Global fulfilment provider fulfilmentcrowd has reported a 19% increase in EBITDA to £3.7m on revenue of £23.7m for the financial year ended 31 March 2026, supported by international expansion and improved operating margins.

The Chorley-headquartered business achieved double-digit revenue growth, with transaction volumes increasing by 25% year on year and performance improvements recorded across territories.

The results follow Palatine Private Equity becoming the Group’s majority shareholder in May 2025, backing its next phase of global growth.

Revenue generated from non-UK entities accounted for almost 39% of Group revenue. European revenue increased by 26% to £6.8m, up from £5.4m, driven by new customer acquisitions throughout the region. US revenue increased by 77% to £2.3m as the business supported UK brands expanding into the US market.

The UK remained the Group’s largest revenue source, generating £14.5m, an increase from £14.2m the year prior.

Improved performance came despite continued pressure on consumer spending across its trading territories, with inflation and living costs creating more challenging conditions for retail customers.

fulfilmentcrowd supports brands selling through online stores, marketplaces and retail channels across the UK, Europe, North America and Australia. Its award-winning technology connects inventory, orders, distribution and returns across multiple channels and regions to help customers expand internationally through a single platform.

The Group’s worldwide fulfilment network combines this technology with carefully selected logistics partners. This model allows for the increase of warehouse capacity through existing infrastructure, supporting international expansion without relying solely on owned facilities. Additional fulfilment capacity was established in North America during the year to meet growing international demand.

Lee Thompson, CEO of fulfilmentcrowd, said: “These results demonstrate the strength of our model in a demanding retail market. Brands are seeking ways to reach new customers and grow internationally while keeping a firm grip on costs and service. Our role is to bring that growth within reach and make it easier to manage.

“Europe and North America have been important drivers of our improved performance. By connecting global fulfilment operations through one platform and commercial relationship, we give our customers the visibility and flexibility to grow their businesses with full confidence in their operation.

“With Palatine’s backing, we’re continuing to invest in our technology, people and international network, with focus on profitable growth that strengthens the service we deliver to customers.”

EBITDA increased from £3.1m to £3.7m with higher volumes, improved supply agreements, pricing tactics and process efficiencies contributing to improved margins and positive cash generation for the business.

Continued platform investment is focused on areas including operational resilience and data intelligence. The Group is implementing artificial intelligence to deliver better decision support and agentic automation within the business, partner network and wider customer estate.

Following the year end, fulfilmentcrowd acquired Netherlands-based logistics provider Fulfilment.nl, further extending its international presence and capability. The Group continues to pursue organic growth alongside selective acquisitions that strengthen its network and service offering.

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Salesupply has expanded its international logistics network by opening a new fulfillment center and returns hub in Switzerland. Located in Embrach, in the canton of Zurich, the facility lets international e-commerce brands store inventory, fulfill domestic Swiss orders, and process returns without repeatedly moving goods across the Swiss-EU border.

The location is situated close to Zurich Airport and the surrounding customs infrastructure, positioning the facility to support both domestic distribution and international inventory flows. For Salesupply, Switzerland becomes the latest node in a fulfillment network that already covers multiple markets across Europe, North America, and other international regions.

The expansion is particularly relevant for cross-border merchants because Switzerland is not part of the European Union or the EU customs union. Consequently, an e-commerce shipment entering Switzerland from an EU member state is treated as an import and must comply with Swiss customs and VAT requirements.

Local fulfillment could simplify selling into Switzerland

For European online retailers, Switzerland represents an attractive but operationally distinct e-commerce market. Unlike shipments moving between EU member states, goods entering Switzerland are subject to customs procedures and potentially import VAT.

Switzerland currently applies a standard VAT rate of 8.1%, while certain categories of goods qualify for the reduced 2.6% rate. Import VAT can therefore become an important part of the customer experience when retailers sell into the country from warehouses located elsewhere in Europe.

Depending on the shipping and customs arrangement the merchant uses, customers may face additional charges for taxation, customs processing, or carrier handling when their parcel enters Switzerland. These additional steps can make the buying experience less predictable compared with a purely domestic transaction.

By placing inventory in Switzerland before fulfilling individual customer orders, merchants can ship subsequent orders domestically. Salesupply argues this can provide customers with clearer pricing while reducing the customs administration associated with individual cross-border parcels.

Salesupply targets the cost of cross-border returns

Returns are another area where the Swiss border can add complexity.

When a product originally shipped into Switzerland is subsequently returned to a warehouse in the European Union, the parcel crosses a customs border again. Depending on how the process is structured and documented, merchants can face customs-clearance requirements and additional administrative costs.

For categories with relatively high return rates, these costs can matter more. Fashion, footwear and consumer electronics retailers, for example, may need to manage substantial volumes of merchandise moving back through their supply chains.

Salesupply's new Swiss returns hub is intended to keep returned merchandise in the country. Products can be received and processed locally before the retailer decides whether they should be restocked, consolidated or otherwise handled.

The model effectively separates consumer returns from international inventory movement. Rather than sending every individual return back across the border, merchants can manage the return locally and potentially consolidate subsequent international movements.

Embrach facility supports domestic Swiss fulfillment

The new center in Embrach gives Salesupply customers the option to hold stock directly in Switzerland and fulfill orders through domestic delivery networks. For international brands, this approach can help create a customer experience that more closely resembles purchasing from a Swiss-based retailer. Inventory is already in the country, customer orders don't need to complete an individual import process, and returns can be directed to a domestic location.

Local inventory can also become more valuable as consumers expect shorter, more predictable delivery windows. Cross-border shipping can add variables, including customs processing, documentation requirements, and potential border delays. A Swiss fulfillment operation removes the international customs process from the final delivery leg once inventory has entered the country.

Swiss fulfillment can support marketplace sellers

The new operation may also be relevant to brands selling through Swiss marketplaces, particularly Digitec Galaxus.

Switzerland's largest e-commerce platforms place significant emphasis on product availability, delivery performance, and reliable after-sales processes. Sellers operating internationally therefore need logistics infrastructure that meets Swiss consumer expectations while complying with individual marketplace requirements.

Salesupply specifically highlighted Galaxus when announcing the new facility, noting that delivery speed, availability and returns infrastructure can influence marketplace operations. The company says that sellers on the platform require access to a Swiss returns address.

For brands entering Switzerland through marketplace channels, combining local inventory with a domestic returns operation can therefore provide both logistical and commercial advantages.

Instead of treating Switzerland simply as another European destination served from an EU warehouse, merchants can operate with a dedicated local logistics setup.

Switzerland remains a distinct cross-border e-commerce market

Switzerland represents an unusual opportunity for European e-commerce businesses. Geographically, it sits at the center of Western Europe and borders major EU economies including Germany, France, Italy and Austria. From a customs perspective, however, it remains a separate market.

