The world of enterprise ecommerce is at a crossroads. On one side, there are the legacy approaches that can’t keep up with new demands; on the other, digitally native consumers (led by millennials and Gen Z) who are redefining ecommerce experiences with their rising expectations.
These younger shoppers now dominate many high-growth retail categories and demand smooth, personalized interactions across every channel. Tolerance for friction has vanished—shoppers expect a seamless experience regardless of the channel they choose.
The software and strategies that worked before can no longer take enterprises forward on fragmented tech stacks. Today’s ecommerce retailers are no longer just arranging product displays on a shelf or tweaking a static category page.
Modern merchandising requires crafting high-impact, immersive shopping journeys that span online and offline touchpoints, powered by unified data and agile commerce platforms. Every interaction—whether on a mobile app, a website, social media, or in-store—needs to feel consistent and contextually relevant.
For merchandising leaders, these trends aren’t about chasing hype—they’re about building immersive experiences through unified data and platform agility to determine long-term success.
Why legacy merchandising falls short today
Today’s customer journey is increasingly digitally led, extending from the first moment of awareness to the final decision to purchase. Legacy merchandising approaches are cracking under the pressure of this end-to-end demand. Outdated systems and siloed channels create pain points that kill conversion and frustrate consumers across every touchpoint.
Fragmentation kills conversion
Shoppers now zigzag across a multitude of touchpoints long before they make a purchase. They might browse on mobile, read reviews on a laptop, scan in-store QR codes, click shoppable posts on social media, and even try self-service kiosks.
If your ecommerce systems aren’t unified, each channel becomes an island, and the customer experience eventually falls apart. Shoppers notice when inventory, pricing, or loyalty rewards aren’t consistent between your website and your stores. They expect to seamlessly transition from one channel to another without having to start over.
An error—such as a physical store not having the product the app said they have in stock—isn’t just an isolated mistake. It breaks the implicit promise of consistency and erodes trust in the brand.
2025 research from Gitnux shows that 73% of consumers use multiple channels during their purchase journeys and 60% of customers expect a consistent experience across all channels.
Without true unified commerce—integrating all front-end channels with back-end platforms (e.g., point of sale (POS), order management, and inventory)—providing that smooth experience is impossible. For most enterprises, moving to unified commerce is the way to turn fragmented journeys into coherent, high-converting experiences.
As Harley Finkelstein, president of Shopify, wrote, “We are living in a post-omnichannel world…The future of commerce has no channels at all. It’s an invisible thread woven seamlessly through every aspect of consumers’ lives.”
The search for relevance
Today’s shoppers are research-obsessed: they often visit multiple websites, marketplaces, and social feeds to compare options before buying. This heightens the need for consistent, accurate content across channels.
Product details, reviews, and brand messaging should tell the same compelling story everywhere. If a customer reads about a product on your Instagram and then can’t find the same information on your website, you’ve introduced doubt at a critical moment.
The quest for relevance is at its most evident in site search and product discovery. In many verticals, the default search experience just isn’t cutting it. 2025 McKinsey research shows, for example, that in apparel, 74% of consumers report walking away from a purchase due to the volume of choice, and 80% report dissatisfaction with online search, which they deem a barrier to purchase.
Delivering relevant, consistent content and search results across channels depends on unified customer and product data—not isolated systems—so merchandising decisions are informed by a single source of truth.
The cost of inaction
Legacy commerce platforms and homegrown solutions tend to be resource hogs, eating up IT budgets and developer time for maintenance and “keeping the lights on,” leaving little for new features. A 2025 analysis from Atera, for example, found that as much as 80% of companies’ IT budgets are spent on maintaining old systems.
That leaves only a sliver of resources for optimizing the experience or testing new ideas. Merchandising and ecommerce teams at large enterprises often feel like they’re driving with the parking brake on. There’s too much custom code, too many workarounds, too much technical debt, and not enough agility.
