In-App Shopping, AR, and Accessibility

Emerging technologies are reshaping how consumers interact with brands and make purchasing decisions online. Social media, augmented reality (AR), and accessibility advancements are at the forefront of this transformation, offering more immersive, inclusive, and interactive shopping experiences. From virtual try-ons to in-app purchases and accessible website design, the future of online shopping is rapidly changing. This blog explores eCommerce’s key trends for 2025 and how businesses can implement these innovations to stay competitive.

The Current eCommerce Landscape

The eCommerce industry has grown exponentially over the past decade, driven by digital transformation, mobile commerce, and changing consumer expectations. According to Digitalcommerce360, US eCommerce sales in 2024 more than doubled those in 2019.

With consumers increasingly turning to online platforms for convenience, personalisation, and efficiency, businesses must continuously innovate to remain relevant. Some key trends in eCommerce include:

• Mobile Commerce (mCommerce): More shoppers are purchasing through smartphones, making mobile optimization essential.
• Personalization: AI-driven recommendations enhance user experiences by delivering relevant product suggestions.
• Voice Commerce: The rise of voice assistants like Alexa and Google Assistant allows users to make purchases via voice commands.
• Subscription Services: Brands leverage subscription models to increase customer retention and revenue.
• Sustainability: Consumers demand eco-friendly packaging, ethical sourcing, and carbon-neutral shipping options.

While these trends continue to shape online shopping, three key innovations—social-powered shopping, AR, and accessibility—are set to define the future of eCommerce.

Social-Powered Shopping Experiences

Social commerce is revolutionizing how consumers discover, engage with, and purchase products online. According to Shopify, the fashion and apparel industry continues to demonstrate its dominant eCommerce position. The sector has achieved a remarkable $781 billion market value—a number projected to more than double within six years. Social media platforms now integrate shopping features that make transactions seamless and interactive. Here’s how social shopping works in a nutshell:

• Social Media Platforms: Platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and TikTok enable brands to showcase and sell products directly.
• Influencer Marketing: Influencers drive purchasing decisions by showcasing products in real-world settings, creating trends, and fostering trust. According to the Digital Marketing Institute, 60% of consumers are influenced by social media or blogs while shopping in-store. This changes the meaning of comparison shopping! According to research, 3% of consumers would consider buying a product in-store if promoted by a celebrity, compared to 60% for an influencer.
• Live Shopping Events: Live-stream shopping enhances engagement, allowing consumers to see products in action and ask questions in real time. Salsify’s 2025 Consumer Research report found that 35% of shoppers bought something from a live-stream shopping event in the past year.
• Product Tagging: Brands can tag products in posts and stories, making it easier for users to explore and purchase items with a single tap.

Benefits of Social Commerce

Social commerce offers businesses a powerful way to connect with customers, enhance engagement, and drive sales directly within the platforms where people already spend a significant amount of time. By integrating shopping features into social media, businesses can create a seamless and interactive purchasing experience, making it easier for consumers to discover, evaluate, and buy products without leaving their favorite apps.

One of the key benefits of social commerce is increased engagement. Unlike traditional eCommerce, which relies on consumers actively seeking products on dedicated websites, social commerce encourages real-time interactions, discussions, and feedback within the social media environment. Features such as live shopping events, polls, Q&A sessions, and influencer collaborations make the shopping experience more dynamic and interactive, fostering a stronger connection between brands and their audiences. This engagement also leads to greater brand loyalty, as consumers feel more involved and connected to the companies they purchase from.

Another significant advantage is convenience. Social commerce removes unnecessary friction from the buying journey by allowing consumers to purchase without leaving the platform they are browsing. Whether it’s Instagram Checkout, Facebook Shops, TikTok Storefronts, or Pinterest Shopping, these features provide a streamlined experience that keeps users engaged while making it incredibly easy to complete a purchase. The ability to browse, ask questions, receive recommendations, and complete a transaction in one place reduces drop-off rates and improves overall customer satisfaction.

Higher conversion rates are another compelling reason for businesses to invest in social commerce. Since social media platforms use advanced algorithms to display highly relevant content based on user behavior, consumers are likelier to see products that match their interests and preferences. The seamless transition from product discovery to checkout eliminates steps that often lead to cart abandonment on traditional e-commerce sites. In addition, the presence of user-generated content, such as customer reviews, influencer endorsements, and peer recommendations, builds trust and encourages immediate purchasing decisions.