This distinction means that fulfillment strategies commonly used across the European Union do not necessarily produce the same results in Switzerland. A retailer can, for example, serve customers in Germany, France, the Netherlands, and many other EU markets from a single European warehouse without customs declarations for every intra-EU consumer shipment. Sending the same product into Switzerland creates a formal import. That difference makes inventory positioning especially important.

Moving goods into Switzerland in larger inventory shipments and then fulfilling consumer orders domestically can shift customs processing from the individual customer transaction to the retailer's supply-chain operation. For companies generating sufficient Swiss order volumes, local fulfillment can therefore become increasingly attractive.

One integration across Salesupply's fulfillment network

Salesupply says the Swiss facility will operate using the same infrastructure as its other international fulfillment locations. Customers using multiple Salesupply warehouses can manage operations through a single IT integration and a real-time inventory dashboard. The company also monitors the network through its Fulfillment Control Tower, which oversees operations and identifies potential disruptions across fulfillment locations.

The objective is to allow existing Salesupply customers to add Switzerland to their fulfillment footprint without establishing an entirely separate logistics system.

For brands entering the country for the first time, the company says the service combines local inventory management, domestic order fulfillment, returns processing and support with Swiss VAT and customs operations.

Salesupply continues expanding its international fulfillment footprint

The launch in Switzerland is part of Salesupply's wider strategy to help online retailers position inventory closer to consumers in individual markets. The Dutch e-commerce service provider offers international fulfillment, customer service and returns solutions. According to the company, more than 500 online brands and retailers use its services, including Carhartt, Segway Ninebot and Panasonic.

Salesupply also provides customer service in more than 25 languages across three time zones and operates fulfillment infrastructure designed to help merchants expand internationally while delivering locally. The company is headquartered in Nijmegen, the Netherlands, and operates across markets including the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Poland, Spain, Italy, and the Nordic region.

Adding Switzerland gives Salesupply another strategically important European fulfillment location while addressing a key challenge of Swiss cross-border e-commerce: the customs border separating the country from the European Union. For retailers with meaningful sales volumes in Switzerland, local fulfillment could reduce customs interactions affecting individual customer orders while creating a more predictable domestic delivery and returns experience.

The post Salesupply opens fulfillment center and returns hub in Switzerland appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

For Paul Taylor, international expansion isn’t something eCommerce brands can afford to think about only when they’ve conquered their home market. It needs to be built into the plan from the start. It’s a perspective shaped by over two decades working across logistics, supply chain, retail and eCommerce fulfilment.

Before joining fulfilmentcrowd, Taylor held senior operational roles at businesses including Wincanton, ASDA, DHL Supply Chain and Phones4U, building experience across sectors ranging from fashion and FMCG to DIY and general merchandise. Today, as fulfilmentcrowd’s Managing Director, his focus is on continuing to apply that experience to a business with huge global ambitions.

Taylor initially joined fulfilmentcrowd in 2021 as Chief Operating Officer, following investment from BGF. His initial remit centred on building the company’s international network and scaling its operations, but his responsibilities soon widened to include sales and marketing alongside the day-to-day running of the business.  In 2026, he stepped into the Managing Director role.

The company around him has been changing just as quickly. fulfilmentcrowd now operates 17 fulfilment centres worldwide through its unique partner network model, with recent expansions seeing them add three new US warehouse locations and acquire Dutch eCommerce logistics specialists Fulfilment.nl.

For Taylor, this international growth has brought opportunity, but also a much clearer understanding of the complexity behind the world ‘global.’

“Every territory brings its own nuances,” he explains. “You can have a model that works incredibly well in one market, but you can’t assume you can simply replicate success somewhere else.

“Customer expectations are different, carrier networks are different, rules are different, and the way brands need to hold and move stock can be different too.

“As we’ve grown internationally, a big focus for us has been building a deep understanding of these differences to give customers a consistent experience wherever they’re operating.”

It’s a lesson that applies equally to the global brands fulfilmentcrowd works with. Taylor believes businesses looking at the next phase of eCommerce growth need to develop an international outlook while retaining the agility to move quickly when opportunities arise.

“Thanks to how connected online commerce is, international opportunities can present themselves very quickly; whether that’s demand from a new territory or a marketplace gaining traction.

“Agility is very important. The businesses in a strong position are those that can respond to demand without having to redesign their supply chain every time. That’s something that makes our business model appealing to brands looking to serve more than one market.”

On top of international fulfilment, Taylor believes omnichannel can no longer be treated as an optional extra.

“What we’re seeing in the market is that customers don’t really think in channels anymore. They might discover a brand through social, buy through a marketplace, order directly from a website or come across a product in a physical shop.

“From a fulfilment perspective, you have to be able to support that.

“Omnichannel is becoming an essential. Ambitious or fast-growing brands need the flexibility to put their stock where their demand is, regardless of where the eventual transaction takes place.”

International expansion, however, demands more than simply switching on sales in another country.

If Taylor were advising a brand that had grown successfully at home and was preparing to test its first overseas market, he’d start with the fundamentals: compliance and legislation, having a stock profile and SKU range appropriate for the new territory, available carrier solutions, and, critically, the location of the inventory.

“You have to understand the market properly before moving stock into it,” Taylor says. “Compliance and legislation obviously have to be right, but there are commercial questions to be answered, too. Which products and SKUs are actually going to work in that territory? What carrier solutions are available? And where are your customers going to be located?

“We talk a lot about finding each customer’s centre of gravity. There’s little value in putting inventory into a location simply because you can. 

“You want your fulfilment operation positioned around where your demand is going to be, because that has a direct impact on speed, cost and ultimately the experience you can give to the customer.”

It’s a pragmatic approach to internationalisation: demand might be global, but the operational decisions required to serve it remain local.

The same balance between scale and local expertise is now playing out within fulfilmentcrowd itself.

Following investment from private equity firm Palatine in 2025, the business has entered a new period of expansion. Alongside its growing international network, the acquisition of Fulfilment.nl in May 2026 added further capability in the European market.

For Taylor, the next stage is therefore as much about integration as expansion.

“We’ve grown the network and we’ll continue to grow our teams. The important part is that our growth translates into something meaningful for our customers,” he explains.

It makes Taylor’s move into the Managing Director role particularly timely.

Having spent five years helping build the operational foundations of fulfilmentcrowd’s international growth, Taylor is now tasked with accelerating that growth further.

And, if there’s one theme that connects his outlook for fulfilmentcrowd and the brands it serves, it’s that scale alone is not enough.

In an industry where opportunities can emerge quickly and customer expectations rarely remain consistent over national borders, the brands that combine international reach with the flexibility to act locally will be the ones that come out on top.

