Stuart Greenfield, UK and European Sales Director at Advanced Supply Chain (ASC) predicts the four key trends that will shape retail this summer:
‘Marketplacification’
“The rise of retail marketplaces – ‘marketplacification’ – is set to accelerate this summer as more brands adopt platform-based business models. Retailers such as Next and Debenhams have demonstrated how marketplace strategies can expand product ranges, attract new customers and unlock growth without carrying the same inventory risk as traditional retail models.
“Marketplace thinking is also being influenced by the rapid growth of social commerce platforms such as TikTok Shop, where consumers increasingly expect broad product choice, convenience and discovery in a single destination. As a result, retailers are shifting from being pure merchants to becoming curators, facilitators and operators of larger retail ecosystems.
“This trend is likely to reshape fulfilment and returns operations. Managing inventory, customer experience and reverse logistics across multiple third-party sellers creates greater complexity, placing increased importance on supply chain visibility, data sharing and operational consistency.”
Enhanced omnichannel experiences
“Omnichannel retail continues to evolve, with returns becoming an increasingly important part of the customer journey. Consumers no longer think in terms of channels. They simply expect to move between online, in-store and third-party touchpoints in whichever way is most convenient.
“This is changing the role of physical stores. Rather than serving purely as sales locations, stores are becoming fulfilment, collection and returns hubs that support a more connected retail network. At the same time, retailers are recognising that the returns experience can have a direct impact on customer satisfaction, loyalty and repeat purchasing.
“The businesses that gain the greatest advantage will be those that treat returns as a strategic capability rather than a cost centre. Returns data can provide valuable insight into customer behaviour, product performance and inventory planning, helping retailers improve both operational efficiency and the overall customer experience.”
ESPR and operational sustainability
“Sustainability is moving from the boardroom into day-to-day operations as retailers prepare for the introduction of the EU’s Eco-design for Sustainable Products Regulation (ESPR) on 19th July. For many businesses, this will be one of the first major tests of how effectively circularity can be implemented at scale.
“The legislation places greater scrutiny on the management of unsold inventory, encouraging retailers to prioritise resale, repair, reuse and donation over disposal-led approaches. This is prompting organisations to review how products move through their supply chains and identify practical ways to extend product life and recover value.
“Compliance will require close collaboration across operations, finance, logistics and sustainability teams. Retailers that establish clear processes for managing excess stock and returns will be better positioned to meet regulatory requirements while supporting wider environmental goals.”
The battle of the bots in returns fraud
“The growing use of artificial intelligence (AI) is creating a new challenge for retailers, with fraudsters increasingly using AI-powered tools to exploit returns processes. Fake damage images, manipulated receipts and convincing customer claims can now be generated at scale, making fraudulent activity more difficult to identify through traditional checks.
“As returns volumes continue to grow, even relatively small levels of abuse can have a significant financial impact. This is driving greater investment in predictive technologies that can identify suspicious behaviour before refunds are approved.
“We are seeing the emergence of an AI-versus-AI environment, where retailers are deploying machine learning models to detect unusual return patterns, identify repeat offenders and assess risk in real time. The focus is shifting from investigating fraud after it occurs to preventing losses before they happen, helping retailers protect margins without compromising the customer experience.”
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