Creator programs become table stakes: Pacsun and David’s Bridal are the latest retailers to rely on social commerce and user-generated buzz to boost sales.
Beijing’s crackdown on ecommerce price wars could put an end to excessive discounts, but demand remains weak.
This FAQ addresses how retail media works, who the major players are, and what marketers should consider when allocating budgets.
Neighborhood Rewards hit physical stores, eyeing loyalty from Gen Z and millennial renters.
As software standardizes, AI features emerge as key differentiators for survival-focused SMBs.
Opt-in discoverability could lock in younger, AI-curious shoppers early.
Legal and political pressure is rising, but shaken consumer confidence may be harder to fix.
28% of retail commerce media decision-makers in North America and Europe say they review and approve creatives manually but lack automation or dynamic capabilities, according to November 2025 data from Koddi and Forrester Consulting.
As AI agents gain traction, reliability will determine if consumers stick around.
As product catalogs grow, content multiplies, and shopping journeys splinter across platforms, AI recommendation engines are becoming the connective tissue between desire and decision. In 2026, retail leaders expect the technology to move from responding to queries to proactively anticipating what consumers want and guiding them through increasingly complex choice environments.
With 63% of consumers expecting unemployment to rise, retailers may face more belt-tightening ahead.
This FAQ examines what's verifiable about ad blocking today and what marketers should watch in 2026.
Kroger, CVS, and others are increasing in-store retail media investments as interest grows.
JPMorgan buys the $20B portfolio at a discount, inheriting risks but gaining a unique opportunity.
With AI-powered security and no retail conflict, Clover’s palm-pay push could win where Amazon stumbled.
A Crypto.com deal lets shoppers pay in any crypto—not just stablecoins—seamlessly at Stripe merchants.
Constellation Brands blames weak demand on the stiff socioeconomic headwinds facing Hispanic consumers.
Our analysts (or “bakers”) will compete in a Great British Bake Off–style episode, discussing how the digital shelf for ecommerce will adapt to speak to AI audiences and how retailers will counter AI’s rise by connecting with customers IRL. Listen to the discussion with Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian, Principal Analyst Sky Canaves, and Senior Analyst Blake Droesch.
Despite that solid growth there is growing cause for concern about the broader environment ahead.
AI influenced $262 billion in global holiday sales, but most impact came from chatbots and behind-the-scenes customer service, not from shopping assistants.