Gartner develops frameworks and methodologies that help leaders apply this knowledge in their day-to-day operations. What it delivers isn’t just knowledge, it’s actionable capability. And in a market as dynamic as digital retail, that’s worth far more than generic forecasts.
Reports and Trends: What to Expect for the Future of E-commerce?
The digital landscape is constantly evolving, and with each new report, Gartner highlights where the most relevant changes are happening. These trends don’t appear as vague predictions, they’re practical alerts that help redefine priorities and strategies.
For online retail players, understanding these directions can make the difference between simply keeping up and leading the market.
Here are some of the consultancy’s top predictions for the coming years.
Unified Commerce as the New Operational Standard
The fragmentation between physical and digital channels is coming to an end. Gartner points to the consolidation of the Unified Commerce model, where the entire sales, service, and logistics ecosystem operates in sync.
The customer experience becomes seamless, regardless of which channel they choose to interact with the brand.
Artificial Intelligence Enhancing the Shopping Experience
AI in e-commerce goes far beyond automated recommendations. AI-based solutions are being used to predict behavior, adjust pricing in real time, optimize on-site search, and automate customer service processes.
According to Gartner, this technology will be indispensable for companies aiming to scale without losing personalization.
Personalization at Scale as a Competitive Differentiator
With more data available and better-integrated systems, the ability to create mass-personalized customer journeys is growing. This means that even with thousands of customers, it’s possible to deliver experiences that feel tailor-made.
Gartner highlights that brands that don’t invest in personalization will struggle to stay relevant, especially in highly competitive categories.
What Are Gartner’s Main Insights?
Gartner’s reports don’t just highlight technology trends, they provide analysis that helps leaders make clearer, more informed decisions.
Rather than relying on assumptions or following market fads, companies that leverage these insights gain more autonomy to define their own growth paths.
Here are some key learnings highlighted by the consultancy in recent years.
Consumers Are More Informed and Less Dependent on Sales Reps
According to Gartner, 44% of millennial B2B buyers prefer to complete a purchase without speaking to a sales representative. This behavior is also spreading in B2C.
This shows that brands need to invest in smarter self-service channels that deliver clear, objective, and reliable information, before any human interaction even happens.
Digital Sales Require New Professional Skill Sets
Commercial skills are evolving. The Future of Sales report indicates that sales teams will need to master digital platforms, interpret real-time data, and act more as facilitators rather than traditional negotiators.
This demands new types of training and a shift in the traditional sales operation model.
Data and Technology Integration Will Be the New Strategic Core
Gartner predicts that by 2025, 60% of sales organizations will abandon processes based on experience and intuition, adopting data-driven practices instead.
This includes integrating CRM tools, automation, analytics, and AI into a single operational flow. The focus is on efficiency, but also on the accuracy of business decisions.
How to Apply Gartner Reports to Your E-commerce Strategy?
The real value of a report lies in how it’s turned into action. With Gartner, the power is in translating data into real decisions that align with your operational context.
The first step is to identify which areas of your e-commerce business need review, whether it’s technology, customer experience, marketing, or sales.
Based on that, seek out the reports that dive deeper into your focus areas and analyze the indicators, benchmarks, and projections presented. They help validate investments, anticipate market shifts, and adjust priorities.
More than just following a trend, the goal is to build strategies aligned with consumer behavior and technological change. Gartner’s content acts as a strategic compass, but it’s the practical application that drives real results.
The future of e-commerce won’t wait for slow decision-makers. Gartner continues to show, backed by data and solid forecasts, that anticipating trends is what keeps brands relevant in the digital space.
The brands that lead are the ones that transform knowledge into action, making sharper decisions with a long-term vision.
Ignoring these signals means missing opportunities to evolve, both technologically and in market positioning. If you want to grow, it’s essential to stay tuned to what’s reshaping the rules of the game.
Need support applying these insights in practice? Contact our team and start rethinking your strategy today.
Escrito por:
Renan Mota, co-CEO & Founder
at Corebiz
