2026 is nearly here, and e-commerce in 2026 is shaping up to look very different from 2025. What worked even six months ago may already be outpaced by platform updates, buyer behaviour, or algorithm shifts. If you’re leading an e-commerce brand, you’ve likely felt the pressure. Product discovery has changed, consumer expectations have ballooned, and the landscape is increasingly unpredictable.
At EXPAND, we’ve built, scaled, and audited dozens of e-commerce ecosystems, and we’re bringing together all key e-commerce trends we’re seeing from the inside. From shifts in buyer behaviour to platform overhauls to macro market forces, here’s what’s changing and how to stay ahead.
What E-commerce Marketing in 2026 Means for Business Owners?
E-commerce marketing is the work that brings the right people to your shop, helps them choose with confidence, and brings them back again.
The store core lives on your site, product pages, search and navigation, cart and checkout, payments, delivery choices and order updates. Channels like search, social, influencer and affiliate marketing, and email feed people into that experience and help you keep the relationship going. The aim is simple, make every on-site step clear, fast and trustworthy so a first visit becomes a first purchase, then a repeat one.
E-commerce marketing is the work that brings the right people to your shop, helps them choose with confidence, and brings them back again.
But here’s the kicker. Today, e-commerce marketing also includes the things that do not always get a line item in the strategy doc. The tone you use in public, how you handle comments, the feel of your community spaces, and the clarity of your policies. These cues shape trust before a product page even loads. In the modern age of retail, what used to be optional is quickly becoming baseline.
What matters is how these pieces are built around your customer. The brands that win, place consumer experience at the centre of every touchpoint.
10 E-commerce Trends You Need to Be Ready For in 2026
Based on the e-commerce trends we’re seeing, from changing checkout behaviour to global regulation, they all have one thing in common. They are all being driven by a more empowered, more selective consumer. And boy oh boy, they are realising this fast. Like, toddlers putting random objects in their mouths, fast.
The good news, simply being aware of this shift and understanding what it means for your brand puts you a step ahead of those who are ignoring it.
Let’s get into it.
1) Global giants like Temu and Shein’s slowdown signals the next retail shift
After years of rapid expansion, growth at ultra-low cost platforms is cooling due to tariffs, scrutiny and value fatigue. Shein’s average annual growth of 74.5% over the past nine years is projected to slow to 6.5% in 2026. Temu, which has surged with an average annual rate of 530% since launch, is projected to grow only 13.4%.
Many shoppers still care about price, yet more are willing to pay for reliability, fit, ethics and service. This opens space for mid-tier and premium brands that explain value and deliver it. Disclosing materials used, care guidance, clear policies and responsive support can earn repeat business even when a cheaper option exists.
Simply put, if you have value, communicate it. If you have quality, prove it.
2) Checkout behaviours are fragmenting
Shoppers expect to pay the way they already pay elsewhere. On a phone, that often means Apple Pay or Google Pay. Many also look for Shop Pay, PayPal, or an interest-free option such as Happy Pay or PayJustNow. Modern payment providers such as Stitch in South Africa and global leaders like Stripe are also shaping expectations for faster, low-friction payments.
When a shopper cannot use the method they trust, hesitation rises and baskets are abandoned.
When their preferred method is missing, hesitation rises and baskets are abandoned.
Local habits matter. Payment comfort in South Africa can look different to the Netherlands or the UK. Treat the checkout as a revenue page. Fewer fields, faster load, clear error states and the right mix of methods give you a measurable lift.
Bonus tip: ask five recent customers which payment method they used and which one they wanted to use. Adjust the top three options and the button order based on their answers.
3) Mobile is the entire buying journey
Most customers complete their shopping journey on a phone. Discovery, comparison, checkout, parcel tracking, and support all happen on a small screen. Slow pages, tiny tap targets and cluttered layouts quietly drain revenue.
On mobile, people expect each step to be fast and obvious. Tap, see, decide, pay, track. If any step takes effort, they leave and do something else.
Quick gut check. Imagine you are buying from your own site on your own phone. Would you feel confident tapping through? Would you complete a form without pinching and zooming? Would the confirmation email look tidy or broken and zoomed out? The feelings you have in that moment are exactly what your customers feel. Fix those first.
4) Consumer expectations have skyrocketed
People compare your store to the best experience they have anywhere. That means clear delivery dates, honest stock status, painless returns and quick responses. Confusion costs trust. Lost trust costs sales.
You do not need luxury perks to compete. You need consistency and visibility. If delivery takes five days, say so. If support replies within four hours, show that on the contact page. Meet the expectations you set and customers will return.
