Retail monoliths such as Amazon and Alibaba are defined by the promise of convenience and a frictionless path to purchase, but this efficiency has come at the expense of engagement.
With consumers tired of bland retail platforms and mindlessly acquiring goods, our 2019 macrotrend Community Commerce explored how e-commerce is undergoing a paradigm shift. Consumers are moving away from these big-box retailers in search of new forms of micro-commerce that prioritise authentic exchanges between brands and people.
‘The problem is that we, as human beings, don’t merely shop to acquire products – not all the time anyway. We also shop to discover new things, to socialise with friends and to entertain ourselves,’ says Doug Stephens, founder and president of consultancy Retail Prophet.
As consumers define new ways to access and exchange products, Community Commerce will continue to gain momentum in 2020 with a focus on more interactive and community-orientated shopping practices. Our recent microtrend Peer Platforms signals how consumers are driving the conversation around brands in their own communities, and to survive the next decade, brands will have to listen.