2026 Retail Trends You Need to Be Ready For

As consumer trends and marketing keep changing, it’s more important than ever to keep your retail technology up to date. Outdated practices can get in the way of user experience, but by following trends and modernizing your point of sale equipment, customer service can be at an all-time high. The result is more dedicated customers who continue to come back to your retail space. In this blog, we’ll cover the top 2026 retail trends you need to be ready for, so you can get a head start and surpass your industry competitors.

1. Unified Commerce

One of the top trends in 2026 is unified commerce. While omnichannel marketing focuses on multiple channels, unified commerce is the idea that all customer data, inventory, and transactions are handled with the same system and updated in real-time.

In a retail environment, all-in-one POS systems and retail technology are crucial for connecting devices throughout a store or multiple store locations. The unified system makes real-time inventory tracking and purchases easier for both consumers and employees and can lead to more company growth.

Related Content: Why Choose an All-in-One POS Provider

2. Online Priority with In-Store Experiences

While unified commerce is at the core of a retail space, an online priority is taking precedence in 2026. The fact of the matter is that more people are buying online than ever before. Online shopping is at an all-time high, while in-person shopping popularity is declining.

Now, one of the most common trends is that in-store experiences are supplementing the online shopping experience. Some of the more lucrative businesses are making it easy to order online and get free pickup at the store of their choice. Stores are now acting as a showroom for anyone who wants to test products before buying them or as a shipping hub for easy online shopping.

One of the best examples of this practice is Bath & Body Works. They have a huge online marketing presence, alerting customers that sales are happening through email, text, and even their loyalty app. They make ordering extremely easy by encouraging shoppers to pick up their purchases at their preferred location. Meanwhile, their stores stack their favorite scents and products artfully, even providing free testing for in-store customers. Using this process allows customers to fully immerse themselves in the product and encourages purchases. Sometimes, customers will even buy more items once they head in-store for their online pickup.

So, how is this trend accomplished? Retailers are investing in newer, more advanced retail technology that fully integrates both in-store and online purchasing. The easier you make this process for your customers, the more willing they are to make purchases.

3. Social Media Product Discovery

Social media is taking over the product discovery process. So many consumers' first experience with a product or brand is on social media. Whether it’s from an influencer sharing their favorite products, a funny video showcasing some merchandise, or brands and products coming across ads on their feed, social media discovery is one of the biggest trends right now. Plus, new updates are making it easy for consumers to buy products without ever leaving the app.

Companies that don’t have their products or services on social media are missing out big-time. Whether you choose to utilize micro-influencers or simply have an online presence for your brand on social media, this is a huge benefit for companies. Live shopping events, sharing videos of products and services, and simply offering a space for your audience to engage with your brand are crucial in 2026.

4. Simplified Systems Maximize Retail Technology Speed

With so many different spaces where you can showcase your brand, it’s imperative to simplify your systems to maximize retail technology speed. Rather than having clunky, outdated POS systems, checkout registers, and tech in your store, newer technologies are going to be your saving grace.

Newer point of sale systems, self-checkout registers, self-help kiosks, and other technology are going to speed up the process for consumers and enhance their in-store customer experience and online customer experience. These new systems offer incredible integrations and cloud-based systems that can easily bridge the gap between marketing channels. Real-time inventory tracking for each location can be updated with online inventory and purchasing requests.

Related Content: Enhanced Efficiency and Customer Experience with Next-Gen POS Systems

5. Emphasis on Mobile Utilization with Shopping

Most consumers are utilizing their mobile devices more than their laptops when it comes to shopping. Personalized app experiences, easy self-checkout via mobile phone, and mobile POS systems are rising in popularity in 2026.

To give consumers more autonomy during the shopping experience, many retailers are making self-checkout even more convenient by allowing customers to scan items, view totals, and pay—all from their own phone—both in-store and online.

On top of that, retail employees are using mobile POS devices (mPOS) and tablets to look up inventory, process payments anywhere in the retail space, and help customers skip the checkout lines.

One of the best examples of this is servers using these mPOS devices in restaurants to help customers order food and complete the checkout process without having to run back and forth to a main POS system. Instead, the mPOS device is handheld and always on hand, making orders easy and ensuring customers get a speedy experience.

