From La Rentrée to French Days 2025: A critical window for e-commerce in France
September’s la rentrée marks the shift from summer holidays to back-to-school shopping, quickly followed by French Days (Sept 24–30), one of France’s biggest online sales events, where retailers offer steep discounts and ramp up promotional activity. This short, high-impact window sets the tone for Q4 performance, testing retailers’ ability to deliver speed, flexibility, and reliability at scale.
In this post, we’ll explore key consumer trends, spending insights, and why a strong last-mile strategy is essential for winning French Days and preparing for the holiday season.
La Rentrée 2025 in France: Key trends at a glance
Back-to-school spending in France reached €323 per family in 2025— 20% more than in 2024.
What French consumers are expectating during French Days 2025?
French Days has become a major online shopping event, with 72% of French consumers making at least one online purchase during the 2024 edition. What retailers can expect for French Days Fall?
Focus on high-value categories
Consumers plan ahead for big-ticket and seasonal purchases:
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Electronics, home appliances, and tech gadgets remain top priorities.
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Fashion and home décor/furniture show strong sales rebounds.
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The timing between traditional soldes makes French Days a strategic moment for major purchases.
Shopping preferences
French Days shoppers are price-conscious, mobile-first, and eager to support local retailers. They actively look for steep discounts, prefer smartphone shopping, and choose domestic brands, about 60% of French e-buyers say it’s important that a product be sold by a French retailer.
Delivery options and flexibility
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France stands out for its widespread use of “Click & Collect” and parcel pickup points. 46% now use out-of-home delivery, such as parcel pick-up locations and parcel.
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French consumers expect choice in delivery. 23% of e-shoppers abandon carts due to lack of preferred delivery methods.
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French shoppers show a strong preference for predictability over sheer speed. 86% of e-shoppers prefer a scheduled delivery window (e.g., 2-hour slots) over open-ended delivery times.
Why retailers need a strong last-mile strategy for French Days
French Days is a logistics stress test
With order volumes surging, carriers stretched thin, and delivery windows tightening, French Days puts logistics systems to the test. Retailers that invest in resilient, scalable last-mile solutions now will be fully prepared for Black Friday and the holiday rush.
Meeting high customer expectations
With order volumes surging, carriers stretched thin, and delivery windows tightening, French Days puts logistics systems to the test. Retailers that invest in resilient, scalable last-mile solutions now will be fully prepared for Black Friday and the holiday rush.
Cost control and scalability
As the most expensive part of the supply chain, last-mile delivery costs can skyrocket during peak events. A reliable last-mile network and route-optimized strategy keeps costs manageable and ensures your business can scale smoothly.
Essential last-mile strategies to win French Days
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Prepare for seasonal scalability – Use demand forecasting tools to plan workforce, fleet, and inventory needs, ensuring you can meet French Days demand without overspending.
- Use technology for real-time visibility – Implement tracking systems and proactive notifications (SMS/email) to improve transparency, reduce inquiries, and build trust.
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Plan for returns and reverse logistics – Simplify the returns process with user-friendly return labels, local drop-off points, and fast refunds, helping retain customers post-purchase.
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Offer flexible delivery options – Provide Click & Collect, parcel lockers, scheduled delivery windows, and home delivery to meet diverse consumer preferences and reduce failed attempts.
GOFO: Your trusted last-mile partner for e-commerce growth
At GOFO, we deliver more than parcels, we deliver growth for your e-commerce business. With a dedicated 10,000 m² sorting center in Paris and 12 strategically located distribution centers across France, we provide reliable service coverage to 60+ major cities, helping retailers perform at their best during French Days and throughout the year.
Transparent, competitive pricing – No hidden fees or complex pricing models, with particularly competitive rates.
Smart tech & seamless Integration – Advanced open API integrations and end-to-end visibility: SMS notifications pre- and post-delivery, real-time tracking, and Proof of Delivery for every shipment.
Reliability at scale – Benefit from three free delivery attempts, a 95% on-time rate, and a 99.5% successful delivery rate.
Dedicated multilingual support – AI assistant response within 30 seconds, live agent support within 3 minutes, available 7 days a week, 9:00–20:00.
GOFO combines nationwide coverage, operational efficiency, and service reliability to give retailers a trusted logistics partner for peak seasons and beyond.
