As markets fluctuate and consumer behaviors continue to evolve in 2025, businesses are facing unprecedented challenges and opportunities. Rapid technological advancements are redefining how companies interact with their customers, and companies are racing to adapt to new technological capabilities while maintaining meaningful customer relationships.
AI, personalization and omnichannel: these are just a few of the developments making waves in 2025. In this article, Henrik Feld-Jakobsen, Chief Strategy Officer at Vaimo and leader of their global Consulting & UX division, shares valuable insights on the key trends shaping digital commerce this year.
Want to dive deeper in the digital trends of 2025? Shape your strategy with industry insights from our Trends Report.
AI: New applications gaining traction in 2025
AI is still largely associated with traditional text-based applications. While the initial wave focused on content creation and communication, we’re now seeing transformative applications in visual and audio production. This opens many doors for digital commerce in particular. Producing high-quality images and videos used to be costly and time-consuming, but with AI even mid-sized companies can create professional visuals.
However, it’s important to remember that the best AI practices enhance human efforts, but don’t replace them. To avoid overly automated systems that lack human nuance and empathy, the goal should be to combine and complement AI’s efficiency with human oversight, creating so-called hybrid intelligence. This way, businesses can create seamless customer experiences.
Personalization: A delicate balance
Personalization drives engagement and enhances the customer experience, but over-personalization often has the opposite effect. There is a fine line between helpful and invasive: that’s why finding that coveted sweet spot is one of the most pressing challenges facing businesses today.
For example, when an online store recommends products based on previous purchases, customers generally find this helpful. However, when businesses leverage personal data too aggressively, like tracking customer behavior across multiple platforms or using information from private conversations, it can feel intrusive and damage customer trust.
As AI tools become more prevalent, we’re likely to see a shift in consumer preferences. People may demand more control over the level of personalization businesses offer. Some might even opt out of personalization entirely in favor of privacy, even if it means a more generic experience.
Omnichannel: the merge of physical and digital
Omnichannel retail is moving toward creating experiences that are relevant for specific channels, rather than forcing uniformity across the board. Different channels serve different customer needs. For example, physical stores might cater to exploration: as customers can try on many different styles, they are a great place for those seeking inspiration. Online shops facilitate targeted purchases, as it’s easy to filter and look for very specific products.
The integration of AI is adding new dimensions to how customers discover and interact with products. Googling a solution to a problem requires that you know what you are looking for. With ChatGPT, however, you can describe your problem and receive tailored recommendations. This will undoubtedly play a big role in shaping omnichannel experiences.
Loyalty programs: A potential gamechanger in 2025
Many businesses focus heavily on acquiring new customers, as it’s a key indicator of a company’s growth and ability to compete in the market. Retaining and engaging existing customers, however, is equally important and often gets overlooked. While customer loyalty might seem less glamorous than other trends, it can provide significant returns. Research shows that acquiring a new customer can cost 5 to 25 times more than retaining an existing customer, so there is a lot of incentive for businesses to encourage and reward repeat business.
The keys to success in 2025 and beyond
In 2025, striking the perfect balance between technological innovation and human expertise is key. While AI, automation, and data analytics provide powerful tools, it’s the human ability to strategically implement these technologies that makes the difference. Organizations that are well prepared for the newest trends have these things in common:
- They experiment quickly and rapidly test new ideas
- They measure and analyze results
- They maintain agility and adjust strategies as needed
How teams adapt, learn and execute ultimately determines success.
Don’t miss our interview with Henrik: Read it here.
