The global consumer electronics market is valued at $943 billion in 2026, up from $870 billion in 2025. It’s projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.4% through 2035.
But as demand increases, so does competition. The top five major players—LG, Samsung, Microsoft, Lenovo, and HP—collectively own 40% of the consumer electronics market. But factors like sustainability, trust, and a strong operational infrastructure can put you in position to compete.
This guide shares six consumer electronics trends in 2026, with strategies for ecommerce brands to capitalize on customers’ willingness to splurge.
What counts as consumer electronics?
The consumer electronics category covers a broad range of electronic devices and appliances designed for personal use. They include products for communication, entertainment, computing, and home automation.
Core product categories include:
- Personal computers (desktops, laptops, tablets)
- Home appliances (washing machines, fridges, coffee machines)
- Smartphones
- Smart TV sets
- Games consoles
- Wearables
- Cameras
- Headphones
- Augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) devices
The consumer electronics industry in 2026
In 2026, the consumer electronics industry is valued at $943 billion. This figure is tipped to reach $1.94 trillion by 2030.
Growth is coming from:
- Smartphones: Forecast to reach $749.1 billion by 2032. Industry leader Apple is a major contributor. The manufacturer delivered their highest annual shipment volume ever in 2025, with 240.6 million iPhones distributed globally.
- Wearables: Expected to exceed $229.97 billion by 2033.The wrist-wearing segment is especially dominant: it accounted for over half of wearable market size in 2025. Leaders include Apple Watch, Fitbit, and Samsung Wearables.
- Connected devices: Devices connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) are forecast to hit $215.35 billion in value by 2035. Statista estimates 40.6 billion connected devices by 2034.
This maps to consumers’ willingness to spend. Criteo found that in Q2 2025, over three-quarters of global shoppers spent the same amount or more on consumer electronics compared to what they spent the previous six months.
Consumer electronics trends to watch in 2026
Here are six trends dominant in the consumer electronics industry this year:
- Smart home device adoption is shifting from standalone gadgets to interoperable ecosystems
- AI is becoming a product expectation, not a differentiator
- VR, AR, and immersive interfaces are still evolving
- Wearables continue to expand beyond fitness
- Health and beauty devices remain a niche growth category
- Repairability, sustainability, and e-waste are becoming purchase considerations
Smart home device adoption is shifting from standalone gadgets to interoperable ecosystems
Smart home devices are items and appliances used in everyday life that are made “intelligent” through technologies like machine learning. These devices are then networked to form the Internet of Things. They can be connected through laptops, smartphones, and tablets, from which their owners often control them using apps..
According to Statista, over 82% global households are predicted to have a smart home device installed this year. That’s set to exceed 92% by 2029.
Smart home technology lets users integrate different functions including:
- Playing music
- Temperature controls
- Light controls
- Home security
- Powering smart appliances
Matter, a smart home OS created by Apple, Amazon, and Google, aims to link smart devices from all brands to help consumers build a smart ecosystem. Google says the OS lowers development costs for electronics retailers because one build powers all Matter-certified ecosystems.
Shopify business Nanoleaf uses this technology to sync their smart LED lights with Apple HomeKit, Google Home, Amazon Alexa, and Samsung SmartThings. Users can ask to turn their lights off or switch to a saved setting without opening the Nanoleaf app.
AI is becoming a product expectation, not a differentiator
Artificial intelligence (AI) is making its way into almost every industry. Consumer electronics brands are joining in:
- SkullCandy has Skully, an AI voice assistant built into their headphones.
- RingConn’s smart rings use AI algorithms to detect sleep apnea.
- June Oven can intelligently detect what’s cooking and offer suggestions to make it better.
Gartner expects 100% of premium mobile phones to feature generative AI (GenAI) capabilities by 2029. Despite that adoption on the retailer side, CNET’s 2026 report found just 11% of US smartphone users chose to upgrade to access more AI features. Half aren’t willing to pay extra money for AI features on their current device.
