Viare Solutions Consultant, Jarrod Goodwin, provides insights in this Starshipit Evolving Expectations 2026 report.
Each year, the report brings together insights from leading retailers and technology partners to highlight how fulfilment is evolving, and the strategies teams are using to respond.
This report is for retailers who want to understand where that gap is forming and, more importantly, what to do about it. Evolving Expectations 2026 draws on survey data from retailers globally, alongside expert perspectives from across the retail ecosystem.
It examines how leading teams are responding, from connecting fragmented systems and automating fulfilment decisions to rethinking delivery strategy and post-purchase experience. It’s no longer just about keeping up with delivery expectations, it’s about whether your operations are built to handle them at all. Key findings from the report include:
56.5% of customers now expect delivery within 2–3 days, with a further 18.8% expecting next day.
88.4% of retailers say free shipping is important to customers, while 65.2% cite rising shipping costs as a major operational challenge.
85.5% of retailers believe AI will create competitive advantage within the next 2–3 years, but most adoption still sits outside core operational workflows.
To learn more, and see Jarrod’s insights on how retailers are using store networks to reduce cost and improve delivery speed, and more, download the report here.
