2020 was a boom year for e-commerce: due to the pandemic and travel restrictions, Italians have changed their consumption habits, opting for the online purchase of goods and products. Now that the national health situation is improving and most of the restrictions have been relaxed, what are the numbers of e-commerce? What are the expectations for 2021?

Ecommerce expectations 2021

Expectations for 2021

There are many researches and market analyzes in this regard. From all of them, it is clear that the digital evolution that had begun to assert itself in recent years has now become a priority to which the Italian business world must strive effectively and quickly.

What happened in 2020 and which we still live in 2021 has radically changed the habits of Italians, bringing even those who were not used to digital.

So, if 2020 was the year of acceleration, 2021 will bring about a settling down, and then record a turning point in 2022.

The e-commerce sector is in a mature phase and from which there is no turning back. For this reason, even for small and medium-sized enterprises it will be increasingly essential to integrate and prioritize digital channels in their organizational models.

The numbers: Food & Grocery ranked first

Looking at the numbers, the figures vary according to the sectors. For example, Food & Grocery appears to be the most dynamic online sector, that is, the one with the fastest growth rate. After marking an approximately + 84% in 2020, further double-digit growth is expected for the current year: + 38% (data from the eCommerce B2c Netcomm Observatory - School of Management of the Politecnico di Milano). Looking at the different segments that make it up, it is clear that the restrictions linked to the pandemic have actually favored a development process of B2c eCommerce. Grocery Food (i.e. supermarket products) grows by + 39% in 2021 and is close to 1.4 billion euros. Food Delivery (i.e. ready meals) in 2021 grows at a rapid pace (+ 56%) and exceeds 1.4 billion euros. Enogastronomy (niche food products) also recorded an increase of + 17% and reached 750 million euros.

From Health & Pharma to fashion, all sectors are involved

Health & Pharma products are also bought more and more often online: in 2021 the e-commerce of this sector is estimated to reach the value of 1.5 billion euros, with a growth of + 43.3% compared to 2020.

Fashion is no less important: the "McKinsey Global Fashion Index Analysis 2021" report claims that digital will be the greatest opportunity for the fashion industry.

In short, all sectors, without exception, have been involved in this evolution, and even brands or businesses that were not strong online have had to adapt.

The numbers of B2C e-commerce

According to B2C data, global e-commerce revenue is expected to increase from $ 481.2 billion in 2018 to over $ 710 billion by 2022.

This is also confirmed by the latest Casaleggio Associati e-commerce report: B2C turnover would now represent about one fifth of total retail sales. It is not just an Italian phenomenon: retail purchases on the net have increased in all countries by over a quarter. Then there are some countries, such as Argentina (+ 79%) and Singapore (+ 71%) for example, where the growth rate of B2C online sales is definitely above average. However, Italy is also no exception and the growth rate is higher than that of the global average.

B2B e-commerce

It is not just B2C that drives sales: e-commerce has also been adopted quickly in B2B. 55% of Italian B2B companies, with turnover equal to or greater than 2 million euros, are in fact active in online sales with their own website or through marketplaces.

Surely 2020 was a year of strong changes: for 48.6% of companies the pandemic has pushed the digitization of B2b processes, 23.8% felt the need to invest in digital solutions, 18.4% activated projects. This evolution, for the moment, has not translated into a growth in B2b eCommerce. But having changed the perception of people and companies towards innovation, in the next few years we will most likely see a strong growth in the pervasiveness of digital tools in business processes.

Conclusions

In conclusion, although the year 2021 is not yet over, the numbers and market data speak for themselves. The behaviors, preferences and mindsets that consumers adopted during the pandemic have generated changes that are destined to last. Italians have already gotten used to using digital services and channels, and will increasingly use them in every field of life, both in the private and professional spheres.

Author: Alessio Hocevar

Alessio Hocevar

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

Dr. Alessio Hocevar our expert SEA (Search Engine Advertising), SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and SMO (Social Media Optimization), graduated in Communication Sciences and Technologies, also deals with copywriting, e-mail marketing and Video marketing. Google Ads Fundamentals Certified, Google Shopping.

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