Emerging Models of E-Commerce: A Comprehensive Analysis of Trustbased, Quick, Virtual, Community, and Social Commerce

Abstract

The field of electronic commerce has had remarkable expansion in the last twenty years, and it is expected that worldwide sales will reach $5.5 trillion by 2022. The ongoing evolution of customer behavior and expectations in the digital marketplace is giving rise to new and inventive forms of ecommerce that are poised to become dominant. This work examines five main models: trust-based commerce that utilises buyer-seller relationships, quick commerce that meets the need for immediate delivery, virtual commerce that is driven by augmented and virtual reality, community commerce that utilises insights from dedicated users, and social commerce that combines shopping and social sharing functionality. Trust-based platforms facilitate increased transactions by fostering transparency and credibility between transacting parties. Quick commerce startups offering delivery in as fast as 10 minutes are proliferating across India, Europe and Latam. Immersive retail experiences are being powered by virtual and augmented reality, with spending on AR/VR in e-commerce expected to reach $120 billion by 2026. Community-driven commerce like social shopping and dropshipping thrives on leveraging insights from vibrant user communities. With social media enabling seamless sharing and shopping integration, the social commerce sector is projected to grow three-fold to $604 billion by 2027. As e-commerce evolves, these emerging models will redefine the digital retail landscape to serve the next generation needs of an increasingly demanding consumer base through innovative shopping formats, trusted networks, instant gratification, customized engagement and integrated social platforms. The analysis provides critical insights into upcoming shifts set to disrupt status quo.