Did you know that according to the “2021 PayPal Borderless Commerce Report,” Hong Kong was the world’s strongest cross-border e-commerce market last year due to the pandemic, with annual e-commerce sales reaching HKD 59 billion, a year-on-year increase of over 18%? As online shopping becomes a common consumer habit, it is expected that order volume will continue to grow rapidly in the post-pandemic era, both domestically and cross-border. That’s why ePlus is here to help you stay ahead of the game by analyzing the top five e-commerce trends for 2022. Are you ready to prepare yourself and stand out in the competitive market? Let’s get started!
E-commerce trend 1: Consumers Are Increasingly Concerned About Environmentally-friendly Online Shopping Experiences
Do you love online shopping but worry about its impact on the environment? You’re not alone! With the explosive growth of online orders, excessive packaging has become a serious problem, leading to waste and environmental pollution.
Did you know that over 50% of online shopping consumers in Hong Kong believe that excessive packaging is a serious problem? According to a market survey conducted by local environmental organization Green Sense, they are willing to recycle and reuse packaging, but are unsure of which types are recyclable when they receive different types of packaging materials.
But don’t worry, there’s hope! Green online shopping experiences have become a concern for consumers and have prompted store owners to think about how to create environmentally-friendly online stores that allow customers to buy with confidence while reducing environmental damage.
Have you heard about Green Sense’s “Green Online Shopping Promotion Program”? It encourages merchants to become green online stores by reducing the use of online shopping packaging and reusing packaging materials. As of April 2021, 16 online stores in Hong Kong have joined the program!
Some online stores even implement environmentally-friendly delivery and recycling policies, collecting applicable online shopping packaging from customers and offering incentives in return. Are you interested in becoming part of this movement?
Source：Green Sense Official Website
E-commerce Trend 2: Stepping Into The Era Of All-channel Sales
While online shopping has become a habit, consumers in Hong Kong still rely on physical stores for convenience. In 2022, it is expected that the retail industry will move towards an Omni Channel Retailing model. Many e-commerce companies have already begun to sell their products on various platforms, such as online stores, physical stores, social media, and mobile apps, to spread brand and product information widely. The goal is to make consumers feel that the brand is everywhere, creating a sense of familiarity with the brand.
Moreover, the all-channel model can synchronize and share information from all stages, from shopping information inquiries, product trials, placing orders, member management, logistics delivery, to returns and exchanges. Merchants can analyze customers’ shopping patterns through data integration and formulate suitable marketing strategies to create a more complete and consistent shopping experience for consumers.
To keep up with the trend of new retail, e+Solutions has launched a comprehensive e-commerce solution in collaboration with Posify, an expert in setting up online stores. With just 1 click, merchants can build an online store, manage orders, and handle storage and shipping. Through system integration, it supports the operation of all online and physical stores, helping merchants to quickly expand their business and seize opportunities.
E-commerce Trend 3: Smart E-commerce Logistics Takes Your Shopping Experience to the Next Level!
The development of smart phones and smart homes has brought us a lot of convenience in our daily lives. With the rapid development of e-commerce globally, logistics operations are constantly upgrading towards intelligence. One example is the Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV), a familiar helper in e-commerce logistics warehouses.
The AGV is a small picking machine that operates 24 hours a day. It can automatically transport the goods according to the planned route to the designated location. Currently, e+Solutions warehouses have introduced AGVs to improve the efficiency of warehouse and logistics operations, and to handle the huge demand for orders from merchants.
As the online shopping market matures, it is expected that in 2022, consumers will place greater emphasis on the online shopping experience, such as expecting to receive their purchases in the shortest possible time. Therefore, fast and accurate e-commerce logistics become more important. For merchants, the AGV’s automatic guidance system significantly reduces the time for overall cargo handling, effectively improves the accuracy of shipping, and helps to speed up the processing of orders. This ensures that orders are delivered quickly and accurately, strengthening customer confidence.
E-commerce Trend 4: The “Livestreaming” Craze Continues
The “Livestreaming” trend has been on the rise in Hong Kong due to the pandemic. According to data released by the online store platform SHOPLINE, as of mid-2021, 20% of surveyed merchants have tried the benefits of livestreaming, while over 70% of those who have not tried it yet plan to do so within the year. In terms of channels, Facebook is the most commonly used livestreaming platform, followed by Instagram and YouTube.
Livestreaming is not limited by space and time. With just a smartphone, you can do it anytime, anywhere, making it a popular marketing technique for online stores. Creating an atmosphere, engaging in real-time interactions, and sharing product experiences can bring you closer to consumers, making them more willing to make purchases. Online store owners could consider this emerging marketing technique that might brings explosive sales growth to your online store in 2022!
E-commerce Trend 5: Expanding Online Business To Overseas Markets
The pandemic has given the e-commerce market a real shot in the arm, and many Hong Kong-based online stores are now looking to take on the world – especially the booming consumer markets of Southeast Asia. According to a recent report by Google, Temasek, and Bain & Company, the six largest e-commerce markets in Southeast Asia are set to rake in a staggering $172 billion by 2025. And with big names like AS Watson and Yoho already expanding into the region, the race is on.
But don’t worry – if you’re a small or medium-sized e-commerce business looking to break into overseas markets next year, e+Solutions has got you covered. With our own warehouses and local teams in Shanghai, Malaysia, Singapore, Korea, and the United States, we can provide lightning-fast e-commerce logistics that’ll get your products from Hong Kong to anywhere on the planet.
And with global online orders set to keep on climbing in 2022 and beyond, there’s never been a better time to take your e-commerce game to the next level. So whether you’re dealing with temperature-controlled goods, frozen products, online store operations, O2O model and all-channel model, let e+Solutions be your trusted e-commerce logistics partner – and focus on your core business.
Read More：
Cross-border logistics for online shops: A complete guide to expanding into overseas markets
“Surviving the Pandemic Market”: How O2O Can Help Retailers Thrive!
Festive Marketing: 3 Key Tips for Online Stores to Seize Holiday Opportunities
Encountering any e-Commerce logistics troubles? e+Solutions can help you! From goods storage and management, handling and packaging, to arranging last-mile, we can meet all your logistics needs while allowing you to operate an online store easily!
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