How Temu Gave a Quokka Coffee the Boost It Needed
Quokka Coffee, a two‑person UK coffee startup, listed its products on Temu in August 2025 and quickly saw the platform become a vital sales channel. Within five months Temu accounts for roughly 15% of the company’s orders—about 20 weekly shipments—and the founders have fulfilled over 350 orders through the marketplace. The unexpected repeat and bulk purchasing behavior demonstrated that even niche food brands can thrive on low‑cost, high‑traffic platforms. The growth has turned the side‑hustle into a serious revenue stream while the founders continue their full‑time recruitment jobs.
Across the Atlantic: AI Lessons US Retailers Can Teach the UK
US retailers are leveraging AI to enhance every stage of the online shopping experience, from product discovery to checkout, driving higher visibility, conversion, and revenue. In contrast, UK retailers have concentrated on operational efficiencies such as content generation, customer service,...
Shipping Cost Pressures Intensify for UK Ecommerce Sellers
UK ecommerce sellers are grappling with sharply rising shipping costs, with 84% reporting higher last‑mile expenses and 39% seeing increases above 10% in the past year. The last‑mile now accounts for 53% of total delivery spend, squeezing margins even as...
Checkatrade Marketplace to Launch This Spring
Checkatrade is launching a new Marketplace this spring, adding a commerce layer that lets both tradespeople and homeowners purchase tools, materials, and finished products alongside service bookings. The platform already supports about 50,000 trade businesses and attracts millions of UK...
Esetrix Launches to Power the Next Generation of Marketplace Infrastructure
Esetrix, formerly Avasam Enterprise, has rebranded to offer enterprise‑grade marketplace infrastructure. The platform lets retailers, brands and distributors launch multi‑seller marketplaces, automating seller onboarding, order sync, payments and fulfillment. By removing the need for inventory ownership, Esetrix aims to help...
5 Ways to Sell on TikTok Shop
TikTok Shop has transformed from a pure social platform into a full‑fledged commerce ecosystem, demanding coordinated paid, affiliate, and live strategies for scalable growth. The article outlines five core tactics—direct storefronts, creator‑driven affiliate marketing, shoppable videos, TikTok Lives, and branded...
HSS ProService Marketplace Launches Integrated Hire & Buy Service
Europe’s largest building services marketplace, HSS ProService, has introduced an integrated Hire & Buy service that lets contractors both rent equipment and purchase materials through a single platform. The marketplace now hosts roughly 50,000 products from 550 sellers, offering everything...
ChannelEngine Announces New Partnership with Monta
ChannelEngine announced an expanded partnership with Monta, adding a fully integrated fulfillment layer to its marketplace integration platform. The collaboration lets brands connect to over 1,300 marketplaces while accessing local storage, picking, packing, and shipping across the Netherlands, Germany, France,...
£1.5 Million Recovered for SMEs by Small Business Commissioner
The Office of the Small Business Commissioner (OSBC) helped small firms recover more than £1.5 million (about $1.9 million) in overdue payments through its free enquiry service. Funded with an annual budget of £1.23 million (roughly $1.6 million) by the Department for Business and...
Luxury Ecommerce Growth Slows to 1.8% as Industry Enters Structural Shift
Tradebyte’s 2026 luxury e‑commerce report shows growth slowing to just 1.8% in 2025, marking the end of a multi‑year surge. The slowdown reflects a structural shift toward algorithm‑driven discovery, price transparency and tighter operational discipline rather than pure reach. Luxury...
Samsung Ads TotalView Gives Advertisers a New Lens on TV Reach
Samsung Ads has launched TotalView, a unified measurement solution that aggregates linear and streaming ad reach across Samsung’s 70 million European Smart TVs. The platform provides deduplicated audience data for pre‑campaign planning, in‑flight activation, and post‑campaign reporting, eliminating traditional blind spots....
EU Duty Changes Are Coming. Are You Ready for July?
From 1 July 2026 the EU will scrap the €150 (≈ $165) de minimis exemption, imposing a €3 (≈ $3.30) duty on each imported item. The change targets low‑value parcels that have surged with cross‑border e‑commerce and aims to curb undervaluation. UK brands shipping directly...
