As June comes to a close, and with summer schedules, event follow-ups and a touch of World Cup energy now firmly in the mix, it feels like the digital commerce market is moving into the second half of the year with more confidence than it had back in January.
One thing I’ve noticed in Q2 is the increase in upgrade and re-platforming conversations. We’ve heard of a number of new projects coming through across the UK, from large high street retail chains to smaller DTC brands. Shopify is still coming up as the platform of choice for many, while Adobe Commerce and Magento seem to be under continued pressure.
Salesforce Commerce Cloud is also being spoken about more frequently. Salesforce appears to be increasing its focus on ecommerce and looking to regain some of the market share it has lost, and, of the more established platforms, it feels like the one generating the most renewed interest.
Outside of ecommerce platforms, PIM and subscription technology are two of the areas I’m hearing about most, usually linked to better product data, stronger retention and more predictable recurring revenue.
Across our agency network, most conversations point towards growth in H2. That confidence is starting to show in hiring too, with current demand strongest across business development, frontend engineering and customer-facing technology specialists.
The first half of the year has still been measured, but the direction of travel feels more positive. If the conversations we’re having are anything to go by, H2 could be where momentum really starts to build.
Market Spotlight + Top 5 eCommerce Stories This Month
- Asda selects Ocado to power its next-generation online grocery platform, replacing its existing ecommerce technology as the retailer looks to improve fulfilment, customer experience and long-term digital capability. READ MORE
- Bodycare partners with PMC to create an AI-first retail estate, combining AI-powered store operations, digital content studios and immersive customer experiences as it prepares to open 25 new UK stores this year. READ MORE
- Visa and OpenAI partner to support agent-led payments, building infrastructure that allows AI agents to search, recommend and securely complete purchases, as conversational commerce moves closer to real-world retail transactions READ MORE
- Amazon Prime Day shows the commercial impact of intelligent shopping journeys, with Forbes reporting AI-driven traffic converted 40% better than other channels as retailers rethink discovery, recommendation and conversion READ MORE
- The Body Shop launches on Uber Eats across the UK, giving customers access to beauty and wellness products delivered in minutes as delivery platforms continue expanding beyond food into wider retail categories READ MORE
Each month we send out the latest industry news and headlines, plus sector insight such as this via our newsletter, The Pulse. This also includes the latest jobs and internal news… click HERE to subscribe
