What will consumers expect from e-commerce brands in 2021?
Unsurprisingly, the past year was a busy one for e-commerce. With non-essential brick-and-mortar stores closed in many countries, people turned to online shopping in record numbers in the first half of 2020.
Physical retail probably isn’t going anywhere soon. At the same time, the impact of the health crisis on consumer behaviour, blended online/offline shopping experiences and faster, cheaper shipping are all likely to contribute to the lasting popularity of online shopping in 2021. Here are some of the trends ecommerce brands can look out for throughout the year to come:
Perishable micro-purchases are likely to gain in popularity
In 2021, online retail may begin to compete with neighbourhood convenience stores. While the latter used to be consumers’ only option upon realising that they had forgotten an essential ingredient for that evening’s meal, online retailers’ increasing ability to deliver small items swiftly for a low fee may well change that. What’s more, increasingly sophisticated food packaging technology is making it easier than ever to deliver perishable items safely, while preserving freshness and taste.
Looks will become increasingly important
What does shelf appeal mean in the digital age? According to research by Google, 1 in 5 people have watched an unboxing video at least once, meaning that packaging plays a potentially important role in reaching new customers. Glossy, eye-catching looks are a great way to make packaging pop, both online and off.
Consumers want to see more alternatives to plastics
Without significant action, there may be more plastic than fish in the ocean by 2050. While there are increasing efforts to keep plastics in the circular economy and out of our natural environment, many ecommerce brands are opting for sustainable alternatives to plastics, such as metallized paper, in their packaging materials. Metallized paper is a paper-based mono-material that can be easily recycled and is energy-efficient and eco-friendly to produce.
The AR Metallizing team works with brands and convertors to create visually appealing, eco-friendly packaging materials that meet the requirements for a wide variety of consumer packaged goods. To find out more, contact us.