What is changing is the way people use AI to shop: 28% of shoppers are willing to use AI tools that narrow down product choices when shopping for personal electronics.
This presents an opportunity for brands that lean into agentic shopping. Shopify’s 2026 data found shoppers referred from AI search platforms convert at 50% higher rates than those who arrive from organic search. They also spend 14% more on average.
Agentic Storefronts make your Shopify product catalog accessible in AI search. Buyers get real-time accurate product information when comparing options. Orders flow into your Shopify admin alongside customer data that opens the door for direct retargeting.
“It’s a new way for our story and product details to show up at the exact moment someone is asking real questions with real intent,” says Victor Tam, CEO and cofounder of luggage brand Monos.
VR, AR, and immersive interfaces are still evolving
Virtual reality blends online and offline in computer-generated 3D worlds. Smartphones are the primary access point: 61% of consumers use their mobile device for VR, per Clutch’s 2026 report. Over half plan to increase their usage in the next two years.
The same growth is happening with other immersive experiences, including those powered by augmented reality (AR). Ecommerce retailers like Rebecca Minkoff and Gunner Kennels are leaning in to give customers the option to check sizes and try on products in the comfort of their own homes.
Gunner Kennels, for example, uses Shopify’s native 3D models to let shoppers virtually place a kennel next to their dog to gauge size. The result was a 3% increase in cart conversions, a 40% increase in order conversions, and a 5% reduction in returns.
“Getting these assets created was shockingly quick and easy, and more cost-effective than I anticipated,” says Gunner Kennels’ VP of marketing, Macey Benton. “Working with a Shopify expert allowed us to have these assets developed and live on our site in a matter of days.”
Wearables continue to expand beyond fitness
Wearable devices are a popular newcomer to the consumer tech market. The market is forecast to ship around 656 million units by 2029, an increase of almost 90% since 2019.
Wearables include:
- Smart watches
- Smart rings
- Fitness trackers
- Smart glasses
- Wireless earbuds
- GPS trackers
Shopify business Shokz is an example. Their headphones use bone conduction technology to play music through vibration. Wearers can still hear their surroundings while audio plays through the wearables.
Shokz took advantage of the industry’s growth by launching eight fully optimized and market-locally websites within three years. They’ve recorded 82% growth in their customer database and use Launchpad to capitalize on peak seasons around the world.
Health and beauty devices remain a niche growth category
The global beauty devices market is valued at $96.24 billion in 2026, showing a CAGR of 20.2% through 2034. The hair removal device category holds the majority of the global beauty devices market, accounting for a 34.8% share.
“Beauty is more resilient than most other departments across the store, falling only behind food and general merchandise in terms of shifted dollars across the store,” Jacqueline Flam, managing director of beauty and health at NielsenIQ, told WWD.
“Beauty is also well positioned to pick up the shift in shopper behavior as they step away from professional services (i.e., hair salons and spas) and bring those needs in-home,” Jacqueline says.
Shopify business CurrentBody is one example of a beauty device brand that offers consumers an extensive catalog of home beauty devices to use at home, as well as expert advice. They offer a varied product line including devices for neck wrinkles, hair growth, and infrared heat therapy.
Repairability, sustainability, and electronic waste are becoming purchase considerations
Sustainable Jungle’s 2026 study found 25% of consumers generally buy from sustainably focused brands when shopping for appliances, up from 14% in 2023.
Gaming headset brand Turtle Beach leans into these concerns with a governance landing page. It explains how they’ve reduced single-use plastic packaging by 90% for certain products. They also partner with the nonprofit Million Mangroves to develop new forests that offset carbon emissions.
But what happens when a device has reached the end of its lifespan? Sending them to landfill can expose harmful toxins that release into soil and groundwater.
Consumer electronics brands can step in and prevent that by:
- Offering repair services
- Refurbishing returned products
- Recovering spare parts from end-of-life devices
Turtle Beach, for example, runs Respawn. Customers can send in end-of-life headsets for the brand to refurbish. It’s a win-win for everyone: the customer can dispose of their old device without sending it to a landfill, while a new customer gets a discounted refurbished headset.
