Top 10 Hot Consumer Trends Businesses Should Expect This Shopping Season

A new holiday season is upon us, and with it comes a new kind of seasonal shopper. The holiday shopping season is already in full swing for people across Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA). In fact, 21% of people in the EMEA region started their holiday shopping as early as June, according to new research from Google.

COVID-19 has caused logistical challenges, resulting in delivery delays and product scarcity, but the potential release of pent-up demand and people’s excitement about spending the holidays with friends and family this year means there is cause for optimism as well.

To help your brand navigate the holiday shopping season, here are the early retail trends and consumer behaviors you need to know.

• What Are The Top 10 Consumer Trends For 2021?
• What Are The Current Consumer Trends?
• What Trends Will be Popular in 2030?
• What Are Consumer Business Trends?
• What Will be Trending in 2021?
• What Are Current Trends in Online Shopping?
• What Are The Five Global Trends?
• What Are The Examples of Emerging Trends?
• What is The Emerging Trend?
• What Are The Future Trends of Marketing?
• What Future Trends do You Expect to See in 10 Years?
• What Are The Examples of Trends?
• What is an Example of a Market Trend?
• How do You Find Consumer Trends?
• Which Industry Will Grow in 2022?
• What Are Current Industry Trends?
• What Are The Latest Trends in e-commerce For 2022?
• What Are The Emerging Trends in e-commerce?
• What Are Global Trends That Affect Business?

What Are The Top 10 Consumer Trends For 2021?

1. Holiday Shopping Will Start Sooner

While the 2020 holiday season was strange for a number of reasons, one of the most notable was its early start. Supply chain and logistical uncertainties prompted a number of businesses to roll out “Black Friday” deals around mid-October, many of which continued on a weekly basis throughout October and November. Adding to this, Cyber Monday stretched on for a full week rather than occupying its usual spot on the first Monday after Thanksgiving.

Read Also: Web to Print Technology Trends 2022

Given the success of this change, many speculate that this trend will continue into the 2021 holiday season. More businesses are expected to join in to appease customers who wish to beat the crowds (and traffic) by shopping early. Of the industries most affected, key gifting sectors like electronics, apparel, and department stores stand to see the most omnichannel promotion.

2. Shoppers Will Return to Stores

It’s no secret that 2020 saw a surge in eCommerce-driven sales. Fears and restrictions on in-store shopping forced consumers to get creative with or, in some cases, reinvent the “window shopping” experience for themselves. That being said, analysts are predicting a return to in-store shopping for the 2021 holiday season, with MasterCard SpendingPulse forecasting a 6.8% growth in total retail sales, excluding auto and gasoline.

There are signs of pent-up demand; the stock market is doing well, the savings rate is high, and after a year of sheltering in place or reduced time in-store, most consumers simply want to get out and shop. This boost in spending will likely include a surge to impulse purchases, as these tend to occur more frequently during in-store shopping.

Online and in-store apparel sales during the period of November 1st and December 24th this year are projected to grow by 45.9% compared to 2020. Jewelry sales and luxury sales are predicted to increase by a whopping 59% and 92.8%, respectively.

3. Shoppers Will Be Looking to Splurge on Experiential Items

Lifestyle changes during the last year generated a need for products that made working from home easier and more comfortable. However, as parts of the world begin to transition closer to a post-pandemic life in the 2021 holiday season, those spending needs will likely shift again.

Whereas 2020 saw consumers buying just what they needed in terms of groceries, furniture, or office supplies, more of those consumers will be focusing on what they want, with a boost in spending likely happening in the following categories:

Social: With weddings and parties filling up our calendars once again, it’s safe to say that goods and services designed to bring people together are going to be a hot commodity for the upcoming holiday season. From decorations to food and drink, shoppers will be eager to splurge on items that help them to throw one incredible party after another.

Adventure: With travel resuming all over the world, analysts predict that many consumers will be looking to upend the normal pre-pandemic vacation, especially after a year and a half of canceled trips or sheltering in place. Adventure items will be in high demand, with everything from vacation wear to luggage, sporting goods, and outdoor products vying for top spots in the holiday sales categories.

Luxury: Luxury apparel and accessories stand to hit it big this holiday season as consumers look for more ways to invest in themselves and stave off inflation concerns by liquidating assets into valuable goods. This falls in line with recent self-gifting trends. Facebook found that 74% of global shoppers research gifts for themselves during the holiday season.

4. Shoppers Will Embrace Mobile Commerce

People seem to get more attached to their smartphones with each passing year, and 2021 looks to be no different, especially when it comes to holiday shopping. “US retail m-commerce sales grew at 41.4% in 2020 and will grow another 15.2% in 2021,” according to eMarketer.

While loads of shoppers want to get back into stores this holiday season, it means that businesses and retailers will need to ensure their website strategies include a focus on mobile-friendliness and omnichannel marketing.

In other words, consumers will come into the 2021 holiday season with the same expectations they had in 2020. They’ll expect consistency with the products and services offered (whether in person or online), and they’ll want the same hyper-personalized messaging and conveniences.

5. Video Will Be Even More Influential

Just as people have become more attached to their smartphones, so too have they increased their time on video streaming platforms and services during the pandemic. From gaming consoles to social media and cable TV, viewing habits have changed dramatically, as have advertising preferences.

This, in turn, creates an opportunity for marketers during the 2021 holiday season, as while people looking for more ways to entertain themselves during the height of the pandemic, their increased screen time has also translated into an increased receptiveness to video ads.

Brands utilizing the influencing power of TikTok and Instagram may well see an increase in customer engagement, especially in the beauty and skincare marketing, luxury marketing, and fashion marketing sectors. This is due in large part to the creator-driven word-of-mouth marketing so ingrained in each platform.

Users become deeply invested in their favorite creators, often finding themselves with a new willingness to buy what they see on the platform, especially if those product recommendations are laced with fun and entertaining content.

It’s a concept TikTok has dubbed community commerce, and it’s a concept built on speed. Users can go from discovery to action in a split second, engaging with their favorite content, visiting a brand’s website, and making purchases quickly and efficiently.

Best of all, they do so feeling a deep connection to the influencers and content creators who recommended these products, keeping the product discovery experience joyful, efficient, and repeatable.

6. Shoppers Will Continue to Expect BOPIS, BOPAC, and Other Accommodations

Speaking of conveniences, the YOY growth rate for click-and-collect in the United States will remain above 10% this year, according to Statista. This means that consumers will still be on the lookout for retailers offering options to buy online and pick up in-store (BOPIS) or at curbside (BOPAC), despite lockouts being lifted across the country.

Adding to this, consumers will still prefer the value and convenience of free shipping and free returns, especially as bigger eCommerce brands like Amazon continue to offer free shipping to Prime members. After all, what customer wants to fork over $10, $20, or even $30 to ship an item they already paid for? Retailers or eCommerce brands who fail to find ways to lower their shipping costs (preferably to zero) run the risk of abandoned carts.

Likewise, given that the pandemic has permanently shifted consumer behavior, the need for omnichannel customer support will continue into the 2021 holiday season. Just as not all customers will reach out during business hours, so too should retailers expect that not all customers will feel comfortable using the same channels to do so.

Whereas some will prefer to email or contact representatives by phone, others will be more inclined to live chat or text. It’s for this reason that retailers and eCommerce brands need to ensure they’re using the right technology and messaging to reach their customers, with responsive web designs based on intelligent UX and search-informed data structure.

7. Craving Convenience

Consumers are craving the convenience of the pre-pandemic world, longing for the ease taken for granted before daily habits were upended. Businesses are under pressure to rapidly adapt their operations to develop a resilient customer experience while maintaining convenience. Companies must preserve the swift and seamless shopping journey across all channels.

8. Outdoor Oasis

Health threats, indoor meeting and mobility restrictions and the rise of remote working results in consumers turning to an Outdoor Oasis for leisure and recreation. Some are even considering moving from densely populated cities to rural areas.

Businesses incorporated advanced health measures and moved events outside, allowing consumers to reconnect out of the home more safely. Companies should pivot their product development strategy to encompass the tranquillity of rural living in urban environments to better satisfy city-scapers.

9. Phygital Reality

Phygital Reality is a hybrid of physical and virtual worlds where consumers can seamlessly live, work, shop and play both in-person and online. Digital tools allow consumers to stay connected while at home and re-enter the outside world safely as economies reopen.

Businesses can integrate virtual processes into their physical spaces to give consumers who prefer to stay home the comfort to venture out instead. Delivering virtually enabled at-home experiences remains imperative to drive e-commerce sales and gather data.

10. Thoughtful Thrifters

Consumers are cautious and frugal. Discretionary spending is declining due to the uncertain economic environment. Thoughtful Thrifters are prioritising value-added and health-conscious products and services.

