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The next era of commerce is here. Find out how consumers will live, shop and spend with an exclusive new report from The Future Laboratory, commissioned by Afterpay.

By 2030, retailers will trade-in the hard sell for the social sell, increasing audience interaction, learning and attention to create new marketplaces where consumers are excited and are incentivised to gather.

Live social media and e-commerce growth are reshaping live commerce: McKinsey forecasts live shopping will constitute 20% of retail by 2026, with US sales expected to grow from the equivalent of AUS$30bn in 2022 to AUS$103bn by 2026.

Buyers can effect change through their brand choices, and ethical consumerism has shifted from feel-good purchases to supporting brands with a commitment to action.

Retail 2030

‘You need to have your customers thinking about you more often than when they want a new item’

average rate of the social commerce growth annually between 2023 and 2030

By 2030, retailers will trade-in the hard sell for the social sell, increasing audience interaction, learning and attention to create new marketplaces where consumers are excited and are incentivised to gather.

Solutions will make use of biometric advancements to further personalise financial services, forging a future where digital platforms have a thorough understanding of users.

Buyers can effect change through their brand choices, and ethical consumerism has shifted from feel-good purchases to supporting brands with a commitment to action.

Finance 2030

‘Innovators have emerged that speak the language of the next generation. That don’t require the bank manager or the credit reference but are responding to their needs.’

of Australians expect banks to enhance their financial security; however, only 34% feel that their banks meet this need.

By 2030, personalisation will move beyond consumers’ past shopping behaviours to develop a deep understanding of their personality – utilising sentiment analysis to create more intimate pathways to purchase.

‘Great retailers, in the future, will make you feel like you’re in a special place, designed especially for you, so that you take time out of your life to go to that place because it feels like the right place to be’ says Brian Solis, global innovation evangelist at Salesforce.

The impact of immersive virtual worlds where consumers will spend more time (and money) is set to increase in the next few years. Statista projects the global metaverse market will expand from AUS$113bn in 2024 to AUS$766bn in 2030.

Technology 2030

‘People don’t want to feel their shopping is automated, but they do want it to feel more personal’