The fulfilment gap is no longer capability. Its execution.
Most fulfilment teams have access to the same carriers, platforms, and tools. What's separating them is how well those capabilities are connected, and whether operations are built to adapt when conditions change.
Based on original global survey data from retailers · Fourth annual edition · 9 trends · 8 expert contributors
Most retailers have the tools. Not all of them have the operations built to use them.
76.8% of retailers are already using AI. Multi-carrier strategies are widespread. Automation tools are broadly accessible. None of that is creating a competitive advantage on its own.
The retailers pulling ahead are the ones who have connected those capabilities into operations that actually perform under pressure. Most haven't, and the gap between those who have and those who haven't is widening faster than many fulfilment teams realise 📈.
"Customers who experience inconsistent delivery don't usually complain. They quietly switch."
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What you'll know after reading this report:
1. Where your fulfilment operation is most exposed.
The nine areas where leading retailers are structuring operations differently, and which gaps are most likely to be limiting your performance right now.
2. Why multi-carrier isn't enough on its own.
65.2% of retailers use multiple carriers. Most aren't using them dynamically. Learn what separates a multi-carrier setup that reduces cost from one that just adds complexity.
3. What to actually change about your post-purchase experience.
The specific notification triggers, automation rules, and returns workflows that leading retailers are using to turn post-purchase into a retention channel.
4. How to make cross-border profitable, not just possible.
Why international fulfilment is a control problem, not a cost problem, and the specific strategies retailers are using to protect margin on every cross-border order.
5. Where AI is actually delivering value in fulfilment.
76.8% of retailers use AI but only 29% have embedded it into operations. Learn the use cases generating real ROI, and the data foundations required before AI can help.
6. Where to start if your operation needs to change.
Each trend closes with specific, sequenced actions. Not directional advice, but a clear starting point for retailers who want to act on what they've read.
The retailers who will set the pace over the next two years aren't necessarily those with the biggest budgets. They're the ones who've closed the distance between what they promise and what they can consistently deliver.
