2021 E-commerce Trends to Watch - Consumer shopping behavior changed because of the pandemic-and many of those changes are here to stay - FedEx
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2021 E-commerce Trends to Watch Consumer shopping behavior changed because of the pandemic—and many of those changes are here to stay.
2021 Trends to Watch • E-commerce grows on • Personalization game • Stay-at-home boom • Reimagining returns • Pickups are picking up • The need for speed • Shopping small is big • Sustainability matters
Expect continued
e-commerce growth
The widespread embrace of online
shopping during the pandemic
unexpectedly accelerated e-commerce
growth by almost two years.
53% of North American buyers said
that the pandemic has changed the
way they will shop going forward.
Take Action:
Be prepared for a quick increase in online business—
revisit your operations from website to fulfillment
and consider technology solutions that can help you
handle accelerated growth.
“5 Pandemic Buying Habits That Are Here to Stay—According to Shopify Research,” Shopify Blog, September 10, 2020.
“US forecasting shocks 2020: Ecommerce and overall commerce,” eMarketer, December 27, 2020.
The future of shopping will be personalized
More online shopping means more opportunities to collect first-party data which can
be used to make the entire customer journey more relevant—even after the purchase.
80%
63%
63% of consumers expect 80% of consumers are more likely to
companies to understand their make a purchase from a brand that
unique needs and expectations. provides personalized experiences.
Take Action:
Personalization is not just for drawing customers in to make a
purchase, it should apply to their entire experience including
fulfillment, tracking, unboxing, follow-up, and even returns.
“50 Stats Showing The Power Of Personalization,” Forbes, February 18, 2020. State of the Connected Customer, Salesforce, 2020
The stay-at-home boom
will go on for some
Expect continued growth in specific e-commerce
categories as we keep on working, learning, and
playing at home.
Online Spending
200
180
160
140
120
100
80
60
40 Take Action:
20
Evaluate your inventory and identify
0
products you could creatively position
Electronics Furniture Health & Beauty Food & Beverage
or promote to your customers as
Expected Actual convenience or comfort purchases.
“US forecasting shocks 2020: Ecommerce and overall commerce,” eMarketer, December 27, 2020.
Online retailers will stay focused
$102 BILLION on getting returns right
in goods were returned by shoppers in
Making returns easier is key to creating a frictionless experience for customers.
2020—18% of total online retail sales.
More than 3 out of 4 shoppers who highly rated their
Of consumers surveyed
returns experience with a retailer that was new to them
about returns:
said they'd shop with them again.
Half of all shoppers said they would not buy from a retailer
79% if they had to pay for return shipping.
said “the return process is a
complicated, lengthy hassle.” Take Action:
Be sure your return policy builds shopper confidence. Make the process
easy by including a return label in your original shipment or take
77% advantage of tools like FedEx Returns Technology to create a QR code
label for customers who don’t have a printer. Remember, every return is
an opportunity to create a repeat customer.
said “paying to ship back
returns is a pain point.”
Consumer Returns in the Retail Industry 2020, National Retail Federation, December 2020
FedEx Empathy Tools, December 10, 2020
“16 Ecommerce Experts’ Predictions on How Online Commerce Will Evolve in 2021,” eSeller Cafe, December 29, 2020.
“Most shoppers plan on making a return after the holidays,” Retail Dive, December 21, 2020.
Curbside pickup
and ship-to-store
won’t stop
Shoppers have embraced
these convenient services and
plan to keep using them.
Percentage of buyers using curbside pickup: Because an estimated $25 million goods are lost every day from
40% at the onset of the pandemic for safety. package theft, consumers are opting for in-store pickup, requesting a
38% plan to continue using it for convenience. signature upon delivery, and sending packages to delivery centers.
Percentage of Top 500 North American
e-commerce retailers offering curbside pickup: Take Action:
6.9% in December 2019 43.7% in August 2020 Give your customers more peace of mind—make sure they know
about FedEx Delivery Manager®. It’s free and they’ll get more visibility
Click-and-collect transactions made up and control over when and where their packages get delivered.
