constantly changing customer needs.
- The Rise of Progressive Web Apps (PWAs)
In 2020, PWAs weren’t quite ready to be considered a trend, but in 2021, PWA technology is ready to be used to build online stores. Statisticians predict that mobile e-commerce sales will account for as much as 73% of global e-commerce sales in 2021. This means you need to be able to offer your customers the same experience regardless of the device they use. The best way to provide visitors with a reliable and enjoyable mobile, tablet, and web experience is to choose an e-commerce platform built with PWA technology.
2020, the year that forced B2B and B2C companies to go online
This year, the entire world was ravaged by the COVID-19 pandemic. Trends took a back seat as priorities shifted for B2B and B2C companies. Everyone tried their hardest to get their entire organization online as quickly and effectively as possible.
More than 75% of B2B buyers and sellers prefer to shop online and interact with sales representatives via online meetings rather than through traditional in-person meetings. That sentiment has only grown stronger during the second lockdown.
The lockdown did, however, accelerate one 2020 trend: personalized online experiences. Companies were forced to move everything online in order to serve their customers as well online as they did in person.
2019, the Year of the Connected Omnichannel
With digitally driven customer preferences serving as a catalyst for further evolution, we ushered in the era of hyper-convenient omnichannel e-commerce. While multichannel experiences had been a topic of discussion for more than six years, 2019 finally marked the beginning of interconnected omnichannel experiences that have been further enhanced by new technologies and automation (in contrast to the disjointed desktop and mobile cross-channel experiences of 2012).
Long-term processes such as order management are being automated. A shift toward the implementation of a B2B marketplace and more flexible trading solutions. Connected digital experiences enhanced with a human touch, through the use of voice-activated search and technology such as virtual assistants.
2018, the Year of Digital-First Commerce
In 2018, we made the transition to digital-first commerce. E-commerce for businesses became a top priority in the B2B world, and online channels were preferred over their offline counterparts. Millennials drove a significant shift toward digitalization in B2B.
Experiences in the B2B e-commerce became more professional, with a specific focus on conversion rate optimization (CRO).
2017, the Year of the User Experience
The majority of companies were aware of the growing impact of e-commerce, but offline channels were still present. They had already developed an online store, were focusing more intently on mobile e-commerce, began to consider the added value of user experience (UX), and started to better assess the impact of personalized e-commerce on businesses.
