UiPath research shows many retailers operating in hindsight when it comes to key commercial decisions
69% of UK retailers only react to operational issues after those issues have already affected commercial performance, according to new research from UiPath ahead of this year's Golden Quarter.
Its survey of 500 UK retail leaders also found that although almost every UK retailer (97%) has now implemented artificial intelligence in some form, 47% say they are still waiting to see measurable commercial impact.
The findings suggest that AI investment alone has not solved retailers' biggest operational challenge: turning data into decisions quickly enough to influence commercial outcomes. Despite widespread adoption, many organisations still lack the visibility, connected processes and orchestration needed to act before problems affect revenue, which is a particular concern in the lead up to the Black Friday and Christmas period.
97% are confident of achieving their commercial targets during the 2026 Golden Quarter. However, beneath that confidence, operational challenges remain widespread, as retailers continue to face the operational barriers that prevent them from coordinating decisions across teams and systems in real-time. Delayed decision-making (43%) and poor data visibility (42%) are the two biggest barriers limiting agility during peak trading, while inventory inaccuracies (35%) and legacy technology (35%) continue to slow organisations down.
The commercial risks of delayed decision-making are clear. 26% identify margin protection as their biggest commercial risk during the Golden Quarter, ahead of pricing and promotion strategy (21%) and inventory visibility (20%). Combined, 46% say either protecting margins or pricing and promotions represent their greatest commercial challenge.
Retailers often focus on external market conditions, yet the survey suggests the biggest risks originate inside their own operations. When asked what is most likely to cause underperformance during peak trading, stock visibility failures (40%) ranked highest, narrowly ahead of operational bottlenecks (39%).
The research also found that retailers remain heavily dependent on people rather than automation during their busiest trading periods. Nearly eight in ten (79%) say that most, almost all or all key operational decisions still require manual intervention. This reliance on manual processes reflects a wider pattern of reactive decision-making, which is already affecting commercial performance.
Catherine Frame, Retail Director at UiPath, says: “Retailers don't have an AI problem, they have a decision-making problem. Too many organisations still discover issues after they've already affected sales because critical data, systems and teams remain disconnected. AI only delivers value when it helps retailers spot problems early enough to change the outcome.”
“With Black Friday and the Golden Quarter fast approaching, the retailers that perform best will be the ones with the visibility to spot issues early, the confidence to act quickly, and the orchestration to quickly turn insight into action across pricing, inventory and operations. Too often, businesses blame supply chain disruption when the real problem is that they’re making decisions with incomplete or outdated information. AI powered decision-making can make the difference between reacting to disruption and staying ahead of it.”
Looking ahead, retailers believe competitive advantage will increasingly come from operational excellence rather than simply expanding AI adoption. End-to-end orchestration (37%) was identified as the defining characteristic of future peak trading success, followed by faster execution (35%) and AI driven decision-making (33%).
2026 RTIH Innovation Awards
AI will be a key focus area at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards.
The awards are now open for entries and celebrate global retail technology innovation in a fast moving omnichannel world.
Our winners will be revealed at the 2026 RTIH Innovation Awards Ceremony, taking place at The HAC in Central London on Wednesday, 4th November.
Check out our 2025 winners here.
Our 2025 hall of fame entrants were revealed during a sold out event which took place at The HAC on 16th October and consisted of a drinks reception, three course meal, and awards ceremony presided over by award winning comedian, actress and writer Tiff Stevenson.
In his welcome speech, Scott Thompson, Founder and Editor, RTIH, said: “This is the awards’ fifth year as a physical event. We started off with just 30 people at the South Place Hotel not far from here, then moved to London Bridge Hotel, then The Barbican, and last year RIBA’s HQ in the West End.”
“But I’m conscious of the fact that, to quote the legend that is Taylor Swift, You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby. So, this year we’ve moved to our biggest venue yet, and also pulled in our largest number of entries to date and broken attendance records.”
He added: “This year’s submissions have without doubt been our best yet. To quote one of the judges: The examples of innovative developments across both traditional and digital retail spaces were truly remarkable.”
Congratulations to our winners, and a big thank you to our sponsors, judging panel, the legend that is Tiff Stevenson, and all those who attended our 2025 gathering.
