Is Your Industry Immune to E-commerce Disruption? Um… No.

While giving a talk last week about the key trends driving e-commerce and marketing in 2015, an executive challenged me with a series of reasons why her business has nothing to fear.

Generally, she was right. Her business indeed has nothing to fear. But only because she and her leadership team have started getting ahead of these trends, not because of any systemic immunity.

In fact, I’d argue that no business is immune to the trends of mobile, Millennials, and payments that will shape e-commerce — and most businesses generally — over the coming few years.

Here’s why.

Business Insider posted a deck looking at the coming disruption of the “old school” grocery industry by e-commerce challengers. In a separate conversation last week, I talked with a long-time grocery executive last week who both explained why the grocery industry is immune, and also detailed the significant growth in frozen foods as a percentage of grocery store floor space, revenues, and profits. Now, call me crazy, but if frozen foods don’t have the same constraints as fresh food, coupled with the growth of “same-day delivery” whether from AGFAM players like Google and Amazon, or even newer entrants like Uber, groceries are no more immune to the kinds of disruption that other retailers face. E-commerce innovation is alive and well, thank you very much, and it’s coming for your business too.

Now, that doesn’t mean you’re screwed or doomed or whatever other nightmare scenario you — or others — can envision. It only means that, like my retail executive friend from last week, you’ve got to prepare. You’ve got to get on the front-side of these trends. And, yes, you’ve got to strategically invest.

Those that do, will be just fine. Those that assume that everything will continue the way things have always been, though, face a rude awakening as Millennials, mobile, same-day delivery, and mobile payments enter the marketplace in significant numbers in 2015 and beyond. Here’s hoping you’re the former.

If you’re interested in learning even more about how customers changing behavior shapes e-commerce and marketing, register to receive a special report I’ve produced in conjunction with hotel marketing firm Vizergy, “Digital Hotel Marketing in a Multiscreen World.” While it’s targeted specifically at hotel and resort marketers, the lessons apply to just about any business. You can get your free copy of the report here.

Plus, don’t miss these slides and video from my recent webinar, “Digital Marketing Directions: Three Key Trends Driving Your Marketing Next Year”:

Finally, you might also want to check out some of our past coverage of the mobile, local, social web and how to make it work for your business, including:

• What Your Customers Expect from Mobile and E-commerce in 2014
• 10 Key Posts about Millennials and Mobile: E-commerce Link Digest
• The Secrets Behind “It’s All E-commerce” for 2014
• Should Marketers Really Trust Google in 2014?
• The Zen of Digital Marketing Strategy
• 7 Steps to E-Commerce Heaven
• Today and Tomorrow: Mobile and The Changing Customer Journey
• Mobile Makes E-commerce Even More “Frictionless”
• Your 2014 Internet Marketing New Year’s Resolutions – Thinks Out Loud Episode 56