D-Congress 2026: E-commerce insights, delivery confessions and industry perspectives

D-Congress 2026 once again proved why it is one of the most important meeting places for the Nordic e-commerce and retail industry. This year, 4,500 participants gathered in Gothenburg, to exchange ideas, explore new technologies and shape the future of commerce.

Across stages, meeting spaces and exhibition stands, one theme stood out clearly: delivery experience is becoming a decisive factor in e-commerce success.

For the nShift team, the event was packed with insightful conversations, honest confessions and great connections across the industry.

Conversations at stand F11

Throughout the event, nShift welcomed customers, partners and new connections at stand F11, discussing everything from delivery experience and returns management to automation, AI and the future of shipping.

One message came up repeatedly: delivery is no longer just logistics, it is a critical part of the overall customer journey.

As Arne B. Andersson, Senior E-commerce Advisor at Svensk Handel, explained when we asked him what defines a great delivery experience today:

“A great delivery experience today is just in time. When it’s delivered on time, on the right day and at the right place.”

The industry is also entering a new era shaped by AI. Recently, nShift launched nShift Companion, an AI assistant in Checkout that helps businesses optimise delivery choices and improve conversions through simple, natural-language guidance.

Looking ahead, Arne also highlighted one of the biggest emerging challenges for the industry:

“AI and agentic shopping. That’s a really big challenge for e-commerce companies.”

Confessing delivery sins

At our stand we also invited visitors to participate in a fun activity: “Confess your delivery sin and get a gift.” If visitors dared to confess their biggest delivery mistake, they were rewarded with nShift merch.

Among the confessions were:

• Using only one carrier
• Booking shipments manually
• Offering non-branded tracking
• And struggling with returns

The clear winner?

Returns are still a headache for many e-commerce businesses.

The activity sparked plenty of discussions about how smarter delivery management, automation and better returns flows can significantly improve both operational efficiency and the customer experience.

What defines a great delivery experience?

During the event we also spoke with several industry leaders and asked two simple questions:
What defines a great delivery experience and what is the biggest shipping challenge in e-commerce today?

The answers revealed both shared priorities and different perspectives.

For Nic Staeger, e-commerce consultant, flexibility is key:

“A great shipping experience is when customers can do whatever they want: redirect the parcel, pick it up in store or delay it. Flexibility is the key.”

From a carrier perspective, Jan Jakobsson, Head of Ecommerce at PostNord Sverige, emphasised the importance of transparency:

“Give customers all the information they need at checkout: location, time and price.”

For retailers like Jonas Jahnsson, Head of Growth at Cocopanda, delivery precision remains a challenge in the Nordic market:

“Customers want fast, precise deliveries and clear information about when the parcel will arrive. In the Nordics we don’t have the economies of scale, so predicting the exact arrival time is still difficult. And that’s something we are trying to solve.”

Connecting the ecosystem

The conversations continued later in the day at the nShift & Avarda Mingle, where hundreds of professionals from across the Swedish e-commerce and retail ecosystem gathered to network, share insights and continue discussions started during the event.

Moments like these are what make events like D-Congress special. Beyond the stage programme and speakers, it is the community, collaboration and exchange of ideas that drive the industry forward.