According to some estimates, there are over 12 million e-commerce companies worldwide. In other words, the landscape is crowded.
Add in rising customer acquisition costs (CAC) and the imminent death of third-party cookies, and it’s easy to see that converting new customers for your e-commerce business is a lot harder than hiring a Facebook ads specialist.
The good news is, with advanced data insights, smart sales strategies, and the tools and infrastructure to back it up, you can deliver a futureproof customer experience that drives lasting ROI for your e-commerce store and online channels.
In a saturated market with historically high CAC and shrinking margins, scaling e-commerce sales in 2026 is no longer about "getting more traffic." The question has evolved: how do you sell more with the same resources or less?
The answer lies not in isolated tactics, but in how you structure your operations around data. Demand forecasting, intelligent inventory planning, and cross-channel synchronization are now the pillars of sustainable growth.
This playbook shows you how to apply this new model in 2026, using strategies grounded in data science, designed to eliminate waste and convert with consistency.
Over the past five years, e-commerce has undergone a quiet revolution. Brands still relying on media spend and new creatives to scale are losing ground to operators who master predictability.
In 2026, the real bottlenecks are operational, not marketing. Inconsistent stock levels lead to missed sales and bloated inventory. Weak forecasting causes revenue volatility and margin unpredictability. Average order value stagnates even as media budgets rise. And marketing teams are flying blind without visibility into what can actually be sold.
Top-performing brands, however, are shifting their attention from ad spend to operational control. They rely on demand forecasts powered by real signals like sales history, seasonality, and channel velocity. They synchronize inventory across DTC, Amazon, and B2B, and base procurement decisions on margin rather than volume.
To increase sales consistently in 2026, begin with structural alignment. Centralize your sales, inventory, and channel data to create a single source of truth. Then, use this foundation to power historical and seasonal demand forecasts. Build activation calendars that align inventory with upcoming promotions. Involve marketing teams in stock planning to ensure alignment. And start treating stockouts as a direct revenue leak, tracking it as rigorously as CAC or ROAS.
The invisible brake on your growth isn’t your ads. It’s your lack of operational predictability. Remove it, and your campaigns will finally have room to perform.
Your ability to generate revenue is directly tied to what’s in stock and when it’s available. Demand planning, when done right, bridges sales forecasting, marketing execution, and inventory allocation.
Many e-commerce brands still treat demand planning as a supply chain concern. But in 2026, it’s a frontline growth strategy. Without it, campaigns launch without inventory support, stockouts destroy momentum, and capital is misallocated to low-margin SKUs.
Start by mapping sales velocity by SKU, channel, and region. Use this to model multiple scenarios: baseline, aggressive, and conservative forecasts. For each, construct inventory replenishment plans customized to the dynamics of each channel, whether Shopify, Amazon, or retail.
Then, go further. Sync your demand plan with your marketing calendar. If your Q2 hero product has a 9-week lead time, your paid campaign must account for that lag. Finally, use AI to surface external variables like holiday spikes or TikTok trends that can distort your demand curves.
Predicting demand isn’t just about reducing error. It’s about making revenue more predictable and scalable. In 2026, your forecast is your growth engine.
In 2026, the novelty of AI has worn off. Winning brands aren’t just deploying AI tools. They’re using them to drive revenue, improve accuracy, and accelerate decisions across the supply chain.
Beyond Generative Hype
While many brands still anchor their AI investments in customer-facing tools like chatbots and AI-generated visuals, the competitive edge in 2026 lies deeper within operations. To be clear: chatbots do matter. They streamline responses, accelerate conversion flows, and reduce friction in the buying journey. Especially for mobile-first shoppers. But they are no longer a differentiator. In fact, not having one would signal you're behind. They are part of the cost of entry.
The brands pulling ahead are deploying AI at the operational core. AI-driven demand forecasting tools are now learning from multi-channel sales patterns and dynamically adjusting based on seasonality, lead times, and even social sentiment. Replenishment engines trigger automated purchase orders before stockouts happen. Pricing models continuously test elasticity by region and SKU, adjusting in real-time to maintain margins and reduce cart abandonment. And AI-powered tagging ensures every product listing is structured for discoverability across evolving marketplace algorithms.
In short, AI is no longer about what the customer sees. It’s about what the operator controls. Those who treat AI as an executional force across planning, fulfillment, and pricing are the ones driving exponential efficiency and revenue.
Take predictive analytics. By layering sales history with current trends, AI can auto-adjust forecasts when new patterns emerge. It can recommend replenishment timelines tailored to lead times and demand surges.
