2021 was a year of great growth for ecommerce and for 2022 the forecasts are also positive, despite the current difficult political situation. Let's see what are the main trends in Mexico for this new year:
1. Supply crisis and Russia-Ukraine conflict
Lately we hear in the media that raw materials are becoming scarce and this is affecting various sectors of the economy, and guess what, ecommerce is not spared either. We have seen it with the lack of micro technology chips that affect the production of items such as the main consoles, cell phones... the crisis of land and sea transport or the current rise in fuel prices, due among other things to the conflict in Russia and Ukraine and that has caused changes in the production and distribution chains of several companies and sectors.
All this will cause a boom in proximity products, not only in food but also in local businesses, in fact in 2021 more than 75% of Mexican consumers have bought in local businesses. That added to the point to the concern for the environment, will further boost this type of purchases.
2. End of free shipping
Largely due to the previous point, shipping rates have risen to very high prices worldwide and if shipping is not considered large enough to make the costs profitable, many ecommerces will not lower the shipping cost. Even large platforms such as Aliexpress, Amazon, Ebay, have established their free shipping starting from 100 euros per purchase or even more.
3. 5G, Augmented Reality and the Metaverse
As of February 2022, 18 Mexican cities already have 5G communication technology, which means faster connection speeds on cell phones and opens up new tools, such as:
- Virtual reality.
- Augmented reality.
- Big data
- Image and voice recognition.
- Artificial intelligence
- Metaverse?
As for the metaverse, everything points to the fact that in 2022 we will still not be able to participate in this new portal, but with all the expectation and controversy that it brings, it would undoubtedly be one of the most talked about topics of the year.
4. Become sustainable or disappear
The concern of the Mexican society for the climate and the environment, is reaching companies and undoubtedly will be, and already is, one of the most marked trends for ecommerce in 2022. In fact, we can already see how brands are looking to stand out from their competitors through sustainable initiatives, such as the elimination of plastic packaging for their packages, replacing them with biodegradable materials, cartons...
As we have been observing for years, users seek to identify with "their brands" and for many people, sustainability is a requirement when consuming a product, so they expect brands to be responsible and committed to different social causes.
According to some e-commerce studies, 52% of respondents have the sustainability of companies in mind when making a purchase. In other words, they prefer to buy from an e-commerce that has a lower environmental impact than another retailer, whose values are aligned with sustainability and that at least offers a sustainable delivery option.
For all these reasons, we recommend you to adopt sustainable practices such as using recycled materials for the packaging or give the user the option to opt for an ecological shipment for a few pesos more.
5. R-ecommerce and the second-hand market
In Mexico, this trend is closely linked to the previous one, since the use of second-hand items will lead to the value of old objects, collectors' items, etc., being valued.
COVID-19 and increased concern for the planet have increased consumer interest in sustainable consumption habits, and consumers are now turning more frequently to second-hand purchases and the repair or reuse of products.
And consequently, second-hand ecommerces have grown by 69% between 2019 and 2021, according to a study by Boston Consulting, which points out that during this 2022 the trend will continue to be upward. Specifically, the sector will grow by 15% to 20% annually, until 2026.
6. The volume of buyers will continue to increase
Currently, 27.2% of the world's population shops online (more than 2.14 billion shoppers) and this figure is expected to continue to rise in the coming years.
7. Social brand, build relationships with your customers
Consumers need to have some security and trust before they buy and companies have a big responsibility in this. The public feels the need to get to know and build relationships with brands and the people behind the businesses, and companies that are more social and provide close and accessible customer service to their audience.
8. Buy now and pay later
Payment in installments is a MUST right now in Mexico, as we can see in the main shopping platforms and in almost all online stores. A large number of consumers are looking for flexibility when it comes to payment, in fact according to Klarna, 25% of consumers would spend between $ 1000 and 2000 more on their end of year purchases if they could opt for an installment payment, so companies must be aware of this and adapt to the desire of their consumers. I am sure we will see new solutions for this year and big movements in existing solutions, making this type of payment trend for this 2022.
9. Payment with cryptocurrencies
Cryptocurrencies have been a much talked about topic in 2021 and the same is expected for this 2022, the use of the virtual money is becoming increasingly popular and more and more users are looking for new, faster, easier, secure and private ways to pay for their purchases. Therefore, it is important to consider cryptocurrency payment tools for your online store, such as: Coinbase, Coingate, Coinpayments or BitPay to retain these users and even attract new customers.
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