5) Emails and automations are becoming the growth engine
Paid media is volatile and costly. Sustainable profit now leans on owned channels, repeat rate and average order value. Email sits at the centre for a simple reason, it reliably drives 15 to 30% of ecommerce revenue for most brands. In well-optimised stores, especially those with strong repeat purchase behaviour, that contribution can climb as high as 60 to 80%.
It also carries three distinct jobs; namely (1) Campaigns, the outbound messages tied to moments and offers, (2) Transactional, the order confirmations and shipping updates that customers always open, and (3) Automations, the lifecycle flows that nudge a shopper from first visit to loyal buyer.
Start with clear, useful messages across each type.
- Campaigns that educate, spotlight real use cases, and support promotions.
- Transactional emails that confirm orders, share shipping updates, set expectations, and reduce support tickets.
- Automations that guide the lifecycle, for example welcome, browse abandonment, cart recovery, post purchase education, replenishment, win back, and VIP.
Give each one a single goal, then review performance monthly. Small uplifts compound.
6) Marketplace domination is getting real
Many shoppers begin their search on marketplaces such as Takealot, Amazon or eBay. In 2026, they are projected to generate 87% of global revenues, up one percentage point from 2025. Marketplaces shape expectations for delivery, reviews and price before a visitor even sees your site. It also means your brand is judged next to a wall of alternatives in the same session.
If marketplaces are part of your strategy, keep them, then give buyers a reason to purchase directly from you next time. Direct only bundles, sizing help, spares, loyalty rewards, community and education. If marketplaces are not part of your strategy, consider testing them as an extra revenue stream and a discovery channel. The brand equity there is huge. Use it, then pull people into your owned experience where you can build a relationship.
7) Data privacy and consent are getting stricter
If you are partnered with a digital marketing agency, send them a few kind words and chocolates. They are likely going through it right now.
Tracking has become messy, especially for teams that lean on paid channels. With browser privacy updates, iOS prompts and tighter consent rules, platforms often misattribute conversion data between each other, leading to misinterpretation of data reported. Google Analytics 4 (GA4), Meta and Shopify data rarely match. Pausing ad spending on paid channels based on mismatched numbers can stall growth and learning that is actually working.
Aim for accuracy, not noise. Decide on a tracking approach that fits your team and systems, then verify it end-to-end. For example, Shopify’s built-in tools or GA4 with Google Tag Manager, then make sure it is implemented correctly. Most brands do not need advanced tracking, but larger catalogues or complex inventories often do, so involve developers and tracking specialists when required.
The goal is decision quality, even when the data is imperfect.
8) AI search is changing how products are found
People research through AI answers and conversational tools, not only traditional results pages. Good news, there are practical ways to help both machines and humans understand your products. Clear product details, questions and answers in plain language, comparison pages that explain when to choose option A or B, and up-to-date information across your catalogue.
Think of it as a longer play. Useful, well-structured content today improves your chances of appearing in AI chats tomorrow, and it also helps real people choose faster. Do the groundwork, keep it fresh, and you will not leave intent on the table.
9) Social media is video-first first and engagement signals matter
Short-form video on TikTok, Reels and Shorts is powerful for product discovery. But keep in mind, people open these apps to relax, so asking for a purchase on the spot often falls flat. Use social to blend into the experience they are already having. Simple demos, customer clips, founder replies, and comment threads that feel human.
Treat social as demand creation. Most paid delivery will reach people who have never heard of you. The job is to earn attention and curiosity, then let stronger conversion channels do the closing. Search, email and your site carry the sale once interest exists.
10) Consumer trust is wavering with AI
AI helps teams move faster, yet customers are learning to spot generic outputs. When text reads like a template or images feel artificial, trust falls and review scepticism grows. This goes beyond content. If you use an AI chatbot for support, give customers a clear path to a person when needed. Confidence rises when help feels real.
Use AI to support the work rather than define it. Keep product photos accurate, label composites where appropriate, and hold a clear brand voice. Show the humans behind the store and surface genuine reviews and unfiltered UGC. Credibility is the asset that keeps everything else working.
In closing
E-commerce is moving quickly. Some of these trends will become the new normal. Others may fade. What will not change is the pressure to stay close to your customer and to adapt faster than the market.
If you want help getting the essentials right, start with the platform you use and the partner you choose to manage it. The right Shopify team will set up tracking that survives privacy changes, build a mobile journey that converts and design retention systems that pay back your ad spend.
At EXPAND, we specialise in these services. If you are lost, book a free consultation call with our team and we will help you prioritise the first three fixes that will move your revenue.