It’s not that enterprise leaders don’t know about new consumer behaviors, trends, or technologies—they just don’t have platforms that support their adaptation. The cost of inaction, however, is high. Modern merchandising requires a flexible commerce platform that reduces technical debt, so teams can shift time and budget away from maintenance to innovation and growth.
Trend 1: Hyperpersonalization powered by generative AI
Shoppers have grown accustomed to the tailored recommendations of streaming services and the individualized feeds of social media. They now expect the same level of personalization when they shop. Eighty-one percent of customers prefer companies that offer personalized experiences.
To deliver on these expectations, merchandising teams are increasingly turning to generative AI and advanced data analytics built on unified customer and product data.
Intelligent discovery and search
A critical piece of personalization is helping customers discover relevant products out of thousands, and sometimes millions, of choices.
AI-powered enhancements, including semantic search, natural-language chatbots, and visual search, can dramatically improve a shopper’s ability to find what they want. These systems go beyond keyword matching. They actually interpret context and intent to help customers find what they want, even when they’re not precisely sure what it is they’re looking for.
For example, AI chatbots can ask clarifying questions and guide a shopper to the right item, acting like a virtual sales associate. This kind of conversational discovery can close gaps that standard search often misses.
McKinsey research reinforces this need: nearly 80% of shoppers report dissatisfaction with traditional search, making relevancy improvements one of the fastest paths to conversion lift.
AI-driven search engines that understand descriptions (“show me dresses for a beach wedding”) or can handle misspellings and slang can turn a frustrating hunt into a pleasant process of finding delight after delight. And when shoppers find suitable options faster, they’re far more likely to convert instead of bouncing.
Another facet of AI in discovery is recommendation engines. These analyze browsing behavior, purchase history, and more nuanced signals (such as how long someone views a product) to surface products the customer is likely to love. Modern recommendation systems segment shoppers into behavioral “personas” or even one-to-one profiles, drawing from a 360-degree view of the customer rather than isolated data points.
All these efforts contribute to dramatic increases in customer lifetime value (CLV) as customers find products more easily, see suitable products more often, and convert more repeatedly.
Dynamic content tailoring
Hyperpersonalization goes beyond just search results and product suggestions. Leading brands are beginning to dynamically tailor almost every element of the shopping experience—content, creative, promotions, and even pricing—based on the customer’s profile and real-time behavior.
For example, a returning customer might see a homepage banner featuring items related to their past purchases or a special “Welcome back” offer, whereas a new visitor sees a different message. Or, if a shopper has a history of high spending, they might automatically receive premium loyalty perks or free shipping.
Marketers now seek the ability to schedule targeted content drops or swap out site imagery for different segments without relying on developers for every change. Generative AI is a game-changer here: it can produce endless variations of product descriptions, images, or ad copy tuned to different audiences, all on the fly.
This kind of agility in content creation enables merchandising teams to respond to trends and consumer signals in real time—as long as customer and inventory data are unified instead of scattered across multiple legacy tools.
Trend 2: Immersive product experiences that replicate in-store evaluation
The second major trend shaping the future of merchandising is a push toward deeply immersive, information-rich product experiences, especially on product detail pages (PDPs).
When customers are considering a high-involvement purchase—a $2,000 sofa, a new smartphone, or even a luxury handbag—they crave as much visual detail and context as possible. In a physical store, they could pick up the item, examine it from all angles, and potentially try it out. Online, it’s the merchandiser’s job to replicate that level of confidence-building detail through technology so shoppers feel just as confident buying from a screen as they do in-store.
Augmented reality (AR) and 3D modeling
AR has graduated from a novelty to a serious value-driver in ecommerce. Brands across furniture, home improvement, fashion, and cosmetics are using AR tools to let customers virtually “try on” or “place” products in their real-world context.
For example, a shopper can use their phone to see how a chair would look in their living room at scale, or how a pair of sunglasses might fit their face. This addresses the classic online hesitation: “It looks nice on the screen, but I’m not sure how it will look in real life.” The result? Shoppers gain the confidence to buy.