Companies should pivot towards value for money propositions, offering affordable options without sacrificing quality. Premium attributes should be reinforced with a new empathetic story and have a strong tie-in with health and wellness, self-care or mental wellbeing.

What Are The Current Consumer Trends?

Social restrictions are now easing, but the coronavirus crisis will leave a lasting impression. The way people think, feel and, of course, shop has been greatly impacted, and their behaviors will be markedly different for months to come. So, what are the current trends in consumer behavior across the globe?

We’ve put together 8 current trends in consumer behavior that we think global marketers like you need to know, to help you plan your marketing strategy for the rest of 2020 and beyond.

1. Health conscious

Perhaps unsurprisingly, consumers are far more health conscious than before. According to Accenture, health ranked as consumers’ top priority right now. With 80% of surveyed people reporting that the health of their friends and family is at the top of their minds, followed by 78% who were most concerned with their personal health.

After months of increased handwashing, wearing protective masks and isolating indoors, hygiene will remain at the forefront of everyone’s minds. Research from Shekel shows that 87% of US shoppers would now rather shop in stores with touchless self-checkout capabilities.

But it’s not just about the short-term impact of contracting Covid-19. According to Forbes, the global pandemic has caused people to think about ageing. In particular, how they can lead a healthy lifestyle into their old age.

Other research certainly suggests that a general health-conscious way of living is a key current consumer trend. Insights from Foresight Factory reveal that people are concerned with becoming more resilient, so that they don’t have to rely on the state or healthcare systems for support.

Their behaviors will change as a result, including imposing distancing measures on themselves and avoiding unhealthy activity. Equally, a Covid-19 survey from McKinsey & Company revealed that ¾ of respondents in China want to want to eat more healthily after the crisis.

2. Mental health aware

With the pressure of worrying about our physical health and the health of those around us, the coronavirus pandemic has taken its toll on the world’s mental health. In fact, The UN has advised governments across the globe to provide mental health support for their citizens at this time.

In the US, 22% of people reported that being confined to their house caused them anxiety, 32.7% of those were Generation Z. For Gen Z, the issue of disrupted schooling is a major factor for their anxiety. According to World Bank Data, 9 out of every 10 students in the world has had their schooling negatively impacted by Covid-19. Other issues include fears about their future in an uncertain world.

For Millennials and Gen X, the causes of anxiety vary. According to Vox, more millennials work in the industries most hit by the coronavirus pandemic. Job security and finances are thus causing this generation a huge amount of stress.

For Gen X, worrying about the health of their parents and the situation their children face is a huge burden. While, for Boomers, the toll of being isolated inside as the most at-risk generation has clearly had a negative impact on their mental health.

3. Community driven

Although the coronavirus crisis has been a time of extreme isolation, it has actually brought communities around the globe together. Just think back to those videos of Italians singing to their neighbors in the height of lockdown, or the weekly applause for carers adopted by countries worldwide.

Nationwide lockdowns have taught people to appreciate the value of those around them, leading to a more selfless way of thinking. Across the world, online community groups have sprung up offering support to neighbors, whether it be through food and medicine delivery services or through online social interaction. These groups are likely to stick around for some time, according to Forbes.

4. Virtual workers and learners

The coronavirus crisis has made people appreciate the ease of digital, with many finding that they no longer feel the need to be physically present for all things. In fact, according to research by Accenture, a new sentiment among consumers is “If I can do it online, I will”.

This is especially true for modern working and learning, where virtual will become the new normal in many parts of the world. In China alone, Microsoft Teams saw a 500+% increase in calls and conferences between January to mid-March (source: Accenture). According to Gartner, increased time working online is very likely as 74% of companies plan to permanently move towards remote working after the crisis.

And it does not just work. Schooling too has become an online phenomenon as 1.2B children across 186 countries saw their schools close (source: Unesco). However, it’s not just about students brushing up on their time’s tables. As more and more people across all generations became tired of Netflix repeats, they turned to learn during lockdown.

For example, language learning app downloads surged during the height of Covid-19. Over the month of March, new users on the global language learning app Duolingo increased by 101% (source: Duolingo).

5. Fuss-free online shoppers

While online shopping is certainly not a new trend, the demographic of online shoppers, and what people are shopping for online, is shifting significantly across the globe.

In China, there’s been a notable change in online shopping behaviors, especially when it comes to groceries. According to We Forum, on the first day of the 618 Grand Promotion in June, JD Super (the supermarket linked to China’s e-commerce company JD) achieved 140% more online sales, compared with the same promotional day last year.

Equally, in the US 61% of Boomers revealed they were using delivery services more than before the pandemic (source: National Retail Federation). And it’s not just American Boomers –  a survey from Global Web Index revealed that 46% of internet users worldwide intend to shop more online after this virus outbreak.

What Trends Will be Popular in 2030?

It’s time to get your future on! In the era of acceleration, when everything is speeding up, it’s difficult to imagine where we might be in 10 years.

First, consider the ultimate impact of Covid-19 on your future? Beyond the fact that we will be living in a somewhat surreal and unusual future, another fact remains – every organization is entering a new future in which a new era of massive acceleration defines everything you will do.

All of these predictions are based on real, actionable trends which are happening right now.

Healthcare: Rather than having a system of ‘sick-care’ that fixed people after things went wrong, by 2030 we’ve transitioned a good part of the system to real ‘healthcare’ – anticipating what people are likely to become sick with. Based on that knowledge, we’ve realigned the architecture of the healthcare system to deal with health care issues on a proactive, rather than reactive, basis.

How? Genomics, mobile devices, embedded in-body health sensors and real time analytical predictive health care dashboards led us to a world in which we could predict the emergence of particular health care issues and risks on a real-time basis. This resulted in a fundamental re-alignment of resources to manage any particular issue – ‘disease management’ became a world of ‘disease action planning.’

We also rode the acceleration of science into a world of advanced ‘body part replacement surgery.  Everything, from kidneys to eyes, teeth implants to skin grafts, are now grown in labs for use in surgical and other medical procedures.

Transportation: We’ve gone from driving cars and trucks based on carbon, gas and the internal combustion engine, to a world in 2030 of vehicles being based on big batteries and computers. They mostly drive themselves, or do so in cooperative packs, talking to each other on a continuous basis with respect to traffic flow and other important matters.

Cars have become, essentially, anticipatory data-sensing computers on wheels. The industry has changed as well: rather than a few car and truck manufacturers, there are hundreds, as the very form factor of the vehicle changed once we eliminated the carbon-gas engine – the arrival of battery-electric led to the emergence of all kinds of new competitors because the process of conceiving, designing and building a vehicle became much more straightforward.

And the after-market parts industry has collapsed, as the average number of parts in a vehicle went from 46,000 in a carbon-gas vehicle down to a few hundred with battery-electric.

Insurance: We used to get insurance coverage based upon our historical behavior or past actions. Now, by 2030, insurance policies are written and adjusted in real-time based on real-time data and activities – so rather than looking back to assess and underwrite insurance risk, we increasingly do so by looking forward based on what we know right now.

P&C, life and all other aspects of insurance have been dramatically impacted by the arrival of continuous real-time risk monitoring technology!

Not only that, but the very concept of risk has changed – we’ve learned that the faster arrival of the future means that we now see the faster emergence of new risk issues, which in and of itself requires different forms of risk assessment. This has led to shorter “instance oriented policies” – or what we might call “just in time insurance.”

AI-based risk assessment has also taken on a huge role, with the emergence of real-time risk assessment dashboards.

Agriculture: Rather than farming when the sun is up, we’ve moved to a world of continuous 24 hour farming, aided by robotics, autonomous self-driving technology, and virtualized farming platforms based on Farmville concepts. The entire process of farming in the year 2030 goes by the name “real time spatial intelligence farming.”

A continuous flood of new technologies has come into the industry, supported by the arrival of the tech-generation who has taken over the family and industrial farm: things such as weed zapping laserbots, virtual tractors, drone seeding copters and more.

Retail: While we used to go to stores to get the stuff that we need, in 2030 we now find that the majority of stuff comes to us via a wide variety of automated, intelligent last mile delivery technologies – delivery bots, automated drones and more. Most homes now have drone pads on their driveways and robotic storage lockers that safeguard the product after delivery.

When you actually do go out to get things, your car takes care of much of the process – it has become a shopping cart with credit card payment technology built-in.

Malls? They’ve become museums if not just entertainment hubs  – the entire focus for commercial retail real-estate has evolved to logistics hubs, shipment warehouses, drone-ports and more.

