AI, AI… and Action Figures.
From “Buy Now” integrations to LinkedIn feeds full of AI-powered action heroes, the artificial intelligence hype machine is still in overdrive. Whether the use cases are game-changing or just gimmicks, AI once again stole the show last month. I’d bet not many of you are reading this without thinking about the prompt you used to generate your own?!
On a more serious note, April was slower than we’d hoped – likely a combination of tariffs and the Easter break. That said, we’re expecting activity to ramp up quickly in the coming weeks.
As always, we had a presence at Retail Tech Show last month. The general consensus? Retail isn’t standing still. While spending is cautious, there’s a clear appetite for investment – especially in areas that drive efficiency and optimisation. Hiring was very much on the agenda for many vendors we spoke to.
Interestingly, Europe seems to be a step ahead of the UK when it comes to pressing ‘go’ on transformation projects. We’ve also heard whispers of some major retail programmes kicking off later this year.
On the upside, our pipeline is looking incredibly strong across engineering, architecture, and customer success/account management roles.
At the start of the year, I said 2025 would be choppy – and April proved just that. But with fresh budgets in place and positive early signals, May is already shaping up to be a better month.
Market Spotlight + Top 5 eCommerce Stories This Month
- Asda will open 25 new convenience stores in the second half of 2025, stepping up its local presence after launching just 12 last year READ MORE
- JD Group test-launched UK website Joybuy.com, offering groceries including Morrisons own-label products. The site features food, drink, household and personal care items READ MORE
- SHEIN and Temu have informed US customers to expect higher prices starting next week due to the tariffs imposed on China by Trump READ MORE
- Amazon submitted a bid to acquire TikTok’s US operations as the platform faces a forced sale READ MORE
- Superdrug is rolling out 500 digital screens across UK stores to support its Retail Media Network, Optimo. The screens aim to deliver tailored promotions in real time, enhancing customer experience and supplier advertising READ MORE
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