The economic signals aren’t subtle. Consumers are rethinking spending. Retail teams are stretched thin. Growth channels that once performed reliably are now harder to predict. And yet—many brands are finding ways to move forward, not just hold the line.

What separates the retailers that are adapting from those that are pulling back? Clarity. Focus. A willingness to look beyond short-term disruption and build smarter strategies that work right now.

This post kicks off our Retail Resilience series—a look at the habits, tools, and channel shifts helping ecommerce teams not only stay relevant, but grow through market turbulence.

Growth hasn’t disappeared. It just looks different.

Ecommerce growth is still happening—but it doesn’t always look like expansion. In today’s market, growth might mean pivoting to new geographies. Or it might mean doubling down on specific products, supply chains, or customer segments that have proven resilient.

Some brands are expanding into stable or emerging regions—like the UK, Middle East, or Australia—where demand remains steady and marketplaces like TikTok Shop or Zalando offer new reach with lower overhead.

Others are narrowing their focus—building campaigns around products manufactured within their own country to reduce logistical risk, support local suppliers, or appeal to buyers motivated by sustainability and proximity. For instance, several Australian brands we’ve worked with are prioritizing locally-made goods and promoting them prominently across paid channels and on-site search.

We’re also seeing brands invest more in resilient product categories: core replenishment items, seasonal essentials, or high-margin SKUs that consistently convert. Rather than spreading resources thin, they’re choosing depth over breadth—and it’s paying off.

In every case, the key isn’t guessing where to place bets. It’s using data—search behavior, feed performance, and regional insights—to decide where to invest, expand, or refocus.

Shopper behavior is changing—and retailers need to respond

Even in strong markets, buyers are slower to act. Cart abandonment is climbing, product page engagement is thinning out, and shoppers are often more selective with their time and money.

This isn’t just about reduced appetite—it’s about higher expectations. Shoppers want relevance faster, and they want confidence in what they’re buying.

This is where retailers need to re-evaluate their conversion strategy:

• Is your search experience intuitive enough to understand intent even when queries are vague or conversational?
  
• Are your product recommendations based on behavior and real-time signals—or are they static, rules-based lists?
  
• Are you using bundling strategies to build value and nudge hesitant buyers toward a more complete purchase?

Brands that can answer yes to those questions are seeing stronger returns. Personalized discovery is more than a feature—it’s the foundation for trust when every purchase is scrutinized more closely.

Doing more with leaner teams requires different tech

Retail marketing and ecommerce teams have been downsized or reorganized in the past 12 months across nearly every vertical. What hasn’t changed is the pressure to deliver.

That’s driving a shift away from overly complex systems and toward solutions that offer automation, data transparency, and speed of execution.

Some of the most effective teams are leaning into:

• AI-powered personalization that doesn’t require ongoing manual segmentation or rules
  
• Multichannel product feed optimization that keeps listings up-to-date and visible—without development intervention
  
• Experimentation tools that make it easy to A/B test and iterate without waiting on quarterly roadmaps

In other words, the right stack today isn’t necessarily the most powerful—it’s the one that frees up time, makes data actionable, and adapts in real time.

What’s ahead in the Retail Resilience series

This post is just the beginning. Over the coming weeks, we’ll unpack the strategies helping brands adapt to shifting markets, connect more effectively with shoppers, and grow with confidence in an unpredictable environment.

Here’s what’s coming next:

• Where Growth Is Happening Now: A closer look at which regions and channels are outperforming, and how to test new markets without overextending
  
• Hesitant Shoppers, Confident Journeys: How personalization, bundling, and search improvements reduce friction and increase AOV
  
• Tech Built for This: What modern commerce teams actually need from their tech stack—and what they don’t
  
• The Retail Resilience Playbook: A practical guide to smarter growth in uncertain times

If your team is thinking about how to protect margin, reach new markets, and increase conversions with leaner resources, you’re not alone—and you don’t have to guess what works.

Start with what’s already driving results.

Want to see where your biggest opportunities lie?
Request a free site audit