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With a nearly endless selection of books, low prices, and speedy delivery, Amazon has revolutionized bookselling, making it challenging for everyone else to keep up. But retailers like Barnes & Noble and Bookshop.org haven’t given up the fight against the ecommerce giant. Here’s how they’re using their unique strengths to chip away at Amazon’s dominance.

Amazon tries to expand Whole Foods’ appeal: It added a micro fulfillment center to one site so customers can pick up an array of items when they shop.

Serve Robotics stockpiles cash ahead of planned expansion: The company aims to have 2,000 delivery robots on the streets by 2025’s end.

Instacart announces slew of partnerships to combat slowing growth: The delivery platform is adding new retail partners and expanding its ad reach.

UPS pushes into healthcare logistics: The company is renting out custom lab space near its main global air hub. Diagnostics companies will be able to consolidate their shipping operations and drive downstream cost-savings.

Whatnot raises $265M amid TikTok ban fears: ByteDance pushes Lemon8, but the US-based livestream shipping platform gains investor confidence and market traction.

In 2025, retailers must prioritize data-driven measurement, seamless online-to-store experiences, and programmatic out-of-home (OOH) advertising. Seeking heightened measurement has nearly half of marketers emphasizing attribution, making actionable insights crucial. Meanwhile, bridging digital and physical shopping and leveraging real-time OOH campaigns can help retailers stay competitive. Here are three areas retailers should prioritize in 2025, according to industry experts.

At the same time, many Amazon merchants are being lured to sell on Temu and fellow ecommerce newcomer TikTok Shop with the promise of lower fees and other perks like platform-funded discounts and the ability for sellers to use their own fulfillment services.

Outsourcing fulfillment to a third-party logistics firm. They benefit from economies of scale and can often negotiate better rates with carriers. UK skincare brand 5Kind claims it reduced its operating costs by 12% using Amazon’s Multi-Channel Fulfilment, for example. Leveraging AI-powered route optimization. Amazon uses AI to optimize delivery routes for its delivery service partners.

Amazon takes on Swiggy and Flipkart in India: The retailer will begin testing a 15-minute rapid delivery service in Bangalore.

Walmart looks to accelerate its ecommerce business in China: Working with Chinese delivery app Meituan should boost the retailer’s visibility and sales.

Carriers keep hiking up shipping costs: Rates are up nearly 26% since 2021, and that’s before factoring in holiday surcharges that will further eat into retailers’ margins.

Shein and Temu delivery providers face barrage of lawsuits regarding labor practices: Several have been accused of underpaying workers, misclassifying them as independent contractors, and failing to provide overtime.

Tesco’s newest venture takes aim at Ocado: The UK grocer’s Transcend Retail Solutions division aims to help international supermarket chains develop their ecommerce operations.

Shorter ad breaks, seamless delivery, and relevant ads are key to keeping viewers engaged with ad-supported streaming. These factors enhance satisfaction and drive better results for brands, according to the latest research from FreeWheel's Viewer Experience Lab.

How are consumers adapting to digital dining tools designed to make ordering and delivery more convenient? Are they embracing restaurant apps, delivery platforms, and digital ordering kiosks?

Walmart enhanced its online marketplace with new capabilities and seller solutions, the retailer announced at its annual Walmart Marketplace Seller Summit this week. Updates include the addition of premium beauty products, expanded fulfillment services, and revamped seller solutions.

Wonder buys Grubhub for $650 million: The Marc Lore-owned company snapped up the delivery service at a steep discount, seeking to develop a meal-time super app.

Section 3: Subcategories, delivery services, and order fulfillment. Digital grocery sales will remain divided between food and beverage and household goods categories. In 2025, more than 60% of digital grocery sales will come from delivery orders as click and collect becomes less popular.

Provide an overview of our UK ecommerce sales forecasts as of Q4 2024, including breakdowns by fulfillment method and product category. Help retailers benchmark their ecommerce sales against the market. Equip retailers with the data to forecast future sales growth across major categories. Click below to view our full forecasts featured in this report:. UK Retail Ecommerce Sales.

That could be a warning sign for Amazon’s retail business writ large, given how reliant it is on revenues from third-party services like fulfillment and advertising. Our take: Amazon’s bullish sales forecast for the quarter shows that it’s confident in its ability to offer value to customers, on both the pricing and convenience fronts.