Linnworks Releases the State of Commerce Ops 2026 Report

On February 25, 2026, Linnworks, a leading connected CommerceOps platform, unveiled its annual State of Commerce Ops Report. This report focuses on the mid-market ecommerce sector, specifically retailers with annual revenues between $7.5 million and $100 million. The exclusive data reveals that growth in both the U.K. and U.S. is widespread, despite an increasingly complex operating environment.

Key Insights from the Report

According to Jon Bahl, CEO of Linnworks, “As retailers navigate the ever-evolving ecommerce industry, one thing remains clear: growth and operational maturity are inseparable.” The survey data not only highlights the ongoing growth of the market but also provides clients with strategies for scalability and progress.

Survey Methodology

The report analyzes survey results from 500 mid-market retail leaders, evenly split between the U.S. and U.K. The survey questions were designed to capture both current-state performance and forward-looking priorities, focusing on five key topics:

• Revenue and order volume growth
• Operational efficiency and scalability
• Automation and AI adoption
• Logistics, fulfillment, and systems complexity
• Strategic priorities for the year ahead

Growth Trends

The survey provides a snapshot into two of the world’s leading e-commerce markets—the U.S. and the U.K.—and reveals what’s top of mind for senior decision-makers across operations, supply chain, logistics, ecommerce, and executive leadership roles.

Widespread Growth

Growth is reported to be widespread, with 89.6% of U.K. retailers and 88.8% of U.S. retailers indicating moderate to significant year-over-year growth. However, the report notes that growth is no longer constrained by ambition or demand; rather, it is limited by operational design. High growth is increasingly correlated with automation and multichannel maturity.

Inventory Visibility Challenges

Inventory visibility is highlighted as a significant bottleneck in scalability. Only about one-third of retailers in both the U.K. and U.S. report excellent inventory visibility across channels and warehouses. The report identifies inventory accuracy, fulfillment execution, and system reliability as the most common points of failure as businesses grow across channels and markets.

AI Adoption Trends

The report indicates that AI adoption is shifting from being a “nice-to-have” to an essential component of operations. Currently, 60.8% of U.S. retailers and 54.8% of U.K. retailers use AI chatbots for customer support. Furthermore, AI is expanding into critical operational areas, including:

• Demand forecasting
• Inventory and order management
• Marketing optimization
• Fraud prevention

Automation as a Baseline

Automation is increasingly seen as a baseline requirement rather than a differentiator. The report shows that 64.8% of U.K. retailers and 60.0% of U.S. retailers report operations that are either majority or highly automated. However, the depth of adoption varies significantly, and these differences are increasingly reflected in growth outcomes, operational resilience, and leadership confidence.

Fulfillment and Logistics

Fulfillment and logistics are identified as critical components of customer experience. The report highlights that carrier diversification is a clear sign of operational maturity. Retailers utilizing multiple carriers are more resilient during peak periods, face fewer disruptions, and have greater flexibility to balance cost and delivery speed.

Conclusion

The full report is available for download on the Linnworks website. To learn more about Linnworks and its product offerings, please visit Linnworks.com.

Frequently Asked Questions

Note: The information provided in this article is based on the Linnworks State of Commerce Ops 2026 Report and is intended for informational purposes only.