Retail


LAST-MILE DELIVERY AND THE LOYALTY BATTLEGROUND


A smooth, tightly run last-mile operation can make or break a customer’s trust. In this contributed piece, Dominik Pratz, Regional Sales Manager at Bixolon Europe, explains how mastering the final handoff not only safeguards loyalty but also strengthens long-term revenue.


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etail and e-commerce are constantly at odds with the various macroeconomic and microeconomic states of play.


Businesses tackled the pandemic, then the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, and now they are facing fuel hikes and supply chain challenges off the back of the conflict surrounding the Strait of Hormuz. All these developments impact retailers’ and e-commerce businesses’ operational costs. Consumers expect organisations to keep prices low in stores and online, and not to pass additional costs downstream. However, the operational reality is incredibly


challenging given the rising fuel costs. Especially when it comes to ecommerce home deliveries. But it’s not just rising fuel costs that cause issues. The Descartes 4th Annual


6 | September/October 2026


Ecommerce and Home Delivery Consumer Sentiment Study, of 8,000 consumers in North America and Europe, finds that consumers actively turn away from retailers and delivery companies after a poor delivery experience. In addition, it explains that negative delivery experiences directly affected the perceptions and future behaviour of two-thirds (66%) of consumers surveyed. So, not only do ecommerce retailers and delivery companies have to manage rising operational costs, but they also face potential backlash from customers if their last-mile delivery operations are poor.


Home delivery is still king Ecommerce continues to grow. Data from ecommerce market intelligence firm ECDB


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