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Back in January, the Retail Daily newsletter editors made some retail predictions for 2024. While we were right about Amazon opening fulfillment centers out of physical stores, we were wrong about more digitally native brands partnering with Amazon. Want the full rundown? Here鈥檚 how we did.

As the digital grocery landscape grows more crowded, retailers must meet consumers' expectations around product selection, mobile app features, and fulfillment. 鈥淒igital grocery is no longer an emerging category,鈥� said our analyst Blake Droesch. 鈥淚t鈥檚 grown really fast over the last couple of years, and the market is pretty mature at this point.鈥� Here are three ways retailers can stay competitive, according to our Digital Grocery Opportunity report.

Delivery is a critical component of ecommerce fulfillment, but accessing this opportunity requires brands and retailers to navigate a complex set of options and find ways to meet rising consumer expectations.

Amazon is on a never-ending mission to speed up delivery: The retailer鈥檚 latest initiatives, including smart glasses and streamlined grocery fulfillment, will help cut costs and encourage shoppers to order more鈥攁nd more often.

Canada鈥檚 click-and-collect buyer growth tops our rankings among the countries we forecast. It鈥檚 a key option for consumers in Canada who prefer speedier order fulfillment and want to avoid home-delivery costs.

On the flip side, poor fulfillment can drive attrition. Two in five (40%) consumers say they鈥檝e stopped buying from D2C brands due to issues like unexpected fees (30%), shipping delays (29%), or frustrating returns processes (24%). These failures hit hardest with younger shoppers. Gen Z (35%) and millennials (33%) report the most frustration with delivery delays and lack of communication.

India鈥檚 commerce landscape is undergoing rapid transformation, fueled by booming ecommerce, rising mobile shopping, and the growing influence of social media.

China鈥檚 retail sector will grow from government stimulus, retail鈥檚 genAI revolution will have a far-reaching impact, India鈥檚 quick commerce will heat up, China鈥檚 retailers will face pushback in the region, and Xiaohongshu will further establish itself.

Domino鈥檚 customers pulled back on delivery to save money: Consumers鈥� focus on cost is unlikely to ease anytime soon, especially with new tariffs expected to push everyday prices even higher.

In April, Walmart led the retail rankings thanks to its advanced grid-based delivery system and an elevated in-store beauty experience. Amazon followed closely with the testing of a new AI-powered 鈥淏uy For Me鈥� feature designed to simplify purchases. Meanwhile, Temu and Shein adjusted their pricing strategies due to rising import costs, risking their low-price appeal. Here are the eight most interesting retailers and brands from last month, as ranked on our 鈥淏ehind the Numbers鈥� podcast.

DoorDash makes $3.6 billion bid for Deliveroo despite global economic uncertainty: The delivery company hopes to broaden its international reach at a time when consumers are cutting restaurant spend.

Consumers stick with Instacart amid uncertainty: The delivery platform鈥檚 orders jumped 14% in Q1 thanks to its Uber partnership and a lower minimum for Instacart+ members.

Domino鈥檚 inks deal with DoorDash to expand delivery reach: The partnership will put the pizza chain on track to reach its goal of $1 billion in sales from aggregator platforms by 2026.

The retailer last year delivered over 2 billion essential items in the US within a day, a more than 50% YoY increase thanks to its pivot from a nationwide distribution network to a regional model that aimed at faster ecommerce order fulfillment.

Walgreens鈥� downfall as a publicly traded company ends with $10B take-private deal: We think Walgreens鈥� retail pharmacy will eventually get back on track. The company's aggressive push into healthcare delivery was its undoing.

This week, consumers are concerned about tariffs but continue shopping via mobile and on low-price retailers associated with China. Consumers are also less focused on fast delivery and flocking to Google for reviews.