The way consumers shop online is going through a radical change. In fact, over a quarter of people are comfortable letting AI agents not only help them in the research process, but also make complete purchasing decisions for them.

This, and many other emerging ecommerce trends, such as the growing requirement of sustainability and the skyrocketing popularity of second-hand shopping, were covered in detail in a brand-new DHL study.

AI is a Trend Businesses Cannot Ignore

One of the biggest trends and shifts in the ecommerce space that companies can’t ignore is the role that AI has developed. The DHL report, which is based on survey findings from over 29,000 online shoppers and more than 5,800 ecommerce businesses globally, found that not only is AI transforming buyer habits, but also dramatically speeding up innovation across ecommerce.

Speaking about the impact of AI, the CEO of DHL Ecommerce, Pablo Ciano, said that 

“The ability to understand and respond to customer needs has always defined success – but our new eCommerce trend report shows that AI is now redefining that advantage at hyperspeed. Consumers can identify the best offer in milliseconds, and retailers can gain insights that allow them to instantly capitalize on changing demand.”

While AI has implanted itself within several parts of the ecommerce ecosystem, there are a few AI features that have been adopted the most, as well as some that aren’t seeing as much adoption.

For shoppers, the AI features that most of them have experienced are product reviews (46% of respondents), customer service (40%), and price comparison (38%). The least experienced AI features include voice-enabled search (19%), automated reordering of products (22%), and fraud detection (24%).

For businesses, the most-used AI features are personalization experience (63%), product reviews (59%), and customer service (58%), while the least used are virtual try-ons (36%), forecasting trends/predicting shopper needs (42%), and the automatic reordering of products (46%).

Future Shoppers May Not All Be Human

While many customer use AI in their shopping journey, the next stage of evolution for AI in ecommerce is taking full control of the shopping experience. In fact, 29% of shoppers said that they would be happy and willing to have AI agents make purchases and shopping decisions for them in the next five years.

This lines up with previous research, which found that most shoppers are open to certain types of agentic commerce. This use of AI agents goes beyond customers, with businesses also getting in on the action.

In fact, previous research found that organizations currently use an average of 12 AI agents, and this is only expected to grow in the coming years. Also, many companies plan on using generative AI in general more often, as 73% of them anticipate using it more over the next five years, even though nearly half of consumers (48%) have concerns about privacy and trust.

Out-of-Home Delivery On the Rise

The report also looked at customer delivery preferences, and found that three in ten consumers are looking to out-of-home (OOH) delivery locations to meet the evolving demands of their busy lives.

There’s clearly a greater demand for flexible delivery options, and to capture this demand, companies need to consider implementing more flexible fulfillment setups that can meet these changing customer demands and expectations.

While many people still get items delivered to their homes, of course, the number of people choosing alternative delivery locations is growing. For example, around 41% of respondents to a recent UK survey said they’re now receiving packages in parcel lockers.

Second-Hand Shopping Is Becoming Mainstream

Another useful insight the report gathered was that the line between shopper and seller is starting to disappear, as more and more people are selling items second-hand to other consumers. In fact, 52% of respondents have sold an item on an online marketplace, which rises to 58% among Gen Z and 62% for Millennials.

This growth in second-hand selling and shopping also goes hand-in-hand with the rise of platforms like Poshmark and Depop, which have quickly become major platforms for individuals looking to buy and sell used goods.

While there are several reasons why people turn to second-hand marketplaces to sell and shop, 45% of people buy second-hand and refurbished items becauseit’s a more sustainable choice. This shows just how much consumers care about sustainability, which is a sign that retailers need to find ways to adopt more sustainable practices to stand out to customers today.

Our Take

The Importance of Keeping Up With Ecommerce Trends

Reports and studies like this one are crucial for ecommerce sellers to be aware of. The industry moves incredibly fast, and if you ignore the emerging trends, they may become industry-defining before you know it.

While you don’t need to change your entire operation based on what’s trending, it’s a good idea to at least be aware of where the market is heading and how consumer preferences and behaviors are changing. 

And for certain trends that have proven they’re becoming an important part of ecommerce for the foreseeable future, such as sustainability and AI, you need to ensure your company is making the proper changes to take advantage of these trends and market landscape shifts, because your competition certainly is.