Beyond the Basket - 28/08/25

Thursday 28th August | Join Free

Hello, it’s Thursday, and this is your daily Beyond the Basket briefing. Ecommerce is facing its sharpest slowdown since 2012 as tariffs bite, while Nordic shoppers are emerging as Europe’s cross-border leaders. At the same time, review authenticity is under the spotlight, and Walmart is pushing harder to merge its marketplace with its stores. Here’s what you need to know today 👇

In today’s beyond the basket:
📉 Trump Tariffs Trigger Sharpest Ecommerce Slowdown in a Decade
🌍 Nordics Lead Europe: 84% Shop Monthly, 73% Buy Cross-Border
🚗 Dealer Banned from Trustpilot for Review Incentives
📦 Amazon Adds Holiday FBA Surcharge in UK & Germany
🛍️ Walmart Ties Marketplace to Stores, Adds AI Seller Tools

+plus four deep reads and analysis and one tool that could increase your productivity without increasing your workload.

TL;DR: A new AlixPartners survey shows U.S. online sales across nearly all major product categories are down double digits, with tariffs driving consumers to delay, cancel, or shift purchases domestically.

Why It Matters: This marks the first broad pullback in U.S. ecommerce growth since 2012. Sporting goods, furniture, and large electronics each fell by double digits, while grocery was flat. 34% of consumers delayed purchases and 28% bought early to avoid tariff costs, but only 20% leaned into “Buy American.” The report also highlights that, 97% of shoppers say free shipping influences their decision, and 77% say it “greatly impacts” them, making rising delivery costs a direct profitability squeeze. Another startling statistic is that nearly 72% of executives admit ecommerce isn’t profitable right now, with 76% facing higher per-package costs and over 50% diversifying carriers to cut reliance on FedEx/UPS.

Your Move: Cushion demand drops with loyalty mechanics (subscriptions, member pricing, or early-access offers) that lock in repeat customers despite higher sticker prices. If possible for your brand consider hedging geographic risk by reallocating marketing spend and marketplace presence toward non-U.S. regions with fewer trade headwinds.

TL;DR: PostNord’s Spring 2025 shows 84% of Nordic consumers shop online monthly and 73% purchased cross-border in the past year; China is the top origin, and delivery preferences vary sharply (DNK service points 45%, FIN parcel lockers 37%, SWE home delivery 32%, NOR mailbox 31%). 

Why It Matters: The Nordics are more cross-border-active than the EU overall, across the EU-27, 33% of recent online shoppers bought from other EU sellers and 20% from non-EU sellers, making Scandinavia a prime testbed for international demand, logistics, and trust signals. Meanwhile, the EU is tightening customs on low-value parcels, a shift that could reshape delivery costs and timelines for popular non-EU origins. And sustainability is a real conversion lever here: 8 in 10 Nordic shoppers say it influences where they buy. 

Your Move: Approach the Nordics as a single high-value region but with country-level nuances. Winning here means combining strong cross-border readiness, trusted local payment and delivery options, and visible sustainability commitments, a playbook that could double as a model for wider European expansion.

TL;DR: Big Motoring World became the first car dealer suspended from Trustpilot for allegedly bribing customers to leave or remove reviews, breaching platform rules.

Why It Matters: Big Motoring World is the first dealer to be banned from Trustpilot, after being accused of incentivizing customers to remove negative reviews or post five-star ones. The ban wiped its visible TrustScore, triggered a public warning, and blocked access to paid features. The timing is critical: the UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) recently stepped up enforcement against fake and manipulated reviews, warning that practices like suppressing negatives or paying for endorsements may breach consumer law. For ecommerce and DTC brands, the message is clear, review manipulation now carries both platform penalties and regulatory risk, making compliant, authentic feedback strategies essential.

Your Move: Audit your review-collection processes now, ensure incentives don’t violate platform T&Cs or local consumer laws. Focus on authentic, compliant practices that protect reputation, sustain discoverability, and ultimately build stronger brand trust.

TL;DR: Amazon will introduce a seasonal fulfilment surcharge for FBA sellers in the UK and Germany, effective mid-October to mid-January.

Why It Matters: Amazon says the move is to offset above-average logistics costs during the peak season, echoing tactics by major carriers like DHL. UK sellers will pay an average of 10p per parcel, while German sellers face €0.19 per item. The fee won’t apply to low-price or oversize SKUs. While these charges may seem modest, for high-volume sellers, they compound quickly, and the unusually long fee window could signal more cost shifts ahead. Amazon stresses this is to preserve delivery speed and fulfillment capacity, but it also reflects tightening margins across marketplaces.

Your Move: Make sure you factor in the new costs now, and potentially adjust Q4 pricing, prep your bundles, and revisit eligibility for low-price exemptions to keep profitability on track during the peak season.

TL;DR: Walmart is piloting in-store QR codes linking to marketplace products, expanding WFS (Walmart Fulfilment Services) next-day delivery, rolling out AI-powered listing tools, and cutting seller fees on toys and other categories ahead of the holidays.

Why It Matters: Walmart is blending digital marketplace growth with its physical retail dominance, a move that could help it compete with Amazon’s ecosystem. Fee cuts in toys and pet supplies target high-volume holiday categories, while AI tools lower seller friction. With 44% of marketplace orders now fulfilled via WFS, Walmart is clearly leaning into fulfillment as a moat.

Your Move: If you sell on Walmart, push seasonal SKUs now and test the new AI tools to maximize early adoption advantages. Also consider routing best-sellers through WFS to increase delivery speed in major metros, Walmart is signaling this as the growth engine.

Marblism – AI Employees to Scale Your Business. With tariffs and delivery costs squeezing margins, efficiency is king. Marblism gives you a team of AI “employees” that handle inbox management, SEO, social media, customer support, and lead generation.

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