Black Friday and Cyber Monday (BFCM) reflect the state of eCommerce around the world, and they also show us how consumer behavior trends will evolve in the future. The last few years have been marked by the pandemic, which triggered an explosion of online shopping and a transformation of many customers' habits.

What will the data look like in 2022, now that Covid-19 has declined and the market is evolving favorably? This BFCM will undoubtedly be a great opportunity to find out. While it is true that in the absence of restrictions on physical sales there will be an increase against online commerce, sales are not the only important data. Rather, what is more important is the evolution of consumer behavior and how companies have evolved to facilitate online sales.

Trends for BFCM 2022

Last year's Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2021 were marked by resounding success. Online store owners on Shopify collectively brought in a total of $6.3 billion in sales during BFCM alone, which was a 23% growth over 2020.

These data invite optimism, as the pandemic has accelerated the change in consumer shopping habits. Many of the customers who started shopping online during the Covid-19 restrictions have continued to do so since then, as it is a convenient and fast way to shop.

Let's take a look at some of BFCM's top trends for this Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2022.

1. Independent traders will continue to play a leading role

Over the past two years, we have seen consumers turn to shopping at their favorite retailers. This has been partly to help them through the difficult time of the pandemic, but also because of the high degree of brand loyalty that many retailers have been able to generate over the years.  This year, when competition is also fiercer, retailers are expected to be able to boost sales through heavy discounting against a backdrop of inflation.

In 2021, more than 47 million consumers shopped at independent brands through Shopify. Retailers have adapted to changing consumer habits and are committed to customer retention and a loyalty-based marketing strategy.

2. Growing demand for new delivery methods

New delivery methods are slowly becoming the norm. Delivery of orders close to the customer's home, as well as curbside pickup, played an important role in 2021.

Data in the U.S. shows that the average price for orders with curbside pickup was $96.60, which is significant growth from the previous year's average of $79.84. Local delivery had an average price of $97.40 in the U.S. during BFCM 2021, indicating strong consolidation as well. In 2022, new collection methods are expected to continue to grow as they gain a foothold in the market, especially in large U.S. cities.

3. International shipping can increase your sales

Relying on a single market remains a risk for many online stores. Many eCommerces have discovered this during this pandemic, as sales restrictions in one country may be greater than in another. The same can be said of the economic situation, in a context where diversifying markets can be the key to increasing profitability.

During BFCM 2021, 15% of global orders were international. This can be common in certain geographic locations. For example, shipments from the U.S. to Canada, from Canada to the U.S., or from the U.S. to the U.K. and vice versa. Higher ticket producers tend to be the most interesting for international sales.

While many small merchants have struggled in the past, Shopify Markets makes it much easier for even small retailers to scale their business internationally.

4. Mobile sales continue to lead the market

Smartphones have dominated the market since 2014, when online sales on mobile devices surpassed desktop sales. This also applies to Black Friday and CyberMonday, of course. In 2021, 71% of BFCM sales were made from a mobile device and only 29% from a desktop computer.

The trend is growing, as mobile devices today are a convenient, simple and secure option to make a purchase. This shows us how important it is for our online store to offer a good display on mobile devices in order to maximize conversions.

5. Sales on social networks are growing

Sales through social networks offer significant advantages for consumers, who do not have to leave the application they are using to make their purchase. A good integration of social media sales allows customers to search for products directly on the social network, add the item to their shopping cart and checkout on the same platform.

Sales on social networks increased dramatically during the last BFCM, having tripled since 2020. This trend indicates that more and more consumers value making their purchases on the networks themselves, and that they will also do so during this Black Friday and CyberMonday 2022.

6. Sustainability is becoming more important for the consumer

Black Friday and CyberMonday shopping are not incompatible with a commitment to sustainability. While emissions into the atmosphere increase by an average of one kilogram of carbon for every package shipped, platforms like Shopify work to offset carbon emissions on every order placed.

On the other hand, this encourages small businesses to implement policies that promote sustainability. For example, offering free shipping costs above a certain price, so that customers can concentrate all their purchases in a single order, instead of making repeated, cheaper purchases.

We at Webmefy invite you to prepare your eCommerce for this BFCM 2022, betting on strategies that help you connect with the habits and trends of your customers. If you want to take your online store to its highest potential, contact us now.