Reacting to Shopify’s 11 Consumer Trends for 2025

Shopify’s 11 Consumer Trends for 2025: Game-Changing Insights or Just Business as Usual?

Shopify recently dropped their 11 Consumer Trends to Watch in 2025, and let me tell you—it’s packed.

Inflation? Sustainability? TikTok obsession?

Yeah, they covered all the buzzwords. But are these trends groundbreaking revelations, or are they just what we’ve been hearing for the last couple of years?

Let’s break it down trend by trend and see if Shopify is really onto something—or just hyping the obvious.

1. Buyers Impacted by Inflation Are Seeking Deals

The Claim: Inflation is making shoppers budget-savvy, with 80% consolidating purchases and 40% switching to store-brand alternatives. Shopify suggests offering deals, bundles, or loyalty programs to keep wallets opening.

Our Take: This isn’t just valid; it’s crucial. Customers are holding onto their dollars more tightly than ever, and brands that can make those dollars feel like they go further will win. But here’s the twist: discounts alone won’t save you. If you slash prices too much, you risk cheapening your brand. Shopify’s suggestion to bundle or offer gift cards is smart—add value without slashing your margins.

2. Social Ads Are Still a Big Driver of Purchase Decisions

The Claim: Gen Z and Millennials are shopping directly through social media, making social ads essential for capturing their dollars. Shopify suggests starting small and testing platforms to find what works.

Our Take: A resounding yes here. Social ads are where discovery happens, especially for younger audiences. TikTok and Instagram are basically the new malls. If you’re not running ads or experimenting with influencer partnerships, you’re leaving money on the table. But let’s be honest—this is hardly news. Shopify’s advice is practical, though: test, don’t jump in headfirst.

3. Brand Loyalty Is Waning

The Claim: Consumers are jumping ship faster than ever, driven by price, convenience, and values. Shopify suggests focusing on retention with loyalty programs, exclusive perks, and inventory management to avoid stock-outs.

Our Take: Nailed it. Loyalty is harder to earn these days, and that’s not a bad thing—it’s a reality check for brands. If you’re not making your customers feel valued or aligned with their beliefs, they’ll move on. Shopify’s emphasis on sustainability and perks is spot on, especially for Millennials and Gen Z who are voting with their dollars. But let’s not forget: loyalty doesn’t always mean points—it means trust, quality, and a consistent experience.

4. Brand Collaborations Cut Acquisition Costs

The Claim: Influencer marketing and brand partnerships are cutting through changing social algorithms and stricter privacy laws. Shopify highlights affiliate-based influencer campaigns as a powerful tool.

Our Take: This is 100% the future of marketing, but we do feel like micro-influencer marketing should have been mentioned. As targeting becomes harder, collaborations will only grow in importance. The affiliate-based model is particularly genius because you’re paying for results, not reach. But finding the right partners is critical—your influencer needs to feel authentic to your audience, or it’ll come off as phony, which is why we say this was missing info about micro-influencers. A recent AnswerThePublic survey showed micro-influencers have a better ROI than celebrities. Shopify Collabs is a great tool to streamline this.

5. Social Media Is a Core Discovery Tool

The Claim: Social media is eating e-commerce alive, with 82% of shoppers using platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and Facebook to discover products.

Our Take: Hard agree, but let’s push this further: social isn’t just for discovery anymore—it’s becoming the entire shopping journey. From TikTok Shop to Instagram Reels with checkout, the lines between discovery and purchase are blurred. If you’re not using social media selling integrations and tools, you’re missing out. It’s more than just being there, it’s using all the fab tools made to make it work.

6. Customers Demand Low-Friction Returns

The Claim: Consumers still expect free and easy returns, even though rising costs have pushed brands like Zara and H&M to charge fees. Shopify suggests combating returns with better size charts, virtual try-ons, or smoother return portals and recently upgraded their returns features so consumers can initiate returns on the order page.

Our Take: We love this trend because it forces brands to be better, but would love to see more to reduce returns. Free returns might not always be feasible, but making the process as frictionless as possible is non-negotiable. Shopify’s call for better tech, like virtual try-ons, is spot on and the direction we should take. It should be easy to return, but it should be less frequent.

7. Brands Look to Omnichannel Experiences

The Claim: Customers expect seamless shopping across online, in-store, and marketplaces. Shopify emphasizes syncing everything into one harmonious experience.

Our Take: Preach. This isn’t a trend—it’s table stakes in 2025. Customers don’t care where they’re shopping; they want a seamless experience. Whether they’re in-store or scrolling TikTok, their experience should feel unified. Shopify merchants, if you’re not already integrating omnichannel tools, start now.

8. Building Relationships Starts Local

The Claim: Shoppers are heading back to brick-and-mortar stores and valuing community more than ever. Shopify encourages brands to lean into local connections through events, pop-ups, or storytelling.

Our Take: This is big. Community and local connections are having a moment, and they’re key for smaller brands that want to stand out. Even if you’re fully online, creating local experiences through pop-ups or partnerships can help you feel tangible and personal.

9. Supply Chain Issues Persist, but Brands Are Adapting

The Claim: Supply chains are still rocky, and brands are diversifying suppliers, holding more inventory, and digitizing logistics to stay ahead.

Our Take: This is the reality no one wants to talk about—but it’s more relevant now than ever. Shopify’s advice to digitize and automate supply chains is solid, but the real winner here is diversification. Don’t rely on a single supplier, especially in today’s global economy.

10. Personalization Is in Demand, But It’s Changing

The Claim: Shoppers want tailored experiences but are wary of privacy concerns. AI is becoming the go-to for personalized recommendations while respecting customer boundaries.

Our Take: Shopify’s take is smart here: balance personalization with transparency. Use direct data (from your Shopify store) to tailor experiences and avoid third-party tracking. Tools like quizzes, tailored emails, and AI-driven recommendations are the future, but don’t overstep privacy boundaries. Trust matters.

11. Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) Is Booming

The Claim: Younger shoppers, especially Millennials and Gen Z, love BNPL options. Shopify encourages merchants to enable Shop Pay Installments to reduce purchase hesitation.

Our Take: BNPL isn’t just a trend—it’s an expectation for younger audiences. If you’re not offering it yet, you’re probably losing sales. Shopify makes it super easy to enable Shop Pay Installments, so there’s no excuse not to meet customers where they are.

Final Thoughts: Shopify’s Trends Are Spot On

Shopify’s 11 trends for 2025 aren’t exactly revolutionary—most of these themes (social commerce, sustainability, personalization) have been bubbling for years. But what this list does well is synthesize where the opportunities are right now.

If you’re a Shopify merchant, these trends are a wake-up call to double down on customer experience, community, and speed. The future of e-commerce is faster, more personal, and deeply connected to values. And if you’re paying attention, 2025 might just be your biggest year yet.