Cities and towns: Massive urbanization has taken hold, with 70% of the earth’s population now scattered into about 40 megacities in 2030. This has driven the arrival of all kinds of fascinating new trends and industries that are based on people living in close proximity.

A good example is vertical farming or in-city farming: it’s everywhere and involves 100 story skyscrapers that are used to grow food. Water is recycled, plants grow 24 hours a day under lights, and self-contained resource reuse drives down the cost of food production.

Mega-city innovations continually drive forward new trends, concepts and ideas in all other parts of the world, and become a key source for innovative, transformative ideas.

Food: We used to eat the same food that everyone else ate. Now, by 2030, we are eating a lot of food that is grown specifically for our particular DNA, and matched to our particular metabolic profile, based upon real-time insight from monitoring technology built into our smartphone and clothing.

A world of continuous body and health monitoring has appeared, driven by the idea that the glycemic index of an apple for one person is entirely different from that for someone else. We’ve gone from food manufactured for mass consumption to food that is personalized based on the ideas of mass customization!

Many consumers have a one-to-one relationship with distant and local food production companies and the agricultural community based on hyperconnected plants and animals.  3D printed food is found within most homes, leading to a renaissance and explosion in new menu concepts and taste sensations. The explosion of vertical farming in agriculture has also led to the mass addition of in-home food production technology.

Clothing and fashion: The arrival of smart, connected, intelligent clothing led to marriage of fashion, healthcare and wellness in the late 2020’s. New fibers and textiles that are smart now link into the data grid around you, adjusting their warmth and cooling cycles based upon real-time information analysis.

New textile science has also led to clothing that evolves it’s form and function based on local conditions – clothing that cools with built-in refrigerant technology and coats that warm you through smart carbon-fiber heating tech.

Not to forget that glasses, contact lenses, and other health-related fashion items have become increasingly integrated into your overall ‘clothing infrastructure,’ a phrase that took on increasing importance through the decade with the arrival of all this smart clothing.

Financial services: We used to take out mortgages and loans to acquire the things we wanted, but now we simply get the things that we want for but a short time, and then move on to the next thing. We generally just share the stuff that we need rather than purchasing it for the long term.

The result is that most banks are now just short term lending institutions.

The concept of cash has also disappeared, but die-hards are still talking about BitCoin as the ‘next big thing’  (But that went by the wayside when the UN outlawed cyber-currency because of the massive environmental damage that occurred through the energy resource usage that was required to support it!)

Sports, fitness and recreation: A simple wooden baseball bat now exists only in a museum: the baseball bat of 2030 is now wirelessly connected to a webcam that automatically records a player’s swing style and speed. Kids live in a widely interactive world in which they are aware of all sports results and actions instantly through an online connection.

Skis and boards are hi-tech snow devices, providing coaching direction and real-time route planning. Sports coaches have immediate access for coaching purposes.

Golf? Every golf ball has a Webcam, and sharing your ace in an instant with a birds-eye view of its path is a common reality – for those lucky enough to have a hole in one.

Entertainment and media: The explosion of deep-fake technology in the early part of the decade made redundant the concept of CGI technology in film and media: instead, stock-footage of ready-to-fake video exists online.

2030? Actors have mostly become irrelevant – instead, avatars are ready off the shelf, ready to be turned into the next great performance.

We began to see the arrival of virtualized entertainment business models, with technology leading to highly customized, just-for-one entertainment productions based on the rapid assembly of this deep-fake inventory – the ability to create your own personal version of a movie with your own unique storyline became a part of the new world of entertainment.

What Are Consumer Business Trends?

A new behavior. A new attitude or opinion. A new expectation. Any of these can form the basis of a consumer trend. Underneath our definition lies a model that juxtaposes multiple dimensions of external change against human nature, which, at its most fundamental, doesn’t change.  Basic needs such us status, creativity, self-improvement don’t change.

The way we address these needs through new products and services changes and forms the basis of a new trend. Can you give an example of a fundamental trend that doesn’t change? – The trend changes. Basic needs stay the same.

But it’s not enough to simply understand a trend. You want to know where and how trends will emerge and crucially, which opportunities they will present to you.

The secret to spotting trends – and being ready to act on the opportunities they present you – lies in identifying points of tension between what people want and what is currently available.

What Will be Trending in 2021?

Pinterest just revealed the top trends we can expect to see as the shopping season gets underway in 2021 in the worlds of fashion, beauty, home, food, and yes, travel.

1. Epic Charcuterie

Your go-to charcuterie board might consist of the basics, like crackers, cheese, and salami, but come 2021, you might just be tempted to whip up a version with breakfast foods, tacos, or even candy.

2. More Door

Open floor plans will be a thing of the past, making room for closed-door concepts. For instance, Pinterest predicts that the “cloffice” — an office within a closet — will be all the rage.

3. Not-So-Furry Friends

Cats and dogs are great and all, but lookout for a rise in new pets for the home, like snails, lizards, and frogs.

4. Skinimalism

While Gen Z will likely continue to be all about statement makeup in the year ahead, Pinterest predicts that older pinners will simplify their beauty routines. Clean beauty products and understated makeup looks will gain in popularity.

5. Shelfies as the New Gallery Walls

Don’t worry if your glassware or dishware collection is getting out of control. Putting it all on full display will be on-trend in 2021.

6. Planet is the New Playground

Parents will get more creative when it comes to educating their children at home. Don’t be surprised when you start to see more art projects featuring basic household items or school supplies.

7. Digital Decor

This year, home decor was a focus for many people, but according to Pinterest, Gen Z pinners will be all about dressing up their laptops and phones with statement wallpapers and lock screens.

8. You Are the Top Chef

Look out for meals to be taken to the next level in 2021. For instance, thoughtful garnishes and food plating techniques will be of more interest to home cooks.

9. Embracing the Tactile

Whether it’s embroidery, pottery, glass etching, or bottle painting, more and more people will turn to hands-on activities to exercise their creativity.

10. Luxurious Bedtime Routines

Pinterest believes that sleep routines will be taken more seriously in the year ahead, and we’re not complaining. People will elevate their pajamas and sheets, rely on aromatherapy diffusers, and even add exercise, like sleep yoga, to their list of nighttime rituals.

What Are Current Trends in Online Shopping?

The only way to stay ahead of the curve is by keeping an eye on the latest trends. So, what should eCommerce retailers focus on?

1. Customization: The Key to Consumer’s Heart

Ensuring customer satisfaction is all about providing a uniquely tailored shopping experience. This kind of customization is prevalent across all industries, from vitamin subscription services to guided-DIY home decor and more niche needs in the cosmetics industry.

Products can be completely customized for the individual, and it’s here where interactive content really shines. Through intuitive quizzes and other data-gathering content, customization goes beyond what a customer might want into what they really and truly need, based on their preferences.

This personalization goes beyond offering customers more options for buying. When consumers can make their own choices, retailers have a stronger opportunity to segment their market, promoting offerings popular with like-minded brand loyalists. Instead of falling victim to overchoice, customers can look over a smaller range of products and buy the one that means the most to them.

If the customization is strong enough, customers may walk away with more than they ever thought they’d need. It’s this massive potential sales growth that will drive the trend toward customization in 2020.

2. Optimized Supply Chains for Better, Faster Shipping

Nine out of ten consumers consider free shipping their number one priority when shopping online. Most e-commerce stores offer free shipping for orders of $50 or more – an acceptable threshold for most shoppers, given the trillions brought in by online shopping.

With free shipping policies already in place, retailers looking ahead to the 2020s are exploring new ways to optimize supply chains. Next-day delivery, once exclusive to niche products only on Amazon, is now on offer for thousands of products sold by Walmart, the United States’ largest retailer, with similar options available at Target, Lowe’s, and other stores.

These giant brands are investing more and more money into their global supply chains, creating renewed speed and efficiency for their customers’ convenience. High-cost, low-efficiency shipping policies have no place in an increasingly competitive, next-decade market. Retailers of all sizes must learn to compete by leveraging their advantages.

While retailers have long struggled to meet Amazon’s offers of efficiency, smaller stores are adapting to the new market. Utilizing regional supplier networks to develop nimble logistics is one key to getting products to customers as effectively as possible.

Companies can build on the lessons learned in well-worn sourcing locations such as China to develop smart sourcing models in emerging hubs such as sub-Saharan Africa. These changes are a matter of cost, yet the investment in better shipping now ensures more sales – and more brand evangelists – well into the future.

3. The Growing Role of AR and VR

One major advantage of brick-and-mortar retail is having the products right there in front of the potential buyer. The ability to see a display model from all angles is lucrative – and, increasingly, feasible through the means of AR and VR tech.

VR technology can improve the experience and product reliability. Consumers can not only see the full view of the products but also can interact with the product. Sellers can also save energy and time on the photograph and PS once they use VR technology.

