In an uncertain economic context, French traders are coping with the situation and displaying reassuring optimism : almost a quarter of them (22 %) expect growth of 5% in 2024. An observation from the eighth edition of the ACSEL “Growth” barometer & Digital ».
Growth, investment and CSR are there despite the crisis, and optimism is the key word of this edition of the ACSEL barometer. Traders stay the course : a very large majority (86 %) estimates that its turnover will be stable (48 %), even growing (38 %) in 2024. Committed to a dynamic of development, 64% of them continue to invest in digital despite the crisis. They choose, otherwise, at 68% for eco-responsible offers (+6 points). They are more aware than ever of the impact of their choices on the environment and the expectations of their customers. Nearly a third of them (29 %) have diversified with second-hand products. Commitment to the planet has climbed to third place among their growth concerns. : it is cited by 57% of those questioned (+7 points), just behind margin and turnover.
Le digital, growth contributor
Since 2020, digital has become a more important pillar of merchant development strategy each year. One hundred percent of businesses with more than 20 employees are engaged in a digital transformation policy. Perceived as an opportunity by more than half of traders (53 %), digital is recognized by 62% of them as a contributor to turnover, up 11 points compared to 2023. Digital not only contributes to their visibility – 78% (+6 points) have a website and 84% (+11 points) a professional page on social networks –, but also to their activity : 13% of merchants make more than 25% (+5 points) of their online turnover.
Looking for young profiles
Commerce continues to become digital, and traders are now measuring the benefits : 63% of them have, thanks to training, digital skills necessary to support the rise of digital practices. To complete the digitalization of their activity, they accelerate the recruitment of specific profiles : 34 % (+13 points) have recruited or are considering doing so. To do this, they turn to young talents, first and foremost among them the work-study apprentices (+5 points), monitoring of trainees (+17 points), more able to master digital tools and more engaged in digital transformation. In this matter, companies with fewer than 20 employees stand out : 75 % (+21 points) turned, or are considering it, towards young talents. This increase in skills logically goes hand in hand with a reduction in support needs. (-7 points in one year). Banks are more than ever the preferred partners to support digital transformation (pour 34 %, an increase of +7 points). Finally, more mature and better armed, merchants are now better able to fight the cyber threat : 79 % (+7 points) of them have tools and solutions to protect their activity and their employees.
Generative AI at home in commerce
This appetite for digital leads merchants to put artificial intelligence into practice. Far from being an exotic technology that traders observe from afar, artificial intelligence is already at the heart of their thinking : 63% of them believe that it is a time-saving factor (+4 points), and 61% that it helps improve distribution (+7 points). A third of them have also taken the subject head-on by making more specific use of generative AI on a regular or occasional basis.. Large companies are making even greater use of generative AI (39 %), mainly to create personalized content (30 %), improve their operational efficiency (26 %) or manage customer relations (10 %). However, 24% of merchants do not yet identify the significant impact of this technology.
