eCommerce industry trends have always moved at a mile a minute, and staying ahead has been a major challenge for retailers. The year ahead looks to be no different. Being aware of the trends coming up isn’t enough though; a proactive approach is necessary. While there will almost certainly be new trends emerging that can’t be predicted yet, in this post we’re sharing how you can stay ahead in 2025.
Mobile commerce has been a priority for retailers for almost as long as eCommerce has existed. While most businesses have mobile-responsive websites as standard now, don’t think that it is a one-and-done exercise.
The slightest inconvenience on mobile shopping can result in customers abandoning their baskets. With mobile purchases set to exceed $2.51 trillion in 2025 (accounting for around 59% of all retail eCommerce), ensuring the experience you offer on mobile is as strong as possible must be a priority.
To stay ahead: Improvements to loading times, checkout options, and user experience should continue to be top of mind for retailers. Collect feedback from customers and monitor sentiment in customer comments so that any issues can be swiftly identified and resolved.
Our research shows that customers want a personalised experience when they are shopping online. 23% of people say they feel valued when brands offer them a personalised product or service – so personalisation is key to building your success.
AI-driven recommendations, dynamic pricing, and chatbots are already key tools for many eCommerce businesses. In 2025, AI and how it can help make use of data will allow retailers to gain a deeper understanding of their customers, and to build a strong value exchange that encourages loyalty – ultimately leading to greater success.
AI can support your customer service too. Our research shows that customers expect a reply when they leave a review, which can require a lot of resource if you’re serving large numbers of customers each day. Using AI to reply to customer feedback is just one tool that you can make use of.
To stay ahead: Make sure you’re analysing customer feedback, and use smart tools such as AI Replies, AI Moderation, and Customer Sentiment Analysis to help manage, and get the most value from reviews.
We expect that augmented reality (AR) and spatial commerce will gain more traction in 2025. AR alone is expected to reach $62.3 billion by 2033, since it allows shoppers to be more confident in their purchase decisions – visualising furniture in their home, seeing how clothing looks on their body, and so on.
Spatial commerce integrates technologies like AR, VR, and 3D visualisation to create interactive shopping experiences, enabling users to preview products in real-world settings or virtually try them on. This approach enhances engagement, reduces returns, and personalises the eCommerce experience – which our research shows customers want.
Adopting AR and spatial commerce can create standout experiences that build trust and drive conversions, so your brand stays ahead of your competition.
To stay ahead: Look to your customer feedback or take additional Surveys to find our exactly what your customers need to make their experience better. This will help to determine how quickly you need to adopt this type of technology.
Social commerce has almost certainly been on your radar for some time. Platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook have been offering in-app eCommerce functionality for a long while now – Facebook first launched the buy button to allow purchases without leaving the app in 2014.
By the end of 2025, social commerce is expected to account for 20% of global eCommerce sales. That’s around $700 billion to get your share of.
From influencer collaborations to live shopping events, social media platforms are offering businesses more unique ways to engage audiences and drive sales. Features like in-app checkout and shoppable posts streamline the buying process, reducing friction for consumers.
To stay ahead: Use marketing assets to feature content from your reviews. This can amplify social proof, increasing trust and encouraging conversions within social media platforms. Your social commerce strategy needs to be about more than marketing and treating it as just another sales channel; it needs to be part of a seamless retail experience for your customers, which brings us to our next trend.
Customer centricity has always been essential for successful businesses, and strong omnichannel strategies are key to that. Omnichannel puts customers first, allowing them to interact with brands seamlessly across platforms, whether browsing online, using mobile apps, or visiting stores.
Composable commerce enhances this approach by enabling businesses to adapt quickly through modular solutions tailored to specific needs. This flexibility ensures a more responsive and personalised shopping experience.
Collecting feedback allows businesses to understand their customers better and ensure that their online and offline strategies complement each other.
To stay ahead: Build a carefully considered, fluid omnichannel strategy that is regularly reviewed and incorporates customer feedback will pay off in 2025 and beyond.
Voice-assisted purchases are projected to reach $164 billion in 2025. With more homes than ever using smart speakers and voice assistants, optimising your website for voice search is crucial. As voice commerce becomes more prevalent, businesses that adapt early will position themselves for success in this emerging retail channel.
To stay ahead: Incorporate natural language keywords, clear product descriptions, reviews, and voice-friendly navigation, and integrate customer feedback that can be easily accessed by voice assistants to enhance the voice search experience.
Subscription models aren’t anything new, but many eCommerce businesses have given customers more control over their subscriptions. Offerings such as Amazon Subscribe & Save and Harry’s have shown how customers value convenience, and businesses can capitalise on this desire to help build loyalty and steady revenue.
To stay ahead: Offering subscriptions only makes sense if it is something your customers actually want. Keeping a close eye on customer feedback. Requesting feedback periodically will help you ensure that your subscription is delivering what your customers desire.
As we saw in our Consumer Benchmark report, sustainability is no longer optional for retailers; it’s a key driver of consumer decision-making. Businesses that prioritise eco-friendly practices like green shipping, sustainable packaging, and transparent supply chains are more likely to succeed in 2025.
However, businesses must be careful not to over-state their environmental claims. Consumers are more aware of greenwashing than ever, and even the suggestion that you’ve not been completely honest will reflect badly on your business.
To stay ahead: Customers simply want clarity about your ethics and your sustainability journey. Wherever you are on your sustainability journey, make sure you’re being transparent about it. Don’t be tempted to say you’re doing more than you are. Consumers want to see progress, not perfection. Taking small steps like adding Treefo to your Feefo package to contribute funds to tree planting projects as you collect reviews can be easily implemented.
While there’s no way to know exactly what will happen in 2025, we're certain that businesses will need to remain agile and customer focused.
Get the right tools in place to be able to listen to your customers, and to understand the insights from their feedback. With the right functionality, you can prepare for change as innovation continues to happen, and maintain your delivery of exceptional customer experiences.
If you want bigger returns from collecting customer feedback, get in touch. We’ll show you how to get more from the insights available in verified reviews, and the opportunities you can make use of for success in 2025.