Peacock Supplies Uses Temu to Compete With Big Retail
Peacock Supplies, a UK‑based specialist in Ramadan and Eid party goods, has built a catalogue of nearly 1,000 items and secured shelf space at Morrisons and TK Maxx. Over the past year, larger party‑goods brands entered the niche, undercutting Peacock...
Why Attend Retail MediaX Europe – 14th May 2026
Retail MediaX Europe will be held on May 14, 2026 in London as the flagship event of RetailX’s Spring Commerce Media Festival. The conference gathers retailers, agencies and marketing leaders to explore the latest in retail media, connected TV, OTT...
50% Shoppers Back Regulations to Stop Cheap Online Goods Flooding the UK
New RTS research shows 54% of UK shoppers favor tightening the de‑minimis threshold that currently exempts parcels under £135 (~$170) from duties. Support is strongest among Gen Z, with 68% backing stricter rules, while 82% already shop on Chinese marketplaces...
Rugs Direct Launches WhatsApp Returns with stampfree.ai
Rugs Direct, in partnership with stampfree.ai, has launched the UK’s first WhatsApp‑based returns service, using the appfree platform to let shoppers start and track returns via chat. The move follows the Post & Parcel Trend Report 2026, which found 88 %...
58% of Shoppers Lose Brand Trust over Faulty AI Suggestions
Rithum’s new study of 1,046 U.S. and U.K. shoppers shows that 58% of consumers blame retailers when AI‑generated product recommendations contain errors, and 16% would abandon a purchase after a bad suggestion. In the U.K., 70% have used AI tools...
GOOD GOOD Partners with 3PL to Support UK Growth with Multi-Channel Fulfilment
GOOD GOOD, the health‑focused food brand, has signed a three‑year partnership with UK third‑party logistics provider 3PL to handle multi‑channel fulfillment across direct‑to‑consumer, Amazon Seller Fulfilled Prime, and wholesale distribution to Holland & Barrett. The deal leverages 3PL’s Flex service and...
Evri Fulfilment Invest £4m to Expand Network in Barnsley
Evri Fulfilment is investing over £4 million (≈$5.1 million) to open a 265,000‑square‑foot fulfillment centre in Barnsley, slated for July 2026. The site will feature advanced sorting and packing automation, allowing parcels to move from order to network entry within an hour...
OnBuy Accelerates European Rollout With Launch Into 8 New Markets
OnBuy, the UK‑based cashback marketplace, has launched in eight additional European countries, taking its footprint to 21 markets. The rollout follows a 152% quarterly sales surge and a 300% rise in site visits across its first 12 markets. Beta testing...
New TikTok Logo Takeover High-Impact Ad Solutions
TikTok unveiled three premium ad products at the IAB NewFronts: Logo Takeover, Prime Time, and TopReach. Logo Takeover places a co‑branded screen the moment users open the app, delivering an uninterrupted first impression. Warner Bros. used the format for the Supergirl...
Build with ReFiBuy Opens Commerce Intelligence Engine to Developers
ReFiBuy announced early‑access to Build with ReFiBuy, a developer platform that exposes its Commerce Intelligence Engine via REST API, MCP server and CLI. The service lets brands, retailers, partners and AI‑agent builders enrich, distribute and monitor product catalogs for AI‑driven...
Government Unveils Toughest Crackdown on Late Payments in over 25 Years
UK government announced the toughest late‑payment crackdown in over 25 years, empowering the Small Business Commissioner with new investigative, adjudication and fine‑imposing powers. The reforms introduce a statutory 60‑day payment cap for large firms dealing with SMEs, mandatory interest at...
Parcelhero Launches Market-Leading Live Tracking and Streamlined Booking Features
Parcelhero, the UK’s leading courier comparison platform, has rolled out the first phase of a major technology upgrade featuring AI‑powered live tracking and what it claims is the industry’s fastest booking interface. The new system automatically flags customs issues, pre‑fills...
