This year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday period highlighted how quickly expectations are shifting on both sides of the retail equation. UK consumers are increasingly adopting AI as part of their shopping toolkit, with our 2025 Holiday Retail Report showing that over a quarter (27%) plan to use AI to find deals this year. At the same time, almost seven in ten (67%) remain cautious about it. On the business side, investment priorities are shifting from rapid expansion to operational efficiency. Together, these trends underscore a clear theme: retailers don’t need more complexity; they need stronger foundations and smarter use of tools to meet rising consumer expectations and build lasting trust.
The growing role of AI in commerce
AI is now a central engine of the commerce ecosystem, powering everything from performance and product discovery to personalisation. Confidence is high on both sides: our report finds 90% of UK business leaders are optimistic about AI’s impact, while 66% of shoppers plan to use it during their holiday shopping, especially for product discovery and inspiration.
As AI becomes more integrated into systems and shoppers experiment with new technology, retailers are shifting from mere AI adoption to AI orchestration, delivering measurable outcomes across operations. This requires consolidating technology stacks and unifying data so AI can operate on connected, intelligent foundations.
This evolution paves the way for declarative commerce, where merchants define intent, and AI determines the “how,” proposing and executing the optimal mix of pricing, merchandising, and media. This marks the shift from task automation to outcome intelligence, helping merchants succeed during peak periods and beyond.
Balancing AI with a human touch
Despite AI adoption accelerating, the human experience remains pivotal. Our data shows 74% of customers still value buying from a person. This isn’t a contradiction; consumers want the speed and personalisation AI provides, but they also seek reassurance from personalised support.
As AI moves deeper into operations, businesses face a delicate balancing act. Over-automation risks impersonal experiences, while neglecting AI risks of falling behind. Success in 2026 will come from combining both: the more automation is used, the more businesses must coordinate systems and clarify where human support fits into the journey.
The importance of unified commerce strategies
The rise of AI and the continued value of human support put pressure on retailers to deliver seamless experiences across channels. The hybrid shopping model is now the norm, with 41% of UK consumers planning to split their shopping evenly between online and offline, higher than the global average of 37%.
Yet friction at checkout remains a major barrier: half of UK shoppers abandoned purchases in the past 12 months due to lengthy or complicated checkout journeys. Shoppers expect consistent stock, pricing, promotions, and service across online, in-store, and social commerce channels. Disconnected systems make this difficult, resulting in lost sales.
Unified commerce solves this: moving from patched-together systems to integrated platforms gives businesses a complete view of operations, enabling smarter decisions, reducing complexity, and supporting confident growth.
Focus on fundamentals for the best results
Even with advanced AI and optimisation tools, success still depends on getting the basics right. Retailers are judged first on simplicity and value: discounts (44%), free shipping or returns (42%), loyalty programmes (33%), and strong customer experience (33%) remain the most reliable drivers of loyalty.
Simplicity may be the ultimate competitive advantage: half of UK consumers prioritise fast, frictionless shopping, and half have abandoned purchases due to checkout friction. Tools like one-click checkout and AI-assisted product discovery deliver immediate gains by removing unnecessary effort at critical points.
But even the best tools cannot compensate for internal complexity. Retailers need systems and processes that remove friction behind the scenes to fully leverage AI and streamline shopping journeys.
Optimisation over major investment
In a cautious economic climate, almost half (46%) of UK businesses adopted a conservative investment approach this year. This is not a slowdown; it reflects strategic thinking. Many retailers already have the tools they need; the challenge is that these tools often don’t function cohesively.
Internal optimisation offers measurable returns:
- Eliminating duplicate tools reduces cost and confusion.
- Consolidating data improves AI accuracy and forecasting.
- Simplifying workflows speeds decision-making.
- Integrated systems reduce operational risk.
These improvements support the fundamentals: faster checkout, aligned stock information, consistent pricing, and reliable service, enabling peak-season performance and long-term growth.
Lessons for 2026
Looking ahead, retailers should treat 2026 as a year of optimisation. Instead of expanding tech stacks, the focus should be on strengthening existing systems. This creates the stability needed to deploy AI strategically, remove friction, and deliver the consistent, high-trust experiences consumers expect.