Beyond sales, social commerce also plays a crucial role in community building. Unlike conventional eCommerce, which tends to be transactional in nature, social commerce leverages the power of peer influence and social validation to create stronger brand communities. Customers can share their purchases, leave comments, and discuss with other buyers, fostering a sense of belonging and advocacy. When people see their friends or favorite influencers endorsing a brand, they are more likely to trust and engage with that brand themselves. This organic word-of-mouth marketing enhances credibility and expands reach far beyond what traditional advertising can achieve.

With billions of users actively engaging on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and Pinterest, businesses that embrace social commerce have the opportunity to significantly expand their reach, strengthen customer relationships, and drive higher sales. By offering a shopping experience that is engaging, seamless, and deeply integrated into social interactions, brands can position themselves at the forefront of the evolving digital retail landscape.

AR: Try Before You Buy

Augmented reality (AR) bridges the gap between physical and digital shopping experiences by allowing customers to visualize products before purchasing them.

What is Augmented Reality in Shopping?

AR enhances real-world environments by overlaying digital content, such as images, animations, and interactive elements, on smartphones, tablets, or AR glasses. This technology allows consumers to interact with products virtually, helping them make more informed purchasing decisions.

AR Shopping Trends to Watch in 2025

These are some of the AR shopping trends to watch this year:

• Virtual Try-Ons: AR applications allow consumers to try on clothing, accessories, and makeup. Brands like Sephora and L’Oréal offer AR-powered beauty try-ons to enhance online shopping experiences. According to Grand View Research, the global virtual try-on market was estimated at $9.17 billion USD in 2023 and is expected to grow at a CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 26.4% from 2024 to 2030.
• Virtual Showrooms: Brands such as IKEA and Wayfair allow customers to place furniture in their homes using AR apps.
• AR Mirrors: Retail stores are introducing AR mirrors that let shoppers try on outfits without changing clothes.
• Social Media AR Filters: Instagram and Snapchat provide AR filters that enable users to test products before purchasing.
• Gamification in Shopping: AR-powered scavenger hunts and in-store experiences create engaging shopping adventures.

The Impact of AR on eCommerce

Here’s how augmented reality in eCommerce is changing the game for retailers and customers:

• Reduced Returns: A study highlighted that 66% of AR shoppers were less likely to return products, demonstrating how realistic virtual try-ons can lead to more confident purchases. Additionally, 80% of users felt more confident in their buying decisions when using AR.
• Enhanced Customer Satisfaction: Personalised experiences improve shopping confidence.
• Brand Differentiation: Businesses adopting AR gain a competitive advantage by offering innovative experiences.

Making eCommerce Accessible to All

Ensuring accessibility in eCommerce is essential for creating an inclusive shopping experience that allows all users, including those with disabilities, to navigate, browse easily, and complete transactions. Prioritizing accessibility enhances the user experience, broadens a brand’s customer base, and ensures compliance with legal regulations such as the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG). By implementing thoughtful design and functionality, businesses can remove barriers that may otherwise prevent individuals from fully engaging with their online stores.

One of the most critical aspects of accessible eCommerce is visual accessibility. Websites must be designed to accommodate users with visual impairments by incorporating high-contrast text that improves readability, especially for those with low vision or colour blindness. Allowing users to adjust font sizes ensures that content remains legible for individuals with varying levels of vision impairment. Additionally, every image on a website should include descriptive alt text, which enables screen readers to accurately convey visual content to users who rely on auditory descriptions. Visually impaired shoppers may struggle to navigate an online store or understand product details without these adjustments.

Keyboard navigation is another fundamental component of accessible eCommerce. Many individuals with motor disabilities rely on keyboards instead of a mouse or touchscreen to browse the web. Ensuring that all interactive elements, such as buttons, menus, and forms, are fully navigable via keyboard commands is essential for usability. Clear focus indicators should be implemented so users can easily track their position on a webpage while moving through links and form fields. If a website lacks proper keyboard functionality, it can become nearly impossible for some users to purchase or interact with essential site features.

