Who’s eager to look back on all our fond memories of the past year? Anyone up for reliving the glory days of searching high and low for toilet paper? Or is everyone else ready to just move on?
Joking aside, we do have some e-commerce trends from 2020 worth remembering, even as we look forward to the future. E-commerce was really put to the test through the pandemic, and some of what emerged from the fire will live with us into the coming years.
Amazon Stores
Amazon stores were a big deal this past year. The changes that made them easier to find and update have given them a new place in e-commerce strategy.
The first post we want to highlight from the year is Amazon Stores Are Now Easier to Find. We looked at Amazon’s shift toward being a brand builder with improved store access. A simple change in wording gave consumers a better idea where they are headed should they click the store link, which is great for brands looking to improve their Amazon presence.
In another post, we covered a behind-the-scenes change that makes brand storefronts much easier to manage. Amazon Store Versioning Makes Storefront Changes Easier looked at how different versions of stores can be created simultaneously. This made it simple to switch out content for new launches or a holiday push.
Negative Keywords in Amazon Advertising
Another notable post from the year was Using Negative Keywords in Amazon Advertising. Though major search sites have been using negative keywords for years, this is an e-commerce trend from 2020 specifically related to Amazon Advertising. The increased competition in Amazon pay-per-click advertising makes it crucial for brands to ensure their Amazon ad strategy is sophisticated, and not just “there.”
Online Grocery Explosion
And the final e-commerce trend from 2020 we’ll note: the pandemic-fueled uptick in online grocery purchasing. While the grocery industry was already making the move toward e-commerce, nothing turned up the heat like a mysterious virus and a distaste for public spaces.
Though Amazon is the biggest and most obvious player in e-commerce and e-commerce advertising, we saw other CPG retailers try their hand at advertising as well: CPG Retailers Expand Online Grocery Advertising Platforms.
And this is most certainly not a trend to relegate to the pandemic. We saw that the more consumers buy groceries online, the more convenient they find it. Our post Now is the Time for Grocery Brands to Step Up Their Game on Amazon looked at how brands can use Amazon to boost their grocery presence.
And there you have it, some of the major e-commerce trends from 2020 worth noting! Now, let’s stuff these in our back pocket as we head into the new year with a well-informed strategy and some eggnog.
