Gartner : Top 4 Brand Digital Commerce Personalization Trends In 2022

In 2021 brands invested in online digital commerce personalization experiences and succeeded in separating themselves from competitors. While direct-to-consumer brands lead personalization adoption, larger consumer goods and personal care companies took notice.

Consumers will return to brick & mortar shopping for household and personal care products in 2022. Some consumers returning will be disappointed with the limited product assortment on shelf. Furthermore, comparing prices and products requires more effort in-store versus the comfort of your own home. Recently larger brands have been exploring digital commerce personalization for consumers interested in staying online to shop.

Below are 4 digital commerce personalization trends larger brands will likely explore in 2022:

1. Email

Consumer goods email campaigns are difficult to personalize because wholesale brands don't receive the 1st party data required that direct-to-consumer brands capture at checkout. Despite this difficulty, email has regained popularity in recent years, as consumers are now receptive to receiving more than just discounts. Personal Care product discovery emails had higher open rates than loyalty rewards emails in 2021 (See Figure 1). Wholesale brands are leveraging newsletter sign-up pages and account creation to capture some 1st party information. Providing valuable email content to consumers will help boost open rates. Brands will continue to explore email to reach consumers efficiently offline from their own websites.

Figure 1:

2. Product Finders

All of us have shopped in a category that was new or slightly confusing. Like asking a sales associate inside the store, product finders can come in handy online for consumers. Prompts about product details ranging from scent to ingredients will help consumers find what they're look for faster. Product finders that show results without requiring extensive account creation or personal information will create positive experiences with consumers. Larger brands have increased adoption using more simplified versions that are quick to complete and gain consumer trust quickly.

3. Account Creation

It's a great feeling when someone you met months prior remembers your name. Similarly, customers find comfort in brands that remember them. Small touches such as showing previously viewed or recommended products and displaying a customer's name can go a long way. Larger brands will need to showcase the value consumers receive in exchange for providing personal information as the competition for data capture increases in 2022.

4. Online Product Availability

Direct-to-consumer brands recognized the power of allowing customers to select what products to receive and when. While supply chains limit larger brands from this level of personalization, there are options brands can explore. With supply chain challenges, many brands have offered discontinued but not expired products online only or "Fan favorite" offerings. While this may not be a large volume source, it will provide added brand site value for consumers.

There is no one size fits all formula for personalization. In addition, brands haven't perfected it either, leaving room to test and learn. As ecommerce growth accelerates, new tools and resource will continue to emerge online to make shopping easier. For additional analysis on how brands can personalize email campaigns for higher conversions be sure to check out How Can I Use Personalization Most Effectively in Digital Commerce?(subscription required).