Related Content: Why Modernizing the Shopping Experience Matters

6. AI Agents Enhance Sales and Assist with Shopping

Simultaneously, the most loved and most hated trend of 2026: AI agents. While people are polarized on the topic, the fact is that AI is helpful for both consumers and the companies that use it. Integrated AI agents in sites and retail POS systems can help with a multitude of needs.

AI is incredibly helpful for consumer product curation and can help analyze shopping history and browsing behavior to find more applicable products. It can also use real-time inventory information to recommend products. 

AI Chatbots on websites can help consumers answer basic questions to save time and money from real people having to do the same thing.

Lastly, AI can interpret sales reports to determine more precise forecasting and help with inventory management to minimize overstocking or understocking.

Related Content: 5 Ways to Future-Proof Your Retail Technology and Business

7. Consumer Transparency is Essential for AI Adoption

While AI is incredibly helpful in the retail space, consumer transparency is essential for AI to be adopted.

• Creating clear data usage policies is crucial, so consumers know what data is being collected and how it’s being used.
• Adding easy opt-in or opt-out forms is also essential, so consumers don’t feel forced into anything.
• Explaining how the AI works can make consumers more comfortable with it. Rather than subtly adding AI and hoping people won’t notice, it can work wonders to talk about what’s happening in real-time. If AI is going to recommend certain steps, having a clear note along with it can be helpful.

For example, a website might specify a certain recommendation for a customer, followed by, “Because you liked A, you might like B,” or “Other customers who bought A bought B.”

8. Consumers are More Likely to Switch Brands

With so many competing products and companies, consumers aren’t limited to one or two options like they were in the past. If something is wrong with the product, the customer experience, pricing, or anything else, consumers are quick to switch brands. Brand loyalty is much more fragile with so many options now. While routine is comfortable, it’s not worth it for modern shoppers to stick around with a retail company if their needs aren’t being met.

Ultimately, it’s much easier and more affordable to keep the current customers you have. If you lose them, it’s a lot harder and more expensive to win them back than it is to satisfy your current customers.

When trying to keep your customers, the quality of your product and price are important, but so are convenience and speed. If your retail space is constantly relying on old, outdated POS systems and other retail technology, your customers are going to notice—especially when the checkout process takes longer than your competitors. If another company offers similar products and pricing to you, but they nailed the online and in-store checkout process, you’re already falling behind.

To solve this challenge, retailers should focus on:

• Amplifying the first experience by making purchases fast, easy, and positive
• Speeding up the checkout process and offering multiple channels for easy access
• Using AI to identify pain points and solve issues before they are escalated

Achieving a fast, positive experience for consumers is easier than you think. Sometimes, simply investing in the right POS tools can help you get ahead.

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9. Expanded Loyalty Programs Work Better

A huge trend in 2026 in the retail space is expanding loyalty programs. Instead of having the generic “the more you buy, the more you save” method, retailers are using tiered programs that incentivize purchasing even more.

This tiered loyalty program offers more inherent value than a simple points system. With each tier, consumers can access products, exclusive content, and more offers than they could access before. The result is that the benefits program doesn’t seem as transactional and can feel like more of a goal.

With more advanced retail technology, you can integrate this technology across multiple channels, including mobile, online, and in-store. The result is a more advanced user experience, where consumers are rewarded for their continuous loyalty, and shopping is easier than ever, wherever they are.

10. Omnichannel Marketing Attracts More Customers

While in-store shopping once used to be the goal, more consumers than ever are moving their purchasing decisions online in 2026. To match this move, the best thing you can do as a retailer is to offer omnichannel marketing across all the major platforms.

Using customer data, you can place targeted ads on consumers’ preferred platforms, use local advertising, and more. This trend isn’t about what’s easiest for your company—it’s about meeting your customers where they are.

Enhance Customer Experience with a Next-Gen POS System

With these 2026 retail trends that you need to be ready for, you’ll be able to get your company in the ideal spot for this year. If your POS systems are outdated and need a change to keep up with these new trends, our team at Retail Tech can help you get started. We can help you source newer point of sale systems, set up your floor, and ensure your space is ready for your consumers.

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