Worldwide Digital Commerce Applications Forecast, 2022–2026: Channels Evolve into Experiential Commerce Wonderland

Worldwide Digital Commerce Applications Forecast, 2022–2026: Channels Evolve into Experiential Commerce Wonderland

This IDC study presents a five-year forecast for the worldwide digital commerce applications market."Much of the momentum in digital commerce has been focused on B2B digital transformations, but this is only part of the story. Many of those same companies are incorporating B2C strategies into their transformation models to tap into the power of first-party data accessed via direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales. The number of companies fighting to win the customer has expanded concurrently with the proliferation of available channels. Brands should strive to be channel agnostic and no longer consider digital commerce to be 'just another sales channel.' Too much focus on the channels themselves risks fragmenting brand identity for short-term gains. This view is reductive and masks many future growth opportunities via branded experiences, such as the use of augmented reality in omni-channel environments, mobile-first progressive web app (PWA) design practices, API-first architecture, niche marketplaces, and partnerships with other best-in-breed vendors. Because of the influence of this evolving B2B2C dynamic, digital commerce is rapidly shifting focus toward novel, frictionless, branded encounters that will turn a 'place to shop' into a wonderland of experiential commerce," says Heather Hershey, research director, Digital Commerce at IDC. "Digital interactions are evolving into curated, experience-focused encounters that add meaning and depth to the customer-brand relationship, recession proofing their businesses by delighting customers in digital spaces and beyond."

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