The 6 Most Significant eCommerce Trends (2025)

The eCommerce industry has become a playground of ingenuity, and in 2025, push those boundaries further.

When we say trends, people usually assume ‘what’s new’.

However, it’s more about redefining how businesses and consumers interact in a rapidly changing world.

Jump to:

How Customer Behavior Will Change in 2025

2025 eCommerce Trends That Will Define Online Shopping

eCommerce Trends: FAQs

Evolving Customer Behavior, Evolving eCommerce Landscape

As eCommerce continues to grow, customer behavior is undergoing significant changes. 

In 2025, several key shifts are expected to reshape how consumers interact with brands online:

1. Dominance of Gen Z Shoppers

Gen Z, the first generation to grow up in a fully digital world, is a major force in eCommerce. 

They spend the most time on platforms like 'TikTok', 'Instagram', and 'Snapchat', where they shop directly through social media. 

Around 60% of Gen Z consumers have made purchases on social platforms, through links shared by influencers rather than traditional advertising.

2. Price Sensitivity and Inflation Impact

As 'inflation' continues to affect global economies, 'price sensitivity' is rising. 

Consumers, particularly in younger age groups, are becoming more careful with their spending, seeking deals, discounts, and 'alternative brands' to save money. 

Research shows that 'private labels' and 'discount products' are gaining popularity as people adjust to rising costs.

3. Increased Focus on Sustainability

Sustainability is becoming a key consideration, especially for 'Gen Z' and 'Millennials', who are more likely to choose products based on a brand's environmental or social practices. 

Around 70% of Gen Z consumers say they are willing to pay a premium for eco-friendly products. 

Brands that emphasize 'ethical sourcing' and 'sustainable manufacturing' will attract this environmentally-conscious demographic.

4. The Need for Instant Gratification

Younger consumers, particularly 'Gen Z', are accustomed to immediate access and expect 'fast delivery'. 

'Same-day shipping' and 'quick customer responses' are becoming standards, driving competition in delivery services. 

Over 50% of consumers now expect to receive their purchases within 24 hours.

5. Increased Influence of User-Generated Content (UGC)

With trust in traditional advertising waning, 'user-generated content' (UGC) has become a powerful tool for eCommerce brands. 

Consumers trust peer reviews, ratings, and social media posts more than paid ads. 

Around 79% of consumers say that UGC influences their purchasing decisions, and integrating UGC into marketing campaigns has become crucial for driving conversions.

Further Reading: 27 Brilliant User-Generated Content Examples (eCommerce)

2025 eCommerce Trends That Will Define Online Shopping

1. Artificial intelligence for more personalized experiences 

When someone says ‘AI’ nowadays, things like ChatGPT, AI images, videos, or audio doing the rounds of social media come to mind. 

Although some brands are using it like that too:

However, when it comes to eCommerce, it’s more about the learning technologies and algorithms that provide the foundation.

Statistics to know:

• AI is expected to be integrated into 84% of eCommerce businesses to enhance personalization, customer service, and operational efficiency​.
• AI tools are projected to increase eCommerce revenue by 20%, especially through personalized recommendations, predictive analytics, and automated customer interactions.
• AI in eCommerce marketing is projected to increase ROI by 25%, enabling more precise targeting, real-time optimization, and the creation of hyper-personalized ads.

eCommerce Trend: How to Incorporate AI  

• Integrate voice search functionality on your website and mobile app for hands-free shopping.
• Use AI algorithms to analyze customer data and deliver personalized product recommendations.
• Implement a visual search that lets customers upload images to find similar products.
• Use AI to assist in troubleshooting, order tracking, and resolving customer inquiries.

Brand Example: Casper

Insomnobot3000 is part of the brand’s community marketing efforts and is designed for insomniacs and people who are struggling to fall asleep. 

The AI bot works on natural language processing to respond in real time with human responses, bedtime stories, meditation, and soothing exercises.

Further Reading: 31 Brilliant Examples of eCommerce Personalization

2. Throwback with Nostalgia marketing 

When Lego collaborated with Nintendo to release Super Mario-themed sets, every 90’s born adult around the world (including this author) rejoiced. 

Why this eCommerce trend works? Nostalgia. 

Nostalgia marketing evokes memories of simpler times, cherished experiences, or iconic pop culture moments.

This helps create a sense of comfort, familiarity, and trust with your eCommerce store.

Statistics to know:

• A significant 92% of consumers find that nostalgia makes advertisements more relatable, enhancing their connection to the brand. 
• Around 80% of Millennials and Gen Z consumers are drawn to brands that evoke nostalgic feelings, indicating a strong preference for marketing that resonates with their past experiences. 
• Research indicates that 9 out of 10 people occasionally think fondly about the past, with 47% doing so frequently. This widespread tendency suggests that nostalgia marketing can effectively appeal to a broad audience. 