The results support this approach. Pet supplies company Gunner Kennels, for example, used Shopify’s native support for 3D models and AR to increase cart conversion rates by 3% and order conversion rates by 40%.
As AR and even virtual reality (VR) become more mainstream, we can expect immersive ecommerce to keep growing. Particularly in verticals like home furnishings or automotive, where seeing a product in context is invaluable, AR/VR will become a standard part of the merchandising toolkit for enterprises managing large catalogs and complex assortments.
That means brands need a commerce platform that can support 3D and AR assets at scale—handling file formats, rendering, and performance across web, mobile, and in-store experiences without slowing pages down.
High-density product pages (PDPs)
The future of product pages is rich media and educational content that goes far deeper than a few photos and bullet points. Merchandisers are turning PDPs into immersive galleries: think high-resolution images from every angle, spin-and-zoom 3D models, product demo videos, how-to guides, user-generated photos, and interactive size or style guides.
This richer content answers every question a customer might have, and the more confidence they gain, the more likely they are to convert. Shoppers love seeing a product in action, whether it’s a model wearing an outfit and walking around, a smartphone being unboxed and demoed, or a blender whipping up a smoothie.
Merchandising teams are increasingly acting like content publishers by producing explainer videos, writing in-depth product stories, and curating customer reviews and FAQs. Customer education is especially crucial as products become more sophisticated (take a smart home appliance, for example; customers will want to know how it works, not just what it looks like).
Together, immersive visualization and high-density PDPs become a true competitive differentiator—but only when they’re powered by unified commerce that delivers media support and performance at scale across every channel.
Trend 3: Merchandising agility across channels and revenue models
The third trend centers on merchandising agility: the ability to rapidly experiment with new channels and revenue streams, and to capitalize on cultural moments. Teams need to iterate quickly on promotions, launch creative collaborations, and even rethink their business models to capture every dollar of revenue.
Social commerce and influencer-driven merchandising
Social commerce—buying and selling directly through social platforms—is exploding in popularity, especially among younger demographics. According to recent research, retail social commerce sales in the United States will pass the $100 billion milestone by the end of 2025.
What this means for merchandising is that your storefront now extends to wherever your customers are spending their time, including TikTok, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, and the next viral platform you haven’t heard of yet. Leading brands are setting up shoppable feeds and product catalogs on these apps, turning content into an instant purchasing opportunity.
For example, TikTok now has in-app shopping features that allow users to discover and buy products without ever leaving the app. Instagram and Facebook have had storefront integrations for even longer.
To make that work at scale, your product, pricing, and inventory data need to stay in sync across every storefront, not be manually updated channel by channel.
Adjacent to these strategies are influencer partnerships and affiliate programs. Influencers are the new storefront curators, and their recommendations can drive swarms of traffic to a product page. Merchandising teams are increasingly collaborating with marketing to ensure the right creators feature the right products at the right time.
When social commerce and influencer programs are powered by a unified catalog and order system, brands can confidently promote products without worrying about overselling or misalignments.
New revenue models
Many enterprises are expanding beyond straightforward one-time product sales into ancillary revenue models that drive loyalty and recurring engagement.
Subscriptions are a prime example. Inspired by the success of subscription boxes and services, brands are asking: can we turn our products into subscription offerings? Whether it’s a monthly refill of skincare products, a wine club membership, or a yearly VIP program with perks, subscriptions can provide predictable revenue and increased lifetime value.
For merchandising teams, this may involve bundling products into curated sets, planning inventory to meet subscription demand, and creating special-edition items for subscribers. Your commerce platform needs to be capable of handling subscription logic, billing, and inventory across all your channels so subscribers get a consistent experience wherever they buy from you.
Another growing area is dynamic bundling and product services. Rather than waiting for customers to pick items, some retailers are using AI to suggest bundles (such as “Complete the Look” outfit bundles). These increase average order size and also introduce customers to more of your catalog. When bundling rules and pricing are managed centrally, merchandisers can test new combinations quickly without custom development each time.
