The dynamics of changes in e-commerce allows us to claim that it is one of the fastest-growing areas. However, not everyone is chasing buzzwords. They prefer proven solutions. It's hard to be surprised in the face of a lot of noise. Lukasz Zielonka and Daniel Parzych from ESCOLA S.A. asked Polish e-commerce experts about their predictions for 2023.
Jakub Gierszynski, CEO of Melissa, emphasizes that the 2 years of Covid-19 were specific to the industry. The outbreak of war beyond our eastern border also contributed, which had an impact not only on us, but also on the whole of Europe, and soon after also the world. Rising energy prices, inflation and the crisis have made the situation even worse.The customer confidence index has fallen, to e-commerce made losses in the first quarter of 2022. The reason was the relaxation of the pandemic, but the following quarters, also weaker, showed that there is no need to count on pandemic bonuses.
What will change the rules of the e-commerce game in 2023?
The leader will be BNPL, which is becoming much more popular and is giving more options to customers. In deliveries, it is worth paying attention to last mile delivery, which is the last stage of the journey involving the movement of goods from the transport hub to the destination. Also noteworthy is live selling, which is a sales channel consisting in selling products live with the use of quick payments, competitions, discounts and loyalty programs. This is popular in China, where influencers run sales streams. In Poland, this is an emerging trend and there are already tools and startups. Paula Przegietka, Sales Manager from Vonage encourages you to pay attention to Conversational Commerce. It consists in using the chat to obtain an easy and pleasant shopping experience for customers. It allows customers to better understand the brand, browse selected product categories, ask questions about their specifications and prices, as well as build lasting relationships with the brand.
What about AI?
According to the Commercial Coordinator at LOTTE Wedel, in 2023 AI will be the main trend in e-commerce. Artificial Intelligence allows for the automation and transformation of this market. The second trend will be eco-commerce, which will focus on ecological and sustainable solutions. The third trend is flexibility in concluding financial obligations of customers, which is a consequence of the crisis. Pawel Szostak claims that we will see the phenomenon of "Hollywood Commerce", i.e. the increasing importance of the best talent in the sector. People with vision and experience will come to the fore. Companies will fight for their services because their work will bring the best results.
We should be more focused
It will be important to continue to educate yourself and others about the new opportunities and to look for leaders who will help salespeople take a specific direction. However, companies that think in a Customer-Centered way should manage.Daniel Parzych from Escola pointed out that the condition of the Polish consumer may be a surprise in the coming year. Due to high inflation and the search for savings, financial inflows in retail will be significantly reduced! This will change the optics of brick-and-mortar retailers to their premises. If you want to know more interesting facts and observations, check out ESCOLA's page.