How to Incorporate Nostalgia Marketing eCommerce Trend 

• Bring back classic products, packaging, or campaigns that were popular in the past. For example, retro packaging or old logos to create a sense of nostalgia.
• Craft campaigns highlighting past experiences or shared cultural moments your audience relates to. Include references to popular TV shows, music, or trends from specific decades.
• Collaborate with influencers, brands, or franchises that were icons of a certain time period.
• Use vintage-inspired designs, fonts, and visuals in advertising.
• Relaunch discontinued products or classic versions of your current offerings, such as a "throwback flavor" or "classic edition."

Brand example: Urban Outfitters

This eCommerce brand has forever chosen to differentiate itself by bringing back classics, be it their current Vintage-Remade curated collections or back in 2012 when they began selling limited edition Lisa Frank inspired stationery: 

3. Interactive Shopping Experience with Augmented Reality

In October 2023, Google announced that ecommerce beauty brands can now build AR-powered ads.

As an eCommerce trend, it is reshaping how consumers shop online, making the process more personalized, exciting, and informative.

Statistics to know:

• 55% of consumers say AR makes the shopping experience more exciting 
• 40% of consumers say they would pay more for a product they could customize in AR. 

For example, Bloomingdale’s recently sent customers AR-enabled catalogs. 

Once a customer scanned the AR-enabled items, they’d be able to see models walking around in the clothing in real life.

This led to a 38% higher customer engagement rate and a 22% increase in conversions.

How to Incorporate AR eCommerce Trend:

• Run AR-driven social media campaigns where shoppers can engage with branded AR filters or effects.
• Use AR to enable customers to experiment with product designs, colors, and patterns before purchasing.
• Integrate AR tools that use body measurements or shape detection to recommend the perfect size for clothing, shoes, or accessories.
• Offer AR tutorials to help customers set up or use products—for example, an AR guide showing how to assemble furniture or configure a device.
• Add AR elements to user-generated content or reviews, so customers can share their AR experiences with products directly through social media platforms.

Brand example: Fenty Beauty 

Makeup brand Fenty Beauty is well-known for integrating AR capabilities into their shopping experience through virtual try-ons, AR in search ads and enhancing product discovery through AR. 

Further Reading: Simplify online shopping for senior citizens: 16 UX ideas

4. Social commerce for convenient shopping experiences 

What’s one step better than mobile shopping?

Shopping on social media. 

This eCommerce trend involves integrating shopping directly into social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok, enabling mobile shoppers to make purchases seamlessly from within the apps. 

Remember: Social commerce is not just about selling products—it’s about creating a community where discovery and purchase happen in real time, leading to increased engagement and sales​. 

Statistics to know:

• Social commerce sales are expected to reach $6.2 trillion by 2030, as social media platforms increasingly integrate shopping features​
• Shoppable posts and in-app purchases are gaining traction, with 73% of consumers already reporting that social media platforms are a major factor in influencing their purchasing decisions.​
• In 2025, Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok are projected to improve their eCommerce capabilities, incorporating enhanced shopping experiences like live-streaming and influencer-driven product discovery​.
• 55% of Gen Z and 49% of Millennials say they regularly shop through social media platforms, indicating that younger generations are leading the shift toward social commerce.​

How to Incorporate Social Commerce Trend:

• Enable social media users to virtually try products via AR features, improving engagement and conversion rates​.
• Post flash deals and product highlights in Instagram Stories and Facebook Stories to create urgency​.
• Use AI-driven ads on platforms like Facebook and TikTok to target shoppers based on their interests and behaviors​.
• Offer a way for shoppers to switch between social platforms and your store with a unified cart experience.​
• Streamline the shopping process so customers can browse, add to cart, and checkout all within the social media app without leaving the platform.

Brand Example: Sakura

Cosmetics brand Sakura uses various kinds of social commerce methods to engage audiences and sell in the process:

Further Reading: 10 eCommerce brands winning at Social Commerce (+ Lessons we can learn from them)

5. Balance personalization and privacy with first-party data

Personalization remains a key eCommerce trend.

However, privacy concerns are reshaping how businesses approach customer data.

Shoppers are not that keen to ‘accept all cookies’. 

Statistics to know:

• 59% of consumers say that they are more likely to share personal data if they know how it will be used, indicating that trust and transparency are crucial
• 64% of marketers say that first-party data is critical to improving customer experiences and driving sales 87% of consumers say they are concerned about their privacy online. 
• 78% believe that companies should do more to protect their data.

How to Incorporate this eCommerce Trend:

• When shoppers first visit or are about to leave the site, prompt them to enter their email address or subscribe to a newsletter.
• Implement opt-in consent forms during customer sign-up, checkout, or subscription processes, so customers can choose what data they are comfortable sharing.
• When gathering email addresses or using customer browsing history for remarketing, make sure customers have explicitly consented.
• Use surveys to gather information about customers’ needs, preferences, and lifestyle choices, so you can tailor marketing efforts.
• Offer customers incentives to share their preferences and shopping habits in exchange for personalized deals.
• Use purchase data to recommend complementary products or send targeted offers related to the customer’s buying history.

