eCommerce in 2021

Two big marketplaces in one country? In eCommerce industry it was loud at the beginning of last year. At that time there were discussions as to whether the American company would win over its Polish counterpart. The platform tried to strengthen its debut position by introducing Amazon Prime (free deliveries for products from specific categories) and giving one-year access to Amazon Prime Video. However, the platform's visitor data clearly shows that Poles (so far) choose their native counterpart. However, there is no denying that in the near future we may witness an interesting rivalry between marketplaces. After all, sales platforms are not only the domain of Allegro or Amazon, but now also social media.

It is also worth mentioning that due to Amazon's entry into Poland, it was possible to strengthen the marketplace's cooperation with InPost, which began in 2020, and which we have previously written about. If you are interested in the topic, we send you here.

You enter a website, choose the product you need, and then go to the details of the order to decide on the method of payment and delivery - how likely is it that you will choose a parcel machine instead of a post office or courier? The data don't lie: more and more people, especially for their own convenience, are deciding on this option. Machines are popping up one after another - seeing the success of InPost, they were also introduced by Allegro (green One Boxes), PKN Orlen (at its stations), Poczta Polska (in cooperation with Biedronka) and even AliExpress, wants to simplify deliveries from China. We are going to watch what happens on the parcel machines market in Poland - for sure there will be a lot of things going on!

InPost's topic doesn't end here. In July 2021, the company increased its significance in the market by acquiring a French parcel delivery company - Mondial Relay. Allegro in turn acquired Mall Group, proving that its position in the eCommerce industry has not weakened in any way. There was also buzz about Shoper buying a 100% stake in Shoplo, becoming an even bigger player in the online store platform market. Cracow-based company also debuted on the Warsaw Stock Exchange - just like InPost in Amsterdam.

Have you ever heard the term reCommerce? Promotion of pro-environmental behaviors has been vivid for several years now, which can be seen both in consumers' purchase decisions and in actions taken by smaller and larger companies operating in various industries. Among the most interesting environmental initiatives of the past year we should indicate:

• recycling of packaging (cooperation between InPost and MODIVO),
• surcharges for environmentally friendly product delivery (e.g. 1 PLN to reduce the carbon footprint of Zalando deliveries),
• development of pick-up points (other than parcel machines).

The promotion of pro-environmental behaviour is currently also linked to the dynamic development of second-hand products. Vinted is the leader in online second-hand shopping, as well as Zalando, which has introduced a "Pre-owned" category in its systems. Re-sale, however, appears not only in the world of clothing. Examples include IKEA (Donate & Recycle service) or Too Good to Go, which aims to reduce food waste. Experts predict that by 2025 the value of the reCommerce market will even double.

We've already highlighted those eCommerce issues throughout the year, but they're worth recalling because they're bound to be relevant in 2022. First up goes SXO - Search Experience Optimization. What is hidden under this term? No more than a combination of search engine optimization and user experience: the very well-known SEO and UX. The industry knows that without SEO they cannot survive, but at the same time they are discovering that the pursuit of a positive user experience cannot be omitted in any way. A natural path to SXO? Absolutely! If this topic interest you more, and you missed our blog article before, here's your chance to make up for it: feel free!

In 2021, companies sought to ensure the fastest possible delivery of products, which resulted in development of the term. This fascination with quick purchases (same-day-delivery) has also led to the emergence of so-called dark-stors, or networks of distribution centers that only process online orders. We wrote about it here - visit our blog and refresh your knowledge to be always informed about the news from the world of eCommerce.

The growth of eCommerce industry makes it increasingly difficult for companies to stay ahead of their competition. Companies are constantly rethinking what they can do to distinguish themselves on the market. The key is, of course, innovation and quality of the product or service. But not without significance are marketing activities or the presentation of the offer on the website.

For this reason, do not forget to take action to speed up your business "card" (website) to reduce the bounce rate. Also important is the responsiveness of the site (smooth navigation on both desktop and mobile), valuable content and attractive design (UX and UI). What is the answer to these problems? Headless commerce, composable commerce and PWA (Progressive Web App). Things are constantly changing in the world of eCommerce - make sure you don't fall behind and check out our article from the past year.

Increase in market value from 27 billion PLN to over 100 billion PLN in just 5 years - everything indicates that eCommerce industry is not going to stop in any way. Increasing number of people buy online - not only for themselves, but also as part of their business. B2B sales are supported by Allegro, introducing a special platform for bulk purchases. More and more often we can choose deferred payment, which makes it easier to function in a situation of limited finances. Artificial intelligence and machine learning, omnichannel, social selling (including live commerce) and other eCommerce trends, about which we wrote recently, are developing.

Constant changes are unavoidable - we can only wait with curiosity to see what revolutions 2022 will bring to the world of eCommerce. Happy New Year!