Looking to grow your eCommerce brand internationally? fulfilmentcrowd helps ambitious retailers scale across the UK, Europe, the US and Australia with tech-enabled fulfilment solutions, seamless integrations and a worldwide warehouse network designed to support fast, reliable global growth. Learn more at fulfilmentcrowd.com, fulfilmentcrowd.de or fulfilmentcrowd.us

The post Spotlight on Paul Taylor: fulfilmentcrowd's Managing Director appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

A new survey from Temu suggests that the marketplace is helping European small businesses grow beyond their domestic markets, increase operational capacity, and create new jobs.

According to the Temu European Seller Survey, half of the participating businesses said they had either increased production or operational capacity, hired additional staff, or done both since joining the platform. At the same time, 34% of sellers operating in EU markets said they had expanded into new international markets.

The survey, conducted in June and July 2026, gathered responses from 152 local Temu sellers across Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Poland and the UK.

While the sample is relatively small and Temu conducted the research, the findings point to a clear theme: for many participating sellers, access to the marketplace has been linked to tangible business expansion, including new employees, larger operations, and cross-border sales.

Half of surveyed sellers increased capacity, hiring, or both

The strongest finding relates directly to business growth. Temu said 50% of respondents reported increasing production or operational capacity, hiring additional staff, or both after joining the marketplace.

For small businesses, this matters because online marketplace growth is not always reflected in broader investment. In the cases highlighted by Temu, however, additional sales have translated into larger warehouse teams, new administrative roles, investment in automation and founders moving into their businesses full-time.

Temu argues that this demonstrates how easier access to online demand can give smaller businesses the confidence and revenue needed to invest in their operations. “The survey findings underscore the immense potential of Europe's small businesses and aspiring entrepreneurs to grow if there were simpler, more affordable ways to reach new customers,” a Temu spokesperson said. “We look forward to continuing our work in helping sellers grow at home and abroad and create jobs within their communities.”

Recamania grows its workforce after Temu sales increase

Spanish spare-parts retailer Recamania is one of the examples Temu cited. The Albacete-based family business had operated for more than 40 years before joining the marketplace but struggled to establish a strong online sales channel. Recamania opened its Temu store in March 2025. According to the company, monthly orders through the platform eventually reached around 4,000.

That additional volume led the business to expand both its warehouse and administrative teams. “Temu has impacted the business very positively, without a doubt. It has meant significant growth for Recamania,” said Natalia Collado Castillo, who joined the family-owned company as the operation expanded.

The case illustrates the central claim behind Temu's survey: marketplace access can provide established SMEs with additional demand that, in some cases, translates directly into new employment.

UK retailer adds more than 20 warehouse roles

In the UK, Leeds-based Money Cruncher, which also trades online as Spot On-Line, offers another example of job creation linked to increased marketplace volume. The retailer has fulfilled more than one million orders since joining Temu at the beginning of 2025, according to the company.

To handle the additional demand, the business added more than 20 warehouse positions over the following 18 months. For Temu, examples such as Money Cruncher matter because they shift the discussion around marketplace participation beyond simple sales growth.

The company increasingly presents its Local Seller Program as a tool that can contribute to broader business development, including employment, warehousing, and fulfillment capacity.

Ubedia turns marketplace demand into a full-time business

The same pattern is also emerging among younger companies. French entrepreneurs Mathis Rouchouze and Charles Jeuffrain launched their ube powder brand Ubedia on Temu in September 2025. Within weeks, the Aix-en-Provence company had sold more than 1,400 packets of ube powder through organic traffic on the platform, according to Temu.

Those early sales allowed both founders to leave their previous jobs and work on Ubedia full-time. The company now employs six people across production, shipping and marketing and is investing in automated packing equipment. It also plans to recruit additional employees as it expands into more European markets.

“Temu gave us instant visibility,” co-founder Mathis Rouchouze said. “Good reviews brought more exposure, which led to more sales.” For smaller brands, this type of marketplace visibility can reduce the cost and complexity of building an audience from scratch, particularly when entering e-commerce for the first time.

One in three surveyed sellers expanded internationally

The second major finding from the survey concerns cross-border growth. According to Temu, 34% of respondents operating in EU markets said they had expanded into new international markets after joining the platform.

For small businesses, international expansion can be difficult because every new market can require additional investment in marketing, customer acquisition, localization, payments, logistics, returns, and regulatory compliance. Marketplaces can potentially simplify part of that process by giving sellers access to existing traffic and customers across several countries through one platform. This appears to be one of the main ways Temu says it is helping European SMEs move beyond their domestic markets.

Italian food company reaches customers across Europe

Italian family-run specialty food company SD Calabria said joining Temu significantly changed its customer base. Before selling on the marketplace, most of its international customers were Italian expatriates. After joining Temu, owner Antonino Quaranta said the company began receiving orders from a much broader range of European consumers.

“Now I see Spanish customer names, German surnames, buyers from the Netherlands, Poland, Austria, Ireland, Denmark, and the Czech Republic,” Quaranta said. “Before, I only saw Italian names. Now it's a completely different picture.”

For SD Calabria, the main advantage was reaching customers in several countries without funding a separate marketing campaign for each market. That distinction matters especially for SMEs, which often have limited resources for international customer acquisition.

Euroelectronics expands into 18 European markets

Polish electronics distributor Euroelectronics provides one of the clearest examples of rapid cross-border expansion. According to Temu, the company entered 18 European markets within weeks of joining the marketplace, including countries where it had not previously operated.

Instead of developing individual market-entry strategies for every country, Euroelectronics was able to make its product catalog available across multiple European markets using its existing warehousing operation. For smaller and mid-sized merchants, that type of expansion model can significantly reduce the initial commercial burden of entering new markets.

Rather than building local demand independently in each country, sellers can potentially use marketplace traffic to test products, identify demand and decide where further investment makes sense.

Temu says simplicity and seller support are key to SME growth

Temu said it developed its Local Seller Program partly through more than 100 discussions with industry bodies, trade associations and other stakeholders. According to the company, three recurring barriers for SMEs emerged from those conversations: complexity, cost and connection.

The survey found that 38% of respondents identified Temu's easy-to-use seller platform as one reason for choosing the marketplace. Another 35% highlighted its cost structure. The strongest result, however, related to support. More than 65% of respondents said they valued the personal or dedicated support available to sellers.

For smaller companies without dedicated e-commerce, internationalization or marketplace teams, these factors can be particularly important. Reducing onboarding complexity and providing direct support can make it easier for businesses to enter online channels, scale sales and eventually expand into additional markets.

Established SMEs are also using Temu to grow

The survey also challenges the idea that Temu's local seller base consists mainly of newly launched companies. Some 43% of respondents had already been trading for more than ten years before joining the marketplace.

That means a significant proportion of participating sellers were established businesses using Temu as an additional growth channel rather than as the foundation of a new company. Meanwhile, 75% of respondents described Temu as either an important additional sales channel or their primary sales channel.

