Retail Everywhere: The Imagery Trends Powering 250% More Engagement

Think about the last time you made an online purchase. Did you start on a brand’s homepage? Probably not. Maybe you saw a product on Instagram, clicked through an influencer’s link, or found it in a targeted ad. Maybe you weren’t even actively shopping—you were scrolling TikTok, and within seconds, you’d bought something you didn’t even know you needed.

This is the reality of shopping today. It’s fragmented, fast-moving, and happening across multiple channels—often without a single visit to a traditional eCommerce homepage.

For brands, this shift presents both a challenge and an opportunity. If customers find products in new ways, your visuals need to do more than just look good—they need to be built for discovery, engagement, and conversion.

That means rethinking what e-commerce imagery looks like, where it lives, and how it functions across different platforms.

So, how are leading brands adapting?

Three Big Shifts in E-Commerce Imagery Right Now

?? Social platforms aren’t just driving awareness anymore—they’re the checkout counter. TikTok, Instagram, and Pinterest have made in-app shopping so seamless that the traditional path to purchase is fading. A customer could go from discovery to checkout without ever visiting a brand’s website. If your content isn’t optimized for conversion on these platforms, you’re missing out on sales.

?? Video is the new first impression. For years, video was a “nice to have.” Now, it’s a must. Whether it’s a PDP featuring movement-first imagery, a short-form product demo, or a looping GIF in an email, motion is shaping the way customers evaluate products. It builds trust, reduces returns, and helps shoppers make decisions faster.

?? The product page is becoming an experience. A PDP used to be the final step before checkout—a static page with photos and specs. But today, it’s a critical brand moment. Forward-thinking brands are turning product pages into mini flagship stores, blending editorial content, interactive elements, and curated product recommendations to keep customers engaged.

So, What Does This Mean for Brands?

For retail professionals, creative directors, and e-commerce executives, these shifts create an exciting moment to rewrite the rules and reinvent e-commerce visuals to optimize how customers interact with brands and make purchasing decisions.?

We’ve taken note of some of the brands that are pushing the boundaries, expanding what it means to create and communicate visuals to sell, and how they are embracing a “retail everywhere” mindset to capture the attention of their audience and customers. Take a look through our visual guide to see what’s working, what’s next, and how to future-proof your content strategy.