Nov 30, 2017   SOURCE: BusinessWire

Hubba Insights - Reflecting on Commerce Search Trends of 2017/2018

Retail buyer search queries on Hubba provide insight into customer interests/demands, the brands gaining popularity and the trends that are gaining traction.

For example, across all categories, searches for ‘drop shipping’, ‘handcrafted’, ‘handmade’ and ‘bespoke’ are up 65%, 46%, 35% and 27% respectively, indicating that unique products are in demand and the craft brands are on the rise.

With over 60,000 members, Hubba has a unique vantage point on the retail industry. From Pets and Babies, to Beauty and Health, or Food/Beverages and Sports business interactions and buyer searches on Hubba showcase a number of interesting trends that were popularity in 2017 and give insight into the ones that will continue to gain traction in 2018.

FOOD AND BEVERAGE:
Consumer demand for natural and healthy ingredients has motivated the fastest growing trend in the food industry in 2017: Plant Based Diets.

  • Retailers are trying to meet demand and interest in growing variety of diets including Vegan, Paleo, Whole30 with the greatest spike coming from searches for ketogenic related terms which grew by 75%
  • Consumer interest in alternative versions of traditional food and ingredients is expected to continue through to 2018, with greatest interest in:
    • Fruit based BBQ sauces and Ketchups
    • ‘Rice ice cream’ and ‘rice concentrate’
    • Cricket flour
    • Seaweed pasta
    • Coconut jerky
    • Plant based meat

BEAUTY AND HEALTH:
Keywords typically associated with health and nutrition are entering the beauty lexicon, in fact top buyer searches in the beauty category are beginning to read like a list of ingredients:

  • Vegan
  • Goat milk
  • Salmon oil
  • Jojoba oil
  • Manuka honey
  • Micellar water
  • Biome-friendly (probiotics)

The Health and Wellness category will still see interest in supplements that target specific areas of the body and mind:

  • Charcoal’s popularity in 2017 will continue through to 2018 and expand beyond masks and toothpastes with queries for charcoal capsules up 62%
  • Interest in ancient traditional remedies result in ‘plant-based’ trends going beyond food to beauty, health and wellness most popular plants in beauty being:
    • Hemp, Cannabis
    • Mushrooms (huga mushroom and chaga mushroom)
    • Canna plants
    • Black seed oil
  • Minerals and Enzymes
    • Chromium nicotinate
    • Diamin oxidase
    • Histaminase

PETS
In Pets, the Kids, Babies & Toys categories, offered early insight into what would be in demand for pets in 2017. However, expect keywords related to Food and Health categories to drive what will be on trend for Pets in 2018. For example, buyer searches for ‘pet supplements’ grew by 60% this past year:

  • Pet probiotics
  • Pet superfood

In 2018 pet food trends will mirror their human parents’ menu. Searches growing in popularity include:

  • Snacks: Jerky, Chips and Bonbons
  • Dog terrine
  • Dog beer
  • Dog frozen yogurt

SPORTS AND OUTDOOR
Subscription Boxes, already popular in many retail categories, saw popularity sprouting in sports and outdoor with the weather related emergencies and political uncertainty of 2017. Buyer searches for ‘survival boxes’ have grown by 35%.

Pets started trending in Sports and Outdoors in 2017, with related searches growing as much as 52%. We expect these pet-related searches to continue through 2018 as pets’ roles in the family continue to evolve:

  • Dog hiking gear
  • Dog backpacks

APPAREL
No longer just about design and aesthetic, Apparel now includes fabrics that are ethical as well as functional, and reflect the story of the person wearing it. As clothing continues to be a reflection of self, buyer searches are indicators of consumer interest and lifestyle:

  • Athleisure
  • Adventure apparel
  • Sun protective clothing
  • Versatile clothes
  • Technical fabric
  • Fine leather

IN CONCLUSION
The digital revolution has created the endless aisle, with retailers able to rely on drop shipping to create a more flexible fulfillment method. This has lead retail buyers to buy stock more frequently and reactively based on trends, throughout the year. We’re seeing buyers adapting trends across industries, taking chances with products and elements not traditionally found in their industries. 2017 saw consumers continuously demanding unique products. Buyers responded by seeking out unique and different alternatives, with traditional buying seasons and patterns becoming a thing of the past. 2018 will see the cross-pollination of trends across industries continue, with a particular focus on Beauty and Health trends permeating across a wide variety of spheres, and the continued personification of Pets spinning off further expansion of that category.

About Hubba
Hubba is the leading commerce network designed to empower independent companies to connect on business opportunities to grow their business. Using a combination of machine learning and personal curation Hubba matches brands with buyers. Through recommendation engines and product features like Flares and Smart Match Hubba facilitates the relationship that get SMBs deals to grow their business. Buyers use Hubba to discover new products to meet their customer demands; and, Brands get increased distribution for their products. Hubba currently powers over 60,000 small-medium businesses.