The resale and secondhand markets have also grown rapidly in recent years as consumers embrace sustainability and value deals on preowned goods. For retailers, this is an opportunity: many are launching their own resale marketplaces or partnering with resale tech platforms to facilitate peer-to-peer selling of their products. Tapping into resale can drive new revenue (through commissions on secondhand sales), bring in new customers who start with a lower-priced used item, and reinforce sustainability credentials.
McKinsey research shows, for example, that resale improves perception, loyalty, and acquisition.
Successful resale strategies require systems capable of managing consignment, tracking, and pricing, but the potential impact can be significant. With flexible platform capabilities—such as custom product conditions, pricing rules, and inventory states—it’s easier for enterprises to integrate reselling into operations without building an entirely separate stack.
Speed to market
Trends can emerge and fizzle in a matter of weeks. Consider the overnight virality of a TikTok hashtag or a celebrity-driven fashion craze. Historically, enterprises have struggled with speed, encumbered by red tape and long development cycles. But the future of merchandising demands the ability to spin up new campaigns or digital experiences on a dime.
This might mean launching a microsite for a hot new product collaboration the same week it’s announced, or creating a special promotional theme on your homepage to align with a cultural moment (like a big movie release or a viral meme) before the buzz fades.
We’re already seeing brands embrace drop culture (releasing limited-edition products with minimal notice to generate hype and urgency). Streetwear brands made this popular, but now everyone from toy companies to cosmetics brands is using drops as a strategy. Merchandisers play a key role in executing drops successfully, ensuring the product detail pages, inventory allocations, and site infrastructure are ready for a surge of traffic.
Another facet of speed is the ability to update and refresh the storefront rapidly. If you notice a specific product category trending in sales, a nimble team can re-merchandise the homepage or search results to feature those products more prominently that very week. The days of seasonal updates are giving way to continuous optimization.
Why ecommerce merchandising trends depend on unified commerce
Across all these trends—personalization, AR/VR, social commerce, and rapid experimentation—one theme enables success: a connected commerce foundation that unifies channels, data, and operations.
The future of merchandising is defined by elasticity and unification, and enterprise leaders are realizing that to execute on these cutting-edge trends, they must invest in technology that provides an integrated foundation and the flexibility to innovate on top of it. In practical terms, that means moving away from custom patchwork systems and onto a unified platform that can handle web, mobile, stores, social, and emerging channels without fragmenting data or workflows.
Crucially, the right platform significantly lowers total cost of ownership (TCO) through consolidation and efficiency gains. Instead of paying to maintain several outdated systems, you streamline operations and reinvest those resources into growth. An independent study by a top consulting firm found that Shopify’s checkout converts up to 36% better on average than other leading commerce platforms’ checkouts.
Choosing a platform with industry-leading checkout, performance, and uptime means less friction for customers and more sales completed—the ultimate goal of merchandising. A future-proof platform is built for continuous innovation. It handles complexity behind the scenes and offers modular, API-driven components so your teams can focus 100% on building differentiated experiences.
For modern merchandising leaders, platform choice is no longer an IT decision—it’s a strategy decision. A unified foundation enables immersive experiences, connected data, and the agility required to win over shoppers.
Ecommerce merchandising trends FAQ
What’s the difference between personalization and hyperpersonalization in ecommerce merchandising?
Hyperpersonalization goes beyond showing recommended products or remembering past purchases. It uses real-time behavior, semantic search, and AI-driven recommendations to tailor the entire shopping journey. This includes personalized search results, homepage variations, promotions, and merchandising layouts.
How do brands know which ecommerce merchandising trends to prioritize?
Most teams prioritize trends with clear impact on conversion, customer lifetime value, and speed to market. AR/VR and 3D, richer PDPs, AI-led discovery, and social commerce often deliver the fastest gains.
How does unified commerce improve ecommerce merchandising performance?
Unified commerce connects channels, customer data, and inventory in real time. This lets merchandisers deliver consistent experiences and personalization at scale. It also helps prevent errors like overselling—without relying on fragmented systems or custom code.