While VR and AR cannot reproduce the full tactility of some products, the latest tech allows consumers to try on makeup, clothing, and accessories in a useful way. Interior design, in particular, has become much more intuitive, helping people visualize how a piece of furniture would look in their room. These kinds of product tests are essential in making a buying decision.

It’s not just Sales that improve either. 25% of products purchased online are sent back; retailers like Lowe’s, Target, and Amazon are implementing AR to reduce this percentage. Augmented Reality could mean retailers keep more of their Sales because consumers more fully understand what they’re buying at the point of purchase.

Much of this tech depends on the power of a customer’s gadgets. Cutting-edge smartphones and wearables such as smartwatches offer more features than ever to make VR and AR shopping a consistent reality. What retailers do with that potential is up to them.

4. Social Media Shopping: The New Norm

Social media influencers’ advertising will still be a popular and effective Marketing strategy. Micro-influencers, who have a small but loyal following, are particularly impactful when it comes to influencing their fanbase. Identifying and working with these influencers is by no means an added bonus in marketing – more and more, it’s absolutely essential.

Consumers can buy straight from Instagram when a company’s social media strategy is done right In fact, 55% of online shoppers have bought a product directly through a brand’s social post.

More and more, however, companies are looking toward other social networking apps like TikTok, taking advantage of live video streaming to create buzz and engage with new buyers. Social video streaming, as a result, is expected to be a major trend in marketing and engagement through the 2020s.

The popularity of these smartphone apps means mobile eCommerce is poised to grow substantially. Keeping one’s website optimized for screens of all sizes means more sales on more platforms; a poorly-optimized website, on the other hand, can stymy sales.

Engaging with customers across platforms has further benefits beyond direct sales. User-generated content like reviews, Q&As, and even memes can build social proof and help establish a brand. Video content – prioritized by Facebook’s algorithms – shows customers what the product in a more realistic setting, and allows for greater creativity on the part of the retailer.

On the whole, social media in eCommerce works the same way it does for our friends and family. When the content is engaging, interesting, and readily available, consumers react positively – and will go out of their way to share your content with their peers.

5. Transparency and Top-Notch Customer Service

A few years ago, it would have been impossible for many small-to-midsized retailers to offer 24/7 customer service. Yet the proliferation of AI-powered chatbots means nearly every website can quickly answer questions and provide support at any hour of the day. These chatbots are great for social media, such as Facebook messenger, and work in tandem with human agents to ensure a comprehensive customer service experience.

This level of customer service – both instant and highly engaging – creates new expectations in consumers’ minds. Buyers now want to see where their product comes from and how it’s made, with an emphasis on sustainability, fair working conditions, zero animal testing, and other ethical causes. Some companies even send videos of the packaging process to consumers to build this additional level of connection and trust.

In fact, 87% of consumers agreed that they would be more likely to buy a product from a brand that offered a social or environmental benefit – giving companies yet another reason to go green.

What Are The Five Global Trends?

No business operates in a vacuum. Today’s organizations are continually shaped by the world around them, and the same will be true for the organizations of the future. It makes sense, then, that business leaders must pay attention to emerging trends in politics, economics and society if they want to build a robust, sustainable organization.

Below, we explore the five biggest global trends – and how businesses must prepare for them.

Trend 1: Our relationship with our planet

You only need to look at the abnormal weather patterns and natural disasters we’re experiencing to know that our planet is under immense strain. Couple that with a growing world population, and you have a tinder box of uncertainties around crop production, food security, and migration, to name just a few.

By the end of this century, as many as 150–200 million people could be forced to migrate from land that will be underwater. And to keep pace with the growing global population, estimates suggest we’ll have to increase food production by between 26 percent and 68 percent by 2050. That’s a big increase for an already struggling planet to accommodate.

So what has this got to do with your business? With a global majority agreeing that the world is facing a huge crisis, we can expect consumers to gravitate towards more sustainable options. And this means your organization must do everything it can to maximize its green credentials.

Trend 2: Shifts in economic and political power

Solving the climate crisis requires countries to work together. So the fact that global economic and political power structures are undergoing huge changes makes this job all the more difficult.

What do we mean by changing power structures? In a nutshell, by 2050, the list of the most economically and politically powerful countries in the world will look very different to today.

China’s economy, for example, is now predicted to overtake the United States by 2028, five years earlier than previously thought. And the combined economic power of the E7 economies – China, India, Brazil, Mexico, Russia, Indonesia, and Turkey – could be double that of the G7 by 2040.

The takeaway here? As economic power shifts, it will become more expensive for organizations to outsource services to countries such as India. This is something businesses will have to plan for. On the plus side, these economies could become strong markets for products and services.

Trend 3: Growing divergence and polarization

There have been some notable examples of political fragmentation and growing divergence in recent years. Brexit. President Trump withdrew the US from the Paris Agreement on climate mitigation. Russia announced it has the ability to completely unplug from the rest of the world’s internet and operate its own independent internet… In short, after decades of countries growing closer together, there are signs that they are beginning to “consciously uncouple.”

When information and analytics company IHS Markit set out its prediction of how the world would look in 2025, it said the “fragmented world” scenario – in which the US, China, the EU, and other key global players retreat from globalization and turn their gaze inwards – is the most likely. COVID-19 is likely to exacerbate this further as countries are forced to focus on domestic problems.

This growing divergence may mean companies find themselves locked out of certain markets, which means relying on any one overseas market in our increasingly changing world is a high-risk strategy.

Trend 4: Shifting demographics

The global population in 2050, or even 2030, will look very different from how it looks today. That’s because the population is growing (globally, that is – some countries are experiencing population decline).

What’s more, populations are getting older, the middle class is growing, and people are increasingly living in urban areas. As an example, the number of megacities (classified by the UN as cities with 10 million or more inhabitants) is also on the rise; by 2030, there will be 43 megacities, up from 33 in 2018.

Clearly, the business opportunities around the growing urban populations and consuming classes are huge. But participating in these markets successfully will require businesses to adapt to different cultural and political environments.

Trend 5: Social, cultural and workplace shifts

The workplace demographic is also shifting significantly. The number of Gen Z-ers and millennials in the workplace is on the rise, and baby boomers are retiring. And with this changing workforce come changing expectations and priorities; as an example, 65 percent of people want to work for an organization “with a powerful social conscience.”

How we work is changing, too. One in five global employees now work remotely at least some of the time, and the coronavirus pandemic will only accelerate this “work from anywhere” culture. Organizational structures will become more fluid, and more people will expect to “float” between teams, roles, and employers. The days of the “job for life” are well and truly gone, and more people will work in the gig economy, as freelancers, and as free agents.

All employers must therefore assess their working practices to see whether they are offering this changing workforce the working environment they want (and expect) – one where people have greater flexibility, a better work-life balance, and a meaningful connection with the brands they work for.

What Are The Examples of Emerging Trends?

To help meet the demands of a technology-enabled consumer base, solution providers must embrace digital transformation to realize their full potential. But, where to begin? These are the top 15 emerging technologies that businesses need to keep an eye on.

AI

Artificial intelligence is poised as a tool of choice for businesses and solution providers. As is often seen with social media, AI, combined with machine learning, deep learning and neural networks, can be a powerful combination.

Businesses can use AI to achieve cost-saving benefits, streamline workflows, improve the customer experience, enable more efficient communications through chatbots, increase customer satisfaction, and provide insight into purchasing behavior.

Additionally, machine learning can analyze large datasets and provide scaled insight. We are currently just scratching the surface of how machine learning and AI can work together to enable businesses. Current applications provide huge growth potential for solution providers who can fully understand the capabilities and functionality of AI to tailor solutions to meet business demands.

Blockchain

Past discussions of blockchain often hinged on cryptocurrency, but the real power lies in the immutability and transparency of a blockchain. Blockchains use distributed ledger technology resulting in a fixed and highly visible record of activity with high potential for business applications.

The blockchain is an information system that holds promise for supply chain management, enabling transparency into the journey of materials from origin to product. Blockchain technology will also allow for better record management, providing a snapshot of any record from its origination. This could be used to verify orders, purchases, returns, receipt of product—you name it.

Smart contracts are another blockchain application that ensures delivery of conditions. Smart contracts release data when both participants have met the criteria of an agreement. They offer endless capabilities for ensuring agreements are carried out and therefore can help position you as a trusted solution provider.

Computer Vision

This field allows computers to derive meaning from visual input, and then take action or make decisions based on that data. Computer vision requires a huge amount of data to train algorithms to understand subtle differences and recognize different visual inputs.

