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MARCH 20, 2026 |
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In this edition: |
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TOP STORY |
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Retail’s next phase is defined less by experimentation and more by scrutiny as AI tools become more autonomous and retail media is commanding larger shares of budget. In addition, younger consumers are reshaping discovery and physical stores continue to account for the vast majority of sales. |
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At Shoptalk 2026, the conversation will center on how these forces translate into measurable growth. Across the agenda, executives will examine where AI earns trust, how retail media proves its value, and what it takes to stay relevant with shoppers whose path to purchase rarely follows a straight line. |
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Here are the themes likely to shape the event. |
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IN THE NEWS |
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Gen Alpha relies on social commerce, but longs for physical retail. Teenagers today are digital natives in the truest sense, but their digital lives reveal surprising nuances about device preferences, social spaces, and emerging technologies that marketers need to understand. |
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As retail media growth slows, measurement takes center stage. Retail media is maturing faster than the systems used to measure it. |
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OpenAI’s agentic commerce ambitions get a reality check. OpenAI walked back plans to integrate checkouts directly into ChatGPT, per The Information. |
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ANALYSIS |
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Retail executives are largely aligned on one point: Artificial intelligence is no longer experimental, but is central to how retailers expect to drive growth, improve customer experience, and build more resilient operations. |
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PODCAST |
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We discuss where creators make their money, why nano-influencers are becoming increasingly sought after, and the biggest challenges in measuring the impact of influencer campaigns. “Behind the Numbers” is made possible by Rokt. | | |
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