Peak season is fast approaching. There are lots of things you can do to help maximise your sales potential, and ensure a smooth journey through increased order volumes. A strong plan helps ensure smooth fulfilment and maximises sales potential.
This post focuses on consumer behaviour, payment flexibility, sustainability, and marketing tactics to help you boost performance through peak 2025.
What are consumers’ buying behaviours looking like in 2025?
After years of economic uncertainty, shoppers remain cautious and price-sensitive. UK eCommerce sales growth is expected to rise only 3.6 % in 2025, meaning competition will be fierce.
(eMarketer)
Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) & payment flexibility
Flexible payments continue to shape buying decisions. The global BNPL market exceeded $378 billion in 2023 and is still growing rapidly. In the UK, around 14% of adults used BNPL last year, up from 12% in 2022. (UK Finance)
Action → Offer BNPL or similar options to help convert value-driven shoppers during peak.
Sustainability and ethical choice
Sustainability remains a key purchase driver, especially among younger consumers. Shoppers are willing to switch brands or pay slightly more for responsible options.
Action → Highlight eco-friendly packaging, low-emission delivery, and transparent sustainability credentials in your marketing and fulfilment process.
Marketing campaigns & promotions
With tighter budgets and slowing growth, targeted marketing will make the difference.
- Maximise visibility: Refresh product pages, optimise keywords, and use high-quality images to cut returns and improve conversions.
- Go multi-channel: Combine social, email, paid ads and even direct mail for better reach.
- Expand presence: Selling across multiple marketplaces can increase exposure and capture new audiences.
In 2024, 55% of marketers used personalised tactics, while nearly half of UK adults were open to sharing data for better shopping experiences showing the value of relevance and timing.
Quick Reality Check & Take-Away
- Online growth is slowing, competition is intensifying.
- Flexible payments are now expected, not optional.
- Sustainability continues to influence buying decisions.
- Marketing must be sharp, targeted, and operationally aligned.
Final action step: Start peak planning now. Optimise your offers, update your listings, confirm marketplace presence, and ensure fulfilment partners and returns processes can deliver on your promises.
If you’d like help with:
- Sustainable delivery and packaging options
- Multi-channel B2B campaign design
- Or peak-season planning support
Then get in touch with enquiries@mhi.co and make this your smoothest, most successful peak season yet. Or find out more about our eCommerce Delivery Solutions and what platforms we can integrate with here.