There is significant business potential for computer vision, which could inspect products and processes as part of quality control to analyze for nearly imperceptible differences and imperfections. Business applications include using Google Translate to translate signage to a native language and making sense of traffic signs in self-driving cars.

Customer Data Platforms

If data is the new gold, then customer data platforms are the new banks. Businesses benefit from knowing as much about customers as possible so that they can hyper-personalize experiences and know how best to reach and engage prospects and customers.

But often, knowledge is disparate, located across several systems or platforms with no single unifying source. Customer data platforms bring this information together into a single source to provide a comprehensive picture of consumers and eliminate the potential for unclean data.

Cybersecurity Mesh

Cybersecurity no longer operates as an addendum in the world of information technology. As companies made the move to remote working models during the pandemic, a few pressing issues came to light. Not only is cybersecurity an absolutely critical element of business operations, but traditional approaches are not flexible enough to accommodate for a large-scale remote workforce.

Cybersecurity mesh is a completely different approach to digital security. Cybersecurity mesh allows companies to create security measures based on the identity of a device, rather than proximity to secure connections. It’s a distributed approach rather than defining a perimeter based on network reach. In addition, cybersecurity mesh also allows for easy scalability across a distributed workforce.

Digital Health

If COVID-19 left a legacy that will remain, it’s digital health. As patients became unable to visit doctor’s offices and hospitals, digital health rose to fill the gap. But now that hurting or sick individuals have realized there are opportunities for receiving appropriate healthcare without in-person visitation, they are taking advantage of that opportunity.

This fad is certainly here to stay and will likely give rise to associated technologies that leverage innovations such as biometrics to produce smart or connected medical equipment that will enable continued distanced medical examinations.

Digital Twin

Almost anything is possible with the right coding, and now we can digitally copy a person. The virtual manifestation of a person is a real-time representation of what takes place in the human body. Digital twins are very useful for helping us to predict outcomes and measure performance.

There are multiple business and healthcare applications that allow us to perform testing and apply data analytics that was previously difficult and time-consuming to realize with living subjects.

Advancements such as genome mapping and gene therapy could become more viable in the near future. Additionally, digital twins could finally eliminate the need for clinical trials in humans as we work to mange future medical challenges.

Edge Computing

Edge computing is a decentralized model which places computing nodes closer to the source of interaction. Gartner defines edge computing as a model where “information processing and content collection and delivery are placed closer to the sources, repositories and consumers of this information.”

This model optimizes technological interactions and reduces latency at the point of origin to enable more effective and real-time data consumption. Edge computing is quickly becoming the most efficient path for localized interactions.

IoB (Internet of Behaviors)

As the world becomes more digitized, informed business is the key to success and the internet of behaviors or IoB provides greater clarity into consumer behavior. For those companies wanting to keep a competitive advantage, the IoB is offering opportunities in the form of data collection and analysis regarding consumer interactions, preferences and purchasing behavior.

Similar to the internet of things, IoB provides substantially greater insight into how consumers are participating in the purchasing journey, analyzing data collected from IoT and online sources with a psychological perspective. Ultimately, this technology is designed to help businesses improve the user experience and engage with consumers in a more meaningful way.

Low-Code Technology

Low-code technology is bringing software development to those without a high level of technical knowledge. Traditional software development is a long, arduous process, requiring a high level of programming knowledge and a significant time investment.

With low-code technology, software can be developed with a drag-and-drop interface and no extensive backend coding. This allows business users to solve a variety of specific challenges without needing to engage a highly technical resource.

Quantum Computing

Quantum computing offers unique opportunities for predictive analysis that extend beyond the capacity of conventional computing. Quantum computers leverage the principles of superposition and entanglement to process information on an exponential scale. While Google came on the scene in 2017 with a promise of the largest quantum computer, IBM has actually made it possible for businesses to leverage this technology.

Quantum computing offers businesses a powerful tool for predictive analytics and big data analytics. As we encounter new problems, quantum computing will help predict viable solutions.

Robotic Process Automation (RPA)

Robotic process automation is a term that is gaining ground recently. The name is something of a misnomer however, as there are no physical robots involved in these tasks. RPA involves automating tasks using bots that previously required human labor and follow a repetitive pattern to accomplish more of these computer-based tasks with enhanced efficiency. Many businesses are embracing RPA to help achieve more efficient workflows for rule-based tasks.

Spatial Computing

Spatial computing is often what we see when we look at futuristic movies. Rather than interacting with a static computer that sits on your desk, we are now engaging with computing as we move throughout our daily lives. Spatial computing involves virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), but goes well beyond those categories.

Spatial computing involves interacting with digital elements in an intertwined fashion with the real world. Think of smart homes, speaking commands to achieve real-world goals or using smart glasses as you move throughout the world, using digital resources to inform real-world experiences.

Total Experience

These days, emerging technology is all about tying everything together. That’s exactly what total experience seeks to do. Total experience involves a unified experience for all people engaging with a business, from the employee down to the customer. It involves using technology to create an exceptional experience for all people interacting with your company to create high-quality experience for everyone simultaneously.

5G in Everyday Life

The speeds accomplished with 5G greatly outpace those seen with previous networks. 5G networks offer the supporting foundation that businesses can leverage to embrace many upcoming disruptive technologies.

But in recent times, 5G technology hasn’t gained the momentum that was anticipated. In 2022, it’s projected that infrastructure will finally reach a viable point and devices will become affordable enough so we can actually leverage the power of 5G.

What is The Emerging Trend?

The Emerging trends (or Trending words) is a list of words that describe the topics which emerged faster than any others over the last 24 hours. By “emerging” we mean getting more social attraction from the crowd, being discussed much more than any other topic.

We detect these words by computing the so called hype score for every single word that is present in the social data after filtering and cleaning the data. Once this number is calculated, the words are ranked according to the corresponding scores in descending order.

What Are The Future Trends of Marketing?

Digital marketing predictions for 2022 are likely to include new strategies towards marketing during a crisis, social media and email marketing trends, artificial intelligence use, and better ways to approach customer service.

Below is a list of the top 10 trends for digital marketing in 2022:

1. Shoppable Posts: This trend is already on the rise but 2022 will be seeing even more use of shoppable posts. Consumers are constantly looking for the easiest, quickest way to shop. This is why using different social media platforms allows users to simply click on a post and buy an item featured in it.

2. Voice Search: Data has been illustrating that people are constantly looking for the most convenient way to gain information or news, so it only makes sense that 2022 will be seeing an increase in voice search technology. Marketers will need to optimize their content to voice-friendly terms and phrases to increase their searchability as they are becoming more common in modern households with their usage only expected to increase with further lockdowns or quarantines.

3. Video Marketing: 92% of marketers state that using video content is an active part of their campaign strategies. Video content helps persuade and attract consumers to a brand for potential conversions as people are much more likely to engage with a video as opposed to other forms of content such as a blog post or written content.

4. AI-Chat Boxes: Consumers still want a “human-touch” while they shop online. This is why marketers are using artificial intelligence chat boxes to meet customers’ needs. These chat boxes speak to consumers in comprehensive sentences while answering any questions a customer may have while shopping, giving the illusion of a human interaction and involving the customer more in the process.

5. Artificial Reality: The growing popularity of artificial reality will lead companies in 2022 to incorporate this trend more than ever before. AR will allow consumers to see products in 3D before making the final decision regarding whether or not to purchase a specific product. Without having to leave their homes, customers will have the experience of shopping in-person through artificial reality.

6. Virtual Reality: Similar to artificial reality, virtual reality will see increases in marketing use in the year 2022. Companies will be able to create the illusion of in-store shopping for customers through the use of devices such as VR glasses.

7. Interactive Content: Marketers are finding new ways to keep consumers interested through interactive content. Approaches such as online quizzes, polls, and shoppable posts will be commonly seen throughout eCommerce social media platforms as well as their websites.

With pretty much everyone now vying to attract user attention due to increased online usage, it’s crucial that you ensure your brand is creative and stands out from the competition. Creating interactive content that matches your brand identity and ethos will help with this.

8. Social Messaging Trends: While some social media platforms are perfect places for users to chat with their friends and family, other platforms such as Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp are now being utilized for networking purposes by business owners. In 2022, marketers will likely be using these social messaging platforms to help reach their target audience as well as network with other brands at the same time.

9. Programmatic Advertising: A method of eliminating the guessing game of ad placements, marketers will now be able to buy an advertisement in real-time situations, placing ads in desirable places while their target audience is present. This is also a great strategy as brands will be able to spend budgets more wisely when it comes to marketing their products.

10. Artificial Intelligence Growth: Generally speaking, artificial intelligence growth will continue to rise in 2022. Marketers are discovering new technologies to better handle customer service along with using AI to obtain in-depth information quickly.

