As we power through 2025, the e-commerce landscape continues to evolve at a rapid pace, shaped by technological developments, changing consumer behaviours, and global shifts. We are living in a time where digital transformation isn’t just optional—it’s essential. To stay ahead of the game and keep up with the competition, businesses need to embrace the latest marketing trends.
Here are some top e-commerce trends in 2025 that we think you’ll want to keep an eye on!
AR gained a lot of traction with the release of the mobile game Pokemon Go in 2016, captivating millions of users with its interactive and location based gameplay.
Over time, companies like IKEA saw the potential of AR beyond gaming and harnessed this technology to allow customers to virtually place furniture in their homes within the simulation of their app.
Since then, AR has evolved into a key trend in e-commerce, enabling customers to try on clothes, make-up, or any product that you can wear, and receive personalized recommendations through immersive digital experiences. Enhancing customer engagement, boosting conversion rates, and creating a more dynamic shopping experience, this approach drives meaningful interactions.
In terms of challenges, the cost of 3D modelling technology is not yet very cost-efficient and most companies may not have the resources or expertise to implement it. Additionally, some AR features fall short in user experience, such as displaying products at an incorrect scale or opacity. Over time, it is predicted that AR will continue to improve and will become accessible for more companies of varying sizes.
AI in e-commerce is like having a 24/7 personal shopping assistant. This is definitely one of the positive aspects of AI, where data based on preferences, browsing habits, and past purchases are analyzed to tailor the best shopping experience for the consumers.
This technology benefits both consumers and retailers by highlighting and tracking products that gain the most traction. In essence, this is online merchandising at its finest, offering consumers curated collections and smarter recommendations that make it easier to discover and buy more of what they love.
Social media ads have been a thing since 2005, but the real shopping transformation didn’t kick off until Facebook launched in 2007. And get this–Facebook Marketplace didn’t even officially kickoff until 2016 and that’s just the start of social media platforms evolving into shopping hubs.
Social commerce is set to be a dominant e-commerce trend in 2025. To name a few, platforms with features like TikTok Shop, Instagram Shop, and Facebook Marketplace, users can seamlessly discover, browse, and purchase products without leaving their favourite apps.
Thanks to social media interaction mixed with shopping, brands can connect with their consumers in a fun and personalized way. And as social media platforms improve their e-commerce features, businesses can expect social commerce to drive higher conversion rates and improve customer engagement.
Now that we’ve explored social commerce, let’s dive into another top e-commerce trend for 2025 that also revolves around the power of social media platforms: influencer marketing.
Influencer marketing is like getting a recommendation from a friend, but with way more followers. Instead of using traditional ads, influencers create content that feels natural to their audience, making it more engaging and trustworthy. It’s a win-win situation because brands are able to reach their targeted audience, while influencers get to share the products they love, all while driving sales and boosting brand awareness.
While influencer marketing is a top e-commerce trend in 2025, many business owners are still uncertain about how to effectively measure their ROI from these campaigns. One way is to create influencer partner or affiliate codes. This provides transparent and measurable data on sales from each promotion that can help business owners evaluate the effectiveness of their campaigns, influencer partnerships, customer behaviour, and what drives the most conversions.
Visual and voice commerce offer alternative ways for consumers to search for products and make purchases that are tailored to their personalized shopping preferences.
Voice commerce uses virtual assistants like Alexa and Siri, allowing users to shop hands-free, enhancing accessibility for people with disabilities. On the other hand, visual commerce enables consumers to search for products by uploading images, making the process more intuitive.
As an emerging e-commerce trend, visual and voice commerce still face several limitations. Voice recognition can misinterpret commands, and searches are typically limited to one product at a time. Additionally, not all devices support these technologies, restricting their accessibility. Implementing voice and visual search also requires advanced systems, which can be costly for businesses.
In 2025, packaging and shipping in e-commerce will be shaped by sustainability, speed, and innovation. With growing consumer demand for eco-friendly solutions, businesses will focus on using recyclable, biodegradable, or minimal packaging to reduce waste and their carbon foot print.
While some companies may shift their stance on sustainability based on the political climate, many business owners are true visionaries, genuinely committed to eco-conscious practices. Additionally, faster delivery options, such as same-day or next-day shipping will become the norm, driven by improvements in logistics and the expansion of local centers. Automation and AI will also play a role in optimizing packaging sizes, reducing excess materials and streamlining the supply chain to improve efficiency.
Ultimately, the future of e-commerce will focus on sustainability, balancing both environmental responsibility and consumer expectations.
As we leave behind the first quarter of 2025, e-commerce trends continue to evolve in exciting, customer-centric ways. Augmented reality lets shoppers try before they buy, while AI-driven personalization tailors experiences to individual preferences. Social commerce and influencer marketing are reshaping how we discover and purchase products, and voice and visual search are making shopping more seamless than ever. Meanwhile, sustainability in packaging and shipping is no longer just an option—it’s the future of commerce.
If you enjoyed this article, these are the types of topics we discuss in our weekly Geekspeak podcast. This episode is just the beginning of our dive deep into the latest e-commerce trends that shape the business world today. There will definitely be part 2!
We have a Business Marketing Mixer Facebook community where we share insights, key topics, and collaborate with like-minded professionals. Join us there to catch our next livestream and be part of the conversation. See you there!
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