Together, these findings suggest that traditional SMEs are increasingly using the marketplace for additional digital reach, not only marketplace-native sellers.

Temu positions Local Seller Program as a growth engine

Temu launched in Europe in April 2023 and began welcoming local European businesses onto the platform in 2024. Its Local Seller Program is now available to businesses of all sizes in more than 35 markets.

The company says it operates in more than 90 markets globally, including all EU Member States, and offers products across more than 700 categories. As the program expands, Temu is increasingly positioning local sellers as central to its European strategy.

The model also marks a shift from Temu's earlier reputation as a platform dominated by cross-border products shipped from overseas. By adding more European merchants, Temu can potentially increase locally available inventory, support faster fulfillment and give domestic businesses access to consumers across multiple markets.

New jobs and international growth emerge as Temu's central SME claim

The most notable message from the latest survey is not simply that European businesses are selling through Temu. It is that participating businesses say the marketplace is affecting what happens beyond the platform itself.

According to the survey, sellers are hiring warehouse staff, expanding administrative teams, investing in equipment, increasing production capacity and entering countries where they had not previously sold. The examples of Recamania, Money Cruncher, Ubedia, SD Calabria and Euroelectronics illustrate different versions of the same pattern: additional marketplace demand can create a pathway from online sales growth to wider business expansion.

At the same time, the results should be interpreted with appropriate caution. The survey covered 152 sellers and was conducted by Temu, meaning it does not provide an independent or representative assessment of all European SMEs selling through marketplaces. Nevertheless, the findings offer a useful indication of how Temu wants its European Local Seller Programme to develop.

For the marketplace, the next stage of growth in Europe appears increasingly tied to a simple proposition: helping local businesses reach more international customers while turning additional online demand into investment, capacity and employment at home.

The post Survey says Temu helps European small businesses expand internationally and create jobs appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

HELMOND, 26 August 2026 – Maxi-Cosi is taking the next step in how it connects with parents across Europe. On Thursday evening, 27 August, the brand will broadcast Parenthood Unfiltered, an interactive live parenting show broadcast across Maxi-Cosi’s own platforms in seven European countries, as well as via social channels.

To the best of our knowledge, this makes Maxi-Cosi one of the first brands in the European baby and juvenile products category to broadcast an interactive livestream at this scale across its own D2C platforms and social channels. The broadcast is part of a pilot series developed by Maxi-Cosi together with live commerce agency YSS – Your Shopping Stream.

Following an initial closed pilot earlier this summer, the second edition will be open to everyone and distributed more widely. At this stage, the focus is on testing and learning – including how the format can drive reach, engagement and interaction, and what role live commerce can play within the customer journey.

Entertainment, interaction and commerce

With Parenthood Unfiltered, Maxi-Cosi has created a ‘parentainment’ format that brings together honest conversations about parenthood, expert insights, entertainment and product integration. During Back to Reality, parents and experts discuss the transition from the summer holidays back to everyday family life.

Viewers can participate live through questions, polls, games and giveaways. Maxi-Cosi products are also integrated into the show, while viewers will receive access to an exclusive discount code during the broadcast. The result is an interactive live experience that brings together elements of television, social media and e-commerce.

From a Dutch case to European scale

For YSS, the collaboration with Maxi-Cosi follows an interactive livestream with Dutch celebrity chef Herman den Blijker earlier this year. With Maxi-Cosi, YSS is now scaling its live commerce model across seven European markets at once.

“The next evolution of live commerce lies, in my view, precisely in this scalability,” says Suzanne Pronk, founder of YSS. “It’s not about simply going live on social media, but about building formats where content, interaction and commerce come together.

Maxi-Cosi shows how one central production can reach audiences across multiple European markets, with owned platforms and social channels reinforcing each other.” The live production is delivered in collaboration with FabriQ Media Group, with the interactive technology powered by Livery Video.

The post Maxi-Cosi brings interactive live commerce to seven European markets appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

By fulfilmentcrowd - International commerce creates an interesting conundrum for fulfilment providers. Customers want global reach, but logistics expertise remains inherently local. For a start, warehouses need to be positioned in the right markets, and carrier and delivery requirements differ by region. And, as brands grow, adding new warehouses and logistics providers can quickly lead to a fragmented supply chain.

One answer is to own more infrastructure. Another is to scale reach through partnerships. The latter sits at the heart of the business model of fulfilmentcrowd – a global fulfilment provider that injects its technology across a range of partner-owned sites worldwide. Importantly, this isn't a traditional outsourced model where independent partners are simply handed responsibility for fulfilment. 

Each Fulfilment Network Partner (FNP) operates within fulfilmentcrowd's established processes, technology and service standards, with performance and SLAs centrally managed and monitored by fulfilmentcrowd’s dedicated Network Team.

It means the physical operation can benefit from local expertise, while customers retain the consistency and control of a single fulfilment model.

Using this controlled network of FNPs, fulfilmentcrowd allows its customers to rapidly expand into new regions and put products wherever demand takes them. One of these FNPs is GDB Logistics, the Netherlands-based logistics specialists that provide forwarding, transport, warehousing, fulfilment and supply chain solutions.

Building a network, not warehouses

The traditional route of expanding a fulfilment network is relatively linear: identify a market, find a site, invest in infrastructure, recruit a team, establish an operation. It works, but it can be expensive and slow. So, instead of building warehouses from scratch, fulfilmentcrowd deploys its in-house platform and operating model within existing infrastructure.

Crucially, joining the network means adopting fulfilmentcrowd's operating processes, rather than continuing to operate as a disconnected third-party provider. FNP teams work within the same framework, with agreed service levels and processes providing a consistent operational standard across the network.

The physical warehouse space may be operated by a local partner, but from the customer’s perspective, it forms part of the same connected fulfilment network. Global orders, inventory and performance remain visible through a single platform, allowing brands to expand internationally without assembling and managing a different technology stack for every market.

This also means expansion doesn't require brands to surrender visibility or control as their fulfilment footprint grows. The network may extend across different operators and countries, but the technology and oversight remain consistent. For growing retailers, it removes a lot of the operational headaches associated with global expansion.

The local knowledge behind international growth

Technology can connect different fulfilment centres, but it’s the local expertise that delivers on the logistical side. This is where fulfilmentcrowd’s FNPs become particularly valuable. A strong network partner already understands its local market: compliance, location, operational knowledge, relationships.

GDB Logistics is a great example of this. The family-owned European logistics provider has more than 85 years of industry experience and operates across many areas of the typical supply chain.

Through the partnership, GDB facilitates fulfilmentcrowd operations in Born (Netherlands) and Leipzig (Germany), helping brands put products closer to their customers throughout the EU. Where fulfilmentcrowd provides the technology and the customer base, GDB concentrates on the physical logistics operation.

