6 E-commerce Trends You Must Know for 2024

Our guide is your secret weapon to master the e-commerce trends of 2024 ensuring you reach potential customers and dominate search engine results.

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This isn't just about keeping pace. It's about outshining your rivals and staying ahead of the game, mastering the rapidly evolving trends of the digital marketplace. 

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Dive into these top 6 trends that are shaping the future of online retail and discover how to make your brand a standout player.

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1. Shopify Collective: Revolutionising e-commerce collaboration 👥

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Shopify introduced a groundbreaking feature in summer 2023: Shopify Collective. By enabling different Shopify stores to mutually sell each other's products, it simplifies inventory management and shipping, while also significantly boosting cross-selling opportunities and order values. 

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Retailers can expect a substantial profit increase, with margins ranging between 20% and 40%. This feature not only paves the way for novel e-commerce partnerships and product bundling strategies but also marks a revolution in the use of cross-selling within Shopify's ecosystem. 

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Currently available in the United States, the anticipation for its expansion into Europe is high. The Shopify Collective's introduction to European markets promises to empower brands with enhanced sales strategies and broader market reach.

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1.1 3 amazing results of brands using Shopify Collective

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1.1.1  Drake Related uses Shopify Collective 🌟 

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Drake Related, the official merch website was revamped in July 2023 using Shopify Collective.

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It allows fans to navigate through a digital version of Drake's Toronto mansion to shop for exclusive products, from a $3,000 robe to a $69 Hotline Bling pool float.

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1.1.2 Ten Thousand's remarkable 46% increase in AOV 🌟

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In just one week, Ten Thousand and GORUCK were able to share products, manage stock, and process orders and payments together. Impressively, 16% of their sales were attributed to entirely new customers, a testament to the effectiveness of Shopify Collective.

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This collaboration was driven by the need for a seamless co-branding solution.

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James Schweitzer, an e-commerce specialist at Ten Thousand, highlighted: “We needed a way to sell co-branded products that was easy and user friendly, didn’t require loads of dev hours and synced in real-time.”

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1.1.3 Lalo's impressive 16% sales increase 🌟

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Lalo, an American brand known for its modern baby and toddler products, embraced Shopify Collective to form a partnership with PlanToys, a sustainable wooden toy brand.

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This collaboration was strategically simple yet impactful: Lalo chose the products and set their prices to begin selling PlanToys items directly on their website.

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The results were significant: Lalo's sales increased by 16% when customers added Shopify Collective products to their purchases. 

Notably, this growth was achieved without incurring extra customer acquisition costs.

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Michael Wieder, co-founder of Lalo praised Shopify Collective, noting how it “offers an easy, low-risk way to generate additional revenue while adding more value to your customers, and removing operational risk. It’s the ultimate win-win!”

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2. Immersive marketing experiences: Engaging customers like never before  

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Immersive marketing experiences are becoming increasingly popular among e-commerce brands. 

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These experiences use technology to create a more engaging and memorable shopping experience. 

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2.1 Santa Maria Novella and the digital revolution in historic branding

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What do a magical house-elf like Dobby and the latest marketing campaign from the historic Italian brand Santa Maria Novella have in common? Surprisingly, they both owe their recent appearances to the wonders of the digital world – they're both computer-generated creations!
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Santa Maria Novella, a luxury brand steeped in history, is renowned for its exquisite fragrances and apothecary products. Founded by Dominican monks in Florence back in 1221, this brand has been a witness to centuries of change, from the Renaissance era to the digital age of TikTok. 

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2022 marked a milestone for the brand with the debut of L’Iris, its first eau de parfum in 800 years, followed by a bold venture in April 2023 with the new Acqua Di Rose cosmetic line. 

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Embracing a fresh marketing direction, the brand used computer-generated imagery (CGI) to give a digital update to its classic products, captivating both loyal and new-generation customers.

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2.2 The CGI video marketing rise

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Across the globe, more brands are adopting CGI to create virtual worlds and products. 

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These computer-generated visuals are gaining popularity on social networks, blending digital artistry with marketing.

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2.2.1 Spotlight on Notable CGI Campaigns:

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L’Oréal Paris

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They launched a CGI campaign for its new liquid lipstick in September 2023, featuring an oversized lipstick product transported on a Citroën 2CV.‍

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Penhaligon’s‍

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They released its “Go Big or Go Home” campaign to promote its “Potions and Remedies” collection, using larger-than-life CGI perfume bottles.

