Each and every January, publications are rife with articles about what to buy in the coming year. These articles help keep the up and comer up and coming, and the person who wants to be first ahead of the pack. This year is different. Oh, Gildshire can tell you what will be popular this year, and we will. But the story of shopping in 2021 is how we are receiving the goods during the pandemic and whether things will ever go back to the way they were. So, that is where we are traveling in this piece. What is shopping in 2021, and how will we acquire what we want?
Is online shopping the future of retail?
Yes, and without a tinge of doubt. In fact, online shopping opportunities are opening up at an incredible rate. Long gone are the days of the overcrowded mall parking lot. Actually, mall properties are being made available in cities all over the country. Was the pandemic the reason? Not really. The pandemic only hastened a demise that was in the works for several years. Come to find out, consumers are more comfortable shopping for furniture at home than they are fighting with the kids about touching the couches with their Cinnabon-glazed fingers. Who knew it would only be a matter of trusting the tech before people would gravitate to the tech for online purchases? Only forward-thinking companies like Wayfair and the ‘zon.
What are the trends in online shopping?
Shopping in 2021? However, you shop, do it with a shinier face with this peel.
So what products will be popular in 2021, as we anticipate the post-coronavirus world? Here is what the experts in such things are saying.
- Peel off facial mask. You don’t have a half-hour every morning to gently exfoliate your skin. We don’t blame you. That’s why “skin peel” is getting more than 27,000 searches a month, and “facial mask” garnering three times as many. It’s like a face-lift and cleanliness routine to wear to bed every night.
- Nail polish. Thanks to Gen Z pushing the market for designer nails, the global expenditure for nail polish is expected to hit $15.6 billion by 2024. Google Trends says searches for nail polish began surging in March of 2020 and shows no sign of slowing.
- Exercise bands. No, this isn’t that revival of The Runaways you heard about. These bands are the ones you place around your hands, legs, or feet for resistance weight-loss purposes. Nearly everyone has gained 5-10 pounds due to the coronavirus. Gyms are closed. Voila, instant at-home exercise.
- Reusable water bottles. The ocean is more plastic than water. Did you hear me? If not, I will type louder. There are so many water bottles adrift at sea that the Pacific Ocean registers more plastic than water. That’s a big reason why folks are gravitating away from ocean-choking plastic and toward reusable water bottles.
- Blankets. What is more comfortable on a cold winter night than a cozy blanket? Nothing, we say. A blanket lowers your heating bill and offers a sense of inner peace unmatched by almost anything else.
What is the future of e-commerce in the next 5-10 years?
The trendline only goes up, at least for now. There will come a time, of course, when there will be a glut on the market. But, that glut is years down the road. For now, the question of shopping in 2021 can almost always be answered by something online. What was the tipping point? We believe it was when Carvana started selling cars over the internet. After that, it was all downhill. Or uphill, depending on how slick is your website, and are you selling something people want to buy. Gildshire will keep an eye on the trends and get back to you as events drive the marketplace.
