From our work with industry leaders like Vuori’s Brian Fortier to conversations with AI visionary Sandy Carter, 2024 taught us volumes about what’s possible in digital merchandising.
As we continued to hone our visual merchandising platform and watched clients create new possibilities, several clear patterns emerged about the future of online retail.
Here’s what we expect to see in eCommerce and digital merchandising in 2025.
Visualized AI becomes essential
Visual merchandising has grown beyond product images and layout choices. In 2024, we examined how companies brought visual merchandising across their organizations. For 2025, we see visualized AI becoming central to merchandising success.
What can digital merchandisers expect? Visualized AI will:
- Auto-adjust product placement using real-time performance metrics
- Create custom visual layouts for specific customer groups
- Show which visual elements lead to more sales
Dive deeper: Unified Merchandising: How to Expand Your Visual Merchandising Vision Across Your Enterprise
AI matures from tool to strategy
Our discussions with industry pros like Sandy Carter showed AI’s growth from concept to practical application. In 2025, AI will work alongside digital merchandisers to:
- Guide inventory decisions with data
- Spot upcoming seasonal patterns
- Build unique shopping experiences for each customer
The shift in 2025 will be AI’s improved ability to read situations and offer smart suggestions, going beyond basic automation.
Dive deeper: Can AI & ML (Really) Deliver the Perfect Customer Experience?
Visual data leads to better results
Some of our most-read content in 2024 focused on using visual data to improve profits. In 2025, we expect to see:
- Live performance tracking becoming standard
- Visual analysis guiding stock choices
- Quick-view data tools helping merchandisers find opportunities
Dive deeper: Features of Popular Visual Merchandising Tools: Comparing the Essentials
Smart product catalog management
For retailers with smaller product lines, 2024 brought new ways to present and manage catalogs. In 2025, smart catalog management will center on:
- Building rich product pages that highlight value
- Using AI to suggest product combinations
- Making smarter connections between items
Dive deeper: 4 Insights You Need to Know to Build Effective eCommerce Merchandising
Smarter automated systems
Based on our market observations (like those in The Ultimate Visual Merchandising Strategy Guide to Improve Your ROI), 2025 will bring wider use of smart merchandising systems that:
- Adjust prices based on market signals
- Place products effectively across sales channels
- Create personal product suggestions
Dive deeper: Five Profit-Driving Online Merchandising Tips
What this means for digital merchandisers
Going into 2025, digital merchandisers should keep these key focus areas in mind:
- Incorporate your own human judgment with AI capabilities
- Choose tools that make data clear and useful (and don’t replace strategy)
- Build eCommerce systems that adapt to customer needs
Dive deeper: Solving eCommerce Merchandising Challenges That Can Influence Customer Experience
The next phase of digital merchandising combines smart automation with human expertise. By joining visual AI, data-backed insights, and careful oversight, digital merchandisers can create better online shopping experiences for customers.
For industry players, these changes open new ways to show products online, make smarter suggestions, and give shoppers more personal attention.
Digital merchandising keeps growing more sophisticated, calling for both tech knowledge and business sense. Success in 2025 will come from balancing automated tools with human know-how, using data to make choices while keeping the personal touch shoppers want.
