Retail

Digital IDs in mobile wallets are reducing friction at checkout and verification, helping retailers reconnect online convenience with in-store shopping through loyalty, messaging, and tap-based interactions.

January, known in retail circles as Returnuary, is often the cruelest month for merchants, as post-holiday returns erode margins and strain reverse logistics.

As retailers enter 2026, unified platforms, agentic AI, and automation are changing e-commerce operations, affecting personalization, payments, fulfillment, and the cost of competing at global scale.

Online retailers are increasingly being targeted by money laundering schemes, as criminal networks exploit refunds, marketplace sellers, and cross-border payment flows to move illicit funds outside traditional banking oversight.

Retailers are bracing for a predicted post-holiday surge in returns as customer service teams and back-office operations face mounting pressure from fraud, refund abuse, and rising costs.

Frustrated shoppers are pulling back from e-commerce as AI bots beat humans to checkout and flood sites with scams.

Agentic, intent-based commerce is beginning to bypass search and browsing altogether, introducing a new competitive challenge to Chinese retail models and traditional e-commerce funnels.

As prices rise and AI tools shape product discovery, consumers increasingly trust what they can verify — rich information, user experiences, and transparent feedback — rather than the logo on the box.

Retailers are using Leap and Endear to turn physical stores into relationship-building hubs, unifying customer insight across channels and strengthening loyalty through data-driven clienteling and more personalized in-store engagement.

As AI agents negotiate purchases and pool consumer intent, retailers face a new era of automated pricing, shifting loyalty, and competitive pressure across the e-commerce ecosystem.

E-commerce marketplaces are driving growth in refurbished and secondary tech, enabling profitable resale models that extend device life and reduce e-waste.

Consumers are rapidly adopting AI-powered shopping tools, but many retailers are slow to respond — widening the gap between product discovery behavior and retail readiness.

GenAI tools have become practical shopping aids, guiding consumers at critical decision points and helping them make faster, more confident choices about what to buy, which brand to choose, and where to find the best deals.

Shoppers aren’t rushing anymore — they’re pacing. Retailers have taken notice, moving beyond one-day flash deals and stretching major sales events across multiple days or even weeks.