Data, personalisation and AI
No sector stands still. Over the years, the delivery and logistics sector has continuously adapted to emerging economic, technological and consumer trends – or even anticipated them. This development will continue throughout the rest of 2025.
Consumers are demanding more delivery options, greater personalisation and strong sustainability claims. It is therefore crucial for companies to develop a delivery strategy that aligns with customer behaviour and preferences in order to stay ahead of the competition.
Here are a few key delivery trends for the coming year:
More variety
Recent research by Mollie with 10,000 consumers from the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, France and the UK who made an online purchase last month, shows 68% find a wide selection of delivery options at checkout important, such as Click & Collect or home delivery.
In 2025, e-commerce companies need to offer a broad array of options like PUDO locations, automated parcel lockers (APMs) and Click & Collect services.
Multiple carriers
The Retail Report: Carrier Diversification Tops 2024 Shipping Fulfillment Goals underlines the value of a multi-carrier approach. 73% of surveyed retailers say it's hard to manage peak periods when relying on their own carrier network. And 67% report that limited carrier choice hurts sales.
By teaming up with multiple carriers, ecommerce companies can offer customers more delivery choice, reduce risks and improve delivery speed. Working with local carriers also creates sharper insights into consumer needs in each market.
Data-driven decisions
Available data is growing explosively. Companies that use this data for valuable insights can get ahead of the competition. Data helps optimise delivery networks according to KPIs like delivery speed and CO₂ emissions. Plus, 90% of consumers want to track their order, making data vital to the delivery strategy.
Advanced services combine this data with AI to take things further, using artificial intelligence to predict delivery times, automate customer service, and reduce parcel theft. AI adoption is growing rapidly, with a projected market size of £15.08 billion for AI-driven last-mile delivery by 2037.
Ultimately, data is the key for delivery and logistics companies to make smarter, more informed choices. Platforms with data dashboards give organisations insight into shipping volumes, carrier performance, tracking info and benchmark stats. These tools help filter the right info and turn shipping data into action without overwhelm.
Social shopping
Social media has long been an integral part of everyday life, but it is also increasingly being used as a sales channel. Recent research shows that 73% of consumers now actively shop via social media.
Social shopping behaviour is growing rapidly: 91% of consumers now buy cosmetics via social media and 81% buy clothing. Platforms are responding to this with integrated shopping features, such as TikTok Shop or Facebook and Instagram shops.
Sustainable delivery solutions
Sustainability is a top priority everywhere, including logistics. Research shows consumers want greener delivery options, and many are willing to pay extra to get them.
By 2025, delivery services will lower their carbon footprint via smarter routes, fuel-efficient vehicles, eco-friendly packaging and fewer failed deliveries. No matter which approach companies take, it is important to communicate these efforts. They can make the difference between winning a sale or losing a customer.
The future of returns
Even with a flawless e-commerce experience, returns are inevitable. In the UK, for example, one in five parcels is returned. This means driving up retailer costs, carbon emissions, and customer frustration.
A flexible, customer-focused returns policy increases satisfaction, reduces costs and polishes your brand image. Data helps optimise the process by tracking return rates, handling speeds and cost per return.
Personalised delivery experiences
Today’s customers expect a personal touch, even in delivery. Forbes research shows 81% would pick a company offering personalisation.
Logistics providers need to respond, by providing tailored delivery times, real-time tracking, and using AI to predict preferences and optimise customer experience.
Delivery on a chosen day
Giving customers the option to select a specific delivery date offers retailers and consumers major benefits:
✅ More efficient warehouse processes – By spreading orders over several days, you avoid peak times in your warehouse and reduce the workload for picking and packing.
✅ Higher delivery success rate – Customers have control over when and how their parcel is delivered, which increases the likelihood of successful delivery on the first attempt.
✅ Less peak traffic on Mondays – When you only offer next-day delivery, there is often a peak in orders on Mondays. With delivery on a chosen day, customers can opt for Saturday, for example, which means orders are processed on Friday – often a quieter time of the week.
✅ Cost savings – By spreading the workload more evenly, the need for expensive temporary staff on peak days is reduced. In addition, the pressure on customer service is also reduced, as WISMO questions (‘Where is my order?’) are spread out over the week.
Meeting delivery expectations in 2025
Trends will keep evolving, but one thing stays certain: delivery shapes conversion. For the rest of 2025, consumers expect more choice, more personalisation, and smarter, greener delivery solutions. Those companies that meet these expectations will earn more sales and more loyal customers.
In a competitive market, Wuunder offers an all-in-one platform to manage every aspect of a high-quality delivery experience, from webshop and warehouse to track & trace and returns. Our data analysis tools provide insight into customer preferences and carrier performance, enabling businesses to optimise their delivery strategy based on facts rather than trends.
Don’t follow every new hype. With Wuunder, you make sure innovations genuinely improve your customer’s delivery experience.