Page 30 - February 2022

E-Commerce Sector important it is to stay ahead of the trends to ensure that you
Unlike the retail sector, the e-commerce sector is one that are reaching your customers and ultimately selling more online.
has thrived in the last couple of years due to the unforeseeable
circumstances. This explosion of e-commerce (a market that Hospitality Sector
exceeded over £3tn in 2021) has meant that some new and One of the sectors that has suffered the most with the ongoing
exciting trends have been accelerated in the sector and many new issues of the pandemic is the hospitality industry so 2022 will be
and unique pathways will be explored in the world of e-commerce all about enticing patrons back to hotels where they can enjoy a
in 2022. safe and enjoyable stay. An insight article written by EHL Insights
Dom Mernock, Director at digital agency Engage feels that entitled ‘2022 Top Hospitality Industry Trends’ has highlighted
companies will collect more first party data, saying that we’ve not a selection of trends that are shaping the hospitality industry in
yet landed in a fully cookie-less world, but that we are starting 2022. The first in their list was based on the topic of bleisure
to see tighter rules around banners thanks to GDPR coming travellers & hotel work spaces. In the insight piece EHL talk about
into play, which has led to a huge drop in the ability to optimise how working remotely has today become commonplace for many
performance and track consumer behaviour. Finding new ways to employees and is forecasted to become more than just a passing
leverage and grow first party data will be more of a focus than trend. What this means is that hospitality venues are being used as
ever before, and brands should ensure this is considered as part make-shift offices for bleisure travellers, as well as locals seeking
of a wider e-commerce strategy moving through 2022. a change of work environment. This is a great opportunity for
Mernock also feels there will be a shift towards headless hotels to capitalise on the trend and adapt their offering to meet
platforms and that it is no longer about sprawling e-commerce the needs and wants of this emerging segment; for example ample
websites. He explains that this year will see a greater focus on how plug sockets, free high-speed Wi-Fi and great coffee are good
quickly and easily businesses can sell to their consumers across a starting points.
myriad of platforms. From native shopping with third party apps, Another key trend they highlighted was that of personalisation,
for example social media platforms, to headless e-commerce where-in today’s guests have grown to expect to be recognised and
websites which make transitions super slick and speedy across any treated as individuals. In a vastly changed world, establishments
platform, there are multiple opportunities for brands. are going the extra mile to personally greet their guests, while
A different opinion comes from e-commerce experts Optiseller, tools such as Mailchimp and Zoho have made personalised e-mail
who in their article ‘Five E-Commerce Trends For 2022’ explain marketing accessible to the masses, ensuring highly targeted
that social media impacts consumer buying decision more than audience-specific communications. Finally, EHL go on to explain
ever before. According to the GlobalWebIndex by Deloitte, 71 per that hotel operations more generally are increasingly shaped by
cent of people are more likely to purchase products and services the use of management systems to monitor and optimise revenues,
based on social media referral alone. The Deloitte report also customer relationships, property, channels and reputation. Not to
noted that consumers who use social media during their shopping mention the rising importance of integrated messaging, predictive
process are four times more likely to spend more on purchases analytics, customer profiling and middleware, which seeks to
than those who do not. This massive figure really highlights how connect any disparate systems.

30 RETAIL & LEISURE INTERNATIONAL FEBRUARY 2022