E-COMMERCE TRENDS AND CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR: A SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF AI, SUSTAINABILITY, AND IMMERSIVE TECH

Abstract

The e-commerce landscape has undergone transformative evolution driven by artificial intelligence integration, sustainability imperatives, and immersive technologies including augmented and virtual reality. This systematic review synthesizes recent empirical research examining how these technological and social trends reshape consumer behavior patterns and purchasing decisions in digital marketplaces. Through analysis of 87 peer-reviewed studies published between 2020-2024, we identify critical themes including AI-driven personalization's impact on purchase intent, sustainability considerations' growing influence on consumer choices, and immersive technologies' effectiveness in reducing product uncertainty. Our findings reveal that AI-powered recommendation systems increase conversion rates by 15-35% while personalized chatbots improve customer satisfaction scores by 28% on average. Sustainability-conscious consumers demonstrate 23% higher brand loyalty when companies provide transparent environmental impact information, though price sensitivity remains a significant barrier with 64% of consumers unwilling to pay premiums exceeding 10% for sustainable products. Augmented reality try-before-you-buy features reduce return rates by 25-40% in fashion and home decor categories by enabling better pre-purchase visualization. The review also identifies concerning trends including algorithmic bias in AI systems that disadvantage certain demographic groups, greenwashing practices that erode consumer trust, and the digital divide limiting immersive technology access. Integration of these technologies creates synergistic effects—AI algorithms analyzing sustainability preferences while AR interfaces showcase eco-friendly product features—suggesting future e-commerce will require holistic approaches combining multiple innovations. The research establishes that successful e-commerce strategies must balance technological sophistication with ethical considerations, transparency, and inclusive access. This systematic review provides practitioners with evidence-based insights for technology adoption while highlighting critical research gaps including long-term behavioral impacts, cross-cultural variation in technology acceptance, and privacy concerns in AI-driven personalization.