Shippit’s Retailer Retro 2025

In case you missed out, last week, Shippit HQ played host to Retailer Retro; our annual event that brings together retail leaders to reflect on the past year, engage in mission-critical conversations and gain valuable insights into the year ahead.

Hosted in partnership with Fluent Commerce and humii, and facilitated by eCommerce expert, Nathan Bush, Retailer Retro collated dozens of retail experts and decision-makers, from the likes of Koala, Rebel Sport, INTERSPORT, Naked Wines, ASICS and many more for a morning of keynotes and panel discussions, round tables and networking, coffee and croissants.

In an always-evolving and often-volatile retail industry the event focused on three key themes: unbeatable experiences, unlimited efficiency and sustainable growth. But what were the key trends, talking points and takeaways?

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A battle for survival in 2025

With peak season still fresh in the memory and retailers eager to turn 2024’s learnings into 2025’s strategies, the event opened with an analysis of key retail trends gleaned from hundreds of millions of deliveries at 4,000 retailers using Shippit.

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But what did it show?

• Consumers spent less but bought more items in 2024 which shows that, conscious of budgets, we’re buying cheaper items.
• However, during peak season consumers loosened their purse strings, buying higher ticket items that they may, perhaps, have been waiting to go on sale. Today, 65% of consumers plan to do Christmas shopping exclusively during sales periods.
• Delivery speeds and reliability are improving, with delayed deliveries falling steadily and delivery times improving.
• Click and collect and express delivery options increased by 11% and 9% in 2024, while on-demand exploded by 490%.
• The number of deliveries that originated from within 15kms increased from 9.7% to 14.6% in the last two years, as retailers localise inventory to improve fulfilment speeds and meet consumer expectations.

With the data setting the contextual scene for the day, a panel of Ben Wapling, Head of Marketing and Digital at INTERSPORT, Carina Micheal, Group Head of Technology and Digital at APG & Co, and Celine Sommacal eCommerce Operations Manager at Rebel Sport unpacked the key themes on a broader industry-wide perspective and in the context of their operations.

Then, through a series of round tables, the audience talked about optimising performance to improve cost efficiency and customer experience. Attendees focused on how delivery, and the entire post-purchase experience is a critical driver of loyalty and repeat purchasing. Conversations honed in on delivery promises, and their impact on conversion rates.

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What’s in store for retailers in 2025?

But Retailer Retro isn’t just about understanding what happened in 2024 and how it’s impacting retailers, shoppers and carriers today; it’s about forecasting the key challenges and opportunities in 2025. So, what are they?

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• Carrier challenges will continue: Increased operating costs, labour shortages will continue to challenge carrier reliability in 2025. Working capital will continue to be a real concern for smaller carriers.
• Greater emphasis on cart conversion due to rising acquisition costs: Conversion rates at checkout will become more in focus as the cost of acquisition continues to increase thanks to international competition.
• Fast, free and reliable delivery is key to unlocking greater loyalty: Delivery experiences now play a pivotal role in fostering loyalty, with delays or inconsistencies leading to dissatisfied customers and lost future sales.
• Faster deliveries to drive higher return rates: Faster delivery means greater impulse purchasing online. The rise of more immediate delivery options will also see a similar rise in returns for online purchases.
• Consolidation and centralisation will be key for speed and efficiency: Without scalable logistics, retailers risk being outpaced by competitors with greater operational efficiency and customer satisfaction.

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If you weren’t able to join us, you can learn more about the insights that guided the event here. And so you don’t miss out on next year’s event, sign-up here so we can deliver key Shippit events, webinars, news and updates.