Whether it is for gathering consumer data, tracking sales and user patterns, freeing up time for employees by removing repetitive tasks or looking to implement improved email marketing trends; 2022 will be taking full advantage of artificial intelligence.

What Future Trends do You Expect to See in 10 Years?

Wearable devices

A hot trend right now is integrating technology into wearable devices. Glasses with cameras (such as Google Glasses) or watches that answer your phone calls (like the Apple Watch) are just a few products that are very popular right now. Industry experts believe we’re just scratching the surface, though.

Thanks to flexible electronics, clothing will soon house computers, sensors, or wireless receivers. But most of these need to connect to a smartphone to work. The real explosion of wearable tech might happen once these are able to break free and work independently.

Wireless electricity

We’ve know about the possibilities for more than a century, most famously by the great Tesla during his famous lectures. The scientist would hang up a light bulb in the air and it would light up — all without any wires! The audience was dazzled every time by this performance. But this wasn’t any parlor trick — just a matter of current by induction.

Basically, Tesla relied on sets of huge coils which generated a magnetic field, which induces a current into the light bulb. Voila! In the future, wireless electricity will be accessible to anyone — as easy as WiFi is today. Smartphones will charge in your pocket as you wander around, televisions will flicker with no wires attached, and electric cars will refuel while sitting on the driveway.

In fact, the technology is already in place. What is required is a huge infrastructure leap. Essentially, wirelessly charged devices need to be compatible with the charging stations and this requires a lot of effort from of both the charging suppliers and the device manufacturers. We’re getting there, though.

Nuclear Fusion

Nuclear fusion is essentially the opposite of nuclear fission. In fission, a heavy nucleus is split into smaller nuclei. With fusion, lighter nuclei are fused into a heavier nucleus.

The fusion process is the reaction that powers the sun. On the sun, in a series of nuclear reactions, four isotopes of hydrogen-1 are fused into a helium-4, which releases a tremendous amount of energy. The goal of scientists for the last 50 years has been the controlled release of energy from a fusion reaction.

If the energy from a fusion reaction can be released slowly, it can be used to produce electricity in virtually unlimited quantities. Furthermore, there’s no waste materials to deal with or contaminants to harm the atmosphere. To achieve the nuclear fusion dream, scientists need to overcome three main constraints:

• temperature (you need to put in a lot of energy to kick off fusion; helium atoms need to be heated to 40,000,000 degrees Kelvin — that’s hotter than the sun!)
• time (charged nuclei must be held together close enough and long enough for the fusion reaction to start)
• containment (at that temperature everything is a gas, so containment is a major challenge).

Though other projects exist elsewhere, nuclear fusion today is championed by the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) project, founded in 1985, when the Soviet Union proposed to the U.S. that the countries work together to explore the peaceful applications of nuclear fusion. Since then, ITER has ballooned into a 35-country project with an estimated $50 billion price tag.

Key structures are still being built at ITER, and when ready the reactor will stand 100 feet tall, weigh 23,000 tons, and its core will be hotter than the sun. Once turned on (hopefully successfully), the ITER could solve the world’s energy problems for the foreseeable future, and help save the planet from environmental catastrophe.

Driverless cars

In 2012, California was the first state to formally legalize driverless cars. The UK is set to follow this year.

Some 1.2 million people worldwide die in car accidents every year. Tests so far have shown that driverless cars are very safe and should greatly reduce motor accidents. In fact, if all the cars on a motorway were driverless and networked, then theoretically no accident should ever occur.

Moreover, algorithms would make sure that you’d get the best traffic flow possible as mathematical functions would calculate what velocity a car should go relative to one another such that the whole column would move forward at maximum speed. Of course, this would mean that most people would have to give up driving, which isn’t an option among those who enjoy it.

Even so, you could get to work alone in the car without a driver’s license. “Almost every car company is working on automated vehicles,” says Sven Beiker, the executive director of the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford.

3D printing

A 3D printer reads every slice (or 2D image) of your virtual object and proceeds to create the object, blending each layer together with no sign of the layering visible, resulting in a single 3D object. It’s not exactly new. Companies, especially in the R&D or automotive business, have been using 3D printers to make molds and prototypes for more than two decades.

What’s new is how this technology has arrived to the common folk. Nowadays, you can buy a decent 3D printer for less than $600. With it, you can print spare parts for your broken machines, make art, or whatever else suits your fancy.

You don’t even have to know how to design. Digital libraries for 3D parts are growing rapidly and soon enough you should be able to print whatever you need. The technology itself is also advancing. We’ve seen 3D printed homes, cars, or ears, and this is just the beginning. Scientists believe they can eventually 3D print functioning organs that are custom made for each patient, saving millions of lives each year.

Virtual reality

The roots of virtual reality can be traced to the late 1950s, at a time when computers where confined Goliaths the size of a house. A young electrical engineer and former naval radar technician named Douglas Engelbart saw computers’ potential as a digital display and laid the foundation for virtual reality. Fast forward to today and not that much has become of VR — at least not the way we’ve seen in movies.

But if we were to try on the proverbial VR goggles what insight into the future might they grant? Well, you’d see a place for VR that goes far beyond video games, like the kind Oculus Rift strives towards.

Multi-player VR provides the foundation by which a class of students can go on a virtual tour of the Egyptian pyramids, let a group of friends watch the latest episode of “Game of Thrones” together, or let the elderly experience what it is like to share a visit with their grandkids who may be halfway around the world. Where VR might be most useful is not in fabricating fantasies, but enriching reality by connecting people like never before. It’s terribly exciting.

Genomics

It’s been 10 years since the human genome was first sequenced. In that time, the cost of sequencing per person has fallen from $2.7bn to just $5,000! Raymond McAuley, a leading genomics researcher, predicted in a lecture at Singularity University’s Exponential Finance 2014 conference that we will be sequencing DNA for pennies by 2020s.  When sequencing is applied to a mass population, we will have mass data, and who knows what that data will reveal?

What Are The Examples of Trends?

Trend is defined as going in a general direction or having a tendency to go in a certain way. An example of a trend is for a plain to stretch westward across a state. An example of a trend is when the number of murders in a city reduces downward.

As of 2019, some recent trends include food as a hobby or foodie-ism, ethical living, responsible consumerism, authenticity on social media, blurring of gender roles, and wearable technology. Some fads that you may have missed include face tattoos, goat yoga, “dad sneakers”, CBD-infused products, TikTok, and ‚90s-inspired fashion and music.

What is an Example of a Market Trend?

A market trend is anything that alters the market where your company operates. This could be something as far-reaching as artificial intelligence technology, as fickle as consumer preferences, or as industry-specific as new regulations. In fact, it’s almost certain there are multiple market trends affecting your business at the same time, right now.

If you try a simple Google search for “market trends,” you’re likely to get a lot of information about stocks, financials, and investing. Today this term applies to many industries, but it does have its roots in finance.

And though your industry of operation might be B2B services, retail, energy, technology, healthcare, or many other sectors of the economy, you can still learn from the three ways financial professionals think about a market trend.

• Short-term market trends occur over a few hours or days. In marketing or business positioning, this would include news and current events, social media trends, or sales events like Prime Day and Black Friday. For example, if a news story breaks that is relevant to your business, you need to create content about that quickly to capture interest before it ebbs away.
• Intermediate market trends last anywhere from two to eight weeks. In finance, these are rallies and turnarounds that can mystify analysts. In business, causes of intermediate trends can be easier to pinpoint, but not always. Events like the holiday season, elections, tax time, or industry-specific compliance deadlines represent some factors that can drive intermediate market trends. Maybe your competitors do something every year to mark some of these occasions, or your customers are looking for unique products or services for a few months. Other times, influencers or emerging research drives these trends in interest.
• Long-term market trends last years and even decades. These are big societal changes that affect your business, like mobile devices and artificial intelligence, gaps or deficiencies in the talent pipeline, and culture shifts like the #metoo movement or demands for racial equality. While you might need to adapt to the new environment as these long-term trends manifest, responses should be more thoughtful than reactionary. For instance, just because you know consumers want a mobile-friendly experience doesn’t mean you should implement one without strategy.

Whether it’s looking at the most recent trending topics on Google, or taking time to do research and form a ten-year business strategy, your customer journey is at the heart of prioritizing these market trends.

Sometimes your target customers are driving the trends, and sometimes they want you to bring the trends to them. But in all cases, it’s essential to think most about the trends that align with your business so you can reach the right consumer.

How do You Find Consumer Trends?

You can discover new trends by reading market research and trends reports, following the blogs and social media accounts of influencers in your industry, using keyword and search query analytics tools, attending trade shows and networking with influential people at industry events, observing your competitors, and talking with your customers.

