Early signs online and the latest spend data suggest the Black Friday weekend in the UK delivered a solid performance, with total spend coming in just under £4 billion, up 4.5% on last year. As expected, online continued to dominate as the primary channel, reinforcing just how embedded digital purchasing now is across consumer behaviour.
I think it’s fair to say that market conversations more generally remain varied and encouraging. While retail continues to be heavily led by data, we’re seeing some of the bigger transformational programmes taking shape outside of traditional retail, particularly within non-profit organisations and utilities companies. Across retail, the most agile organisations are likely to be the ones that pull ahead. Being able to access, understand, and act on data quickly remains absolutely critical.
I heard an interesting comment last week that “businesses have the money, they just don’t want to write the cheque.” I’d challenge that slightly based on our own conversations, but it does underline that caution is still present when it comes to signing off on project budgets. Confidence is building, but diligence remains high.
That said, the pipeline for next year is really starting to take shape. We’re already seeing early demand across testing and engineering, with product owners and senior sales professionals also emerging as key areas of focus. With our expansion across the broader digital transformation space, both B2B and B2C, we’re well placed to support organisations as hiring plans begin to firm up, whether that’s scaling technical delivery teams, strengthening product functions, or bringing in senior commercial talent, with encouraging momentum already building into the new year.
On a personal note, a final thank you for the continued support this year. I hope you have a restful Christmas and a happy, healthy, and successful New Year.
Market Spotlight + Top 5 eCommerce Stories This Month
- Jo Malone London launched an AI-powered “Scent Advisor” tool, a new online experience built with Google Cloud AI, designed to help customers discover their perfect fragrance through a conversational journey that ’emulates the feel of an in-store consultation’ READ MORE
- Morrisons launched its “Talking Tills” initiative – a temporary slower-checkout option designed to combat loneliness, while reinforcing the growing focus on differentiated in-store customer experience alongside the rise of automation and ecommerce READ MORE
- Lloyds Banking Group explores using AI and blockchain to speed up the UK home-buying process, with the aim of cutting paperwork, reducing delays and simplifying mortgages and conveyancing for buyers and lenders alike READ MORE
- BT has launched a sovereign data platform for UK public-sector and business customers, enabling data, cloud, AI and voice services to be stored and processed within the UK for enhanced security, compliance, and resilience READ MORE
- eBay has teamed up with InPost so UK buyers and sellers can now send and receive parcels via their 12,000-strong locker and parcel-shop network, offering 24/7 convenience and boosting flexibility for online shopping fulfilment READ MORE
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