Ecommerce is undergoing a technological revolution, with new tools and innovations emerging at a rapid pace. Brands have unprecedented power to craft immersive, engaging shopping experiences that not only captivate customers but set them apart from competitors.
Yet, instead of pushing boundaries, many online experiences feel stagnant — trapped in the same predictable mold.
“The web has become homogeneous,” said Phillip Jackson, Co-founder of Future Commerce, during the Creating Transformative Customer Experiences session at NRF. “We did research at Future Commerce to figure this out. When you take the header and the logo away from a website, consumers can't tell the distinctiveness from one brand to the next. It doesn't matter what it is; there is a way to build a website, and we don't change it. That's it, and we wonder why we can't break through the 3% conversion rate barrier.”
This lack of differentiation is a major obstacle to driving engagement and, ultimately, sales. According to the New Modes: Redefining Personalization in the Age of AI report, four out of five consumers shop online weekly, yet many feel frustrated when a brand they love delivers a poor user experience. And it’s not just consumers who are taking notice — 35% of brands in a BigCommerce and Retail Dive survey cited enhancing customer experience and satisfaction as their top business challenge for the next 12 months.
With ecommerce now an essential part of daily shopping habits, consumer expectations will only continue to rise — especially as AI and emerging technologies become deeply integrated into everyday life.
Brands that stick to outdated ecommerce models risk getting left behind. To truly stand out, brands must ditch the cookie-cutter ecommerce mold and embrace creative shopping experiences that provide real, tangible value. Whether through composable commerce, offering a unified omnichannel experience, or AI-driven tools, the brands that push boundaries and redefine the online experience will shape the future of ecommerce.