First Shoppable TV Series ‘Bring My Pinterest to Life’ in UK
Pinterest debuted its first shoppable TV series, "Bring My Pinterest to Life," on Roku’s free channel in the UK, US, Canada and Mexico. The six‑episode lifestyle show transforms users' inspiration boards into real‑world makeovers while embedding QR codes that link...
Alibaba International Launches Accio Work, an Enterprise AI Agent
Alibaba International introduced Accio Work, a plug‑and‑play enterprise AI agent that provides a no‑code, instant workforce for small and medium‑size businesses. The platform automatically assembles specialized agents to handle tasks ranging from market analysis to long‑term inventory monitoring, eliminating the...
AI Agent Traffic Jumps 1,300% as ChannelEngine Introduces AI Attribute Builder
AI‑driven traffic to retail sites surged 1,300% in the past year, signaling a shift toward agentic commerce. Morgan Stanley forecasts autonomous agents could shape up to $385 billion of U.S. ecommerce spend by 2030. At Shoptalk Spring 2026, ChannelEngine announced its...
Amelia Van Camp: Preparing for Agentic Commerce Now and for the Future
At the Mirakl Summit in London, Head of Agentic Commerce Amelia Van Camp highlighted how AI is reshaping marketplace ecosystems. She explained Mirakl’s strategy for embedding large‑language models into category mapping, customer experience, product sourcing and retail media. The discussion...
Increase in DIY and Hardware Retailers Offering Same Day Delivery
New Gophr research shows UK hardware and DIY retailers increased same‑day delivery adoption from 22 % to 32 % year‑on‑year. Yet speed remains uneven: only 26 % can fulfil orders within an hour and 46 % impose conditions such as cut‑off times or location...
New Base Customers Module: Built-In CRM for B2B Sales
Base has launched a new Customers module that embeds a lightweight B2B‑focused CRM directly into its platform. The tool automatically creates company records from VAT numbers and consolidates every order under a single customer ID, regardless of sales channel. Users...
Refurbed Hits €3 Billion GMV as Refurbishment Becomes Mainstream
refurbed has crossed €3 billion in cumulative GMV in under a year, following a €50 million funding round and its first profitable year. The marketplace expanded into 12 additional European countries, doubling its footprint and reaching an addressable market of roughly 486 million...
Sign up to Sell on eBay Live – New Categories
eBay has reopened its eBay Live seller program, adding new categories such as fashion, electronics, toys, and more. Existing interested sellers must re‑register even if they previously signed up. The platform targets creators with streaming or social‑media experience who can...
THG Fulfil Launches on Shopify App Store
THG Fulfil has launched a native, zero‑code app on the Shopify App Store, enabling fast‑scaling and medium‑enterprise brands to connect directly to its global logistics network. The integration offers end‑to‑end fulfillment, inventory management, and courier coordination across 195 countries without...
DPD Opens Two New Purpose-Built Distribution Centres in South East
DPD has opened two new 60,000‑square‑foot distribution centres in Crawley and Sittingbourne, replacing older depots and adding state‑of‑the‑art automation. Each hub can process up to 80,000 parcels daily and will support more than 100 new driver routes in the South...
The Need for “Grounded AI” – Not Hype
The 2026 Retail Technology Show in London gathered senior brand leaders from River Island, Pentland Brands, Goddiva, Noble Panacea and Azzurri Group to discuss retail’s next evolution. Panelists emphasized “grounded AI” as an enabler, citing River Island’s 80% drop in...
Sigma Sports Opens Marketplace to Specialist Sellers
Sigma Sports announced a specialist marketplace launching in summer 2026, powered by Mirakl, to give niche cycling and triathlon brands a premium, high‑converting sales channel. The platform imposes no listing fees, lets sellers control pricing, and offers weekly payouts while...
TikTok Shop Launches Fine Art Category
TikTok Shop has introduced a Fine Art category, enabling original artwork to be sold directly on the platform. The launch includes a live sale on March 11 featuring independent artist Sophie Tea, who will showcase a 20‑piece oil collection priced at...