6. Use WhatsApp as part of your eCommerce shopping strategy 

With over 2 billion active users worldwide, eCommerce brands are tapping into Whatsapp’s potential for customer support, marketing automation, order updates, and personalized offers.

Statistics to know:

• WhatsApp messages boast an exceptionally high open rate, with around 98% of messages being read within minutes of delivery, making it an extremely effective tool for immediate communication.
• WhatsApp cart reminders increase the likelihood of recovering lost sales, with some stores seeing up to a 30% recovery rate.
• On average, WhatsApp messages result in 3-4 times more conversions than email.

How to Incorporate this eCommerce Trend:

• Leverage WhatsApp’s payment feature (available in certain regions) to facilitate direct transactions. Alternatively, provide secure payment links through WhatsApp for easy checkout.
• Integrate WhatsApp into your checkout page so customers can ask questions or get assistance during their purchase process.
• Use WhatsApp to keep customers informed about their order status with real-time tracking and delivery updates.
• Use WhatsApp as a personal shopping assistant where customers can ask for product recommendations. Based on their preferences, browsing history, or previous purchases, you can suggest items and even send them images or videos of the products.

Further Reading: 22 (Really Specific) Ways to Reduce Customer Acquisition Cost in eCommerce

eCommerce Trends 2025: FAQs

1. What eCommerce trends will affect my business the most?

In 2025, several key eCommerce trends will significantly impact your business.

With the rise of privacy regulations and the decline of third-party cookies, personalized experiences will rely more heavily on first-party data. This means focusing on building trust and gaining customer consent for data collection. 

AI revolutionizes product recommendations, customer service, and inventory management. 

Chatbots, automated emails, and personalized product suggestions will streamline operations and improve the customer experience, boosting both efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and WhatsApp have become increasingly integral to the shopping experience, so integrating social commerce into your marketing strategy will be crucial. 

2. How is the eCommerce landscape growing?

Mobile Shopping: Mobile commerce is expected to grow significantly as more consumers make purchases through smartphones and tablets. According to a report, mobile commerce will account for over 70% of total eCommerce sales by 2025.

Global Reach and Cross-Border Shopping: With global platforms and improved shipping logistics, more consumers are engaging in cross-border shopping, especially in emerging markets. Businesses will need to optimize their websites for international customers and ensure smooth cross-border payment and shipping options.

Customer Experience: The focus is shifting to enhancing the experience with faster delivery times, personalized interactions, and seamless shopping journeys. This is reflected in the growing importance of user-friendly website design, AR, AI-driven experiences, and real-time customer service.

Sustainability and Ethical Shopping: Environmental concerns are shaping purchasing behavior. There is a growing demand for sustainable products and transparent business practices, meaning businesses will need to show their commitment to ethical sourcing, carbon neutrality, and eco-friendly practices to remain competitive.

Further Reading: International eCommerce Expansion: 15 Commonly-missed Action Items

3. How do I know if my online storefronts are ready for 2025?

To ensure your online store is ready for 2025, consider the following:

Mobile-First Design: Your website should be optimized for mobile devices, as mobile commerce is set to dominate. Ensure that your site is responsive, easy to navigate on small screens, and provides a seamless checkout experience.

Data Privacy and Security: Make sure your store complies with the latest privacy regulations and CCPA. Consider using a customer data platform (CDP) to collect and store first-party data securely, and focus on transparent consent-driven practices.

AI and Automation: Implement AI tools such as chatbots for 24/7 customer service, personalized product options, and automated marketing campaigns. This will help streamline processes, improve efficiency, and enhance the customer experience.

Sustainability Practices: Evaluate and implement more sustainable practices, from eco-friendly packaging to offering carbon-neutral shipping options. Customers are increasingly drawn to businesses with strong environmental commitments.

AR and Social Commerce Integration: Consider adding augmented reality features (e.g., virtual try-ons, and interactive products on your website or app. Also, ensure your store is integrated with social commerce platforms for direct sales on Instagram, TikTok, or WhatsApp.

4. What are the challenges of eCommerce in 2025?

Data Privacy and Security: As more data is collected from customers, ensuring privacy and security becomes paramount. Compliance with global regulations like GDPR will be critical.

Customer Expectations: As eCommerce evolves, customers expect faster shipping, easier returns, and a more personalized shopping experience. Meeting these expectations will require investment in logistics, customer service, and data management.

Competition: With the rise of social commerce and new platforms, competition for consumer attention and dollars will intensify. Brands will need to be creative in their marketing and customer engagement strategies.

Intelligent UX drives eCommerce trends

The truth is great eCommerce UX is the backbone of emerging trends.

And this can offset the usual phenomenon of 98% of eCommerce visitors dropping off without buying anything.

Why: user experience issues that cause friction.

And this is the problem Convertcart solves.

We've helped 500+ eCommerce stores (in the US) improve user experience—and 2X their conversions.

How we can help you:

Our conversion experts can audit your site—identify UX issues, and suggest changes to improve conversions.