Dynamic pricing engines also analyze purchase behavior to test price sensitivity, adjusting prices for specific SKUs or regions without sacrificing brand integrity. AI tagging helps ensure that each SKU has the metadata it needs to be discoverable, particularly in marketplaces with evolving search algorithms.
Implementing AI Intelligently
Begin with your cleanest dataset: SKU-level sales by channel. Add external signals like Google Trends, ad campaign calendars, and social media mentions. Use this blended data to run multiple replenishment simulations. But always keep a human in the loop. AI is powerful, but not infallible.
Most importantly, tie AI performance to real metrics: revenue uplift, reduced stockouts, improved turnover. Otherwise, you’re just automating noise.
AI is not a strategy. It’s a tool. But in 2026, it’s the most powerful tool for scaling operationally without growing your team or your budget.
McKinsey once called digitized personalization the “holy grail” of marketing.
It can boost revenues up to 15%, increase marketing ROI by up to 30%, and drastically reduce your customer acquisition costs. They also found that 76% of customers become actively frustrated when companies don’t deliver personalized interactions.
But it isn’t always easy to get personalization right, and no brand wants to risk its reputation by creeping out the customer.
As technology becomes more powerful and data becomes more available, tools like AI, machine learning, and automation are enabling brands to offer tailored experiences to every customer. This can include personalized product recommendations, customized email marketing messages, individualized customer support, and more.
The list of use cases is long and growing.
Here are some of the top tools and best practices to win with personalization in 2026.
▶️ Personalization in action
Toilet paper brand, Who Gives a Crap, used customer data to deliver hyperlocalized email and SMS experiences, targeting customers at key moments. Emails were scheduled to go out three days before the next billing, giving subscribers the option to delay an order if they didn't need any more product. This simple, customer-centric strategy increased the brand’s open rates to 75%.
Machine learning can do more than make product recommendations. AI-powered tools can be used to drive sales, optimize efficiency, and enhance customer engagement in many other ways.
After unprecedented hype in 2023, 2024 and 2025, this year will be all about extracting real value from a healthy partnership with generative AI (genAI). Brands are already experimenting with using AI to analyze product trends, optimize pricing, offer advanced search experiences, and automatically respond to customer reviews.
But it’s not about having the shiniest tool or bot. Success with genAI is in the increased value you deliver. And to make it worth the hype, it needs to come in the form of hard metrics like revenue, time saved, or customer satisfaction.
Here are some ways to leverage AI for real gains in the business:
▶️ Real results from AI
10&AY used machine learning to optimize ad copy and automate its bidding strategy on Instagram ads. It also used Google’s Smart Display ads, powered by AI, to reach new market segments. The results were a 345% conversion increase and a 670% increase in e-commerce return on ad spend (ROAS).
Changes to Google’s SERP and Amazon’s search algorithm have made it harder for brands to get their products discovered. In a crowded e-commerce ecosystem, that can spell trouble for brands that don’t want to spend a fortune on ads.
Fortunately, AI can also help with the tedious process of optimizing product listings, which remains a key factor in improving your marketplace rankings.
Here are some simple ways to make it easier for your listings to get seen:
▶️ Done-for-you product listings?
As marketplaces continue vying for attention from 3rd party sellers, expect a steady stream of features and functionality designed to help you optimize your product listings. eBay’s new “magical listing” tool, for example, enables sellers to take or upload a photo and let AI automatically fill in the product details. eBay claims that 30% of its US sellers have already tried the tool, and more than 95% used the AI-drafted descriptions.
Around a quarter of people say they make purchasing decisions based on influencer recommendations, and 36% of brands say influencer content performs better than branded content.
In 2026, strong influencer partnerships will be central to a high-performing e-commerce marketing strategy. And at roughly $6.50 to the dollar, the ROI is there for the taking.Keep in mind, you don’t need a Kardashian level budget to run a successful campaign. A growing number of brands are choosing to partner with carefully targeted nano- and micro-influencers to reach a targeted customer base with authentic, engaging content.
Here are some tips to boost e-commerce sales with influencer marketing in 2026:
▶️ Breaking $20 million with influencer marketing
Frank Body used influencer marketing and a unique user-generated content strategy to scale from a small Australian Instagram startup to a global beauty brand. A unique hashtag, free samples, and a plea for users to show a bit of skin put the brand on a path to earn over $20 million in sales within two years of its founding.
To boost sales without increasing your customer acquisition costs, you need to make the most of your existing transactions. Focus on increasing your average order volume (AOV), or the average amount each of your customers spends when they order from your brand.
This should be simple enough if you already sell big-ticket items and can suggest small add-on items on your checkout page. But for most merchants, increasing AOV means a careful combination of personalization tactics, product bundling, and pricing strategies.