Evri Driving Academy Opens Its Doors to External Candidates
Evri, the UK’s leading parcel delivery firm, has opened its Driving Academy to external candidates seeking HGV licence training. In 2025 the academy helped drivers earn 113 new HGV licences, addressing a market where the Road Haulage Association forecasts a...
EBay and Liberis Launch Flexible Growth Financing for UK Small Businesses
eBay UK has teamed with finance provider Liberis to launch Flexible Growth Financing, a new product under the Seller Capital programme that will be available to eligible UK sellers from 6 April 2026. The offering provides data‑driven, on‑demand working capital with limits...
How Brits Are Redefining Shopping Habits
Britons are reshaping retail, blending physical stores, online marketplaces, social commerce, and second‑hand platforms. Adobe Express’s survey of 2,000 consumers shows digital purchases grew 29% while visits to independent stores fell 23%, and second‑hand clothing trips rose to 29%. Social...
Amazon Spring Deal Days Returns With Seven Days of Savings
Amazon launched its seven‑day Spring Deal Days promotion, offering up to 45% off everyday essentials and up to 60% off select Amazon devices. The event runs through March 16, 2026 and features new deals every morning and evening across categories...
THG Ingenuity Launches Gift With Purchase Channel
THG Ingenuity has launched an external Gift‑With‑Purchase (GWP) channel, extending its proven retail‑media solution to third‑party brands. The service integrates curated gifting offers into key moments of the shopper journey across beauty, nutrition and lifestyle sites. Early campaigns on LOOKFANTASTIC...
BuytoGive Launches £500,000 Funding Round
BuytoGive, a UK e‑commerce marketplace that converts regular online purchases into charitable donations, announced a £500,000 seed round, the first half of a £1 million raise at a £3 million pre‑money valuation. The company recently secured access to 1.2 million products via a...
How AI and Data Drive Compliance, Consistency and Scale
Europe’s e‑commerce market remains fragmented by languages, tax regimes and platform‑specific rules, forcing brands to adopt sophisticated back‑office operations. Luke Elliott of Pattern highlights that AI and real‑time data are now essential for meeting compliance, maintaining consistency and scaling across...
Retail Technology Show Preview: Data, Speed to Market and Agentic Commerce
Retail leaders at a pre‑show panel highlighted three critical shifts shaping commerce: dwindling cookie data is forcing brands to seek new engagement tactics and own product lifecycles, headless architectures on platforms like Shopify are slashing implementation costs and enabling rapid...
Evri and Bloq.it Join Forces to Expand UK OOH Parcel Locker Network
Bloq.it and Evri have sealed a multi‑year partnership to embed Bloq.it’s NEXT smart lockers and its new standalone returns unit, drop, across hundreds of Evri locations in the UK. The first installations launch in March 2026 at East of England...
Castore Cuts Pricing Execution From Five Hours to Minutes on 35 Shopify Stores
Castore, a global sportswear brand operating 35 Shopify stores, replaced its manual, spreadsheet‑driven pricing workflow with Patchworks, a retail‑first iPaaS. The new integration cut pricing execution from roughly five hours to two‑three minutes and slashed error rates from 30‑35% to...
Wickes Retail Media to Connect Brands with Home Improvement Customers
Wickes has launched Wickes Connected Retail Media, a first‑of‑its‑kind retail media network for the UK home‑improvement category, offering both onsite and offsite advertising capabilities from day one. The platform, built with Epsilon’s COREid identity graph, merges digital and in‑store signals...
€2 TPC Comes Into Effect in France for Low Value Parcels
Effective 1 March 2026 France will levy a €2 small‑parcel tax (TPC) on every HS‑code classified item in packages valued at €150 or less shipped from outside the EU. The tax covers France, Monaco, Guadeloupe, Martinique and Réunion and applies regardless of...
Britain’s Broken Delivery System Costs Households Hours Each Month
New InPost research reveals a structural failure in the UK parcel‑delivery system, with 40% of adults missing at least one delivery each month. One‑third of parcels fail on the first attempt, forcing consumers to spend an average of 5.5 hours per...