A pandemic success story, Canada-born multinational e-commerce platform Shopify is positioning itself as the company that puts the power back into the hands of small to medium-sized independent businesses, especially those that have long faced stiff competition from Amazon.

How are expectations for super-convenient shopping and delivery clashing with worries about the gig economy? Why do Gen Zers want immersive shopping experiences? What has the pandemic meant for self-gifting? And how do people expect brands to give back to local communities?

TikTok provided a much-needed escape for Gen Zers during the pandemic, enabling them to watch an endless stream of entertaining, educational, and immersive videos. For many, it was the go-to platform to improve their self-care routines. Canvas8 spoke to ten people to find out why.

Messaging, mostly an intimate and private form of communication, is being used by brands to connect with their consumers. As people spend more time on messaging apps than ever, c-commerce is set to grow in importance as a touchpoint between people and brands.