It’s been a tumultuous year for the charity sector, filled with equal parts optimism and uncertainty. But we’re finally out the other side and it’s time to start looking forward to 2022. You might be wondering what to expect from the coming year. So today, we thought we’d share our charity retail predictions for what the next year might look like.

Digital transformation will remain a priority

The charity and non-profit sector currently rates itself a 5 out of 10 for digital maturity. During the pandemic, we saw many charities doing incredible things with digital – from creating new income streams to improving their customer experience. And we don’t see this going anywhere in 2022.

According to the same survey, 79% of respondents believe it’s important for organisations to continue developing their digital maturity. We’ve come a long way, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.

Whether it’s continuing to embrace digital tools, harnessing data-driven insights, or generating new income streams, we believe a hybrid approach will continue to be the way forward for the charity sector.

Environmental impact

Charity shops are already doing a lot to offset the harmful environmental impacts of global supply chains. They encourage consumers to recycle their unwanted items, keeping them out of landfill and giving them a second chance. But, this doesn’t make them immune from the pressing urgency of climate change.

Following COP26 in November, net-zero goals are becoming increasingly important for organisations of all industries – the charity sector included. In 2022, we predict charities are going to have to turn their attention towards their environmental impact, identifying ways to push towards carbon neutrality.

Online sales are going nowhere

In a previous blog, we highlighted The British Heart Foundation’s incredible success with online sales. Specifically their 12% increase in eBay sales during 2020. But we have a hunch this is only the beginning of the charity sector embracing online sales.

Consumers will continue wanting convenience and efficiency, making online sales an obvious choice for boosting customer satisfaction and profits. In 2020, there was over $4.2 billion worth of online sales worldwide. And this is expected to reach over $6.3 billion by 2024.

Not only will investing in your online sales process help you meet your customers where they’re at, but alternative income streams will also help to boost resilience and increase stability across your organisation.

Business agility

Speaking of which, the past year or two have shone a massive light on the importance of resilience. Those businesses who adapted quickly, pivoted overnight, and embraced change were the ones who came out on top. And we’re not out of the woods yet.

This year, we think more and more charities are going to need to build agility into their strategies. They’ll need to stay flexible and able to evolve alongside industry changes, as well as advancements in technology. 

This past year has been about recovery for the charity sector. And while it seems there will be more of the same in 2022, we also think we’ll begin to see a few key trends gaining momentum and pushing the sector in new directions. With these predictions in mind, what can you do today to put your charity in the best position to keep up?

Nisyst’s CHARiotWeb will help you adapt to the times with ease. As a HMRC-recognised solution, we help you to continue achieving the most for your cause. If you’d like to find out more, get in touch today on 01204 706 000.