Omnichannel

Retail’s big reset: Why 2026 will separate brands that execute from brands that just plan

The brands that win in 2026 will be the ones that execute — consistently, visibly, and without excuses.

Photo: Adobe Stock

February 5, 2026 | Brett Beveridge, founder & CEO, T-ROC

Summarize with

2026 doesn't feel like a "fresh start" year.

It feels like a reset that's already in motion — whether brands are ready or not.

Every year starts with forecasts. Trend lists. Bold claims about what retail will become next. Most of them sound good. Many of them are directionally right. Very few of them change what actually happens once a customer steps inside a store.

What feels different now isn't ambition. Retail has never been short on ideas.

What's changed is tolerance.

There's less patience for missed moments. Less forgiveness when the experience doesn't line up. Less room for delay when expectations aren't met the first time.

After years spent inside stores, alongside field teams and in real conversations with retail leaders, one thing is clear to me:

The brands that win in 2026 will be the ones that execute — consistently, visibly and without excuses.

This isn't about trends. It's about delivery.

Why retail execution in 2026 feels different

Pressure in retail isn't new. But the way it's stacking up right now is.

Budgets are tighter. Teams are leaner. Timelines are shorter. Customers expect more — and they expect it faster. When something doesn't land, they don't wait around for it to get fixed. They move on.

That pressure isn't theoretical.

That pressure shows up where the customer experience is actually delivered.

Store teams feel it immediately. They're asked to deliver flawless execution with fewer people, less time, and more complexity. New products. New promotions. New expectations. Often layered on top of systems and processes that weren't built for this pace.

And when something slips, it's rarely dramatic.

It's quiet.

A display that never quite gets finished. A promotion that's technically live but practically invisible. An associate who's trying their best but isn't fully confident in what to lead with.

None of this looks like failure on a dashboard. But it adds up fast on the floor.

The gap between planning and reality didn't start this year. But now, it's impossible to ignore.

Planning didn't fail — follow-through did

Here's the part that often gets missed in these conversations.

Most brands actually plan well.

The strategy makes sense. The goals are clear. The timelines are reasonable. The investment is real.

Where things break isn't in the planning phase. It's in the hand off.

Plans don't land the same way in every store. Instructions get interpreted differently. Training fades quicker than expected. Context gets lost as it moves from decks to emails to store-level execution.

I've walked into stores where everything looked perfect on paper.

And then you start noticing the small things.

The display is there, but it's not turned on. The associate knows the product exists, but not why it matters. The promotion is active, but no one is talking about it.

Nobody failed. Nobody ignored the plan.

Execution just drifted.

That drift happens quietly. And by the time it shows up in reporting, the opportunity is already gone. That's when leaders start reacting instead of leading.

Which brings me to the real question.

The question leaders should be asking

It's not, "Did we roll this out?"

It's not, "Did the stores receive the materials?"

The question is simpler — and harder:

Do we know what's happening, or do we think we know?

There's a big difference between reports and reality. Between lagging indicators and what's happening right now. Between confidence built on data and confidence built on assumptions.

This isn't about distrust. It's about visibility.

Most leaders I know care deeply about execution. They don't want to micromanage. They don't want to hover. They want to support their teams and make smart decisions.

But you can't support what you can't see.

Visibility isn't control. It's respect for the work happening in stores.

Visibility is the new competitive advantage

In 2026, visibility is what separates brands that react from brands that lead.

When you can see execution clearly, issues surface earlier. Fixes happen faster. Teams feel backed up instead of blamed. Conversations get more productive because they're based on facts, not guesses.

Real visibility isn't about drowning teams in data. It's about clarity.

Seeing what actually happened. Understanding why something didn't land. Connecting actions on the floor to outcomes on the business.

This is the gap we've spent years helping brands close. Not by adding noise. By creating line of sight.

Because once you see execution clearly, everything changes.

Coaching gets better. Decisions get simpler. Resources get allocated smarter.

And most importantly, people stop carrying the weight alone.

People are still the difference in 2026

For all the talk about systems, tools and automation, this part hasn't changed.

Retail still runs on people.

Stores don't struggle because teams don't care. They struggle because teams are stretched. High turnover isn't a character flaw. It's a reality of the environment.

Winning brands understand this.

They don't ask people to work harder. They make it easier to succeed.

They reduce guesswork. They clarify priorities. They support decisions in the moment, not weeks later.

Technology plays a role here — but only when it supports people instead of replacing them. When it gives clarity instead of complexity. When it helps teams feel confident instead of overwhelmed.

Execution improves when people feel prepared, trusted, and backed up.

That's still true. Maybe more than ever.

What brands that win in 2026 are doing differently

The brands pulling ahead right now aren't chasing perfection.

They're doing a few things consistently well.

They close the gap between plan and store. They prioritize consistency over flash. They spot issues early instead of reacting late. They connect execution to results in real time.

They're not doing more. They're doing what matters — better.

And they're honest about where things break down.

A moment of honest reflection

Retail leadership is heavy. Expectations are high. The margin for error is thin.

So here's a simple exercise.

If I walked into one of your stores tomorrow, would what I see match what you expect?

Would your teams feel clear on what matters most that day? Would execution look consistent across locations? Would issues be visible — or hidden until the next report?

I ask this because the brands that win in 2026 will be the ones willing to answer that honestly.

So I'll leave you with this:

Where do you see execution breaking down most right now — planning, people, or visibility?

That answer usually tells you exactly where to focus next.

This column originally appeared on LinkedIn.