You can also use trend analysis tools to gain insights into trending topics and media on social channels, which include social networking services, discussion forums, blogs, and online reviews.

Which Industry Will Grow in 2022?

According to Investopedia, “An emerging industry is a group of companies in a line of business formed around a new product or idea that is in the early stages of development.” These companies often come about as one technology takes over another, older technology.

It’s important to note that stocks of companies in emerging industries can be volatile. That means that investing in these companies is risky. However, as John Ratcliff’s story and so many like it have proven, great risk can bring great reward.

1. Artificial Intelligence

We’ve already seen artificial intelligence (AI) spreading into many areas of society and business operations. This trend will continue as artificial intelligence is continually developed and optimized to help in more ways, making it flexible and adaptable to various industries.

AI has already become a part of the automotive industry with self-driving cars and the healthcare industry with virtual doctor visits. AI is here to stay, and it’s becoming more and more ingrained into our everyday lives.

2. Virtual Reality

While virtual reality (VR) is a natural progression for the (already huge) video game industry, its adaptability shows its staying power. As Forbes reports, Covid-19 has sped up the need for digital collaboration.

We’re seeing augmented and virtual reality integrated into the financial, entertainment, transportation, retail, healthcare and security sectors via their business applications. We’re also seeing VR push into government and academia, cementing virtual reality as more than a trend.

3. Renewable And Alternative Energy

Although renewable energy isn’t a new idea, it’s finally gaining more traction. We’ve seen the demand for electricity fall in 2020. Meanwhile, the demand for renewable energy has exceeded that of coal more than ever before (153 days in 2020 versus 39 in 2019.) With the U.S. rejoining the Paris Climate Accord and planning to invest $2 trillion in clean energy, we should see this industry accelerating in 2021.

4. Big Data Analytics

Big data analytics reviews large amounts of data, looking for hidden correlations and patterns. With new technology that can analyze big data and get answers in minutes, companies will be able to move more quickly than ever before. The result? Cost reduction, faster and more informed decision-making, and new products based on consumer feedback. All of these things mean more money for companies that use this technology.

5. Cybersecurity

As technology grows and changes, our cybersecurity needs will, as well. It will be more important than ever to protect our information. We can expect to see cybersecurity technology develop and change to meet new needs — including utilizing AI in new solutions. The cybersecurity market is expected to grow from $165.78 billion in 2021 to $366.10 billion by 2028.

6. Cloud Computing

Cloud computing as an industry is becoming increasingly standardized and compatible. Hosted private, hosted on-premises and public cloud infrastructure are allowing data streams to be much more mobile and workloads more portable. With this shift, we’re now seeing cloud computing supporting more processes, apps and services. The cloud computing market is projected to hit $760.98 billion by 2027.

What Are Current Industry Trends?

What is being coined “industry 4.0” is typified by AI, robotics, machine learning, Smart tech, and the IoT. Record highs for consistent growth and absorption rates have also come to exemplify today’s industrial real estate market. 5 trends we are seeing in the industrial sector support the idea that a revolution is indeed occurring.

1. Lots of Activity, Fewer Deals

Industrial has led all CRE sectors for the last few years due to e-commerce’s need for warehousing and distribution. Last year, the sector saw a 3.2% increase in investments and sales have been rising annually by 15%. According to the same report by CBRE, the first quarter of last year marked the 28th consecutive month where absorption rates in industrial and logistics remained above 95%.

Supply is tight all over the country while demand is only increasing. Experts point to a lot of activity in secondary and tertiary markets as primary market pricing is slowing down or hindering a lot of potential deals. While activity is still ongoing, new construction is not keeping up with demand, demand is increasing, but tightening markets and increasing rent prices show fewer deals happening lately.

2. Industrial Products are Becoming More Diverse

E-commerce retailers recently discovered the benefit of owning big box stores and vacant office campuses to house their distribution and warehousing operations. Those spaces however do not help avoid the last mile issues confronting on demand delivery. In an attempt to facilitate deliveries closer to city centers, demand in industrial products is diversifying.

According to the numbers, the top industries utilizing diverse spaces in those markets are 3PLs, food and beverage, and e-commerce. Healthcare supply deliveries are also taking up space in local markets where special accommodations like refrigeration or medically licensed drivers are required. Big boxes are still in demand but smaller assets are in even higher demand right now.

3. Supply Chain Needs Dominate Industrial Demand

ULI’s Emerging Trends in Real Estate Report for 2018 showed that the best performing industrial spaces are all part of supply chains. Fulfillment center prospects are trending “excellent”, flex space prospects are deemed “good”, and warehousing and manufacturing “fair.” Demand for these types of spaces are all on an upward trajectory going into the last half of 2021.

In addition to fulfillment, industrial is seeing another hot new trend in the use of data centers. The cloud is not invisible. All data is stored somewhere on a server usually housed in a data center. Multiply the number of tech companies, cloud providers, and other data managers, and it is easy to see why data centers are one of the hottest trends in industrial right now.

4. Foreign Investors Jump into Secondary Industrial Market

American investors started targeting non-traditional cities in secondary markets for industrial space over the last couple of years while foreign investments remained concentrated in class A assets. Now foreign investors are quickly buying up secondary assets in the industrial market. ULI points to ROIs above 12% as motivation for continued investment in supply chain industrial markets in non-traditional cities like Memphis, TN, Columbus, OH, and Louisville, KY.

5. Robotics and Automation in Manufacturing Impacting Industrial

Manufacturing is where robotics and automation have really taken off in industrial over the last several years. Replacing many traditional warehouse and manufacturing jobs, technology and digitization will continue to replace humans while revolutionizing the way that industrial assets are expected to be equipped.

Going forward, industrial assets wired with the infrastructure for advanced technology needed to support Smart industrial machinery will remain in highest demand.

What Are The Latest Trends in e-commerce For 2022?

What are the main eCommerce trends that are going to change the market scenario in 2022?

Vittadello, as an expert in this field, has identified 5 trends:

1. Content: There is a need to support the product proposition, not only with cold data but by also developing a storytelling component. This means integrating into the product offer a descriptive component made up of text, interactive videos, and, increasingly, voice content. Rich content helps to give a more detailed perception of the product, making it better known to the customer and contextualizing it within a certain purchasing experience.

The certainty of the purchase is linked to the fact that the conditions of return in online purchases are not always optimal. The consumer wants to ensure that the product they purchased is what they want, so they do not have to return it and perhaps pay extra for doing so.

Adobe’s latest brand content survey highlights the fact that consumers looking for information about a brand do so through different sources at the same time. Consumers spend 48 percent of their time on the company’s website, 40 percent in the physical store, 38 percent on online comparisons and review sites, 22 percent on social media, and 19 percent on video platforms.

The landscape, therefore, is quite varied. The ability to monitor channels with a view not only of completeness of information but also of completeness of content are elements that brands will have to work on in the future.

2. Social commerce: Social media is a very powerful marketing tool, and, for some time now, brands have understood the potential of these touchpoints as an additional sales channel.

Although Facebook and Instagram have not yet integrated the ability to finalize purchases directly into their platforms, the path has been laid out. Instagram, for example, has recently extended its one-click functionality to shopping in reels, the short videos lasting up to 15 seconds that are very popular among Generation Z users.

TikTok, on the other hand, has sharpened its tools in this sector, thanks to its partnership with Shopify that integrates the technological elements that encourage impulse purchases: links in bio, fast checkout, and integration with social payment tools.

“Social [media] is being used more and more relevantly, not only as a platform to search for information but as part of an integrated purchasing process,” said Federico Vittadello. “In the U.S., 35 percent of users between ages 25 and 34 already buy through social and 25 percent have already used the ‘shop now’ features.”

3. AI & analytics: The option to track customers during their purchase path in real-time, through machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies, ensures an increasingly effective personalization of the ad.

The analysis of the huge amount of information these touchpoints produce, implemented through mathematical algorithms, allows marketers to operate toward the greatest efficiency. This data helps in identifying and anticipating sales trends in different geographies and targeting the brand’s marketing messages.

4. Retargeting: The conversion path is almost never linear. More often it is a highly varied and heterogeneous path, influenced both by the stage of the funnel where the brand intercepts the user and by the different ways the user experiences the advertising message.

Retargeting effectiveness lies in the brand’s ability to intercept the needs of a user who has already interacted with the company, through one or more contact points, in various moments preceding the actual purchase. “The ability to organize the channels in a synergistic way ensures the most effective marketing actions, with a conversion around 70 percent higher for retargeted users compared to those who are not,” said Vittadello.

5. Local Inventory Ads: Locally available product listings use digital channels to target the potential customers nearby. Local Inventory Ad campaigns include the availability of a product in a given store and the location of a user near that store. Local Inventory Ads offer an excellent possibility of conversion, as they are created on the basis of explicit user behavior.

