Ecommerce marketers are bracing themselves for another year of turbulence in the marketplace.

Here are five key trends that will determine what successful ecommerce marketing will look like in 2022.

Change in shopping patterns. Consumers’ buying behavior has changed with the pandemic. BOPIC (buy online, pick up in-store) is seeing a resurgence. Curbside pickup and easy returns are definitely here to stay.

Pure ecommerce players will need to call out shipping deals, shipping delays, and shipping terms and businesses. Ecommerce businesses that also have physical stores will need to continue to add call-outs for curbside pickups and free/easy returns.

High inflation. Inflation is hurting consumers.  Very soon, discretionary spending (such as for apparel) will start to decline. You cannot decide to stop eating, but you can decide to continue wearing those pants just a little bit longer.

There will be a need for an increased focus on-demand activation, targeting consumers with firm buying intent.  Should businesses pass on price increases to their customers?  On this question, I’d recommend they observe their competitors closely.

Changed channel mix. Companies need to find and target buyers where they are – which will often be in front of their connected TVs.

Video creative are more important than ever, so marketers will need to add them to the promotional mix if they have not done so yet.

Continued supply chain disruptions. Businesses will do well to buy enough in order to be able to fulfill demand and not frustrate consumers with long waiting times, but they should not buy too much.The supply chain issues will endure, but worker shortages will be more important than demand.

Convenient shipping options. Consumers have gotten used to a plethora of convenient shipping options and will not want to give that up. Consumers not only want fast and convenient delivery but also easy returns.

Companies will have to continue to invest in convenient shipping and returns. This cost should be embraced as a brand building and differentiating opportunity.

Bottom Line

For those companies agile enough to adapt swiftly to the many changes in the market, the pandemic will end up presenting unimagined opportunities to dominate the marketplace.

For one, BOPIC (buy online, pick up in-store) is seeing a resurgence.