Rather than attempting to duplicate one another’s expertise, the partnership is built around knowing what each organisation does best. For fulfilmentcrowd’s customers, the GDB partnership means quick access to strategically important European hubs, reducing delivery times and supporting more competitive cross-border trading.

For GDB, the collaboration provides opportunities with fulfilmentcrowd’s international customer base, allowing the business to extend its reach beyond its traditional operational footprint. “What stands out with GDB Logistics is how closely aligned we are as teams,” says Paul Taylor, fulfilmentcrowd’s Managing Director.

“There’s a shared mindset around performance and continuous improvement, which makes for a natural, effective partnership. It’s a genuinely collaborative working relationship, and that shines through in the service provided to customers on both sides.”

Consistency through a shared operating model

One of the biggest challenges in any multi-partner fulfilment network is ensuring consistency across different locations worldwide.

The fulfilmentcrowd and GDB relationship addresses this through a shared operating framework, underpinned by fulfilmentcrowd’s platform. Across all of its international locations, the fulfilmentcrowd platform provides real-time visibility of inventory, orders and performance – regardless of where fulfilment takes place.

Rather than operating as separate entities, both organisations work within a connected system that standardises processes while still allowing GDB to apply its local expertise in day-to-day warehouse and transport operations.

The technology provides visibility, but control extends beyond the platform itself. Processes, service levels and operational performance are continually managed to ensure the customer receives a consistent fulfilmentcrowd experience – regardless of which network location is handling an order.

This balance is important. Brands benefit from the efficiency and scale of a wider network, while still receiving the reliability and operational quality expected from an experienced local logistics provider.

It also reinforces a key principle of the fulfilmentcrowd model: partnerships aren't about outsourcing isolated functions, but about integrating trusted operators into a unified fulfilment ecosystem.

“fulfilmentcrowd handles the system, brings in customers and does the customer service side. With this setup, it allows us to focus fully on the logistics part,” adds Danny de Koning, Head of Warehousing at GDB Logistics.

Enabling faster, more flexible European growth

For eCommerce brands, the practical impact of this type of partnership is speed and flexibility.

Instead of investing heavily in new infrastructure or managing multiple third-party providers across different countries, brands can scale into European markets through a connected network that already has established operational capability. 

Put simply, brands grow across regions using the same tech they started with.

As demand shifts or grows in new regions, stock can be reallocated within the network without requiring a complete overhaul of fulfilment operations. This creates a more responsive approach to international expansion, where logistics can adapt alongside commercial growth.

In effect, the partnership allows brands to treat Europe less as a collection of separate fulfilment challenges, and more as a single, connected trading environment supported by local execution.

A practical route into European growth

As cross-border eCommerce continues to grow, the ability to enter new markets quickly and efficiently is becoming a key competitive advantage. fulfilmentcrowd and GDB’s partnership demonstrates how this can be achieved in practice. 

By combining established European logistics infrastructure with a connected fulfilment platform, brands can scale into new territories without the traditional barriers of fragmented operations and duplicated systems. For many retailers, this approach offers a more sustainable path to international growth: one that prioritises flexibility, local expertise and operational visibility over heavy upfront investment.

It’s this combination that makes the model particularly relevant for brands looking to expand across Europe in a controlled and scalable way. For a closer look at how the partnership works in practice, read the full story behind the fulfilmentcrowd and GDB Logistics collaboration.

The post Global scale, local expertise: The partnership-led business model that’s changing cross-border fulfilment appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

Lancashire-based fulfillment technology provider fulfilmentcrowd has been shortlisted in two categories at the Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards 2026, receiving recognition for both its workplace culture and international expansion.

The company has been named a finalist for Employer of the Year and the Department for Business & Trade International Expansion Award.

The nominations come during a record-breaking year for award entries and recognize fulfilmentcrowd’s continued investment in employee development, international logistics capabilities and technology-led cross-border fulfillment.

Recognition for fulfilmentcrowd’s workplace culture

The Employer of the Year category recognizes organizations that have created strong workplace cultures while demonstrating a long-term commitment to employee development and progression.

For fulfilmentcrowd, the nomination reflects more than 30 years of investment in structured career development, internal promotion, flexible working practices and long-term employment opportunities.

Almost half of the company’s employees have worked for fulfilmentcrowd for more than five years. The average employee length of service is nine years, while the company’s longest-serving team member has been with the business for 40 years.

These figures highlight the company’s focus on employee retention and the development of long-term careers within the fulfillment and logistics sector.

International expansion recognized

fulfilmentcrowd has also been shortlisted for the Department for Business & Trade International Expansion Award.

The category recognizes British companies that have successfully expanded into international markets and demonstrated sustainable global growth.

fulfilmentcrowd supports omnichannel retailers through its proprietary fulfillment technology and international warehouse network. Its platform enables businesses to manage inventory, orders and fulfillment operations across multiple markets.

The company’s international expansion strategy has focused on helping retailers simplify cross-border fulfillment while bringing inventory closer to customers.

By combining in-house technology with a distributed logistics network, fulfilmentcrowd aims to help brands reduce delivery times, improve inventory visibility and scale into new markets without building their own international fulfillment infrastructure.

Investment in people and technology

Paul Taylor, Managing Director at fulfilmentcrowd, said being recognized in two categories reflected the contribution of the company’s employees, customers and logistics partners.

“To be recognized as finalists in two categories at the Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards is an incredible honor,” Taylor said.

“These nominations reflect the dedication, expertise and ambition of our entire team, as well as the trust our customers and partners place in us every day.”

Taylor said the Employer of the Year nomination was particularly significant because employee development had remained central to the company’s growth.

“We’re especially proud to be recognized as an Employer of the Year finalist, because our people have always been at the heart of everything we do,” he said.

“Creating opportunities for colleagues to grow and build long-term careers has been central to our success, and this recognition belongs to every member of the fulfilmentcrowd team.”

He added that the company’s International Expansion nomination reflected its progress in helping retailers enter and grow within international markets.

“Our International Expansion nomination is equally rewarding, reflecting the progress we’ve made in helping ambitious retailers grow globally while continuing to expand our own international presence,” Taylor said.

Supporting British business growth

Amanda Murphy, CEO of Lloyds Business and Commercial Banking, said the awards celebrate companies demonstrating ambition, determination and innovation.

“Behind every successful business is a story of ambition, determination and innovation,” Murphy said.

“fulfilmentcrowd is bringing new ideas, investing in its community and helping drive growth in the UK. They represent the very best of British enterprise, and we’re incredibly proud to back them.”

Winners to be announced in London

The winners of the Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards 2026 will be announced during a gala ceremony at Grosvenor House in London on Tuesday, 10 November 2026.

The event is expected to bring together approximately 1,200 business leaders from across the UK.

