Six trends in Mary Meeker’s report that prove to be extremely significant in the e-commerce and package/parcel shipping industries.

Mary Meeker, partnered with Kleiner Perkins, has officially released her Internet Trends 2017 presentation that provides insightful information on which internet trends will likely dominate the online industry this year. The 352-slide report touches on a wide variety of topics covering several technologies including mobile, gaming, e-commerce and parcel shipping.

While the always highly-anticipated report has notoriously focused on well-known internet trends like mobile, video and branding, for the first time ever, package/parcel shipping has made it into publication due to consistent increases in e-commerce shopping. Being noted as a major internet trend on the same stage as mobile is a critically important milestone for the shipping world.

Below are six trends in Mary Meeker’s report that prove to be extremely significant in the e-commerce and package/parcel shipping industries:

Key Takeaways:

1. E-Commerce Growth is Accelerating Again in the U.S.

With 2016 e-commerce sales up 15% from 2015, it’s no secret that more and more consumers are choosing to purchase items online. With the flexibility of convenient online ordering and speedy delivery, customers are abandoning brick-and-mortar stores at an alarming rate.

Which is why…

2. The World’s Largest Offline Retailer (Wal-Mart) is Getting Aggressive Online

Brick-and-mortar powerhouse Walmart, which has had a fairly monotonous impact online despite past investments, swiftly accelerated its e-commerce efforts since 2016. Walmart acquired Jet.com in August 2016, and already this year it has bought/invested in Modcloth.com, Moosejaw, JD.com and Shoebuy. Walmart’s e-commerce revenue grew 63 percent year over year last quarter, showing the importance of the online shopping trend.

Which means that…

3. Package/Parcel Growth is Accelerating

While online sales grew again in 2016, parcel deliveries in the US have been steadily increasing over the past six years and rose 9 percent year over year in 2016. Basically, if e-commerce shopping keeps surging, expect parcel volume to grow along with it.

Which is why…

4. Apartment Building Lobbies are Becoming Warehouses, Doormen Becoming Foremen

Package and parcel growth is accelerating on the back of ecommerce growth, and residential community staff in the US are consequently expanding package rooms to accommodate rising online order deliveries. Leasing agents and property managers are now spending time delivering packages to individual residences now more than ever. Rising concerns over package security and package storage space are hitting these communities hard.

But…

5. While Retail Store Closings May Break 20-Year Record, Amazon Chooses to Open Retail Stores

Amazon is proving to be an ever-present retail foe, inflicting deep wounds on brick-and-mortar retail chains. Opening brick-and-mortar stores is an interesting play by the now-primarily online e-commerce giant, since industry analysts have been sounding the “retail apocalypse” alarm for the past few months. This begs the question: Is retail dead or does it just need a facelift?

An added bonus…

6. A New Main Goal for E-Commerce Shippers: Facelifts for Packaging

Packaging is an important component of the customer experience, yet many retailers discount this final supply chain step. First impressions are important to e-retailers and customers alike. Just as brick-and-mortar stores focus on cleanliness and organization, e-retailers want to impress customers with sturdy and appealing brand packaging. Unboxing is becoming entertainment, with the top five ‘unboxing’ channels on YouTube engaging a total of more than 33 million subscribers.

View the full report.