The past year didn’t pan out the way most of us had hoped. The entire year was full of uncertainty and the COVID-19 pandemic continues to shake the lives of millions across the globe.
In the world of business, the virus challenged the fortitude of even the biggest brands. Hundreds of small- to medium-sized companies completely ceased operations, while others resorted to downsizing and laying off workers.
Luckily for some, lockdown restrictions meant more people shopping online. With people stuck at home, adopting eCommerce was accelerated, and some businesses spun the situation into a productive one.
In this blog, we list seven eCommerce companies to look out for in 2022. These brands have weathered the storm through innovation and strategic management, laying out the trends in eCommerce post-pandemic.
Wish
Wish is one of the fastest-growing companies. It gained public traction due to its crazy low prices — about 60 to 90 percent lower than what you’d find in other stores. The secret to Wish is it connects consumers directly to merchants, cutting down middleman costs considerably.
What’s more, the company offers equally cheap shipping fees, cementing them as one of the most recognized eCommerce platforms in the world. The economic standstill induced by the pandemic, coupled with some meme-able products featured in their social media ads, only made Wish and its ultra-bargain prices more appealing.
As of date, the company has over 500 million registered users worldwide. More than 108 million of these users are active every month, bringing in upwards of $1.8 billion in revenue long before the end of last year.
Chewy
Chewy is an eCommerce platform for pet products. Founded in 2011, the company now has over 2000 pet brands on its roster. It’s got everything your pet needs from food and treats to supplies and medication.
Chewy delivers to their customers free of charge and offers pet subscription boxes to have essential products shipped automatically every month. What sets Chewy apart is it obsesses over its patrons, bringing customer service to new heights.
The company is known for its fast shipping, competitive prices, and flawlessly designed website complete with video shorts to elaborate on products. In 2016, they even sent out two million hand-written cards for the holidays.
Chewy ranked 19th in the 2020 Digital Commerce 360 Top 1000 and is only expected to grow in 2021.
Grailed
Grailed is a relatively young company dedicated to menswear. It was opened by three young entrepreneurs in 2013 and is now the largest online marketplace to buy and sell men’s clothing, specifically streetwear and luxury fashion.
Grailed started as a humble peer-to-peer digital square for rare, pre-loved items by brands like Supreme, Rick Owens, and Raf Simons. This business model created a tight community which now earns the company $27.7 million a year.
Its exponential growth prompted Grailed to diversify and delve into women’s fashion. In 2016, it launched its womenswear counterpart, Heroine. Both companies are on a good trajectory with over 1.8 million monthly visitors and more than $16 million in funding.
Gator Kennels
Gator Kennels is an eCommerce company for custom dog kennels and kennel accessories. It’s up on our list for its innovative approach in displaying products and catching its target audience’s attention.
On their website, multiple products are seen at a glance to help customers get an idea of what the company does. High-quality photos of customized kennels are shown side-by-side with standard models to better visualize how kennels are improved.
This simple trick allows visitors to navigate seamlessly through product lines and see how Gator Kennels can cater to fit their unique needs. Since the website was launched two years ago, the company tripled its sales, making them one of the key players on the field.
BigCommerce
BigCommerce was already a force to reckon with pre-pandemic but as brands hightailed to the world wide web, it grew even stronger. The company enjoyed a 33% increase in revenue in 2020, bringing its total annual profit to over $151 million.
BigCommerce currently hosts more than 35,000 websites for different industries like sports, fashion, lifestyle, and more. Its open SaaS platform marks a new era, where businesses of all sizes get to reach a wider market almost effortlessly.
This year, the eCommerce company is set to break records as it works to integrate new payment methods in its system.
Instacart
Instacart is a grocery delivery and pick-up service that quickly became essential amid lockdown. As early as February 2020, the company saw unusual demand for its services as consumers scrambled for toilet paper, canned goods, and milk.
The next few months were a frenzy of unprecedented growth. From 100,000 riders tasked with grocery shopping, Instacart employed an additional 300,000 workers to meet the increased volume of orders after the first half of 2020.
Instacart operates with same-day delivery and pickup in cities across North America. Today, it stands with a funding of over $2.2 billion.
Wing
Wing is one of the most notable companies leveraging drone technology to look to the future. Having launched just three years ago, Wing’s estimated annual revenue is already at $26.8 million.
Wing is an on-demand drone delivery service based in Palo Alto, California. Its appeal comes not just from its futuristic premise but from the fact that it saves time with a lower carbon footprint.
Even after lifting protocols for social distancing, Wing is here to stay as it revolutionizes the future of delivery. That is, food, medicine, and more at a customer’s doorstep within minutes of placing their order.
Takeaways
As the world continues to rebuild itself from the havoc of COVID-19, these companies are thriving. Instead of stubbornly clinging to the old ways, they acted fast to provide what consumers needed and wanted, From what we’ve gathered, other brands ought to follow if they’re hoping to stay relevant.