Award winners will also be invited to ring the opening bell at the London Stock Exchange and will be recognized during the program’s annual reception at the House of Commons.

For fulfilmentcrowd, the dual nomination provides recognition of both sides of its growth strategy: building an experienced and committed workforce while expanding its technology-enabled fulfillment services internationally.

The post fulfilmentcrowd Named Finalist in Two Categories at Lloyds British Business Excellence Awards 2026 appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

ESW has launched a new agentic commerce solution designed to help international brands make their products discoverable, purchasable and operationally supported inside artificial intelligence platforms.

The cross-border e-commerce provider announced that Microsoft Copilot will be the first integration for ESW Agentic Commerce, allowing participating brands to connect AI-powered product discovery directly with secure checkout and payment capabilities.

The launch represents another important step in the development of agentic commerce: a model in which AI assistants do more than recommend products. They can increasingly compare options, guide purchasing decisions and complete transactions on behalf of shoppers.

For international retailers, however, connecting an AI recommendation to a completed order is considerably more complicated than adding a buy button to a chatbot. Payments, localisation, fraud prevention, import duties, compliance, fulfilment and returns must still operate correctly behind the interface.

ESW is positioning its new Agentic Commerce infrastructure as the layer that manages that complexity.

What is ESW Agentic Commerce?

ESW Agentic Commerce is a new infrastructure solution intended to connect retailers’ existing e-commerce operations with AI-powered shopping environments.

The system allows brands to integrate and optimise their product catalogues for discovery by AI platforms. Once a shopper finds a suitable product, the transaction can be completed securely within the AI experience rather than requiring the customer to move to a separate retailer website.

According to ESW, the solution works alongside a retailer’s existing e-commerce infrastructure. Brands therefore do not need to replace their current commerce platform to participate in AI-assisted shopping channels.

The technology is supported by the ESW Agentic Hub, which acts as an infrastructure layer connecting AI agents with the company’s international commerce capabilities.

Through this layer, AI platforms can potentially access the product, checkout and operational services required to move a shopper from initial discovery to a completed cross-border order.

ESW says Microsoft Copilot will be the first integration, with support for additional agents and platforms expected in the coming months. The service is immediately available to brands and customers in the United States, while broader availability is planned.

Microsoft Copilot becomes the first integration

Microsoft has been developing Copilot into a transactional shopping environment rather than limiting it to search, recommendations and product comparisons.

Copilot Checkout allows shoppers to discover, evaluate and purchase products without leaving the conversational interface. Microsoft says the merchant remains the merchant of record and retains ownership of the transaction, customer data and commercial relationship.

The ESW integration extends this concept towards international commerce.

A customer could theoretically ask Copilot for a product recommendation, compare several options, select an item and complete the purchase inside the same conversation. ESW would then provide the underlying international commerce infrastructure required to process and support the transaction.

That infrastructure can include:

• Localised checkout experiences
• International payments
• Fraud management
• Duties and tax calculations
• Regulatory compliance
• Cross-border shipping
• Fulfilment
• Customer service
• International returns

The customer may experience the journey as a simple conversation, but the transaction still depends on a complex network of commercial and logistical systems.

This operational layer is particularly important when the shopper, merchant, payment provider and delivery destination are located in different countries.

From conversational search to conversational checkout

Generative AI has already changed how some consumers research products. Shoppers can ask an AI assistant to compare specifications, interpret reviews, recommend suitable products or narrow a large catalogue according to highly specific requirements.

Until recently, however, most AI-assisted shopping journeys ended with a link.

The AI could recommend a product, but the shopper would usually have to leave the conversation, visit the merchant’s website, find the correct product again and proceed through a conventional checkout.

Each additional step created an opportunity for the customer to abandon the purchase.

Agentic commerce attempts to remove that separation between discovery and transaction. Instead of acting primarily as a search interface, the AI assistant becomes an active participant throughout the purchasing journey.

Microsoft reported that shopping journeys involving Copilot produced 53% more purchases within 30 minutes of an interaction than journeys without Copilot. When clear shopping intent was present, journeys involving Copilot were reportedly 194% more likely to result in a purchase.

These figures were published by Microsoft and should be interpreted as early platform data rather than independent measurements of the wider e-commerce market. Nevertheless, they suggest that reducing the distance between product recommendation and checkout could have a measurable effect on conversion.

Why agentic commerce is especially relevant to cross-border retail

Domestic transactions are already complicated. International orders add multiple layers of friction and risk.

A product recommended by an AI assistant may be available in one country but restricted in another. The displayed price may need to include local taxes, import duties or customs charges. Payment preferences, consumer regulations, delivery options and return procedures may also differ by market.

An AI assistant cannot reliably complete an international order simply by identifying the right product. It must also connect with systems capable of answering operational questions in real time.

These may include:

• Is the product available in the shopper’s country?
• What is the final landed cost?
• Which currency and payment methods should be offered?
• Are import restrictions applicable?
• How long will delivery take?
• Who is responsible for collecting taxes and duties?
• Can the item be returned locally?
• How will fraud and payment risk be managed?

ESW already provides international commerce services covering payments, compliance, localisation, shipping and returns across more than 200 markets. The company says it works with more than 150 global brands and processes more than eight million cross-border orders annually.

Agentic Commerce applies those capabilities to a new customer interface.

Rather than building a separate international transaction system for every AI platform, ESW’s proposed model gives brands a central infrastructure layer that can be extended across multiple agents.

Product data becomes a commercial priority

The emergence of AI-powered shopping will also increase the importance of product data.

Traditional e-commerce search is often built around keywords, categories, filters and paid placements. AI discovery is more conversational and contextual.

A shopper may not search for a particular product name. Instead, the shopper might ask:

“Find me a waterproof jacket suitable for a week in Iceland that fits in hand luggage and costs less than €200.”

To respond accurately, the AI must understand far more than a product title and category. It may need structured information about materials, sizing, climate suitability, weight, delivery availability, price, inventory and return conditions.

Brands whose product information is incomplete, inconsistent or inaccessible to AI systems may become less visible even when their products would otherwise meet the customer’s requirements.

This creates a new optimisation discipline for merchants. In addition to search engine optimisation, marketplace optimisation and feed management, brands will increasingly need to consider how products are interpreted and selected by AI agents.

Important areas will include:

• Accurate structured product attributes
• Consistent descriptions across channels
• Real-time pricing and inventory
• Clear shipping eligibility
• Detailed sizing and compatibility information
• Transparent return conditions
• Verified brand and product information
• Machine-readable commercial policies

In agentic commerce, product data is not merely descriptive content. It becomes part of the decision-making infrastructure.

ESW says retailers can retain their existing platforms

One of the most significant aspects of the ESW proposition is that retailers are not expected to replace their existing e-commerce platforms.

