The future of e-commerce in 2025: trends and opportunities to grow

E-commerce continues to evolve, and 2025 promises to be a year of great transformations driven by changes in consumer behavior, technological advances and new digital marketing strategies.For medium and large companies, understanding these changes and anticipating the opportunities will be fundamental to ensure sustainable growth and competitiveness in the sector. The challenge is not only to follow the new trends, but to integrate them efficiently into operations, ensuring scalability and differentiation in the increasingly disputed sector.

With the Brazilian e-commerce market projected to earn R$ 224.7 billion in 2025, according to ABComm, the simple digital presence is no longer enough. Companies that know how to combine strategy, technology and data intelligence tend to maximize their return on investment and consolidate a strong positioning. 

In this context, digital transformation must be thought of in a strategic way, prioritizing the consumer experience and the automation of processes. Among the main trends that will shape e-commerce this year, four aspects stand out:

Expanding personalization at scale with AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the way businesses interact with consumers, making shopping experiences increasingly personalized and efficient.This year, personalization at scale will be even more sophisticated, allowing brands to offer highly individualized recommendations based on user behavior and preferences data.

The use of advanced algorithms enables real-time analysis of browsing and purchase history of consumers, automatically adjusting virtual storefronts, offers and marketing campaigns to increase conversion.In addition, generative AI tools are facilitating the creation of specific content for each customer profile, making communication more assertive. Whoever invest in this technology will have a significant competitive advantage, reducing friction in the sales funnel and maximizing the lifetime value from client.

Growth of retail media as a strategic channel

Retail media has established itself as one of the main growth levers for e-commerce, transforming retail platforms into strategic advertising spaces. The model allows brands to invest directly in media within the digital environments where their products are sold, impacting consumers at decisive moments in the purchase journey and increasing the predictability of return on investment.

A recent survey by Newtail revealed that 79% of Brazilian industries already use retail media, and 100% of them consider it as one of the main retail trends. Global investment in retail media should reach US$ 110 billion in 2026, surpassing Social and Search spending.With the possibility of advanced segmentation and integration of purchase data, the approach enables brands to target their campaigns more efficiently, optimizing conversion and strengthening the relationship with consumers.

Long-term strategies to avoid reliance on seasonality

Black Friday and other business dates remain relevant to boost revenue, but over-reliance on these seasonality can limit sustainable growth. Today, the challenge is to build strategies that prioritize loyalty and continuous engagement throughout the year, avoiding sudden revenue swings and ensuring financial predictability.

To achieve a balance, brands must bet on subscription programs, exclusive benefits for recurring customers and campaigns based on personalized journeys. The use of behavioral data to create relevant offers at planned times can increase the average ticket and customer retention. Omnichannel strategies that integrate physical and digital stores also become important to create constant touch points and strengthen the bond with the consumer.

Interactive content marketing

In an increasingly competitive digital environment, capturing and maintaining consumer attention is a constant challenge. Interactive content marketing emerges as an effective solution to increase engagement and optimize conversion rates. This format includes quizzes, explainer videos, immersive experiences and gamification, making the shopping experience more dynamic and engaging.

According to a study by Design Hill, 93% marketers consider interactive content more effective at educating potential buyers than static formats. This improves information retention and encourages active consumer participation, creating a stronger link with the brand. Companies that invest in this type of content will have a competitive advantage by turning digital communication into a more attractive and efficient channel for purchasing decision making.

The fact is that the e-commerce scenario for 2025 will be marked by an environment of continuous innovation, in which the adoption of new technologies and strategies will be essential for differentiation and sustainable growth. AI-driven personalization, the strengthening of retail media, the construction of long-term strategies and interactive content marketing are just some of the main trends that should shape the sector in the coming months. For medium and large companies, success will be linked to the ability to adapt and implement these strategies in an integrated way, ensuring a more fluid and efficient experience for consumers.

* Gabriel Lima, founder of Enext, consulting specialized in full digital