April in eCommerce
)
This month in eCommerce: April 2026 🛍️
If March was all about momentum, April felt like a month where retailers started putting more of their bets into action. Across the UK, we saw AI move further into the real customer journey, loyalty programmes become more flexible and lifestyle-led, and marketplaces and delivery operations get smarter behind the scenes.
The Future of Digital Commerce 🤖
Frasers brings conversational AI to the storefront
Frasers Group made a strong case for AI-powered product discovery in April with the launch of Ask Frasers, its new shopping assistant on the Frasers site. The retailer said the tool helps shoppers find relevant products through conversational search, and early results suggest it is already having a meaningful commercial impact, with conversion rates reportedly rising by up to 25% compared with traditional search.
Why it matters
This is the kind of AI story eCommerce professionals should be paying attention to. Many retailers are now leaning into on-site bots, and soon it will become standard.
It’s also not AI for AI’s sake, it’s plugged directly into search, products, discovery and conversion. As more retailers rethink the role of on-site search, conversational commerce is starting to look much less experimental and much more like a serious revenue lever.
Optimisation 📈
AllSaints bets on AI behind the scenes
While some retailers are using AI to reshape the front end, AllSaints is applying it deeper in the engine room. In April, the brand announced new AI-native planning tools across trading, forecasting, allocation, pricing and assortment planning, with the aim of giving teams faster access to insight and more time to focus on commercial decisions.
Why it matters
This is a reminder that some of the most valuable AI use cases in retail are still operational. Better forecasting, smarter pricing and sharper assortment decisions may not be as flashy as a chatbot, but they are often where competitive advantage and margin can be built.
Connected Commerce 🔗
The Range upgrades its marketplace model
The Range used April to strengthen the infrastructure behind its marketplace, moving to Mirakl to support future growth. Coverage of the announcement said the retailer is replacing its earlier in-house setup with a more scalable platform. The move also points to more sophisticated seller management and marketplace operations going forward.
Why it matters
Marketplace growth is now about building the right systems to manage sellers, improve discoverability and keep the customer experience consistent. For retailers expanding beyond a purely first-party model, infrastructure is becoming a strategic differentiator.
CX & Loyalty 💳
M&S gives Sparks a major refresh
M&S unveiled a transformed Sparks loyalty programme in April, built around “pounds, not points”, a new digital wallet, and a more personalised customer experience powered by data, machine learning and future generative AI capabilities. The retailer positioned it as a key part of its wider growth strategy and a response to what customers want from loyalty.
Why it matters
Loyalty is becoming simpler on the surface and smarter underneath. The M&S move stands out because it combines clearer customer value with more advanced personalisation, exactly the kind of balance many brands are still trying to strike.
Delivery 🚚
Asda doubles down on rapid delivery infrastructure
Asda also made moves in April, expanding its partnership with Deliverect to support on-demand delivery across Asda Express and the wider estate. Reports said the setup helps connect ordering platforms such as Uber Eats, Just Eat and Deliveroo directly with store systems, making rapid delivery operations easier to manage at scale.
Why it matters
The interesting part here is not that Asda is growing in rapid delivery, it is that it is investing in the connective tissue that makes multi-platform commerce work. For retailers selling across multiple fulfilment and aggregator channels, operational integration is becoming just as important as channel presence.
CX & Loyalty / Connected Commerce ✨
Nectar expands beyond retail with Uber and Uber Eats
In a smart example of loyalty becoming more embedded in everyday life, Nectar announced a new partnership with Uber and Uber Eats. Customers can now exchange Nectar points for Uber vouchers via the app, creating a new reward category beyond traditional retail redemptions. Nectar360 described it as the first time Nectar has partnered with a ride-hailing platform.
Why it matters
This is a strong example of loyalty evolving from a retail mechanic into a broader lifestyle proposition. For eCommerce teams, it is a useful signal that the most compelling loyalty ecosystems are increasingly the ones that show up beyond the checkout and into customers’ daily routines.
The bigger picture 👀
Taken together, April’s stories point to a sector that is becoming more intelligent, more integrated and more practical in how it applies innovation. AI is moving from pilot to performance, loyalty is becoming more flexible, and retailers are investing more seriously in the systems that connect channels, fulfilment and customer experience. For eCommerce professionals that means less hype, more application.