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Lounge Underwear‍

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They celebrated their new London store opening with the eye-catching 'The Boob' campaign.

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2.3 Navigating the CGI era

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As the line between reality and virtual becomes blurred, brands face new challenges. 

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Jared Watson from NYU highlights the depth of emotion that real-life experiences bring, something digital campaigns often struggle to replicate. In an era of misinformation, the use of CGI demands careful balance and clarity to maintain consumer trust.

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Keep in mind that while CGI offers a new world of creativity for brands, maintaining transparency is key to preserving authenticity and consumer trust.

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3. Emotion User Generated Content (UGC): A new approach to brand storytelling

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Emotion-driven UGC is another trend gaining traction. Brands are increasingly recognising the value of authentic customer experiences and are using these stories to enhance their brand narrative.

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3.1 McDonald’s “Second of Happiness” marketing campaign

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McDonald's innovative “Second of Happiness” campaign took a unique, authentic approach by capturing real customer reactions to home deliveries, recorded discreetly by the McDelivery Crew. 

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This strategy highlighted the spontaneous joy of McDonald's delivery experience, embodying the brand's essence of 'happy chaos' – the excitement at the arrival of a meal. 

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This focus on genuine human emotion over polished content resonated strongly with consumers, resulting in a 20% increase in home delivery orders. 

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The campaign's success underscored the effectiveness of marketing that prioritises real, emotional experiences over staged ones, creating a deeper connection with customers.

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4. The evolution of the “Add to Cart'' button: The perfect doesn’t exis… 

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The conventional “Add to Cart” button is undergoing a transformation, becoming a key element of the customer’s online shopping journey.

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4.1 Innovating the shopping experience

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Innovative approaches to this feature, like Dr. Ali Abdaal's “Feel-Good Productivity” landing page, exemplify how small changes can significantly enhance the user experience. This particular landing page, created on Webflow, introduces a playful, intuitive twist by allowing users to press a keyboard shortcut to add products to their cart, enhancing engagement and memorability.

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4.2 Why user experience matters

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Such innovations underline the importance of the user experience in e-commerce. A unique and engaging user interface can significantly improve customer satisfaction and conversion rates.

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5. The key to winning Gen Z: Double-duty products

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The Gen-Z generation is reshaping the beauty industry with their affinity for minimalist, multipurpose products. Embracing a “less is more” philosophy, this demographic is drawn to items that streamline and declutter their lives, aligning with their values of sustainability, versatility, and efficiency.

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Leading the Way: ILIA Beauty and Glossier, Inc.

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Brands like ILIA Beauty and Glossier, Inc. are at the forefront of this trend. Products such as ILIA Beauty's multipurpose stick and Glossier's Cloud Paint embody this shift, offering benefits like skin hydration and natural finishes in a single, efficient product.

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6. Sustainable packaging: Going mono-material, the future of beauty

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The beauty industry is responding to long-standing criticisms about its packaging practices by moving towards more sustainable solutions. Mono-material packaging is at the heart of this transformation.

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Its simplicity in composition makes recycling more straightforward, reducing the energy, time, and costs associated with processing various materials.

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• Consumer Demand: 60% of consumers now prefer environmentally friendly products.
• Reduced Environmental Impact: Sustainable practices can slash a product's environmental footprint by 75-85%.
• Economic Benefits: These practices can also cut business costs by up to 15%.
• Market Growth: The global packaging market is projected to reach around USD 1.35 trillion by 2032.

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6.1 Byoma: A pioneer in sustainable packaging

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A standout example is the sustainable cosmetics brand Byoma. As stated on their website, Byoma's products are made from 100% recyclable, mono-material plastic. This commitment to sustainability extends to eliminating unnecessary packaging elements like shrink wrap and cardboard boxes.

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6.2 Why mono-material matters

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Opting for mono-material packaging is more than just a nod to environmental consciousness; it presents significant cost benefits for brands. This approach aligns with the values of a growing consumer base that prioritises sustainability in their purchasing decisions.

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As we are nearing the end of 2023, these six e-commerce trends – from the innovative features of Shopify to the focus on sustainable practices and immersive customer experiences – will be shaping 2024 e-commerce sites and marketing strategies. 

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The intersection of advancing technology and shifting consumer behaviours means that e-commerce is perpetually on the cusp of the next big thing. This dynamic digital market assures us that it’s always the right time to dive in, explore new possibilities, and assess their suitability for ecommerce businesses.