$58.52 billion in sales—15.5% over estimates.
“5 Pandemic Buying Habits That Are Here to Stay—According to Shopify Research,” Shopify Blog, September 10, 2020. “US forecasting shocks 2020: Ecommerce and overall commerce,” eMarketer, December 27, 2020.
“Click and collect is gaining momentum amid pandemic,” eMarketer, January 10, 2020 Consumer Returns in the Retail Industry 2020, National Retail Federation, December 2020
Take Action:
Shoppers will always want Evaluate whether your products are shipping
to get it fast at the expected speed or if a different
shipping option might be better. Consider
services like FedEx Home Delivery® to get
Expectations of fast delivery times are highest for your products to your customers every day
of the week. Remember, being transparent
groceries, household supplies, and home office items. about delivery timing works in your favor.
Most consumers who choose free shipping consider delivery in five days to be “fast”
or “acceptable.” However, consumers’ definition of “fast” depends on the category:
Average of all categories: 2.3 Days
1.2 2.2 2.2 2.6 2.8
Days Days Days Days Days
Entertainment/
Groceries Alcohol Home office Home/garden
fitness
“Reconsidering the need for speed,” Pitney Bowes BOXpoll, October 2020.
Digital options
will keep bringing
customers closer
Businesses will continue to use
them for customer loyalty and
acquisition.
14% of all buyers and 27% of buyers
aged 18–35 purchased a digital version
of something that would normally be
done in person.
63% of those who purchased digital
experiences said they did so more
during the pandemic than at the start
of the year.
Virtual experiences
are here to stay
14% of buyers say they will purchase
virtual experiences in the future—the
same as in 2020.
The appetite for virtual experiences is
likely to continue as many consumers
may not feel comfortable returning to
“business as usual,” even as areas slowly
reopen. Take Action:
Think creatively about virtual experiences you
could offer. Anything that resonates with your
customers can help build your brand and every
positive customer interaction boosts loyalty.
“5 Pandemic Buying Habits That Are Here to Stay—According to Shopify Research,”
Shopify Blog, September 10, 2020.Shopping small is getting bigger
Consumers will continue to shop locally and online with small independent businesses.
This trend is not only here to stay, it’s actually picking up
steam.
Take Action:
61% 66% Take advantage of the shop small
movement by showing your support
for small, local businesses in your
community. Consider collaborating on
promotions and shopping events, too.
61% of buyers said they plan to buy 66% said that they learned
You can reach new customers and
from local and independent retailers six about local businesses share the marketing costs.
months from now—significantly more through recommendations
than those who reported doing so in from friends or family.
the first three months of the pandemic.
“5 Pandemic Buying Habits That Are Here to Stay—According to Shopify Research,” Shopify Blog, September 10, 2020.E-commerce is going
Earth-friendly fast.
Sustainable online retailing practices
will become a priority and major
brands have already started.
Over half of U.S. consumers are very concerned about the
environmental impact of packaging.
More online shopping means more cardboard and plastic packaging
waste—and shoppers know it. Take Action:
65% of shoppers want to buy from brands that aim for sustainability. Ask customers to recycle packaging or
suggest creative ways to reuse it. Consider
Consumers are willing to buy more sustainably packaged products— sustainable or multi-use packaging, like the
Legal Size Reusable FedEx® Envelope or
and pay more for them. FedEx® Reusable Sturdy Pak. Remember,
packing materials are in demand due to the
increase in online shopping, so build cost and
“Sustainability in packaging: Inside the minds of US consumers,” McKinsey & Company, October 21, 2020.
time considerations into your business plan.
“The Future of eCommerce: eCommerce Trends to Watch for in 2021,” Core DNA, December 21, 2020.Thank You
For more valuable business insights and tech tips, visit fedex.com/small-business.
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