Estimated reading time: 9 mins
The ecommerce world is evolving fast, and the ecommerce trends in 2025 are set to bring both exciting opportunities and new challenges. From navigating supply chain issues to leveraging AI and emerging platforms, staying ahead requires strategy and adaptability.
In this blog, we’ll break down the key trends shaping ecommerce this year and how you can turn them into opportunities for growth. Let’s dive in and get your business ready to thrive in 2025!
Key Takeaways
- Ecommerce growth is back: Online sales are rebounding, nearing their pandemic peak. Learn how to align your strategies with this growth.
- Digital marketing costs are rising: Privacy changes are making ads less efficient.
- Supply chain challenges are ahead: From potential strikes to global shipping disruptions could lead to delays and rising costs.
- AI as a game-changer: AI tools are leveling the playing field, helping businesses save time, cut costs, and stay competitive.
- TikTok Shop’s uncertain future: TikTok Shop is shaking up influencer marketing, but its future in the U.S. hangs in the balance.
- Big policy shifts coming: From tariffs to changes in the De Minimis Rule, regulatory updates could reshape ecommerce in 2025.
Table of Contents
- Ecommerce market growth: A positive trend
- Digital marketing efficiency challenges: A negative trend
- Interest rates and inflation: A mixed bag
- A business-friendly regulatory environment: A positive trend
- Tariff talks: A negative trend
- TikTok Shop: A mixed bag
- AI in ecommerce: A positive trend
- Supply chain complexities: A negative trend
- Changes to the De Minimis rule: A mixed bag
- New sales and marketing avenues: A positive trend
- How to get help navigating all this
Ecommerce Market Growth: Riding the Rebound
The ecommerce market is bouncing back stronger than ever heading into 2025. After a post-COVID dip, online retail sales are nearing their Q2 2020 peak of 16.4% of total retail sales.
(Ecommerce retail sales as a percent of total sales)
Holiday numbers back this up: online sales during the 2024 season grew 6.7% year-over-year, according to MasterCard.
Stephen Brown, COO at LedgerGurus, explains: “Ecommerce sales are continuing to expand as a percentage of all retail. The future still looks very positive for online sales.”
As ecommerce evolves, it’s blurring with in-store shopping: “Order online, pick up in store.”
What this means for your business:
- Be optimistic but data-driven when forecasting sales. Tie your projections to your specific products and categories.
- Invest in seamless shopping experiences to meet the demand for convenience, whether that’s online, in-store, or both.
- Capitalize on growth by fine-tuning your website and marketing strategies.
The takeaway? The ecommerce market is growing, but your success depends on how you align with the trends in your niche.
Digital Marketing Efficiency Challenges: Tackling the Rising Costs
Privacy changes like iOS 14.5 have made digital marketing more expensive and less effective, forcing businesses to work harder to maintain profitability.
Brown says, “This is the number one trend brands need to tackle because it can just eat up all your profits.”
What this means for your business:
- Aim for a marketing efficiency ratio of 20–33% of revenue. If you’re overspending, it’s time to rework your strategy.
- Keep an eye on ROAS (return on ad spend). Campaigns need to prove their worth.
- Take ownership of your marketing. As Brown warns, “You can’t afford to defer this to an agency—you need to know how your ad dollars are being spent.”
Bottom line: Efficiency is everything. Monitor your results closely, adjust as needed, and stay hands-on with your strategy.
Interest Rates and Inflation: A Mixed Bag
Interest rates dropped three times in 2024, with two more cuts expected in 2025. That’s good news for borrowing costs.
But inflation is still hovering above the Fed’s 2% target, keeping things tricky.
What this means for your business:
- Take advantage of lower loan costs, but don’t count on savings across the board.
- Plan for supplier price increases. Inflation can quietly erode profits if you’re not ready.
- Adjust your pricing yearly. Regular updates help protect your margins.
It’s a balancing act—stay proactive with pricing and watch your costs closely.
Business-Friendly Regulatory Environment: Opportunities Ahead
The new administration is expected to roll out tax reforms and reduce regulations, making life a little easier for businesses.
We can expect fewer regulations to deal with and some tax reforms that could make running a business a bit easier.
Less red tape means more time and money to focus on what really matters—growing your business.
What this means for your business:
- Stay informed. Changes in regulations or tax policies could offer opportunities for you to simplify your operations.
- Reallocate resources. Use the reduced demands for compliance to focus on cutting your costs and boosting productivity.
While we don’t know all the details yet, the outlook is promising for businesses to run smoother and smarter in 2025.
NOTE: A good way to stay informed and keep up with all the changes is to subscribe to our “Weekly Top 3” newsletter where each week we highlight and summarize the most important news affecting ecommerce.
Tariff Talks: A Potential Challenge for Ecommerce Brands
Ongoing discussions about new tariffs on imports from China, Mexico, Canada, and other regions are stirring up uncertainty for ecommerce businesses.
If implemented, these tariffs could raise your cost of goods sold, squeezing your profit margins.
What this means for your business:
- Plan ahead for higher costs. Start thinking about how tariffs might impact your products.
- Have a strategy ready. Whether it’s adjusting prices, cutting costs, or exploring new supply chain options, being proactive can help you stay ahead.
While nothing is set in stone yet, it’s smart to prepare for potential changes so you’re not caught off guard.
TikTok Shop: A Game-Changer with Uncertainty
TikTok Shop has shaken up influencer marketing with its innovative pay-for-performance model.
Unlike traditional influencer deals where brands pay upfront without guaranteed results, TikTok Shop ties influencer payments directly to sales, making it a cost-effective way to market.
