Reinventing Retail in 2025: How D2C and Luxury Brands Are Creating Omnichannel Experiences That Win

Successful brands in today’s ecommerce world are fluidly merging the online and offline worlds, providing the one-on-one service of boutique shopping with the convenience and spontaneity of online retail. Consumer behaviour post-pandemic has evolved, and brands that don’t incorporate physical and digital retail experiences will fall behind.

The Rise of Human-Centric Ecommerce

In 2025, personalisation is no longer a nice-to-have – it’s an expectation. Customers are expecting online experiences that reflect the intuitive, high-touch service of shopping in-store. Whether through AI-powered recommendation or real-time assistance, brands must introduce empathy and intelligence to their ecommerce UX.

This is most evident in how the luxury and convenience product categories diverge. Where both groups anticipate speed and quality, luxury buyers want personalisation and service, and D2C and FMCG customers want automation, speed, and reliability.

An exceptional customer experience often starts with an effective onboarding strategy. Brands are now leveraging AI, quizzes, and behavioural data to make recommendations more personal and mirror the in-store consultation moments.

Consider MWELL, Kellogg’s gut health D2C brand, which employs a product quiz to match the customer with their perfect prebiotic. This personalized digital experience increases trust and drives repeat buying – a core tenet of customer onboarding in ecommerce.

Subscription commerce remains strong in the convenience space. Recharge‘s most recent 2024 Subscription Commerce Benchmark Report states that subscription revenue increased 35% year-over-year on food, drink, and wellness brands.

Players such as Fullgreen and Roasting Plant have taken advantage of this trend by providing versatile recurring delivery solutions that make repeat buying easy and enhance customer lifetime value. Propeller has aided a number of FMCG customers with Shopify and Recharge integrations to drive performance and retention.

Luxury companies are adopting video commerce and concierge tools to improve the online experience. Tools such as Hero, now incorporated into platforms such as Shopify and BigCommerce, allow personal shoppers to engage with consumers directly through video chat—mimicking the store experience and enhancing basket sizes.

One high-end retail customer of Hero experienced a 22% boost in average order value and greater engagement by high-spending customers while stores were closed. Such mobile-first, real-time support supports the human touch behind the luxury experience—online too.

Loyalty, But Make It Luxury

Loyalty schemes are still a potent tool for retention – but context is king. For upscale ecommerce companies such as Amerifine, which sells high-quality American-made products, loyalty is not about discounts or points – it‘s about access, better service, and being part of a brand. Propeller has consulted on the design of VIP loyalty levels for several of its luxury clients.

Online communities are more powerful than ever. Brands embracing UGC, influencer marketing, and social storytelling are creating strong, passionate tribes that outlast traditional loyalty.

For brands such as Boy Smells, this has equated to very high repeat-purchase rates and brand evangelism. Solutions such as Gorgias make sure community management and customer service are on the same page, creating a seamless omnichannel experience.

Glossy products – particularly in spaces such as interiors, skincare, or supplements – need direction. If customers don‘t receive it in store, rich, instructive content online becomes essential.

Mylands luxury paint company has neatly incorporated how-to instructions, inspiration galleries, and finish selectors onto their ecommerce platform. This reduces the absence of tangible touch while stimulating authoritative, well-informed purchase choices.

From product quizzes powered by Shopify to AI-driven service bots, ecommerce in 2025 demands an intentional blend of technology and empathy. The leaders are those who bring convenience, personalisation, and community to every channel.

Ready to unlock this type of growth for your brand?
Check out Propeller‘s ecommerce strategy and UX services and begin creating customer journeys that drive conversions.