In order to stay one step ahead of e-commerce trends and to keep up with customer needs, it is imperative to think about what the future holds. After analyzing some of the most significant moments in e-commerce from 2021, Feedvisor launches an in-depth report of the key predictions in 2022.

Inventory issues are here to stay

Inflation continues to remain one of the many grave concerns in 2022, so there will be more enhanced distribution and fulfillment planning as an industry. The report highlights how consumers are probably already the weight of inflation feeling as the Consumer Price Index has risen 6.8% and is the most significant 12-month increase since the period ending in June 1982.

Amazon has already started packaging and shipping its own containers to better control the complicated shipping journey of online orders; 72% of Amazon packages are shipped by Amazon itself, with a spike of 46.6% in 2019.

Shopping is becoming “always-on”

It has been obvious that the pandemic and lockdown forced a lot of consumers to resort to online shopping, thus bringing unprecedented competition amidst various e-commerce platforms.

Integrating ads and experiences across platforms is what will help organizations make the cut, especially as content and commerce are becoming more infused in the lanes of social.

According to the report, there will be an increased focus on mobile shopping and video with tools to enable customized payment and delivery methods in order to make purchasing more seamless. A greater emphasis has also been placed on reaching consumers throughout the funnel in 2022 to connect with target audiences and outpace competitors vying for the same audience and search terms.

The year of voice shopping, audio, and video ads

Interactive voice shopping is not new and has already been used in smart speakers like Google Echo or Amazon Alexa, but it is gaining momentum as more consumers adopt it. About one in four adults in the US now owns a smart speaker and, according to reports, voice shopping is estimated to hit $40+ billion across the US and UK by 2022.

Marketplaces will keep growing in a post-cookie world

Google is all set to phase out the third-party cookies. While the next phase of a post-cookie world seems like a bit of a scare, it can be used to marketers’ benefit. Feedvisor predicts that a post-cookie world poses no threat to marketplaces, while more retail media offerings will continue to be added, not all will be able to thrive. Choosing the right RMN will depend on brand and audience fit as well as time to understand requirements, KPI’s, and return on investment.

Virtual worlds and crypto payment are on the rise

It’s no secret that the metaverse is tied in with cryptocurrencies. Feedvisor advises marketers to stay alert to continued investments and public acceptance, especially as investments are being made in this new space. This is an opportunity to expand advertising and products to new metaverse mediums. Consumers will now be able to browse and purchase items in a virtual world and have the physical product delivered straight to their door. They will also have the opportunity to buy goods or products with crypto in this virtual space. This is going to be the year we see this space grow.