Your Digital Classroom
That fun, back-to-school feeling many of us association with the autumn is beautifully captured with the launch of our Ecommerce Online Magazine, aptly named “The Fun of Online Shopping”. It’s full of opportunities for learning that are both inspiring and entertaining- minus the classroom, teacher, and schoolmates.
The feature article, Online Shopping Mystique, points to studies that show that it’s Gen Z, Millennials, and Gen Xers who are currently the biggest online shoppers. It’s not surprising. Afterall, these generations are in general very internet-savvy, and most Gen Z shoppers (18- to 26-year-olds) have been exposed to the internet almost their entire lives. But did you know that education is a driver of online shopping, too— with higher educated consumers shopping online more frequently?
Interestingly, there are technological factors that these generations are using increasingly when shopping, such as chatbots which can answer questions about offered products and services, prices, availability etc. (In fact, a large percentage of smart devices are equipped with digital assistants such as Siri or Alexa, to help with online searches; and then, there’s ChatGPT which you can read about here and here.)
The "Stuff" of Legends
It makes sense that what we put on our bodies is prioritized and creates a top shopping category. In this case, we learn about consumer habits in purchases of fashion and beauty. (For a total overview of European Ecommerce trends, read about our report here.)
Smart Pill #1: Fashion
In the article, Clothes Do Make The Sale we learn that accordingly to Statista, fashion e-commerce is at an all-time high, increasing from $481.2 billion in worldwide revenue in 2018 to $712.9 billion in 2022 (and expected to reach $821 billion in 2023 worldwide and $230 billion in Europe!) The “shopping hunger” is driven by both technological advances (such as augmented reality and social commerce) and social factors (“circular economy”, sustainable packaging.)
Smart Pill #2: Beauty
The article, Beauty Industry Reigns Supreme lists five key trends in beauty ecommerce and explains that the European beauty market is estimated to be $138bn, with over a quarter of total revenue worldwide in beauty product sales expected to come through online sales in 2023. Whereas Amazon is the most popular online store from which to purchase beauty products, beauty brands Ulta, Sephora, Nordstrom, and Kylie Cosmetics are all successfully making the online sales, too.
Self-Medication at Your Fingertips
We know that as a result of COVID lockdown distancing, online shopping and package delivery boomed. Medicine and health products followed suite, naturally— from consumers’ need for safety and convenience but also from their interest in optimizing their health and wellness.
Smart Pill #3: Pharmacy
In The New Pharmacy Way, we come to understand that despite the disadvantage of not having a licensed professional available to give advice in person, customers are comfortable making purchases for the sake of convenience. But what risks do they open themselves up to when literally taking their health into their own hands? And what are the advantages of e-pharmacies that are increasingly catering to online shoppers? Dive deep to find out!
It's Just Entertainment— Or Is It?
It all started booming during COVID lockdown— or did it? Human beings have been playing games, competing, and consuming stories for a very long time. So, what’s the big deal? It’s how this appetite for entertainment has grown exponentially — plus the sheer number of participants that makes us say “WOW”.
Smart Pill #4: Gaming
It Started With Games and in Games it Booms! explains that in the past 20 years, online gaming has grown into a multibillion-dollar market, with a projected revenue of 26 billion USD in 2023 and an annual growth rate of 5.64% between 2023 and 2027. It turns out that not only do people enjoy gaming— which itself is available in all flavors— but watching others play games (think:e-sports) is a passion, too. Indeed, top players have become celebrities and influencers. And then, there is Twitch, the online gaming platform with 100,000 million active users per month.
Smart Pill #5: Online Betting
I “bet” you don’t know just how popular online betting is. In I Game, You Game, We Bet, We All Game, we learn that this category is synonymous with online sports betting, casinos, lottery, bingo, and card games. It boasted more than 8 million participants in the early 2000s and is projected to be worth 114bn USD globally in 2028. And this category is evolving— with a focus on providing a variety of online payment options; growing content creativity (gamification); and establishing ever-responsive customer service.
Smart Pill #6: Video Streaming
Netflix, Prime, HBOMax, and Disney are what come to mind immediately when we think of streaming. The article Gently Down the Stream elaborates that yes, we are correct— but it’s much more than the films that we love to consume digitally. It’s the appeal of personalized recommendations; uninterrupted escapism; “anywhere accessibility” (airport viewing, anyone?); and of course, the variety of storytelling and associated formats (series, full-length feature films, and so on.)
Remember to subscribe, because there’s more to come!
The Nexi Group Ecommerce Online Magazine is designed to be your go-to digital magazine for uncovering the world of online retail. Join us as we navigate the ever-evolving ecommerce landscape— providing insights, trends, and strategies to empower entrepreneurs, established merchants, and even marketers. Let’s embark on this thrilling journey together and unlock the vast opportunities that await in the realm of digital commerce. Issues are released quarterly in English and cover a wide array of topics, naturally.
Samara H. Johansson
Content Manager, Nets E-Commerce
With 15+ years of experience in strategic marketing and communications roles, for Nets I focus on presenting e-commerce market insights in a way that is easy to understand and practical.
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