From Ann Summers readying its data foundations to drive its AI and marketplace strategies, to rising levels of doorstep theft and Fortnum & Mason deploying clienteling, what’s been making waves in retail this week?

Ann Summers taps PMC to transform its data systems

Ann Summers has completed the transformation of its data integration layer, partnering with commerce technology specialist, PMC, to streamline, modernise and future-proof its systems.

Partnering with PMC, Ann Summers replaced its complex legacy integrations with modular architecture, migrating its data layer to PMC’s unified commerce platform, Graphene.

“Ann Summers has opened up a much more strategic way of using insight to drive innovation,” Elliott Winskill, PMC’s Technology & Solutions Director, said.

As well as cutting integration costs, the move will support Ann Summers’ marketplace strategy as well as helping make it more discoverable in traditional online and AI search.  

“With the most recent push from an AI perspective, unless you’ve got your data straightened out, it can hold you back,” Jeannette Copeland, Technology & Supply Chain Director at Ann Summers, explained. She added that the migration to Graphene would “ensure we’ve got the foundations so we can scale in the future.”

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Porch piracy: Doorstep theft instances strike every 7 seconds

The epidemic of doorstep theft shows no signs of letting up, with new figures from Quadient showing that 4.83million UK homes fell victim to porch piracy last year, equating to one package stolen every seven seconds.

“Knowing that a parcel is now stolen roughly every seven seconds in the UK shows how urgent it is to change the way we deliver packages,” said Katia Bourgeais-Crémel, Director of Lockers Automation Europe at Quadient.

With £666million worth of parcels stolen across the UK, the cost to consumers – and businesses – is significant; nearly three in ten (29%) customers said parcel theft caused them financial loss, as they struggled to secure refunds or replacements.

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Going digital: 76% of shoppers now demand e-receipts

Consumers are increasingly adopting digital receipts, driven by convenience, demands for more post-purchase personalisation and sustainability, data from Yocuda reveals.

Original research of over 1,000 UK shoppers by the digital receipt provider showed that three quarters (76%) of customers will now opt for an e-receipt when shopping in-store.

Convenience was a key driver for 52% of fashion shoppers, allowing them to store their proof of purchase digitally within emails, mobile wallets or loyalty apps, while 64% want e-receipts to bridge the gap between in-store and digital engagement.

“Shoppers want convenience, but they also want connection, personalisation and sustainable choices,” said Ed Drax, MD of Yocuda. “Digital receipts sit right at the intersection of all three, turning a simple transaction into an opportunity to build longer-term relationships.” 

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John Lewis, MARS & CommerceIQ on how AI is reshaping digital shelves

At Candid Commerce London, we heard how the digital shelf is entering a new era, as AI-powered discovery and conversational commerce reshape how shoppers find, engage and buy from brands.

John Lewis’ Tom Langley, MARS’ Swagat Choudhury and CommerceIQ’s Vanessa Dodd explored how the rise of AI assistants, LLMs and agentic commerce is forcing retailers to rethink discoverability. They discussed:

🗣️ How conversational AI is driving dialogue-led discovery

📈 Strategies for digitalising the shelf beyond the PDP

🔠 Why the fundamentals and “brilliant basics” of search still matter

🤖 The role of pricing, relevance and retail media in the AI era

Read the full session write-up 👉 Candid Commerce | John Lewis, CommerceIQ & MARS on how AI is reshaping the digital shelf.

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Returns on the rise: 53% of Gen Z branded serial returners

The number of Gen Z shoppers branded as ‘serial returners’ has risen sharply, increasing +38 percentage points in just three years, according to new data from leading delivery intelligence platform, Ingrid. 

Original research of over 1,000 shoppers by Ingrid showed that 53% of Gen Z shoppers have been identified as serial returners, a 3.5-fold increase in just three years (rising from 15% in 2023).  

However two fifths (38%) of shoppers are no longer put off by traditional returns deterrents, while 14% of Gen Z actively try to bypass returns by selling items on pre-loved marketplaces like Vinted or Depop.

“What used to deter returns no longer works. Customers have adapted, and for many shoppers, returns are just part of online shopping,” said Ingrid Founder & CPTO, Piotr Zaleski.

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Rising retail pressures puts costs ahead of staff experience

Rising labour costs and increasing operational burden are forcing retailers to put cost controls ahead of employee experience, new research from frontline operations platform, WorkJam, reveals.

Original research of 150 retail professionals conducted at the Retail Technology Show showed that over a third (37%) are now prioritising cost control over employee retention and experience, signalling a shift way from staff engagement within workforce strategies.

“This is one of the sharpest and most risky strategic reversals we have seen in the sector in recent years,” said Mark Williams, MD EMEA at WorkJam. “The pressure retailers are facing is real, but deprioritising employee experience is a short-term reaction that will negatively compound over time.”

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Fortnum & Mason launches clienteling solution with Proximity

Fortnum & Mason has teamed up with Proximity to launch Fortnum’s Connect, a new clienteling platform designed to elevate personalised customer experiences.

The platform provides store teams with a real-time, centralised view of customer profiles to deliver more informed and personalised service on the shop floor.

“Exceptional customer service is part of our DNA,” said Sean Ghouse, Director of UK Retail at Fortnum & Mason, adding the platform would help colleagues deliver “brilliant” customer service.

Cathy McCabe, CEO of Proximity, said Fortnum’s Connect would give store teams the “tools and insights to deliver experience consistently at scale.”

She added that “by bringing everything into one place, colleagues can focus on what matters most: building meaningful customer relationships and creating exceptional experiences.”

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