Retail logistics is under growing pressure as shoppers place greater value on flexible delivery options, reliable fulfillment, convenient returns, and fast refunds, according to market research from Locus, a California-based logistics technology company.And those will only accelerate as the retail industry draws nearer to the 2026 winter peak season, according to results from Locus’ survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers examining how online shopping habits are changing delivery, reverse logistics and overall customer expectations.“Another e-commerce-driven holiday season will put retailers to the test,” Nishith Rastogi, founder and CETO at Locus, said in a release. “Our survey shows that new shopper preferences and behaviors will add more complexity to peak season operations in 2026. To manage this, along with higher order volume, retailers will need autonomous AI-native systems that can orchestrate decisions across delivery networks, adapt in real time, and keep human teams focused on exceptions so they can provide the most consistent and reliable shopper experience possible.”The survey showed that shoppers still care about delivery speed, but speed alone isn’t enough anymore. Instead, consumers are now paying much closer attention to the full delivery and returns experience, including whether orders arrive when expected, how easy it is to return an item, and how quickly they get their money back.At the same time, AI shopping tools are also changing how people shop online. Some are using AI tools like ChatGPT and Claude to find new brands, compare more products, and purchase more items at once. For retailers, that creates new opportunities, but…
