Retailers: Speed and seamlessness now matter more than price.

The days of choosing between online and in-store shopping are over. Shoppers now want it all—the speed of e-commerce and the instant gratification of physical retail. For retailers, that means one thing: eliminate friction. Whether it’s arming associates with real-time data, optimizing inventory, or rolling out touchless checkout, the goal is the same—a seamless experience from start to finish. Retailers who get this right will not only keep customers happy but redefine what great retail looks like. 🔗 Dive into our latest blog to see how to make retail truly frictionless: #ExplorerResearch #Retail #ConsumerInsights #RetailStrategy https://hubs.li/Q03RP_kp0

The days of choosing between online and in-store shopping are over. Shoppers now want it all—the speed of e-commerce and the instant gratification of physical retail. For retailers, that means one thing: eliminate friction. Whether it’s arming associates with real-time data, optimizing inventory, or rolling out touchless checkout, the goal is the same—a seamless experience from start to finish. Retailers who get this right will not only keep customers happy but redefine what great retail looks like. 🔗 Dive into our latest blog to see how to make retail truly frictionless: #ExplorerResearch #Retail #ConsumerInsights #RetailStrategy https://hubs.li/Q03RP_pk0

The days of choosing between online and in-store shopping are over. Shoppers now want it all—the speed of e-commerce and the instant gratification of physical retail. For retailers, that means one thing: eliminate friction. Whether it’s arming associates with real-time data, optimizing inventory, or rolling out touchless checkout, the goal is the same—a seamless experience from start to finish. Retailers who get this right will not only keep customers happy but redefine what great retail looks like. 🔗 Dive into our latest blog to see how to make retail truly frictionless: #ExplorerResearch #Retail #ConsumerInsights #RetailStrategy https://hubs.li/Q03RP_2R0

The days of choosing between online and in-store shopping are over. Shoppers now want it all—the speed of e-commerce and the instant gratification of physical retail. For retailers, that means one thing: eliminate friction. Whether it’s arming associates with real-time data, optimizing inventory, or rolling out touchless checkout, the goal is the same—a seamless experience from start to finish. Retailers who get this right will not only keep customers happy but redefine what great retail looks like. 🔗 Dive into our latest blog to see how to make retail truly frictionless: #ExplorerResearch #Retail #ConsumerInsights #RetailStrategy https://hubs.li/Q03RP-Lg0

"How do we enhance the in-store experience without touching checkout infrastructure, and still scale fast?" A retail ops executive from a major North American grocery chain asked us this recently. It's the question we hear most. Everyone else says no. We say yes. → Local Express solved this differently than anyone else. We enable digital engagement - from planning to navigation - while preserving existing checkout flows. This unlocks e-commerce value with minimal operational disruption. Here's what this looks like in practice: Customers browse products, see pricing, and adjust quantities. Checked items automatically move to the bottom. In-store locations display in real time. All powered by a simple "I am at the store" toggle. → Your checkout infrastructure stays the same. → Your customer experience transforms. The insight: When the solution is simple, speed becomes your strategic advantage. The stores winning today aren't replacing what works, they're enhancing it. Let your store be your advantage → https://lnkd.in/gcUWHKH9 #RetailTech #Grocers #CartLess #LocalExpress

"[Creators] have that unique ability to build that trust and relationship with the customer." Michael Mosser, VP of Walmart Marketplace, spoke with Forbes’ Seth Matlins about creator-driven commerce at the 2025 #ForbesCreatorUpfronts. #WalmartCreator Presented by Walmart Creator

⚡ Quick Commerce: The Smartest Shift in Consumer Behavior What’s unfolding in retail right now isn’t just faster delivery — it’s a complete mindset shift. Consumers no longer chase discounts; they chase convenience, time, and certainty. Quick Commerce sits at the intersection of data, habit, and immediacy — and that’s where the next wave of brand growth is happening. Here’s what the smartest players are realizing 👇 1️⃣ Speed builds trust. When customers get what they want now, their loyalty grows naturally. 2️⃣ Frequency builds familiarity. Daily essentials are quietly becoming powerful retention tools. 3️⃣ Local is getting digital. Dark stores and micro-fulfillment hubs are reshaping how we define “nearby.” 4️⃣ Data is the new shelf. The real advantage lies in knowing what sells, when, and to whom. 5️⃣ Sustainability isn’t an afterthought. Shorter routes and localized inventory make faster also smarter. Quick Commerce isn’t the future — it’s the present evolution of consumer expectation. The brands that understand this shift early will lead the next decade of digital growth. #QuickCommerce #EcommerceTrends #ConsumerBehavior #DigitalInnovation #BrandStrategy #RetailTransformation #MarketingInsights

The Retail Recap - what's been making waves in retail this week? 🍲 Waitrose & Partners launches its tech-led Home of Food Lovers concept store, featuring new innovations to enhance customer & staff experiences 📲 Varner deploys Sitoo's POS on Zebra Technologies' mobile devices to drive CX across its 1,100+ store estate 💳 PayPal rolls out in-store payments and launches its first-ever loyalty scheme, PayPal+, which allows shoppers to earn points on everyday spending 🌩️ Personalisation pitfalls: two thirds of retailers fall short on personalisation, says Valtech data, leaving shoppers missing out on meaningful CX 🏪 YOOBIC acquires Humanitics as it continues to innovate, helping retailers to use AI to improve performance, productivity and CX 🛍️ Retailers brace for £9.5bn Black Friday weekend, as BFCM spending is forecast to rise +5.7% YOY, according to VoucherCodes 🛵 Asda inks multi-year partnership extension with Uber Direct, expanding the number of locations offering 1-hour deliveries 📦 Retailers plagued by porch piracy as parcel theft spirals: £666m+ worth of orders were stolen from doorsteps in the past year - Quadient 🕯️ The White Company has teamed up with Zapp to offer on-demand delivery ahead of Peak Trading across an edit of its most popular products 🏡 Home Bargains taps Evolve for secure payments and store connectivity across 650+ UK stores to bolster its expansion plans Full round up 👉 https://lnkd.in/e24fvhJf ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 📩 Did you know that Flagship offers a free daily news digest of all the breaking retail and tech news stories, delivered to inboxes every weekday morning? Want in? Drop us or Sarah Cole a DM and we'll add you.

Orchestration in e-commerce has been around for a while. There aren't many out there doing orchestration on card-present transactions. Still, the value is similar if not bigger.

The checkout isn’t just about payments — it’s where customers decide if they’ll come back. Too many retailers are still stuck with rigid, legacy payment setups that frustrate shoppers and slow innovation. Every second of friction impacts sales, loyalty, and brand trust. True in-person payment orchestration changes that — giving retailers the freedom to adapt, to choose the right partners, and to turn the checkout into a competitive advantage.