2026 Retail & ecommerce delivery report

The new retail reality

Trust, proof, and the delivery experience in the AI era


AI will amplify whatever your delivery experience is today. Explore what’s changing in retail delivery, the shifts in customer expectations, and what to do to make checkout, delivery, tracking and returns hold up at scale.

The strategy report includes:

  • Four retail trends changing delivery expectations
  • Three critical capabilities to make promises hold up
  • Two constraints to plan around in 2026
  • One practical blueprint to prioritise what to fix first

 

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By 2028, 70% of service journeys may begin and end in assistants.

With AI accelerating change across retail delivery, this 49-page retail delivery strategy report shows what’s driving new expectations and how leaders are responding, with practical priorities you can apply across the entire delivery journey.

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Key takeaways

What changes when AI meets delivery reality.
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AI will amplify weak delivery experiences, fast.

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Promises must hold across checkout, delivery, tracking, returns.

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Build a truth layer: evidence, control, and feedback loops.

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Plan for constraints: regulation and trade volatility.

Section 1: Retail trends

The market shifts redefining retail in 2026

 Customers expect more control and fewer surprises after purchase. These four shifts explain why delivery and returns are now a competitive surface.

1. AI agents


58% of shoppers use GenAI for recommendations. Delivery and returns terms must be machine-readable to be selected by assistants.

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2. Retail media


UK retail media may exceed £7bn by 2028. Post-purchase becomes monetised, so clarity in tracking and returns directly affects trust.

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3. Out-of-home delivery


35% of EU shoppers regularly use lockers or parcel shops. Out-of-home delivery demands consistent handover events and proof across carriers, stores, lockers.

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4. Cross-border


73% of Nordic consumers bought online from abroad last year. Cross-border growth requires local-feeling options, cost transparency, and predictable returns in every market.

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Section 2: Capabilities

What has to be true: the execution layer

These capabilities make promises reliable after purchase, even across carriers and channels.

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Trusted automation


19% of shoppers admit to have falsely claimed failed delivery to get a refund.

Govern automation with evidence and controls, so exceptions do not become disputes.

 
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Scalable service


31% already see faster response times from GenAI.

Scale service with shared truth and clean escalation when judgement is required.

 
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Feedback loops


54% of EU users refused personal data for ads in 2023.

Improve promises using outcomes and operational signals, not fragile targeting data.

 
Section 4: Blueprint

What leaders should do next

Turn the report into a plan with these practical, forward-looking tools:
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Readiness checklist


Quickly spot where promises drift, visibility breaks, and returns lose proof.

  • Promises match real constraints

  • Tracking tells one story

  • Returns stay visible

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Outcome map


Define what “good” looks like across checkout and post-purchase.

  • Checkout promises hold up

  • Coherent post-purchase updates

  • Predictable returns and refunds
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Signals to watch


Track the 2026 signals that will stress-test delivery experience and shift priorities.

  • AI buying accelerates

  • Post-purchase gets monetised

  • Volatility disrupts promises
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Next steps


Map one market end-to-end and prioritise the fixes that deliver the biggest impact first.

  • Pick one market

  • Map checkout to refund

  • Prioritise fixes fast

Don't leave your 2026 delivery strategy to chance

Download the complete report today and start building the foundation of proof and trust your customers demand.
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Delivery management for the AI era

nShift is the global leader in parcel delivery management. We provide the connections, tools, and data that retailers need to turn delivery from a cost center into a competitive engine.

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Stakeholders

Who this research is for

Written for leaders shaping retail delivery experience in Europe, from promise-making to post-purchase execution and reverse logistics.

  • Retail and ecommerce leaders

  • Customer experience and service teams

  • Fulfilment, logistics, and operations leaders

  • Carriers and logistics partners

  • Digital, IT, and data teams 

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Methodology

How the report was built

Built on 46 cited sources, combined with nShift’s on-the-ground view of European retail delivery and carrier operations.

  • Independent research on AI commerce and retail operations

  • Regulatory sources on EU guardrails, consumer rights, and customs

  • Market evidence on omnichannel, out-of-home, cross-border, and retail media

  • nShift experience across retailers, brands, and carriers

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