Black Friday across Europe: Regional ecommerce insights

Written by Thomas Bailey | Sep 30, 2025 8:27:02 AM

Peak season is make-or-break for eCommerce. Black Friday, Cyber Weekend, and Christmas put retail operations under exceptional strain. Customers expect reliable, flexible, and fast delivery; brands who get it right can turn logistics into a competitive advantage.

This blog series is adapted from nShift’s Fail-proof peak season report, designed to help retail and eCommerce leaders move from reactive problem-solving to disciplined planning and performance. Each article tackles one dimension of peak readiness, with practical insights you can put to work right away.

Read the previous article in this series: Checkout optimization: Converting Black Friday shoppers

Ecommerce in Europe is not a monolith; it is a rich tapestry of diverse markets. Understanding these regional nuances enables retailers to tailor peak season strategies that maximize impact and resonance.

Nordics:
Leaders in Out-of-Home delivery innovation

The Nordics retain the highest adoption rates of Out-of-Home (OOH) delivery options such as parcel lockers and pick-up shops. This is supported by broad infrastructure investments and a consumer preference for convenience and sustainability.

The region’s tech-savvy, eco-conscious population drives early adoption of sustainable packaging and flexible delivery modalities, making it a global ecommerce innovation hub. Key opportunities include: expanding locker networks to reduce failed deliveries; a continued push toward biodegradable and reusable packaging solutions; and enhanced digital payment integration reflecting Nordic mobile-first shopping trends.^[1]

UK:
Post-Brexit customs complexities and marketplace dynamics

With 67.8 million internet users and 97.8% penetration, the UK is one of Europe’s most digitised retail markets.^[2] Since Brexit, cross-border trade has added operational friction. EU-bound shipments must meet ICS2 pre-arrival (ENS) data requirements, while imports from the EU into Great Britain require S&S GB Entry Summary Declarations from 31 January 2025, so customs/VAT compliance needs to be baked into peak workflows.^[3] ^[4]

UK shoppers continue to prioritise fast, low-friction delivery and transparent returns. Recent UK research highlights delivery-and-returns expectations (speed, tracking, free/easy returns) and high online shopping frequency (36% shop weekly). Meanwhile, marketplaces dominate reach: in May 2024, 88% of UK online adults visited Amazon, and 75% of 16+ used an online marketplace (eBay 57%), making marketplace promotions and inventory placement a core lever for Q4.^[5]

Out-of-home (OOH) options are expanding fast in the UK (parcel lockers, PUDO). InPost surpassed 10,000 lockers and ~13,000 OOH points in Q1 2025, while wider European/UK trends show shoppers increasingly expect OOH alongside home delivery (useful for failed-delivery reduction and peak resilience).^[6] ^[7]

Continental Europe:
The push for sustainability and localization

Western Europe, including France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Belgium, leads European ecommerce with high internet penetration and innovative logistics ecosystems emphasizing sustainability and customer experience.^[8]

Emerging markets in Southern and Eastern Europe exhibit rapid growth but face challenges around infrastructure and digital payment adoption.

Highlights include:

Western Europe driving circular economy initiatives, reducing packaging waste and promoting re-commerce;
localized delivery and payment methods tailored to country-specific preferences, engaging trust;
and Eastern and Southern European markets being primed for mobile-driven ecommerce growth.^[9]

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Read the next article in this series: Black Friday playbook: Quick wins and long-term moats.

Or get the full report now to access every strategy in one place:
Fail-proof peak season: Practical delivery management insights to navigate complexity & risk

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Peak season doesn’t reward those who just “hold it together.” It rewards those who build precise promises, resilient operations, and customer trust. At nShift, we help over 22,000 retailers and brands scale fast, stay resilient, and deliver exceptional experiences all year round. Book a demo to see how we can help you turn delivery into your biggest advantage this peak season.