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~ Welcome ~

FOREWORD

2. Supporting the COVID-19 response
The health crisis triggered by COVID-19 required a fast,
effective and socially responsible response from the industry.
Not least because reputationally, the way business responded to
the crisis is likely to remain in consumer minds for many years
to come. In addition to this, the role of marketplaces was shown
to be the backbone of supporting the function of the retail
sector throughout this tumultuous period. As consumers leapt
to their internet browsers in search of urgent loo roll supplies,
home office equipment and indoor gym kit/athleisure wear, it
was marketplaces that were able to facilitate the greatest supply
to meet demand (albeit with some delays due to COVID-19
restrictions). Marketplaces undoubtedly help us all to conquer
the quarantine in some way and have certainly become an
integral part of our society’s infrastructure moving forward.

3. Dominating shopping events
THE MARKETPLACE MODEL THAT’S It’s no secret that globally, shopping events such as Black
MASTERING THE ‘NEW NORMAL’ Friday have been growing and strengthening year-on-year.
2020 has been no exception, with Amazon able to bask in its
biggest sales to date, thanks to hosting its long-awaited Prime
hat a year it has been! We knew 2020 marked a Day event in October for the first time due to COVID-19. It
new decade, but no one could have predicted will be interesting to see the impact local restrictions have on
Wthe transformative ‘new normal’ it would long-term shopping behaviours. For the first time ever, online
bring with it. Despite the tsunami of disruption that shopping is set to capture a larger share of sales than the high
the COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked across sectors, street this Black Friday. Will consumer habits stick?
Just As Easy Abroad one thing remains certain: 2020 is the Year of the 4. Redefining e-commerce strategies
Marketplace. Here I outline four key areas in which we’ve
seen marketplaces accelerate growth at home and abroad.
As a market-leading multi-marketplace integrator, we keep
a close watch at Pentagon on how marketplace strategies
1. The high-street takeover are evolving and developing, especially in times like these.
We combine our knowledge and expertise to When we hosted Retail Without Borders (RWB), Europe’s With consumers more aware of their impact on the planet,
provide fast and eective international solutions. largest online marketplace conference back in February this we are seeing a surge in ‘re-commerce,’ whereby retailers and
marketplaces ‘buy-back’ garments from the consumer for refurb
year, e-commerce experts from KPMG, Wunderman-Thompson
Commerce, ThoughtWorks and more, outlined their vision for and resale. Another emerging trend that has accelerated this
Whether you’re an e-tailer or service provider, the decade. The ‘Roaring Twenties’ were set to accelerate the year is the steady uptick in retailers seeking to develop their
trends we were already seeing in regards to consumers adopting
own marketplace proposition. To support retailers on their
we oer the best logistical solutions. new behaviours with increased online purchases. But within marketplace transition, earlier this year we launched Storesome
just a few weeks of the RWB conference, COVID-19 shifted (part of the We Are Pentagon Group) – a unique, turnkey
consumer behaviour almost overnight into the lifestyle that was marketplace platform solution. You can discover more about
We’re experts in getting your mail, packets previously predicted to take at least a decade to achieve. With Storesome in this issue of Cross Border Magazine on p.46.
and parcels delivered to your customers. many governments triggering emergency lockdown restrictions, Despite everything that COVID-19 has disrupted this year, the
this inevitably became our ‘new normal.’ With all non-essential
stores closed for the foreseeable future, the strong economic future remains bright for e-commerce, with plenty of exciting
And back, if necessary. retail advantage was handed to the marketplaces already robustly opportunities to come.
equipped to meet demand, alongside the retailers that had
adopted a sound e-commerce strategy to secure their growth Best wishes,
despite a cliff-edge drop in physical store trade. Barney Willis, VP Revenue at We Are Pentagon
Find out what we can do for you.
www.postnl.nl/en

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