Digital shelf labels (DSLs) are gaining momentum in retail stores, as major players prepare to scale adoption. Walmart recently announced plans to roll out DSLs across its entire store fleet within the next year, while Kroger has already begun replacing traditional paper tags with electronic labels in its Cincinnati-area stores.

The massive redesign aims to elevate private label appeal and fend off rivals.

Social platforms want a bigger role in search ad budgets, but user habits lag behind. As search expands beyond traditional engines, these platforms must turn occasional behavior into intent-driven activity to grab ad dollars.

Essential spending keeps traffic positive while superstores fluctuate and then climb early this year.

The path to purchase describes how consumers move from initial awareness to buying a product or service. In 2026, that journey looks nothing like the linear funnel marketers once relied on. Generative AI (genAI) tools, social commerce platforms, and compressed decision cycles are creating new routes to conversion that bypass traditional search-and-browse patterns. This FAQ examines what is driving these shifts and how marketers can adapt.

This FAQ covers what agentic commerce is, who the key players are, and what brands and advertisers should do about it.

Agentic shopping could account for more than a quarter of ecommerce spending within the next few years, according to a September 2025 Boston Consulting Group report. But that potential hinges on retailers integrating AI into the shopping journey in ways that feel beneficial to consumers.

A leaked Amazon deck positions its Rufus AI shopping assistant as a high-intent retail media channel with CPC pricing on the horizon.

When choosing where to buy prescription drugs, brand loyalty takes a back seat to price and access where they already shop.

New shoppable placements, unified logins, and strong results tie streaming ads to measurable sales impact.

As ecommerce gains concentrate among a few dominant players, smaller retailers have an opening if they can carve out share in an increasingly uneven market.

AI is reshaping how people discover, evaluate, and buy products. As assistants and emerging agents take on more of the shopping journey, retailers must rethink how they surface products and compete for influence in the purchase journey.

Both retailers are enhancing attribution capabilities as marketers demand better measurement.

Retailers have prioritized convenience while underestimating in-store behavior, said Placer.ai CMO Ethan Chernofsky at EMARKETER’s Commerce Media Summit.

Dynamic tools may cut cart abandonment and boost profits, but risk alienating cost-sensitive shoppers.

An integration with Reddit and Pacvue plugs Reddit into more than 100 networks as the platform’s AI citations and ad sales climb.

The retailer expects rising gas prices and uncertainty to enhance its value proposition.

A rumored late June date would heighten pressure on sellers and competitors while easing Amazon’s YoY comparisons.