Retail stories - Page 8

Tech Mahindra and Google Cloud will scale Gemini 2.5-based agentic AI to move enterprises from pilots to production-grade, governed workflows.

Hedgehog lab has bought Label Sessions to build a full-stack innovation consultancy, linking AI delivery with a 500-strong global expert network.

Visa teams with Akamai on new protocol to verify AI shopping agents, tackling a 300% surge in bot traffic and rising eCommerce fraud risks.

Value for money, not low prices or rapid delivery, is the strongest driver of eCommerce satisfaction, Judge.me's study of reviews finds.

Record Black Friday online sales risk hollowing out profits as soaring returns, refunds and BNPL queries squeeze retailers' margins.

AI now underpins most UK Christmas campaigns, as 78% of marketers use it to deliver more personalised festive ads amid rising consumer demands.

Retailers brace for a “Christmas Returns Hangover” as eDesk reports a 45% spike in return requests from 26 December, denting profits.

NashTech adds five senior UK and US leaders to sharpen AI and digital transformation expertise as global client demand accelerates.

AI takes centre stage in logistics as Infios predicts 2026 supply chains built for constant disruption, resilience and human‑machine teamwork.

UiPath and Talkdesk are teaming up to fuse agentic AI, streamlining document-heavy healthcare contact centre workflows and cutting errors.

Gen Z's 'Returniture' habit of sending back bulky furniture bought online is soaring, leaving UK retailers to shoulder rising costs and complexity.

Yorkshire's Apollo3D launches Infinity Virtual Tours, turning Matterport scans into guided, data-rich journeys for retail, venues and estates teams.

Infobip logs 12.2 billion Cyber Week interactions as retailers drive a 277% Black Friday surge in rich messaging such as RCS and WhatsApp.

Melbourne-based Bodd raises AUD $15 million to fuel global rollout of its 3D body scanning tech across defence, aviation and healthcare.

By 2026, AI, social commerce and immersive physical retail experiences will transform how consumers interact with brands both online and in stores.

AI and predictive analytics are set to transform retail supply chains in 2026, enhancing customer experience and operational efficiency.

Over two-thirds of retailers expect agentic AI to boost efficiency by 2026, but only 8% have fully integrated it into their operations so far.

UK shoppers favour AI for delivery tracking and returns but insist it should support, not replace, human customer service roles in retail.

Black Friday exposed how rising demand strains UK retailers' customer service, revealing challenges caused by complex systems and ageing processes.

Topsort secures investment from W23, backed by major grocers including Tesco, to expand its AI-driven retail media platform for global grocery retailers.