In the past, a user searched online for a specific product, or using implicit behavior, because they, at that moment, are in the catchment area of the store and the product could actually be of interest to them.

What Are The Emerging Trends in e-commerce?

Companies must experiment with different marketing trends and tools to figure out what works best for them. Emerging trends include influencer marketing, virtual reality, and artificial intelligence. Marketers need to carefully choose the best-suited and latest eCommerce marketing trends for their brands.

Knowing your customers well is the most crucial deciding factor for the growth of any business. How they shop, what they buy, and how they respond to marketing techniques applied by businesses is important. With rising of eCommerce automation purchases online will be smooth for customers.

So let’s discuss some of the emerging trends in eCommerce marketing ideas in the industry.

1. Increased prevalence of voice search.

Voice assistants on your phone, home smart hub and even your TV remote control have come a long way. Voice search is growing in popularity, which directly influences search results and shopping outcomes.

Ecommerce sellers must remain cognizant of changes in search so they can optimize for future sales. At a minimum, make sure your eCommerce site is optimized for both mobile voice search by prioritizing the kind of information people ask for, such as website and physical address, contact number and business hours.

2. AI-assisted upselling and cross-selling.

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning do a good job of predicting shopping habits based on browsing and shopping history. While no human brain could customize a website for every unique visitor, AI is up for the task. While very few retailers have the volume of data needed for true AI, some ERP and CRM systems include machine learning features to assist in cross-selling and upselling.

3. Additional payment options.

If your business accepts payment only via check or credit or debit card, it’s time to consider new options. Many online retailers now use tools that allow consumers to buy with a payment plan with no extra fees, for example. your checkout process so that when customers are ready to buy it’s a fast and easy process.

Oh, and brick-and-mortar retailers need a plan for contactless payments.

4. Augmented reality to visualize purchases.

Customers don’t want to guess what a new couch would look like in their living rooms. With augmented reality (AR), they won’t have to. Adding this technology means they can use a phone or laptop to see a live video of the room with the new addition.

The same goes for artwork, flooring and many clothing items. Ecommerce businesses should be actively adding AR where appropriate to encourage customers to virtually “try on” a product.

5. Smarter mobile shopping tools.

Brick-and-mortar retailers may not like seeing people looking at their phone screens, as it could indicate that the customer is price shopping or using the brick-and-mortar store as a showroom for a later online purchase somewhere else.

These days, however, savvy retailers offer their own GPS-enabled mobile shopping experiences that help customers buy in-store or anywhere else. For all retailers, a mobile-optimized site and store is a foundational element of a positive eCommerce experience.

6. Growth in subscription models.

When you sell a subscription, it’s a lot more likely the customer will return again and again. Subscription models have proven successful online, and many savvy businesses are finding new ways to turn products and services into subscriptions that keep customers loyal for months and years to come.

Note that subscription success requires a long-term mindset and a close eye on unit economics, technology use and the transition from “customer support” to “customer success.”

7. Renewed focus on sustainability.

“Renewable” and “sustainable” are not just buzzwords. Consumers and governments are making major shifts to renewable energy, sustainable environmental practices and long-term sustainable thinking. Investors have driven new ESG (environmental, social, and governance) preferences in the stock market. Consumers also vote with their dollars, and many prefer companies with strong sustainability practices.

8. Multichannel customer support.

Past and prospective customers may want to contact your company for customer service. But how? Some prefer live chat or a phone call, others email, others social or text. Adding chatbot tools can lighten your customer service workload, improve the customer experience and be part of a well-rounded customer experience.

9. Enhanced distribution and fulfillment planning.

Customers want purchases in their hands as quickly as possible. If your delivery estimates are too slow, they may go elsewhere. Multilayer distribution models, hyperoptimized supply chains, and software-assisted fulfillment are already leading to big changes and big profits. They should continue to do so well into the foreseeable future.

10. Seamless online purchases.

Customers may not buy directly from your website. There are now many channels for eCommerce, including selling directly through social media. Popular apps like Instagram enable purchases without ever leaving the app. That makes social a smart place for consumer companies to send their advertising dollars.

What Are Global Trends That Affect Business?

1. Emerging Markets are Growing Quickly

While the U.S. economy may be in a late-stage cycle of economic growth, many other countries remain in the earlier stages. Despite the U.S. economy’s implications on global market strength, other nations are also putting up strong economic expansion numbers.

As Morgan Stanley pointed out, one of the key factors affecting emerging market (EM) growth is the stabilizing labor market. Many EM governments are now on a path to fiscal consolidation, creating a buffer to keep macro-stability standards constant and reduce the likelihood of collapse or other unexpected setbacks.

Not every EM is the same, however. Global business management professionals should weigh factors such as perceived financial stability, spoken language, cultural cohesion, and known or suspected government corruption levels before investing in the market.

2. Industry Leaders are Relying More on Data Analytics

Before the recent digital revolution, executives in leading organizations were praised for “gut” intuition and their ability to read and understand the limited data before them. As more devices become connected, however, the amount of available data continues to grow. According to Gartner data, an estimated 11.2 billion pieces of hardware will be connected to the internet by the end of 2018. That number is expected to climb to 20.4 billion by 2020.

Each of these devices generates information, but too much for traditional models to visualize. To combat this, and make all data actionable, technology developers have created data analytics programs that use advanced technologies such as machine learning and artificial intelligence to break down big data into digestible information.

According to Deloitte, organizations that properly leverage data analytics are able to spot global trends faster than their competitors. Data analytics can provide information in real time, letting organizations adjust on pace with the market itself. Data analytics can also be used internally, empowering enterprises with the tools to identify wasted resources and improve overall productivity.

3. Consumers Have Instant Access to More Product Information

Enterprises are not the only aspect of the global market to have access to more information; consumers are now increasingly connected. Pew Research Center data indicates that 77 percent of Americans own a smartphone.

While this number tends to be lower in developing countries, global business management specialists must consider that consumers have instant access to information such as price, quality, and competitor information on any given product.

This places more pressure on companies to remain active online and to promote a positive brand image and product presence in every social arena. The constantly connected consumer not only has product information readily available, but also has instant access to trends, brands, and other companies.

Customers are able to share their own experiences and hear the experiences of others on-demand via highly engaged social media communities and easily accessible news outlets.

4. Rapid Innovation Continues

Technology as a whole is moving rapidly. Innovations such as ridesharing and automated vehicle technology, for example, are reaching the market much more quickly than innovations of years past. Barriers that once took decades to overcome are now being tackled in years–like the issue of autonomous vehicles coexistence with pedestrians.

In the enterprise space, this perpetual sprint forward means that western companies can no longer automatically consider themselves at the forefront of technological innovation. In fact, the U.S. is not a leader in either manufacturing or service industry innovation, according to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development.

With such rapid, global innovation, professionals must have robust business management skills that include the ability to identify and implement international technologies to aid businesses worldwide.

Many industries take a rushed approach—believing that this pace is necessary to remain at the forefront. What it actually tends to do, however, is create holes and uneven production workflow, producing limited positive results and even leading to lost data or information.

While the speed of innovation is important, it is more vital that organizations understand where the market disruptors are coming from, why they are producing such an impact, and how the technology may better serve the enterprise.

5. The U.S. is Shifting Toward Isolationism

In past U.S. political landscapes, globalism has been a steady trend. The Trump administration, however, has thrown this reality into uncertainty. The administration has already implemented several tariffs, with more to be expected in the future. This, according to NPR, has created a noticeable effect in areas of the U.S. economy. Current talks of a trade war with China has also cast more doubt on international stability than was previously expected.

Read Also: 8 Reasons Why T-shirt Printing is Trending in 2022

Additionally, the Trump administration has expressed its desire to alter existing international agreements. A Wall Street Journal article highlighted how the bottom lines of companies like Boeing and Airbus were affected when the administration left the negotiated Iran nuclear deal. Moving forward, it is unclear which, if any, other international agreements President Trump may decide to leave.

Summary

Given the long-lasting changes to consumer behavior as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, pinpointing these trends has never been more important for businesses.

Brands should focus more than ever on affordable, value-added products and services. Just as consumers have had to reimagine their homes to be more multifunctional, brick-and-mortar stores must reimagine their physical spaces to accommodate new ways of doing business while providing the safety and convenience consumers desire.

Investing in technology and virtual experiences is critical to facilitate engagement with consumers both online and in person. Purpose-driven initiatives will resonate with consumers in 2021. Amidst social unrest, consumers want the facts and expect brands to act. Communicating with compassion and supporting mental wellbeing are critical attributes to drive brand loyalty.