The e-commerce industry has seen quite a boom in recent years thanks to its convenience and practicality. As of January 2021, 69% of Americans have shopped online. The COVID-19 pandemic caused an even bigger jump in e-commerce’s popularity when people were spending more time at home and less time in brick and mortar stores.
While there are many perks to online shopping, one area it can struggle with is sustainability. Consumers are becoming more aware of sustainable products and businesses, especially when it comes to younger generations. One study found that 75% of Millennials are willing to pay more for environmentally sustainable products.
So, what can you do as an e-commerce business to make your operations more sustainable? What can you do as a consumer to change your habits to do your part to reduce your carbon footprint? Let’s look at some ideas for everyone involved in the online shopping process.
E-Commerce Sites – Change Your Processes
If you run an e-commerce brand, there are countless things you can do to “greenify” your daily operations and the way your business is run. Start with the products you sell. What materials are used and how are they sourced? E-commerce makes up 46% of all apparel sales. If you’re selling clothing, have you made sure each piece is manufactured with quality materials, or are you jumping on the “fast fashion” trend to make a greater profit?
Other areas to look at to improve your sustainability include:
- Packaging
- Using recyclable materials
- Inventory management
- Localizing fulfillment centers
- Using alternative sources of energy
- Carbon offsetting
Consumers are doing more research than ever (and they should). If your online store isn’t making an effort to give back to the planet in some way, you could soon find yourself out of popularity as people favor your sustainable competitors, instead.
If your business is already making sustainable efforts, use them in your marketing. It’s obvious people are interested in purchasing from companies who take the environment and the future seriously. Promote your sustainable practices as much as possible and make it known that you’re taking actionable steps to reduce your business’ carbon footprint.
Consumers – Do Your Research
One of the best things you can do as an avid online shopper is to be picky about the businesses you choose. Check out the impact of particular brands on sites dedicated to sustainability. You might even be able to find a “rating” for some of your favorite companies.
Doing your research before you make a purchase is crucial. Investigate how items are made, what the supply chain looks like, and even how they’re packaged. What are your favorite brands doing to cut back on their carbon impact and make a difference?
A great place to find information about sustainable businesses is on social media. Word-of-mouth advertising is incredibly important for businesses, so they love social media marketing for its benefits, including:
- Allowing consumers to discover their brand
- Directing more traffic to their website
- Learning what customers want
- Developing customer loyalty
As a consumer, checking out a company’s social media presence is a great way to learn more about who they really are. That can impact your purchase decisions and cause you to choose one brand over another. Pay attention to the advertisements in your feeds, what your friends are posting, and even the social media impact of brands you already frequent. You’ll learn a lot about where you can shop responsibly and sustainably.
The Future of Sustainable E-Commerce
As the demand for sustainability continues to grow, the e-commerce industry will be forced to shift. Businesses that don’t make changes will fall behind their eco-friendly counterparts. Already, manufacturers are changing the industry by implementing things like:
- Reusable packing/mailers
- Compostable packaging
- Algae-ink shipping labels
- Home delivery consolidations
Another trend that is growing in popularity is automation. It doesn’t just make fulfillment center operations easier – it can also make them greener. Automation maximizes resource efficiencies. As a result, there is less waste and less energy consumption. It helps to increase production while cutting back on carbon output. What business wouldn’t be interested in that?
While some people argue that automation will take away jobs, it’s really there to make current positions more efficient. That carries over into how quickly consumers will receive their purchases, maximizing the productivity of a brand’s operations. Everything from robotics to machine learning can change the future of e-commerce. The more automation efforts in place, the easier it will be for a business to be eco-friendly in its daily operations.
More changes will continue to be implemented in the future as sustainability efforts grow. The more e-commerce brands that switch to sustainable practices, the less we’ll have to worry over everything from dangerous amounts of waste buildup to contributions to climate change. It takes demand from consumers and a willingness to be flexible for businesses to make a real difference and a more sustainable future.