How consumer electronics brands can win in ecommerce
Despite fierce competition in the consumer electronics industry, ecommerce brands can lean into these trends with content-rich product pages, trust signals, and a strong operational infrastructure.
Invest in content-rich product pages
Consumer electronics carries one of the lowest ecommerce conversion rates across all categories. TripleWhale’s 2025 benchmarks found just 1.58% of visitors to consumer electronics websites convert, compared to 2.73% for food and beverage or 2.45% for pet supplies.
Long sales cycles are a likely culprit. Criteo found the average consumer electronics shopper took 19 days to make a purchase after viewing their first product page. The slowest quarter took almost 50 days.
To reduce hesitation for high-consideration purchases:
- Display clear pricing details. Almost half of shoppers are actively searching for better deals and discounts when buying consumer electronics, per Criteo. Lean into this by displaying “compare at” prices and using incentives to lure in first-time shoppers, provided the margin math makes sense.
- Lean into unique features. Tech is a trendy industry: 42% of shoppers say new features would make them more likely to try a new electronics brand. Highlight what makes your product different, like proprietary technology or features competitors don’t offer.
- Offer comparisons. The same report shows consumer electronics shoppers consider up to 22 different products before they buy. Help buyers do this with comparisons. Turtle Beach, for example, lets customers choose up to three products to compare side by side.
Showcase trust signals across the funnel
Some 60% of Gen X favor consumer electronics brands they already know and trust, while 53% of Gen Z and 48% of Gen Y share the same belief.
Build trust with potential shoppers throughout the entire funnel. Start with social media reviews, incorporate those in your product pages, and layer in warranties or returns policies.
Criteo’s report found these elements are most likely to make global shoppers more likely try a new electronics brand:
- Good reviews (61%)
- Warranties or returns policies (53%)
- Recommendations from friends or influencers (34%)
RingConn shows what this looks like in practice. The product page for their Gen 3 Smart Ring explains their free- shipping offers, warranty details, and 14-day returns policy. They also offer a free ring-sizing kit to reduce hesitancy, and answer common questions related to product features.
Operations matter: Inventory visibility, secure shipping, and after-sales support
Consumer electronics brands that invest in their operational infrastructure are better placed to address the things that make customers loyal.
Criteo’s report found 42% of global consumer electronics shoppers switch brands for free or faster shipping, while 33% would change for greater product availability.
Shopify’s unified commerce platform offers the infrastructure to handle both at scale:
- Real-time inventory visibility: Inventory, order, and customer data is unified by default. This powers real-time stock visibility across all sales channels, so you can detect stockout risks before they happen.
- Shipping and fulfillment: Access Shopify-exclusive shipping discounts for UPS, FedEx, DHL, and USPS. You can also batch-create labels for faster fulfillment, get up to $200 shipping insurance on every eligible order, and offer delivery tracking for buyers through the Shop App.
Consumer electronics trends FAQ
What are the biggest consumer electronics trends right now?
Interconnected devices, wearables, sustainability, and health and beauty devices are amongst the biggest consumer electronics trends. Artificial intelligence is also becoming an expectation rather than a product differentiator, with customers using AI search to compare products.
Is the consumer electronics industry still growing?
Experts forecast a CAGR of 8.4% in the consumer electronics industry through 2035, when the market is expected to reach a $1.94 trillion valuation.
What’s shaping consumer electronics ecommerce in 2026?
Customers’ sustainability concerns, comparison shopping, and the continued need for trust influence how consumer electronics retailers sell online.
Why do repairability and sustainability matter in electronics now?
Repairability matters because one-quarter of customers generally buy from sustainable brands when shopping for appliances. Brands like Turtle Beach lean in with a resale program. Customers ship unwanted gaming headsets back to the brand to refurbish. Those products sell at a discount through their ecommerce site.