Websites must be structured with properly formatted HTML and semantic tags to allow for logical navigation for individuals using screen readers. Headings should be clearly defined so screen readers can accurately interpret the content hierarchy, enabling users to jump between sections efficiently. Form fields must also be explicitly labeled so that screen readers can provide clear instructions on required input, such as shipping details or payment information. Without these considerations, users who depend on screen readers may face unnecessary confusion and frustration while shopping online.

Businesses should incorporate captions and transcripts to make audio and video content accessible. Captions ensure that individuals with hearing impairments can understand spoken content in product demonstrations, promotional videos, or customer testimonials. Transcripts provide an alternative text-based format for users who prefer reading over listening, further improving accessibility. By offering these options, businesses make content more inclusive and allow a broader audience to engage with multimedia materials.

Another critical aspect of accessibility is cognitive accessibility, which focuses on making websites more straightforward to understand and navigate for individuals with cognitive or learning disabilities. Simple navigation structures, consistent layouts, and clear, descriptive headings help users process information more efficiently. Reducing unnecessary distractions, minimising the use of complex jargon, and organising content in a logical flow contribute to a smoother, more user-friendly experience.

Finally, accessibility is not a one-time effort but an ongoing commitment that requires regular testing and audits. Businesses should routinely assess their websites using assistive technologies such as screen readers and keyboard-only navigation to identify and address accessibility issues. Compliance with WCAG guidelines should be reviewed frequently to ensure that new updates and design changes do not inadvertently create barriers for users with disabilities. Conducting usability testing with individuals who rely on assistive technology provides valuable insights into potential improvements and ensures that accessibility measures effectively meet users’ needs.

By prioritizing accessibility in eCommerce, businesses create a more inclusive shopping experience, improve customer satisfaction, enhance their brand reputation, and increase sales. An accessible website benefits all users by making online shopping more intuitive and seamless, ultimately helping businesses reach a broader and more diverse audience.

These are some of the benefits of accessible eCommerce:

• Broader Audience Reach: Accessibility-friendly websites cater to a wider customer base.
• Improved User Experience: Clear navigation and usability enhancements benefit all shoppers.
• Legal Compliance: Businesses avoid potential lawsuits and regulatory issues.
• Stronger Brand Reputation: Commitment to inclusivity builds customer trust and loyalty.

The Intersection of Social Media, AR, and Accessibility

The future of eCommerce lies in the seamless integration of social shopping, AR, and accessibility. When combined, these innovations create a dynamic and inclusive shopping ecosystem. Here’s how these innovations work together:

• Social Media + AR: Users can try on products virtually through AR filters on social media before purchasing.
• AR + Accessibility: AR tools can assist visually impaired users by providing auditory product descriptions.
• Social Media + Accessibility: Accessible social shopping experiences ensure all users can navigate and complete purchases.
• Complete Integration: Businesses leveraging all three technologies create a frictionless, immersive, and user-friendly shopping journey.

Implementation Strategies for Businesses

For businesses looking to embrace these eCommerce innovations for themselves, here are key implementation strategies:

1. Leverage Social Commerce Tools
   • Use Facebook Shops, Instagram Shopping, and TikTok Shopping.
   • Partner with influencers to boost visibility.
   • Host live shopping events to showcase products.
2. Invest in AR Experiences
   • Develop AR-powered virtual try-ons.
   • Create interactive 3D product models.
   • Implement AR filters for social media engagement.
3. Prioritise Web Accessibility
   • Conduct accessibility audits and compliance checks.
   • Implement alt text, captions, and screen-reader-friendly navigation.
   • Regularly test website functionality with assistive technologies.
4. Optimize for Mobile & Voice Search
   • Ensure a responsive, mobile-friendly design.
   • Enable voice commerce compatibility.
   • Optimize product descriptions for voice search queries.
5. Monitor Trends and Evolve
   • Stay informed about emerging technologies.
   • Gather user feedback to enhance experiences.
   • Continuously refine and adapt strategies to meet consumer expectations.

Social-powered shopping, AR advancements, and a strong focus on accessibility are shaping the future of eCommerce. Businesses that embrace these trends will be well-positioned to provide seamless, engaging, and inclusive shopping experiences.

Need help with your eCommerce marketing? Contact WSI today.