Latest News
-
)
From bricks-and-mortar to digital transformation, this interview explores the evolving world of ecommerce trading at Primark, touching on performance metrics, stock strategy, and the customer-centric ... -
)
Despite Britain’s unpredictable weather, seasonal shifts significantly impact retail. While heatwaves drive demand in categories like appliances and outdoor gear, clothing sales remain sluggish due to ... -
)
Our media partner, The Paypers, has launched the Global Ecommerce Report 2025, teaming up with industry experts to bring you a guide to global expansion packed with insights to help you succeed. -
)
In eCommerce performance analysis, averages are essential — but they can also be deceptive. This article explores the limitations of relying solely on average figures, particularly in benchmarking sce ... -
)
From Walmart’s tariff-driven pricing backlash to Tesco’s leadership shakeup and Shein’s IPO detour, May saw pivotal changes across global retail. AI disruption, influencer marketing growth, and rising ... -
)
Growth Summit 2025 is officially open for registration. This new invite-only experience is designed for senior retail leaders who want to sharpen their strategy, connect with peers, and benchmark thei ... -
)
After such a long period of decline for the eCommerce market, where any positive growth gain made in one week would quickly be eliminated by a drop over the subsequent weeks, we can perhaps be forgive ... -
)
Currently UX Research Manager at Tesco, Serkan Ayan shares how human-centred research drives customer experience, how to scale UX in large organisations, and why curiosity is key to career growth in t ... -
)
The first edition of the Global Ecommerce Report highlights the transformative shifts in the ecommerce and payments industries. With the increased tendency towards globalisation, digitalisation, and h ... -
)
Miracle Inameti-Archibong, Head of Search at John Lewis & Partners, shares her approach to integrating SEO across channels, leading teams, and adapting to AI-driven changes in search. -
)
A few months’ ago, in this very series, I posited the idea that eCommerce might be making a bit of a comeback following years in the growth wilderness. The early weeks of the year were all positive fo ... -
)
Camilla Mackay-Wilson, Head of E-Commerce, Retail at Soho House, shares her career journey and insights into the world of eCommerce. She discusses her path from Marks & Spencer to leading digital stra ... -
)
The 2025 eCommerce Awards are now open for entries, and the search for the industry's best is officially on. -
)
Martina Guizzardi, Global Senior CRM & Loyalty Lead at Oner Active, shares key career lessons, consumer insights, and strategies for building lasting customer relationships. -
)
eCommerce Expo is delighted to introduce our newly formed 2025 Advisory Board – an impressive assembly of eCommerce visionaries poised to transform the event landscape. -
)
After years of decline, eCommerce is showing signs of recovery. What’s driving this shift, and is the industry finally bouncing back? -
)
Andy Mulcahy, Strategy and Insight Director at IMRG, reflects on the challenges and growth patterns of eCommerce in 2024, highlighting sector winners, market shifts, and what lies ahead for online ret ... -
)
We are delighted to announce the launch of Growth Summit 2025, an exclusive, invite-only event taking place on 24th September 2025 at ExCeL London, brought to you by eCommerce Expo and IMRG. Designed ... -
)
Discover how Frankie Thorogood built and scaled multi-million-pound eCommerce brands, navigated challenges, and learned invaluable lessons in entrepreneurship. From risk-taking to resilience, get insi ... -
)
The ever-evolving world of eCommerce and marketing has seen transformative shifts this year. Here's what stood out in 2024.... -
)
Black Friday 2024 showed positive revenue growth, marking the first uplift since 2020, but traffic remained subdued, dampening the overall success. Year-on-year comparisons were skewed due to the timi ... -
)
Retailers are gearing up for the biggest sales event of the year, but with shifting dates and unpredictable shopping habits, it’s a rollercoaster ride. Andy Mulcahy, Strategy and Insight Director at I ... -
)
Bite-size updates on what happened in marketing and eCommerce this month, to keep you ahead of the curve and inform your campaigns. -
)
In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Ramona Gohil, founder of the feminist jewellery brand Rani & Co. From humble beginnings to TikTok-fuelled success, Ramona shares her journey, insights int ... -
)
ECommerce has been in the doldrums for a few years now, with negative revenue growth, lower conversion and dips in site traffic becoming an accepted part of market conditions; that has been the post-p ... -
)
Meet Zaria Parvez, the mastermind behind Duolingo's viral social media success, who grew their TikTok from 50K to over 11M followers. Discover how she transformed Duolingo into a social-first brand, c ... -
)
If you are a regular reader of this column, you’ve probably gotten used to the updates often containing news that don’t paint a great picture of eCommerce performance. But I’m just the messenger! I ca ... -
)
Meet Adam Ull, Global Product Information Lead at H&M, who is transforming commerce by using data and AI to enhance customer experiences across digital channels. He discusses building agile systems an ... -
)
In the ever-evolving world of eCommerce, UK merchants must adopt strategic approaches to ensure sustainable growth both at home and abroad. In our recent webinar featuring Emily McMorran, CX Lead at w ... -
)
Some essential tips to help you deliver an impactful presentation with Alyssia Smith, Senior Content Manager at eCommerce Expo and Technology for Marketing
