Retail Reimagined: What We Learned at Ecommerce Conference 2025

At Codurance, we work closely with leading retail teams who are dealing with everything from clunky legacy systems to high customer expectations. So, when we headed to the Ecommerce Conference 2025, we were keen to hear how others are thinking about the future of retail.

We came away inspired. The direction of travel is clear. Retail is moving fast, and the businesses leading the way are the ones combining personalisation, sustainability and smart tech in a way that really delivers.

Here’s what stood out to us and why it matters for any business looking to stay ahead.

Sustainability is Finally Getting Real

Sustainability has been talked about for years, but now it's becoming a real business priority. More customers are asking tough questions about how products are made, shipped and reused. They’re not just looking for feel-good promises — they want facts.

But many businesses still struggle to talk about sustainability clearly. Some say too little. Others overpromise and risk falling into the greenwashing trap.

The key is transparency. Share your data openly, show what’s working, and help your customers understand the role they play in the bigger picture. Above all, ensure your sustainability efforts are driven by purpose and mission, not just by compliance, because people can always tell the difference.

B2B is Starting to Feel More Like B2C

This shift is hard to ignore as the people making B2B buying decisions today expect the same speed and ease they get from personal online shopping and millennials now influence around 70 percent of B2B purchases, doing most of their research online and often making up their minds before ever speaking to a salesperson.

If your B2B buying experience doesn’t feel intuitive, fast and personalised, you’re already behind. More businesses are now using smart product search, recommendations and even AI to create smoother, more helpful journeys.

But the tech only works if the data is clean and the architecture supports it. That’s where we often see the biggest challenges and the biggest wins.

AI is Starting to Deliver

AI was a big talking point at the conference. But what’s exciting is how many retailers are already putting it to work.

We saw examples of AI being used to:

• Create and translate content quickly
• Make customer service more accessible
• Support staff with tools like transcription and smart assistants
• Power headless platforms that connect experiences across mobile, social and traditional ecommerce

The most successful teams are keeping it simple. They're choosing one problem to solve, learning fast and then scaling from there.

The message is clear. Don’t overcomplicate it. Start small, move quickly and focus on outcomes that really matter to your customers.

A key part of unlocking AI’s potential lies in developing a clear, strategic plan from the very beginning. One way Codurance supports this is through our Data and AI Readiness Assessment, a comprehensive and independent evaluation that delivers expert insights and actionable recommendations to strengthen your data strategy and accelerate your adoption of AI technologies.

Post-Purchase is Where Loyalty is Won

What happens after checkout is becoming just as important as what happens before.

Leading ecommerce brands now have 20 or more customer touchpoints after a sale. From personalised order updates to smart follow-ups and offers, this is where long-term loyalty gets built.

To do this well, businesses need flexible systems, good APIs and strong data flows. AI can help too, especially when it comes to keeping communications on-brand and forecasting customer needs.

Post-purchase isn’t just about retention anymore. It’s about creating experiences that feel considered and complete. A large part of this is ensuring that retailers can remain agile and really provide value for their customers with processes and technology that works. ASOS, the UK’s largest independent online fashion and beauty retailer — recognised this need for speed and partnered with Codurance to increase their pace of change and improve delivery so they could stay ahead of fast-moving customer expectations.

The Future is Platform-Based and Collaborative

More retailers are starting to think like platforms. That means building digital ecosystems where products, services and even partners can plug in and create shared value.

Take UK grocery as an example. It’s set to hit £320 billion by 2030. The biggest opportunities will go to those who can connect with others — whether that’s independents, delivery services or emerging tech partners.

Smaller retailers may face challenges like limited digital skills or tight margins. But with smart use of technology and the right partnerships, these barriers can be overcome.

Legacy tech debt is a major barrier to effective platform delivery and development. Outdated systems and codebases often lack the flexibility, scalability, and integration capabilities needed to support modern engineering practices. This slows down innovation, increases maintenance overhead, and creates bottlenecks that hinder teams from delivering new features quickly and reliably. As a result, organisations struggle to meet evolving user expectations and keep pace with market demands. At Codurance, we specialise in helping leading organisations enhance their capability to deliver quality software faster through our software modernisation service. 

How Codurance Can Help

We work with retail businesses to modernise systems, improve digital experiences and build the kind of software that helps them grow with confidence.

Whether you’re exploring AI, improving your architecture or just trying to move faster without breaking things, we’re here to help make it happen — in a way that’s sustainable, scalable and built to last.

Want to see what that looks like in action? Take a look at how we support retail and ecommerce teams