Happy Home Srl

The world of retail is undergoing an unprecedented wave of innovation. Technology, of course, plays a major role, but it is not the only force at work. New business models are appearing that will have a profound influence across the e-­commerce and wider retailvalue chain. At the same time, consumer behaviors and expectations are evolving. Consumer e-­commerce today is largely driven by price and convenience: a good deal on products that are delivered quickly. A smaller but growing number of consumers are starting to want more from e-­commerce, for example, wanting the ability to discover unique goods they will not find in big-­box retail chains. By 2026, these fundamental desires will still exist, but consumer expectations of the e-­commerce experience will have changed drastically, along with the shopping experience. The desire for instant access and fast turnaround, 24/7, will be the norm by 2026, driven in particular by millennials (born approximately 1980–95) and also by Generation Z consumers (born approximately 1996–2010). Generation Z are digital natives to the power of 10, with technology use their second nature. These generations are constantly connected and inhabit an online environment where events happen in real time without them having to wait, and where social media enables them to dictate terms.