It’s 2026!
While marketers are putting together their annual marketing strategy for the next year, we decided to interview 8 industry influencers to find out eCommerce marketing trends to keep an eye on in 2026.
Hear it from the experts
Retention marketing! Every year paid acquisition is getting more expensive, and 2026 will be no exception. Getting a business online is easier than ever, and more businesses competing for the same audience means things like Adwords and Facebook ads are getting more and more expensive. However, that expense is worth it if you can keep each new customer around!
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In order to succeed, brands need to put a distinct, intentional focus on retaining the customers they have and nurturing those growing relationships. Whether it’s with tools like a rewards program, increasing the customer lifetime value of each new customer can make that initial investment worthwhile. Remember: it’s 7 times less expensive to retain a customer than it is to acquire a new one!
Adding a more human tone to email outreach. Writing and sending emails that come from a human – maybe somewhat vulnerable – place that helps your customers feel like they really know the person at your company sending the email. I feel like the trend is driving more thoughtful marketing in the B2B world, and will benefit more B2C brands who slow down and think of ways to be more human.
Live chat as part of a email marketing campaign. If you’re going to spend a ton of time to craft the perfect email and landing page, you should ensure it converts by putting your sales team on the page to help customers when they arrive. By adding a live chat widget to a landing page that sends an automated message when someone clicks through from their email, your sales team can answer sales objections in real-time and play an active role in improving ROI for the campaign.
Personalization is the way forward. With organic search, voice search, and social media gaining increasing popularity, marketers need to focus on creating a unique customer experience. The future is all about catering to the specific and individual needs of the consumer, and gaining emotional loyalty through humanizing your brand.
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With over 6 years of B2B marketing and communications experience, my skills include product marketing, content marketing, and customer strategy. Proven track record of building brand strategy, positioning, and messaging and demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities and timelines. I love coming up with interesting ideas that translate into outcome-driven campaigns. I’m super passionate about learning from fellow women in product marketing, reading fiction, and petting dogs! Incidentally, I also happen to be an aspiring food blogger and occasionally get invited to food tasting events across Pune. When I’m not working, you’ll either find me researching my next travel destination, or curled up on the sofa, browsing for the next series to binge on. There’s no in-between. Have an interesting idea/book/travel plan to discuss? Feel free to hit me up!
