In the last 12 months, ecommerce manufacturers have battled a variety of challenges ranging from shipping delays and inventory shortages to increased competition, culminating in a dramatically different landscape than the year prior. Remaining agile and being able to pivot quickly were important ingredients in the recipe for success in 2021.
With so much in flux, what can we expect next? We checked in with BrandJump account managers Erin Aiken, Jessica Hughes and Alex Ly to reflect on the past year and hear their expectations for 2022.
What is the general sentiment you’re feeling for ecommerce and the home furnishings business heading into 2022?
Erin: A lot of manufacturers are trying to get ahead of the challenges brought by this past year. From shipping delays to low inventory, it’s been difficult. Manufacturers are anticipating these delays will go well into 2022, so having a strategy for stock and shipping concerns is important. A few ways they’re trying to offset those challenges are extending lead times or even condensing their assortment for next year and trying to emphasize their best styles. Think of it as more depth, less breadth.
Jessica: I think everyone is cautiously optimistic. It’s been a hard year for everyone on all sides of ecommerce. I do think brands sound very excited about new releases that come at the beginning of the year. Challenges remain, but now we know more about how important it is to be ready for anything.
Industry leaders are predicting a greater emphasis on things like social shopping 3D product imagery and user-generated content to help brands set themselves apart. What role do you see these things playing in ecommerce next year?
Erin: Imagery is essential to selling products online, and brands and retailers must keep coming up with new ways to keep the customer engaged. Creating 3D images for your products is a great example. Since a customer can't see or touch the product in person, that robust imagery builds confidence to make a purchase. Even if you aren't releasing new items, manufacturers can update images and content. That will freshen up the assortment, even if the products themselves aren't new.
Jessica: All three of those things will be important next year. Consumers are getting used to making bigger purchases online, and in doing that, they need to be able to see it and envision it in their space. It’s trying to get to that next level for the shopping experience. Using 3D imagery, additional lifestyle imagery and making sure you have well-rounded product copy is a great way to enhance the customer experience.
Alex: A lot of the brands I work with have embraced social media, and I think it provides a different avenue for exposure, a different audience and can be more cost-effective to organically build an audience. Social media is all about visuals, so the better the imagery, videos and other creative ways that a manufacturer can showcase their products, the more marketing opportunities that can lead to with retail partners. And great imagery and marketing opportunities are what can lead to a potential customer getting inspired and ultimately purchasing a new light fixture or piece of furniture for their space.
BrandJump Account Managers Alex Ly, Erin Aiken and Jessica Hughes
The idea of “green consumerism” has risen to the forefront in recent years, especially with younger consumers. What might brands do to further prove to their customer base that they’re eco-friendly?
Erin: I’ve seen more retailers put a bigger emphasis on sustainability and I specifically work with a couple of retailers who mentioned this will be a focus for their site especially in 2022. Here at BrandJump, we work with companies where sustainability and ‘greenness’ are embedded in their brand story on retailers’ websites. I think this strategy is a great way for brands to get more exposure around their sustainable stance and grow brand awareness on these sites. They become more featured and a more valued brand to the retailer and end consumer.
If brands are just starting to promote their consciousness around this topic, it’s best to feature this in their own marketing initially, and then share with participating retailers so they can align to help create a more powerful campaign.
Jessica: It’s a trend that’s on the rise, without a doubt. The biggest obstacle is how to get that message across to the customer. Being an online business, I think it really depends on the brand or retailers’ website capabilities. A few ways to highlight that eco-friendly messaging could be directly called out in product copy, as an image in the carousel or even a banner image on the homepage. Every website is different, so it allows for different levels of creativity.
Alex: Green consumerism is certainly a growing trend, especially with the younger demographic. People are willing to pay to offset their environmental impact. I hope as a society we understand the importance of that. Partnering with the retailer is a big piece of communicating that part of your brand, because manufacturers rely heavily on them to help tell their story. You must be able to show a customer what your sustainability efforts are in a short amount of time, whether that’s through social media, videos, etcetera.
With the pandemic, consumers placed a big emphasis on styling their homes. How do you expect the “at home” economy to continue to flourish?
Erin: I think we can anticipate this will continue, especially with the concept of a hybrid working model. More companies are being flexible with the concept of work and even allowing employees to work from home full time. We will still be spending a lot of time at home—and spending money to make it what we want it to be.
Jessica: It’s going to continue to be a big factor for next year. The housing market is still on fire, and with buying new homes, people are furnishing and decorating. We still expect this trend to be a big factor moving forward.
Alex: With people working from home and not needing to go into an office, they’re willing to relocate and maybe even migrate out of their area. And moving into a new house leads to more furniture. So investments in the home are definitely expected to continue into 2022.
As 2021 ends, what is your biggest takeaway from the past year? What was a trend or event that will factor into decision-making for a long time coming or has changed ecommerce for the long term?
Erin: The circumstances of 2020 forced different demographics to shop online than before, and not just for goods, but a wide variety of services. This past year kept those same demographics online, even when stores were opening back up. So, this new, broader audience is now consistently online and that makes for an additional audience to capture.
To do that, brands and retailers have needed to adapt and make sure they're providing a high level of support and customer service that makes the shopping experience easy and intuitive for shoppers who might not be digitally native..
Jessica: Quick shipping has also become really important. As a consumer, you expect that now. Shipping speed took a hit due to supply and transportation issues. Moving forward, it's going to be important for retailers and manufacturers to try and get back to faster shipping times. Customers still want fast ship times and will be disappointed if they can't have it.
Alex: The over-arching theme from the past year centers around customer expectations. That can include shipping time, response time and pricing. It’s very possible that we’ve plateaued a bit regarding shipping speed. Customers understand that once a product is shipped, it’s out of the seller’s hands, but they want to know exactly what the status of their order at every step. If an order is stuck somewhere or they aren’t receiving updates, that’s when impatience kicks in. It comes back to the importance of constant communication. That builds confidence with the customer that they aren’t only getting the best deal, but that they’re being taken care of every step of the way.
