Ecommerce Leaders Assess Challenges and AI's Role in 2025 Holiday Season
Shipping Costs and Consumer Confidence One of the primary concerns highlighted by the survey is the impact of rising shipping costs, with 52% of respondents identifying it as a major factor affecting their operations. The survey also provides insights into the size of businesses in the ecommerce sector, with 58% of respondents representing companies with 11-49 employees and 56% from companies with 50-99 employees.
The landscape of ecommerce is continually evolving, and this evolution is especially evident as industry leaders prepare for the 2025 holiday season. A recent survey of 750 ecommerce leaders reveals a complex web of challenges and opportunities driven by technological advancements and shifting market dynamics.
Shipping Costs and Consumer Confidence
One of the primary concerns highlighted by the survey is the impact of rising shipping costs, with 52% of respondents identifying it as a major factor affecting their operations. Additionally, 44% of those surveyed cited changing consumer confidence as an influential element, underscoring the need for businesses to adapt to fluctuating market conditions.
The survey also provides insights into the size of businesses in the ecommerce sector, with 58% of respondents representing companies with 11-49 employees and 56% from companies with 50-99 employees. This diversity in company size suggests varying capacities to respond to these challenges and leverage new technologies effectively.
AI's Expanding Role in Ecommerce
Artificial Intelligence (AI) is playing an increasingly pivotal role in the ecommerce industry, with 86% of respondents indicating reliance on AI in their business operations. Among larger companies, 53% acknowledge the significant impact of AI, and 47% report heavy usage of AI technologies.
AI's influence is particularly pronounced in marketing strategies. Seventy-four percent of ecommerce leaders say that AI-driven search capabilities have helped lower marketing costs, while 77% are rethinking their marketing strategies due to AI's growing presence. The adoption of AI tools is also on the rise, with 68% of companies purchasing tools for AI search and 33% hiring external agencies for assistance.
Redefining Customer Engagement and Discovery
As the first AI-driven holiday season approaches in 2025, ecommerce companies are experiencing a 752% increase in AI referrals year-over-year. AI is redefining how consumers discover products, with significant growth in AI's presence across various sectors: a 900% increase in grocery, 375% growth in furniture, a 257% rise in electronics AI search assistants, and a 104% increase in apparel.
Despite these advances, challenges remain. Forty-three percent of ecommerce leaders express concern about visibility to new customers, and 65% are worried about the rising costs associated with customer acquisition.
Optimizing for AI and Future Marketing Trends
As AI continues to shape the ecommerce landscape, marketers are urged to optimize for AI search. Currently, AI referrals account for less than 1% of traffic, while traditional SEO remains the highest volume channel for success, driven largely by Google, which accounts for 87.6% of organic traffic.
To maintain competitiveness, marketers are integrating SEO with Generative Engine Optimization, a strategy that combines traditional SEO techniques with generative AI capabilities. This approach is part of broader content marketing trends for ecommerce success in 2025, which include a focus on AI, short-form video, immersive experiences, voice search, and micro-influencers.
The ecommerce sector is on the cusp of a transformative period, driven by AI and evolving consumer behaviors. As businesses navigate these changes, a strategic focus on technological advancements and adaptive marketing strategies will be crucial for success in the upcoming holiday season and beyond.