A sample of 1,000 small ecommerce firms showed 78% expect growth over the next year. Drivers include strong consumer demand (30%), new selling tools and AI innovation (20%), improved platform support (17%) and stabilising conditions like interest rates (16%). Almost seven in ten respondents felt excited (43%) or curious (26%) about AI. Thirty-one percent use AI to save time on admin and content creation; 27% use it to list products faster, test ideas and reach customers. Key barriers are the wider UK economic climate (37%), time constraints (30%), access to funding (24%), low business confidence (24%) and administrative complexity (20%). Forty-four percent launched with under £1,000, 3% with no capital, and 69% now treat ecommerce as their main income or full-time pursuit.
The study, which surveyed 1,000 small firms selling via ecommerce platforms, found that 78 per cent expect growth in the year ahead. The main drivers of optimism included strong consumer demand (30 per cent), the adoption of new selling tools and AI innovation (20 per cent), improved support from ecommerce platforms (17 per cent) and stabilising economic conditions such as interest rates (16 per cent).
Small businesses are increasingly adopting artificial intelligence into their operations. Almost seven in ten respondents described themselves as excited (43 per cent) or curious (26 per cent) about AI's potential. Already, 31 per cent are using it to save time on admin and content creation, while 27 per cent are deploying it to list products faster, test new product ideas, and reach more customers.
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