NEWS
NEWS
British mid-market retailers believe social commerce is democratising the sector
Over eight in ten( 86 %) British retail brands believe social commerce is democratising the retail landscape, levelling the playing field by allowing midmarket businesses to compete against enterprise level companies and achieve commercial success regardless of size and resource, according to the latest research from Scurri, a next-generation delivery management platform.
Original research of 100 + UK retailers reveals larger businesses are increasingly learning from the strategies of founder-led and SME brands that are delivering social commerce success, with half( 50 %) of enterprise retailers agreeing that social commerce is no longer an optional feature but a key driver of growth. The UK’ s social commerce industry is predicted to more than double in the next four years, rising from £ 7.4 billion to almost £ 16 billion by 2028 – representing 10 % of the total online commerce market, up from 6 % in 2024, and growing at four times the rate of overall ecommerce sales.
Eighty-three percent of retailers surveyed agreed social commerce is the fastest growing sales channel in the UK. When asked which channels will drive strategic growth opportunities over the next 24 months, mid-market brands identified YouTube( 55 %), Instagram( 54 %) and TikTok Shop( 54 %), while enterprise retailers focused on Facebook( 57 %), Instagram( 48 %) and TikTok Shop( 48 %) as they look ahead to 2027.
The research reveals mid-market brands are more active than enterprise businesses in terms of shopper engagement activities on social commerce, including activation of paid partnerships( 42 % vs 29 %), brand customer content( 48 % vs 39 %) and live shopping events( 46 % vs 24 %). In contrast, enterprise level respondents were more prevalent in activating partnerships with macro( 32 % vs 21 %) and lifestyle( 47 % vs 37 %) influencers.
Regardless of business size, the majority( 89 %) of retailers agree postpurchase experience is crucial to building consumer trust with consumers, who have very high expectations for delivery speed, tracking and returns when purchasing via social commerce.
Rory O’ Connor, Founder & CEO of Scurri, said:“ To meet the demands of platforms like TikTok Shop, UK retailers of any size must partner with approved delivery services that meet the platform’ s standards for timely and secure deliveries. Using delivery management software to streamline operations between multiple partners allows retailers to scale efficiently and ensure timely deliveries, reducing the risk of delays and customer dissatisfaction.”
HMRC blocks more than 100 million suspicious emails amid cyberattack surge
His Majesty’ s Revenue and Customs( HMRC) has revealed it intercepted over 100 million malicious emails targeting UK government services in the last three years, highlighting a significant escalation in cyber threats.
Figures obtained through a Freedom of Information( FOI) request detail the volume of suspect emails blocked between November 2021 and September 2024. The data indicates a sharp increase in attempted cyberattacks.
Between November 2021 and October 2022, HMRC blocked 23.7 million malicious emails. The number surged to 40.3 million in the following year( November 2022 to October 2023) and remained high at 40.9 million in the period from November 2023 to September 2024.
The total number of blocked malicious emails over the threeyear period stands at a staggering 105 million, demonstrating the persistent and growing threat faced by UK government digital infrastructure.
Andy Ward, SVP International, Absolute Security, said:“ These numbers show just how relentless cybercriminals are when it comes to targeting government institutions. Email remains one of the main ways attackers try to break into systems – whether through malware, spam or other tactics designed to exploit vulnerabilities.
“ To tackle these threats effectively, organisations need a strong cyber-resilience strategy. This means real-time monitoring of systems, advanced threat detection and the ability to act fast when something goes wrong.” www. intelligentfin. tech
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