According to analysts’ forecasts, global sales on marketplaces will continue to grow rapidly, reaching $8.1 trillion by 2026 and accounting for almost a fifth of all global sales in 2027. In such conditions, it is quite difficult to compete, so retail sales representatives are always on the lookout for new strategies and technologies to grow and scale their business on the electronic platform.
We discuss current trends in the e-commerce market with Anatolii Chychkaliuk, a member of the jury for the United Talents Award 2024 international competition, winner of the prestigious Moscow Life & Business Award 2021, member and strategic development advisor to the international Worldwide Business Alliance, and founder of several companies in the US.
Anatolii is an expert in international trade and e-commerce with over 20 years of experience. He is the head of Netex Noex LLC (e-commerce), Stellar Sky Consulting LLC (consulting for Amazon sellers), and Optimism Auto LLC (car sales). The combined turnover of his companies in the US exceeds $4 million per year.
“The rapid development of technology will soon lead to many processes being carried out without human involvement. At the same time, the processing will become much faster. This will change the usual approaches in business,” says Chychkaliuk.
Innovative sales model
Everyone is familiar with the traditional process of buying a car from an authorized dealer. To give customers a choice, dealers need to have 50-100 models on their lot. In comparison, Tesla offers customers the opportunity to select a car on its website and take a test drive with the car delivered to their home. If the customer decides to buy, the car is also delivered to their doorstep.
“This sales model eliminates the possibility of competition. In addition, it optimizes the dealer’s costs associated with renting showroom space,” explains the expert.
This example is very telling and close to Anatolii as the owner of Optimism Auto LLC. His dealership is increasingly faced with the fact that the traditional car sales model is becoming obsolete. Customers expect new offers that provide more digital solutions, comfort, and transparency.
In his opinion, the automotive market will soon be partially transformed into a digital platform.
Goods will be delivered around the clock using drones and driverless cars.
Integration of artificial intelligence
It is difficult for humans to process large flows of information, and it takes much longer than it does for artificial intelligence to perform the same amount of work. For example, AI can create a website from scratch in 15 minutes—previously, such work took weeks. Therefore, the integration of AI into various areas of human activity is inevitable.
In ten to fifteen years, some professions will disappear, while others will transform. For example, marketers will be involved in programming agents, which in turn will manage algorithms and advertising. To remain in demand tomorrow, you need to choose a profession that only a human can do, keep up with the times, learn, and save money,” Chychkaliuk emphasizes.
Today, AI is built into the Amazon and QuickBooks platforms, and it quickly helps with the analysis of large data flows: it generates successful and unsuccessful cases, information from suppliers, and financial receipts.
“In the future, marketplace sellers will not be people, but so-called AI agents. Accordingly, competition will also arise between the digital representatives of entrepreneurs. This will radically change the electronic market and the essence of competition,” Anatolii is convinced.
Capital and risks
The future, according to Anatolii, belongs to those who have capital and knowledge.
“The financial sector has become much more automated in recent years. For example, bank loans are approved by robots. They analyze documents and make decisions about issuing loans. At times like these, you don’t even know what’s best. After all, the fate of the loan recipient depends on a formula. Previously, it was believed that you could rely on the human factor: brilliantly present your project, win over the credit organization employee,” he shares.
At the end of the conversation, Anatolii gives advice that can be applied to any field of activity:
“There will always be ups and downs in business. You need to find the strength to keep going, because there is always a second chance. In the end, it is not those who managed to avoid the crisis who win, but those who survived it.”