To increase your AOV this year, start with the following steps:
▶️ Personalization in action
Malo’o, an outdoor adventure gear solutions company, found success with product bundling by listing big-ticket products, such as their signature DryRack or a Lounge Wagon, with several accessories all on one product landing page. The bundles were offered at a 15% discount and still managed to increase AOV by 250%.
Fun fact: The AOV of an international sale is up to $9 higher than the average domestic sale, with EMEA customers spending the most overall per order.
With marketplaces and 3PLs making it easier than ever to add international distribution channels, taking your brand across borders can increase your sales with less capital than previously required.
If you’re a US-based seller, you may want to start with Australia, Canada, the UK, and/or Europe, before moving into markets like Asia, Africa, and Latin America, as this can typically be done within the same seller account you’re already using.
Here are some ways to start increasing and diversifying your revenue by selling in other markets:
▶️ Going global for 60% growth
Brands like Lululemon have successfully avoided stagnation by making their products accessible to shoppers all over the world. Most recently, the mega athletic brand saw 60% growth internationally, with $2 billion in first quarter revenue, an increase of 24% year over year.
With increased competition everywhere you look, exceptional customer service is the only kind that matters in 2026.
81% of consumers say they’re more likely to make an additional or repeat purchase after a positive customer service experience. On the flip side, 76% say poor customer service interactions will drive them to a competitor.
A well-crafted customer support strategy can improve brand awareness and drive customer loyalty, leading to increased word-of-mouth and ultimately: more sales.
Here are a few best practices for elevating customer support:
▶️ Marketplaces go big on bots
In April, secondhand marketplace Mercari launched its shopping assistant bot, Merchat AI. Users can ask questions like, “What should I buy my mom for Mother’s Day?” or “Find me a large turquoise ombre tumbler” and get instant product recommendations. The bot is still in beta, but Mercari is bullish. According to RetailDive, they’ve predicted that chatbots will become the primary customer service channel for about a fourth of businesses by 2027.
Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) technologies are so much more than clunky facewear.
These right AR and VR tools can enhance the online shopping experience by allowing customers to virtually try on products, or visualize how products will look in their own space.
If it sounds far-fetched, consider this: 79% of customers say they’re interested in using AR to try products before they buy. Not just that, interactive AR product experiences have shown to increase conversion rates by 94%.
Start with these tips to harness the sales-boosting potential of AR:
▶️ AR meets AI for increased sales
Sephora’s digital-first strategy is the stuff retail headlines are made of. The mega beauty retailer’s AR app lets customers virtually try on makeup, and they’ve recently introduced an AI to help shoppers choose the right products, drastically reducing the likelihood of a return. This strategy has proven successful year after year, with Sephora driving a 23% increase in revenues for the LVMH group in 2023.
Same-day delivery can double conversion rates, while late deliveries and out of stocks can quickly lead to customer churn. While customers don’t always prioritize the fastest possible delivery, they’re counting on you to have the product in stock and deliver it when you say you will.
That means no canceling orders due to low in stock products, no unexpected delivery delays, and no “Sorry we missed you!” stickers from shipping carriers.
Here’s how streamlined logistics can lead to increased sales:
▶️ Reducing stockouts, increasing sales
After hitting the $1 million mark on Amazon, the team at fast-growing coffee brand Bom Dia realized it was getting a whole lot harder to forecast inventory. To reduce stockouts, while continuing to add new products to their portfolio, the team centralized their sales and inventory operations into Flieber, for one streamlined source of truth on all things sales and inventory. The result was a 120% bump in sales and countless hours saved.
Done right, an effective omnichannel strategy can increase YoY revenue by nearly 10%.
Unfortunately, many brands still get the user experience wrong, forcing customers to fill their shopping carts a second time, or causing cart abandonment when they switch devices.
To execute a sales-boosting omnichannel strategy in 2026, you’ll need to deliver consistent, personalized experiences that successfully translate across channels.
Here are some tips to increase your bottom line through best-in-category omnichannel offerings:
▶️ Driving sales through omnichannel excellence
The average e-commerce operator has access to more tools than ever before and has less clarity on what actually drives growth. The noise has never been louder. That’s why, in 2026, strategy means subtraction: focusing only on what compounds.
Most brands approach performance marketing as a traffic game. But in 2026, traffic without fulfillment readiness is just wasted CAC. Imagine spending six figures to acquire customers, only to show them out-of-stock pages or delayed shipping notifications. This isn't theoretical, it's common.
