The digital commerce landscape is evolving at an unprecedented pace. As consumer expectations shift and technology advances, brands are challenged to meet customers wherever they are—across a growing array of digital touchpoints. While mobile commerce remains foundational, the next wave of growth is being driven by emerging channels: social commerce, voice commerce, augmented reality (AR) commerce, and livestream shopping. Understanding how these channels work, their unique opportunities and challenges, and how to integrate them into a unified commerce strategy is essential for future-proofing your business.
Social commerce seamlessly merges shopping with social interaction, leveraging platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and Meta to enable in-app purchasing and real-time engagement. Consumers can discover, engage with, and purchase products without ever leaving their social feeds. This frictionless experience drives higher conversion rates and customer loyalty, as discovery, engagement, and purchase happen within a single platform.
Opportunities:With the proliferation of smart speakers and virtual assistants, voice commerce is rapidly gaining traction. Advances in generative AI are making voice interactions more natural and conversational, opening new avenues for hands-free, accessible shopping experiences. Voice commerce is especially valuable for users with disabilities and for scenarios where convenience is paramount.
Opportunities:AR commerce transforms product discovery and decision-making by allowing consumers to visualize products in their own environment before purchasing. Whether it’s virtually placing a couch in a living room or trying on a pair of sunglasses, AR increases purchase confidence and reduces return rates. As AR technology matures, consumers will increasingly expect immersive, interactive shopping experiences.
Opportunities:Livestream shopping blends entertainment and commerce, enabling brands to showcase products, answer questions, and drive sales in real time. This channel fosters direct interaction, builds community, and creates a sense of urgency that can boost conversions. Livestreaming is especially effective for product launches, limited-time offers, and categories where demonstration is key.
Opportunities:The proliferation of digital channels presents a challenge: how to deliver a consistent, personalized experience across every touchpoint. The answer lies in unified commerce—an approach that aligns data, messaging, and systems to create a seamless journey from discovery to conversion. For example, a consumer might discover a product on social media, research it via voice assistant, visualize it in their home with AR, and complete the purchase during a livestream event—all within a cohesive, connected experience.
Agility is now a necessity. By embracing and integrating emerging channels—social, voice, AR, and livestream—into a unified commerce strategy, brands can deliver personalized, engaging experiences that meet consumers wherever they are. The next wave of digital commerce is here. Are you ready to lead?
Ready to elevate your digital commerce strategy? Connect with Publicis Sapient to discover how we can help you leverage the latest channels and technologies to stay ahead of the curve.