Why sustainability matters to eCommerce customers

Within eCommerce, customers are becoming increasingly aware of how brands are approaching sustainability and social issues. Will this shape how brands communicate with them in 2023?

In 2022, we certainly saw a bigger conversation happening around sustainability, and not just in eCommerce. Furthermore, social justice issues have also come into play. More customers are looking to shop with retailers who want to bring down their carbon footprint. 

How do consumers really feel about sustainability? 

In many industries, a greener approach has become a key talking point. Fashion and beauty in particular have seen greater pressure to address sustainability issues. In a retail and sustainability report by CGS, 79% of customers rank sustainability as important when purchasing apparel or footwear. This has grown from 51% in 2020.

Even with the cost of living rising, customers are still attracted to brands that are taking note of the climate crisis. In the aforementioned report, 68% of customers revealed they would be happy to spend more with brands that are taking an eco-friendly approach. These facts cannot be ignored...are retailers actually taking notice?

Understanding the customer base 

In a report from First Insight and the Baker Retailing Center, both senior retailers and customers were surveyed about this matter. It showed that there is quite a disconnect between them.

Almost 100% of the retailers surveyed believed that customers put more weight on the brand name than they do on sustainability. Did the customer segment of the survey agree? Not quite. Only 56% said the brand name was important to them.

The report also highlighted a very significant shift. Gen Z is now the more vocal consumer base, outsizing Gen X. Of course, this generation has voiced many opinions when it comes to eco-friendly practices. This does not mean that the older generations are not hearing the message. In fact, the report showed that there was a 42% increase in Gen X shoppers who were willing to spend more on sustainable products.

What should retailers do in 2023 to communicate their sustainable approach?

In another report by Wunderkind, 100 senior marketing leaders within retail shared their thoughts. 32% said that environmental issues remain a key consideration for their future marketing communications. A further 50% shared that they do feel pressure to do so. 

So, the challenge businesses face does not end once green policies and sustainable practices are put into place. They then need to show the consumer what they have done to address this in order to win their custom. Social Media is of course a go-to channel, however, retailers should take it further. Using blogs or email marketing to allow customers to follow their sustainable mission will be so important. 

There are many retailers who have made big steps in 2022 alone. For example, the founder of Patagonia Yvon Chouinard announced that he will be giving his business away to an environmental trust and non-profit, in order to fight the current climate crisis.

It will be interesting to see what 2023 brings for eCommerce and sustainability. It is something we will definitely be keeping an eye on!