Consolidating sales, inventory, and marketing data into a unified layer allows you to identify stock constraints before campaign launch. Build campaign calendars that align with warehouse capacity, supplier lead times, and SKU prioritization. Make inventory availability a media planning input, not an afterthought. When paid media is synchronized with product availability, every dollar works harder.
AI has made dynamic pricing accessible to even mid-sized operators. But in the rush to optimize, some brands erode their unit economics. The key is segmentation. Identify SKUs with high elasticity and low brand equity. These are your playground for price testing.
For high-margin heroes or brand anchors, apply guardrails to protect perceived value. Test within defined ranges and monitor not just conversion, but also return rates, margin impact, and long-term LTV. Dynamic should mean responsive, not erratic. The best operators are building internal pricing teams who work closely with product and finance, treating pricing as a revenue lever, not a last-minute promo trick.
The “frequently bought together” widget is often wasted real estate. Bundling is most effective when it reflects actual purchase behavior, not generic category logic. Use cart and checkout data to identify behavioral clusters: items that often appear together in high-converting sessions.
Then go deeper in A/B test bundle pricing, packaging, and timing (e.g., pre-cart vs. post-checkout upsell). Behavioral bundling also improves forecasting accuracy, since SKUs are now moving in predictable groups. This strategy increases AOV, simplifies customer decision-making, and reduces SKU cannibalization.
Think: Bundling a humidifier with essential oils based on sequential purchase patterns, not because they live in the same product family.
Stockouts silently drain growth. Yet most teams track them retroactively, if at all. In 2026, leading operators report stockout rate weekly, segmented by SKU priority, campaign exposure, and channel. Set acceptable thresholds (e.g., <2% for high-margin SKUs), and tie them to team incentives.
Stockouts hurt more than revenue. They damage customer trust, increase churn, and erode the accuracy of your demand model. Treat stockout rate as a signal of operational health, not just a supply issue. The best teams proactively model future stockout risk using lead times, velocity, and upcoming promotions and course-correct before a single ad runs.
The average e-commerce funnel has too many clicks, too much friction, and too little trust. Funnel simplification isn’t just about UX. It’s about velocity. Shorter paths to purchase reduce drop-off and increase revenue per session. Integrate one-click checkout tools like Shop Pay or Bolt. Offer dynamic shipping options that reflect customer urgency (e.g., same-day for urban areas, standard for rural zones). Save payment and address data securely, and pre-fill where possible.
For mobile, test swipe-to-buy functionality. A faster funnel also improves paid media efficiency, as your conversion rates climb. In 2026, simplification is sophistication: removing every barrier between desire and delivery.
There’s no shortage of tactics in e-commerce. What matters in 2026 is execution depth and alignment with demand. Choose wisely.
In addition to aligning inventory and demand, leading brands are stacking specialized tools to boost conversion, retention, and operational efficiency.
Here are some platforms you should consider focusing on your growth.
It integrates seamlessly with Shopify, allowing operators to build “smart cart” experiences that increase revenue per session without relying on discounting. In 2026, brands using Rebuy effectively see 15–30% lift in AOV across core SKUs.
Instead of pushing a generic subscription model, it lets customers buy again on their own terms, increasing retention without locking them in. For brands with consumables or products with natural repurchase cycles, Repeat is a must-have.
Flieber solves this by aligning demand forecasts with procurement, ensuring stock is always available for your best-sellers and upcoming campaigns. It syncs data across platforms like Amazon, Shopify, Walmart, and retail. Flieber enables operators to automate replenishment, reduce capital locked in slow-moving inventory, and improve availability on high-margin SKUs.
In 2026, smart brands don’t just sell more. They sell with precision, powered by platforms like Flieber.
When your demand planning is synced (Flieber), your on-site experience is optimized (Rebuy), your retention is automated (Repeat), and your performance is visible (Polar), your growth engine is truly end-to-end.
If you can’t measure it, you can’t scale it. But if you measure the wrong thing, you’ll scale in the wrong direction. In 2026, operators need to elevate the signal and mute the noise.
The Metrics Worth Obsessing Over
Each of these KPIs should live in your weekly dashboard. Use them to decide what to promote, what to pause, and what to kill.
Metrics don’t just track the game, they determine how you play it. Choose metrics that lead to action, not just reports.
Winning the e-commerce game in 2026 is no longer about brute force. It’s about clarity, coordination, and control.
The brands that grow consistently are the ones who turn demand into decisions, stock into strategy, and data into dollars.
That’s exactly what Flieber helps you do.
✅ Synchronize inventory and demand across channels.
✅ Replace guesswork with real-time forecasts.
✅ Eliminate stockouts before they happen.
👉 Ready to forecast smarter and sell better? Book a demo with Flieber today.