2022 Peak Season Ecommerce Trends

What striking peak season trends will emerge amidst this year’s economic crisis? 

Since the COVID pandemic, peak seasons have felt like a roller coaster and this year is no different. Retailers have had to adapt to a multitude of challenges and trends, from a boom in online sales to the current economic crisis that dominates this year’s season. 

To prepare for the upcoming retail peak season, we partnered with Retail Economics on a Holiday Shopping Trends Report gathering data from over 8,000 global shoppers and 800 retailers to find out how the 2022 cost-of-living crisis would impact sales during this key period.

We conducted this extensive research across Spain, Italy, France, Germany and the UK, as well as the US, Canada and Australia to give you a detailed overview of the global state-of-play in the face of the crisis. In our analysis, we’re answering some of the most burning questions for you:  

• Will customers continue spending or cut back expenses?
• What types of products will be the most sought after?
• What’s the expected balance between online and in-store purchases?

Keep reading to learn more about what ecommerce trends expect to steer this year’s peak season and make sure to download the full report for an in-depth analysis that will help you plan for the upcoming months.

The cost of living crisis is affecting retail

We don’t have to wait for peak season to pass to see the impacts of rising costs and soaring inflation. Retailers throughout the country are already feeling the pressure of customers cutting back on non-essential purchases. Our report found the UK is expected to experience a 22% decrease in overall spending compared to a typical peak season. 

Standout stat: 91.9% of businesses expect to be impacted by rising costs over peak season.

As a matter of fact, our research shows that consumers have firm intentions of taking measures regarding their expenses these upcoming months. More than a third indicate they are already in financial stress and this is before we see the effects of rising energy bills. Strained finances and soaring prices have over 70% of shoppers saying they plan to cut back on some, if not all, non-food purchases.

The ecommerce trend borne in the pandemic is still relevant in 2022

So how do you counter the cautious behaviours this peak season? 

To understand how to win during this year’s peak season, we must first look back. COVID significantly changed how people shopped… In 2020, consumers were forced online because of lockdowns. In 2021, consumers could do more in-store shopping, causing a dip in ecommerce purchases. 

Those two years were exceptions to the rule and it’s important to remember that what worked then, won’t necessarily work now. Learn from past years, but this year is a fresh canvas.

So, what will 2022 bring? Our report discovered that:

• More than 80% of consumers plan to do some of their peak season shopping online 
• Of those, just over 25% say they’ll do all their shopping online
• Around 17% say they will only shop in-store during peak season

While these numbers may relieve ecommerce merchants after last year’s dip, we must remember that the UK’s economic future is anything but clear. It’s essential to monitor the situation closely and adapt to any challenges. Make sure to download our report to find out what to expect and avoid any mishaps.

Delivery demands and price and sustainability’s battle

Ultimately, it’s clear that one of the recurring ecommerce trends observed over the past few years is a strong desire from consumers for an exceptional experience that ticks all the right boxes. Ensuring you’re providing that will boost the chance they’ll shop with you instead of the competition. 

We asked them what features are the most important when deciding whom to purchase products from and the results show two tendencies: 

• Nearly 40% consider the cost of delivery to be the most important factor when buying online
• Sustainability isn’t as important as it once was: less than 15% said this was the most important factor in their purchasing decisions.

With this in mind, and with the fact that 90% of businesses saying they expect to be impacted by rising costs this holiday season, how can you streamline your business to meet buyers’ expectations?

Automate, Automate, Automate

First, lean on technology. Implementing automation into your order fulfilment and delivery processes can make time-consuming tasks such as importing orders, assigning carriers and managing stock less cumbersome and speed up business. 

ShipStation’s innovative software automatically imports orders from over 100 carts and marketplaces, provides tailored customer order updates and lets you manage multiple carriers effortlessly. 

Even with a reduction in orders caused by the cost of living crisis, peak season will still be busier than other times of the year, so make sure you have technology helping alleviate the pressure.

Avoid overloaded carriers

One of the largest customer complaints during Black Friday and Christmas is long deliveries or late parcels. Implementing a multi-carrier strategy ensures that you have plenty of options available should your normal carrier get overloaded. 

Additionally, providing options such as ‘click and collect’ or ‘ship from store’ can ensure customers receive their packages quickly, without relying on peak season-strapped couriers.

Do your research

Before making any drastic decisions, assess the data in our report to understand what your customers across the globe really want. The data shared in this blog is only a snippet of what’s available in our full report and this insight could make or break your peak season.

Calm preparation is the key to success

Ultimately, don’t panic and keep a cool head. We still have a few weeks until peak season is underway and now is the time to ensure everything is ready for whatever demand may come during Black Friday and Christmas. 

The ShipStation team is here to support you in your shipping journey and our Holiday Shopping Trends Report has all the relevant information to help you with peak season decision making. It’s packed full of data from shoppers across the globe, giving you the necessary knowledge to successfully plan for this challenging period. 

Download ShipStation’s Holiday Shopping Trends Report today.