Observed Signal · Nov 20, 2017 · Forecast · Source: OnlineMarketing.de · Impact: 2/5 · Sentiment: Positive
Salesforce Forecasts 2018 E-commerce Trends
Salesforce assembled eight predictions for how digital commerce will evolve in 2018, based on the Salesforce Shopping Index which analyzes the online shopping behavior of more than 500 million users. The forecast highlights a shift toward widespread AI-driven personalization, with Einstein Product Recommendations already deployed on over 600 brand sites. Dynamic pricing is expected to replace fixed prices as retailers monitor rivals in real time, with Mediamarkt and Saturn cited as early adopters. Voice and image-based search are set to overtake traditional search, pushing brands to publish voice-enabled shopping experiences and visuals for product discovery. The physical store remains central but will feature new partnerships and experiential formats (e.g., Birkenstock pop-ups in Berlin/NYC; Engelhorn with Tesla in Mannheim). Returns optimization and sizing accuracy become priorities, while agility expands beyond IT to shorten customer journeys and boost social shopping, aided by Instagram shopping integrations.
Moderate industry impact; forecasted e-commerce trends and AI-driven personalization.
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Key Takeaways & Evidence Grounding
- Salesforce Shopping Index analyzes online shopping behavior of over 500 million users.
- Over 600 brand sites worldwide employ Einstein Product Recommendations.
- 2018 dynamic pricing adoption expected, with Mediamarkt and Saturn cited as early adopters.
- Voice and image search are predicted to dominate, with brands needing voice-enabled shopping experiences.
- Around 30% of clothing purchases are returned; retailers will use tech to recommend correct sizes.
Connected Companies & Entities
3 Entities mappedOntology Mapping & Concepts
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