ESW Agentic Commerce is designed to operate alongside the merchant’s current technology stack. The retailer can therefore extend its catalogue and transaction capabilities into AI environments while continuing to use its existing platform for core commerce operations.

This reduces one of the most obvious barriers to agentic commerce adoption.

Large international retailers often operate highly customised systems involving commerce platforms, enterprise resource planning software, product information management, order management, warehouse systems and multiple payment providers.

Replacing that infrastructure solely to participate in a new AI sales channel would be costly and risky.

An integration layer allows retailers to test agentic commerce without treating it as a complete platform migration.

Nevertheless, brands will still need to determine how orders generated through AI interfaces are attributed, managed and measured. Questions around customer identity, consent, marketing permissions, returns and post-purchase communication will become increasingly important as the channel develops.

The retailer must remain visible

Agentic commerce could reduce purchasing friction, but it may also weaken the direct relationship between shoppers and retailers.

When a customer shops through an AI assistant, the assistant may control much of the experience:

• The initial recommendation
• The comparison criteria
• The products displayed
• The explanation of advantages and disadvantages
• The checkout interface
• The post-purchase conversation

This creates a strategic risk for brands. The AI platform could become the primary interface, while the retailer becomes an invisible fulfilment provider.

Microsoft has attempted to address this concern by emphasising that merchants participating in Copilot Checkout remain the merchant of record and retain control of their transaction data and customer relationship.

However, formal ownership of the transaction does not necessarily guarantee control over the customer experience.

Retailers will need to ensure that AI commerce integrations preserve brand identity, communicate accurate product information and create opportunities for continued customer engagement after the purchase.

Otherwise, brands may become increasingly dependent on AI platforms in much the same way that many merchants became dependent on search engines, marketplaces and social networks.

Agentic commerce will create new compliance questions

The ability of an AI system to complete a purchase introduces legal and regulatory questions that conventional product recommendation tools do not face.

Retailers must be able to demonstrate that customers were shown accurate prices, material product information, delivery conditions and return rights before the transaction was completed.

For cross-border orders, the process may also involve:

• Consumer protection requirements
• Data protection rules
• Product safety obligations
• Customs declarations
• Sanctions screening
• Import restrictions
• Tax collection
• Payment authentication
• Accessibility requirements
• Records of customer consent

There is also the question of responsibility when an AI assistant recommends an unsuitable product, presents incorrect information or completes a purchase based on an ambiguous instruction.

The commercial agreement between the retailer, commerce provider and AI platform will need to define how responsibility is distributed.

These issues will become more significant as AI agents gain greater autonomy. Recommending a product is different from selecting quantities, accepting terms, choosing delivery services or authorising payment.

Agentic commerce infrastructure must therefore provide both convenience and traceability.

AI platforms are becoming a new distribution channel

ESW’s launch should be understood as part of a broader shift in e-commerce distribution.

Retailers have previously adapted their businesses for successive generations of digital channels:

• Desktop websites
• Mobile commerce
• Online marketplaces
• Social commerce
• Retail media
• Voice commerce
• Conversational commerce

AI assistants may now become another major entry point.

ESW cites McKinsey research estimating that agentic commerce could represent a global opportunity of between $3 trillion and $5 trillion by 2030. The company also references a Gartner prediction that traditional search engine volume could decline by 25% as consumers increasingly use AI chatbots and virtual agents.

These projections should not be treated as guarantees that AI agents will replace conventional e-commerce journeys. Consumer trust, technical reliability, product coverage and regulatory oversight will all influence adoption.

However, the direction of investment is increasingly clear.

Microsoft, Google, OpenAI, payment companies, commerce platforms and major retailers are all developing systems that allow AI assistants to participate more directly in shopping and transactions.

The strategic question for retailers is therefore shifting from whether AI will influence product discovery to how much of the commercial journey AI platforms will ultimately control.

What retailers should do now

Most brands do not need to rebuild their entire commerce strategy around autonomous AI agents immediately. However, waiting until the channel is mature could leave retailers with significant product-data and infrastructure work to complete.

Retailers preparing for agentic commerce should begin with several practical steps.

Audit product information

Product catalogues should contain detailed, consistent and structured information that AI systems can interpret accurately.

Missing attributes, inconsistent naming and vague descriptions could reduce both visibility and recommendation quality.

Improve real-time data access

AI shopping systems require current information about prices, promotions, inventory, delivery options and geographical availability.

Static or frequently outdated feeds will not be sufficient for transactional experiences.

Review international checkout capabilities

Retailers should assess whether their existing systems can calculate local prices, duties, taxes and delivery conditions in real time.

Agentic discovery will not generate sustainable revenue if customers encounter inaccurate landed costs or failed international orders.

Establish clear governance

Brands should define which actions an AI platform can perform, what information it can access and when customer confirmation is required.

Higher-risk actions should include appropriate human approval or explicit shopper consent.

Protect the customer relationship

Retailers should understand what customer information they receive, how post-purchase communication works and whether they can continue serving the customer outside the AI platform.

Measure the channel separately

Agent-driven traffic and transactions should be distinguishable from conventional search, marketplace and direct website sales.

Without clear attribution, retailers will struggle to evaluate conversion, acquisition costs, repeat purchases and platform dependency.

A significant step, but not the finished model

ESW Agentic Commerce provides a clearer view of how AI-assisted shopping could become operational at an international scale.

The announcement moves the conversation beyond experimental chatbots and product recommendations. It focuses on the less visible infrastructure required to turn an AI interaction into a compliant, fulfilled and serviceable transaction.

Microsoft Copilot gives ESW an established AI interface through which to launch the solution. ESW contributes the international checkout, payment and operational capabilities required behind that interface.

The initial availability is currently limited to the United States, and broader adoption will depend on how quickly additional markets, retailers and AI platforms are integrated. Questions also remain regarding customer ownership, compliance, attribution and the influence AI assistants will have over product selection.

Even so, the direction is important.

E-commerce is entering a stage in which the storefront may no longer be a website, app or marketplace page. It may be a conversation.

For international brands, success in that environment will depend not only on whether an AI assistant can find their products, but whether the entire cross-border transaction can operate correctly after the recommendation is made.

The post ESW Launches Agentic Commerce with Microsoft Copilot, Connecting AI Discovery to Checkout appeared first on Cross-Border Magazine.

Customs Clearance Challenges: Why Data Has Become the Foundation of Cross-Border Success

CBM: Customs regulations seem to be becoming more complex every year. What are the biggest customs clearance challenges online retailers are facing today?

Guy Cliffe: Interestingly, the biggest challenge isn't necessarily the regulations themselves; it's how quickly customs requirements are evolving across the world.

Authorities are moving away from paper-based processes and placing far greater emphasis on advance electronic data, automated risk profiling and supply chain transparency. That means retailers need to start thinking about customs much earlier in the fulfillment process.

