DHL's E-Commerce Trends 2025 report reveals what matters most to online buyers in CEE during the Christmas shopping season: fast and flexible delivery, trusted logistics partners, and seamless returns, alongside growing expectations for social commerce, AI tools, and sustainability.
The report, based on surveys of 24,000 online shoppers across 24 markets, confirms that delivery and returns remain the biggest conversion drivers globally. Eight out of ten shoppers abandon their carts if their preferred delivery option is not available, and nearly three quarters walk away if returns are inconvenient. In Poland, 82% of consumers will not buy if they don't trust the delivery provider.
Social commerce is booming, with seven in ten consumers expecting to shop mainly via social media by 2030, and half of Czech shoppers already buying through social platforms. AI is entering the gift hunt, as 70% of consumers want tools like virtual try-ons and voice search. Sustainability also matters: one in three shoppers abandon purchases over environmental concerns, and many are willing to wait longer for greener delivery options.
"Christmas amplifies expectations. Retailers need partners who can scale fast, integrate seamlessly, and deliver reliably," says Filip Budik, CEO DHL Supply Chain CEE. "Our e-commerce fulfillment solutions give customers exactly that - from automated warehouses and late cut-off times to sustainable packaging and optimised transport." Rainer Haag, CEO DHL Supply Chain Europe, adds: "Poland stands out as one of the most demanding e-commerce markets in Europe. This clearly shows how decisive the right logistics partner is for online retail."
Behind the scenes, DHL Supply Chain's fulfillment centres across CEE provide scalable capacity to handle seasonal surges, automated picking and packing for speed and accuracy, late cut-off times and weekend operations, plus integration with parcel lockers and sustainable packaging to reduce environmental impact.