It’s a win for businesses, but the platform’s future in the U.S. is uncertain due to a potential ban tied to national security concerns.
TikTok’s integration of ecommerce and social interaction is also noteworthy. Its “QVC meets Amazon” style makes buying seamless and engaging, which could spark more sales—and even boost performance on other channels through the “halo effect.”
What this means for your business:
- Explore TikTok Shop, if it stays. It’s a promising, budget-friendly way to market and sell directly to consumers.
- Diversify your channels. Relying too heavily on any one platform (especially one with an uncertain future) is risky.
- Keep an eye on the competition. If TikTok sticks around, expect Meta, YouTube, and others to adopt similar influencer-driven ecommerce models.
TikTok Shop’s potential is exciting, but don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Keep testing new platforms and stay flexible to adapt as the ecommerce landscape evolves.
AI in Ecommerce: Work Smarter, Not Harder
AI is no longer just hype—it’s a game-changer for ecommerce. From streamlining content creation to crafting ad copy, AI tools are making it faster and easier to get things done.
Whether you’re brainstorming ideas, refining campaigns, or optimizing workflows, AI helps save time, reduce costs, and improve results.
One of its biggest perks?
Accessibility.
You don’t need a massive budget or a specialized team to benefit. AI levels the playing field, especially for small businesses, by putting powerful tools at your fingertips.
What this means for your business:
- Save time and money. Use AI for tasks like writing, editing, and generating ad copy.
- Run smarter campaigns. AI makes testing and refining ad strategies faster and more effective.
- Compete with the big players. These tools make professional-level execution accessible for businesses of any size.
If you’re not already using AI, now’s the time to dive in. It’s a cost-effective way to boost productivity and stay competitive in a fast-paced ecommerce world.
Supply Chain Complexities: Navigating the Obstacles
Supply chain disruptions continue to be a headache for ecommerce businesses. A potential strike on East and Gulf Coast ports looms large, with workers demanding better pay and less automation.
While the strike was temporarily postponed during the holiday season, the January 15th deadline means it could resurface soon, potentially causing significant delays and driving up costs. If this happens, goods may be rerouted to West Coast ports, creating congestion and higher fees there too.
On the global front, tensions in the Red Sea are impacting international shipping routes. Attacks on cargo ships by Houthi rebels in Yemen are forcing vessels to take longer routes around the Horn of Africa, increasing costs and reducing capacity.
While this primarily affects shipments to Europe, the ripple effects could hit American importers as well, especially with reduced availability of ships and increased competition for freight.
What this means for your business:
- Prepare for potential delays. If you rely on East or Gulf Coast ports, now is the time to secure backup plans. Expect possible congestion on the West Coast as well.
- Factor in rising costs. Shipping expenses could spike due to rerouting or extended lead times. Budget accordingly to avoid surprises.
- Diversify your supply chain. Spread your sourcing and logistics across multiple regions to minimize disruptions and manage risks more effectively.
With these challenges on the horizon, planning ahead and staying flexible will help you weather the storm and keep your operations running smoothly.
Changes to the De Minimis Rule: A Shake-Up for Dropshipping
The De Minimis Rule, which lets imports under $800 skip duties and taxes, is under review.
This rule has been a loophole for international sellers—especially platforms like Temu and Shein—to flood the U.S. market with low-cost goods.
If the rule changes, international dropshipping could become much less viable, as these sellers would face higher costs and more complex regulations.
For non-dropshipping businesses, this could be good news. Fewer ultra-low-cost competitors might level the playing field, giving U.S.-based businesses more breathing room.
What this means for your business:
- If you rely on international dropshipping, start planning now. You may need to adjust pricing, explore domestic dropshipping, or shift your supply chain strategy.
- If you don’t dropship, you could benefit from less competition from international sellers taking advantage of the rule.
- Stay informed. Changes to the De Minimis Rule could significantly impact product costs and logistics.
Whether you’re directly affected or not, these changes could shift the ecommerce landscape in 2025, so it’s smart to keep an eye on developments.
New Sales and Marketing Avenues: Fresh Opportunities for Growth
New platforms are shaking up the marketing game.
AppLovin, a tool for advertising in mobile games, is gaining traction as a unique way to connect with consumers.
Meanwhile, advertising on streaming TV continues to grow, giving businesses new ways to reach their target audiences.
These emerging channels offer exciting opportunities to tap into untapped customer bases.
One surprising benefit?
The “halo effect.”
Increased visibility on one platform often boosts sales on others. For example, sellers using TikTok Shop have reported seeing higher sales on Amazon and other channels, thanks to the additional exposure.
What this means for your business:
- Try new channels. Platforms like AppLovin and streaming TV ads could help you reach new audiences and diversify your customer acquisition strategy.
- Take advantage of the halo effect. Even if one channel doesn’t drive direct sales, it could still create brand awareness that increases sales elsewhere.
- Experiment and measure. Test these opportunities and monitor performance to see what works best for your business.
These fresh avenues can help you stay ahead of the competition and connect with more customers in innovative ways.
How LedgerGurus Can Help You With All This
At LedgerGurus, we know navigating these ecommerce trends can be overwhelming, but with the right strategies, you can turn challenges into opportunities for growth.
Not every trend will apply to your business, so focus on those that matter the most for your goals and industry. The key is to stay proactive, adaptable, and ready to pivot when needed.
If navigating these trends feels overwhelming, LedgerGurus is ready to help.
We specialize in ecommerce accounting and financial expertise, and we can help you understand how these trends impact your bottom line and optimize your financial strategy.
Reach out for a consultation today.
