Retailers Face Growing Pressure: Evolving Expectations 2026 Report Insights

Retailers are being squeezed from both sides.

Customers expect faster delivery, more flexibility, and free shipping as standard. At the same time, fulfilment operations are becoming more expensive and more complex to run.

💡 That tension sits at the centre of our Evolving Expectations 2026 report. This year’s report explores how retailers are responding as fulfilment becomes increasingly tied to conversion, retention, operational efficiency, and margin.

Some findings from the report:

🚚 56.5% of customers now expect delivery within 2–3 days, with a further 18.8% expecting next day.

💸 88.4% of retailers say free shipping is important to customers, while 65.2% cite rising shipping costs as a major operational challenge.

🤖 85.5% of retailers believe AI will create competitive advantage within the next 2–3 years, but most adoption still sits outside core operational workflows.

The retailers pulling ahead are ones building operations that can adapt as pressure, cost, and customer expectations continue to shift.

Evolving Expectations 2026 unpacks the operational trends shaping that shift, alongside insights from retailers, carriers, and technology leaders across the eCommerce space.

Download the report now 🔗 https://ap1.hubs.ly/y0Qvnc0

Big thanks to our expert contributors from Convert Digital | SEKO Logistics | Oz Hair and Beauty | Viare | Australia Post

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