Businesses are also selling into more international markets than ever before, each with different thresholds, documentation requirements and customs rules. Managing that complexity while still delivering the seamless customer experience consumers expect has become one of the biggest operational challenges in cross-border e-commerce.

The retailers that perform best are those that stop viewing customs as an administrative obligation and start treating it as a strategic part of their international operation.

CBM: Since Brexit, how has the customs landscape changed for retailers selling between the UK and the EU?

Guy Cliffe: Brexit fundamentally changed how goods move between the UK and the European Union. Customs is now part of every shipment. Most businesses have adapted remarkably well, but I still see companies underestimating the importance of customs preparation.

One of the most common mistakes is assuming customs only matters when goods are ready to leave the warehouse. In reality, customs begins with the quality of the product data inside a retailer's own systems. Incorrect commodity codes, incomplete product descriptions, or inaccurate customs values all create unnecessary delays, additional costs, and poor customer experiences.

Returns are another area that is frequently overlooked. Many retailers are missing opportunities to recover import duties or simplify reverse logistics because customs isn't being considered as part of the overall returns strategy.

CBM: Many retailers struggle with customs delays. What usually causes shipments to be held at the border?

Guy Cliffe: Most delays aren't actually caused by customs authorities. They're caused by the information businesses submit. Missing shipment data, inconsistent documentation, inaccurate classifications, or discrepancies between commercial documents are what typically trigger additional inspections.

As customs authorities increasingly rely on automated risk assessment systems, data quality becomes the deciding factor. Retailers often assume they need a faster logistics solution when, in reality, improving the quality and consistency of their customs data will have a much greater impact.

CBM: Product data seems to be becoming increasingly important. How critical are accurate product descriptions and HS codes?

Guy Cliffe: They're absolutely fundamental. Good customs clearance starts long before a parcel reaches the border. Every product description, HS code, declared value and shipment detail contributes to how customs authorities assess risk.

Generic descriptions like "gift" or "clothing" are no longer sufficient. Retailers that invest in detailed product information don't just reduce delays—they improve compliance, minimize manual intervention and ultimately create a much better customer experience.

CBM: Regulations such as ICS2 are changing customs procedures across Europe. How should retailers prepare?

Guy Cliffe: The most important thing is recognizing that ICS2 isn't a standalone regulation. It's part of a much broader shift towards digital customs. Authorities increasingly expect shipment information before goods even begin their journey.

Retailers should review the quality of their customs data today, work closely with experienced customs partners, and ensure their systems can support different international reporting requirements. Businesses that build flexibility now will adapt far more easily as new regulations continue to emerge.

CBM: How do customs challenges differ between marketplaces and mid-sized online retailers?

Guy Cliffe: Large marketplaces benefit from enormous scale and sophisticated technology, but they also have to manage millions of products from thousands of different sellers. Maintaining consistent customs data at that scale is extremely challenging.

Mid-sized retailers usually have much greater control over their own product information, but often lack dedicated customs expertise or experience entering new international markets. Despite those differences, the fundamentals remain exactly the same. Success depends on accurate data, robust processes, and choosing the right customs partner.

CBM: Returns aren't usually associated with customs. Why should retailers think differently?

Guy Cliffe: Returns should be part of every retailer's customs strategy. Every returned item may involve import duties, VAT, and customs procedures. One of the biggest missed opportunities is the recovery of duty.

Many retailers are entitled to reclaim duties on returned goods but simply don't have the processes in place to do so. A well-managed returns operation doesn't just improve customer experience; it improves cash flow and reduces unnecessary costs.

CBM: Technology is transforming customs. Which innovations are having the biggest impact?

Guy Cliffe: Automation is removing much of the manual work that has traditionally slowed customs. Direct integration between retailer systems and customs platforms helps ensure information is captured accurately and submitted consistently.

We're also seeing automated validation tools identify missing or inconsistent data before shipments even reach customs. Looking ahead, intelligent technologies that provide better supply chain visibility and identify compliance risks before goods move will become increasingly valuable.

CBM: Finally, what should retailers prepare for over the next two to three years?

Guy Cliffe: Customs authorities will continue to place greater emphasis on advance electronic data, digital compliance, and security screening. Manual processes will continue to disappear, while scrutiny of low-value e-commerce shipments is likely to increase.

The retailers that invest today in robust data, integrated technology, and flexible customs processes won't simply remain compliant; they'll be the businesses best positioned to compete internationally while delivering the frictionless customer experience consumers increasingly expect.

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By fulfilmentcrowd - Consumer expectations continue to rise as four-day sales events place unprecedented pressure on eCommerce fulfillment operations

Amazon's four-day Prime Day event has once again demonstrated that eCommerce success is no longer determined solely by pricing or promotions, but by the retailers that can deliver exceptional customer experiences at scale.

Industry data suggests Prime Day 2026 generated more than $26 billion in online sales, with revenue increasing significantly year-on-year as shoppers spread purchases across the extended four-day event rather than concentrating spending on day one.

According to fulfilmentcrowd, the changing dynamics of Prime Day reflect a broader shift across eCommerce, where a robust operational setup has become a key differentiator.

"Peak trading events have evolved dramatically," said Lee Thompson, CEO of fulfilmentcrowd. "Consumers still expect competitive pricing, but they now demand next-day delivery, real-time order visibility and an easy post-purchase and returns experience. That places enormous pressure on retailers whose fulfilment operations aren't designed to scale."

Prime Day has become one of the most significant stress tests of the eCommerce supply chain, with marketplaces, retailers and brands processing millions of additional orders within days. Research from Numerator found many shoppers pre-planned their purchasing behaviour, with consumers heading into Prime Day with wish lists already prepared, rather than making impulse purchases.

For retailers selling both on Amazon and through their own eCommerce channels, this presents a significant operational challenge.

"Consumers don't distinguish between sales channels; they simply expect every order to arrive quickly and accurately," Thompson added. "Businesses relying on fragmented systems or manual fulfilment processes risk disappointing customers precisely when demand is at its highest."

The continued growth of Prime Day is also increasing competitive pressure beyond Amazon itself. Major retailers are now launching parallel promotional campaigns, creating a sustained period of elevated order volumes across the wider eCommerce sector.

fulfilmentcrowd believes this trend reinforces the importance of flexible, technology-driven fulfilment networks capable of scaling rapidly during peak periods without compromising service levels.

Looking to grow your eCommerce brand internationally? fulfilmentcrowd helps ambitious retailers scale across the UK, Europe, the US and Australia with tech-enabled fulfilment solutions, seamless integrations and a worldwide warehouse network designed to support fast, reliable global growth. Learn more at fulfilmentcrowd.com, fulfilmentcrowd.de or fulfilmentcrowd.us

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