Customers, importers bearing brunt of tariff costs

January 26, 2026

American importers and their customers are bearing the brunt of enacted tariffs by President Donald Trump which began in January 2025.

2026 will be the year of agentic AI

by Judy Mottl — Editor: RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com, Connect Media

Retail experts share predictions of retail CX tech and trends arriving in 2026.

HiStone refreshes flagship portfolio

January 23, 2026

HiStone, global POS manufacturer, set a new performance benchmark for retail infrastructure at NRF 2026 and debuted a refreshed flagship portfolio powered by…

Albertsons Media Collective debuts in-store incrementality measurement

January 23, 2026

Albertsons Media Collective has launched incrementality measurement that will enable advertisers to optimize in-store media using causal signals.

Kendra Scott taps Chris Blakeslee as CEO

January 23, 2026

Kendra Scott Design has appointed Chris Blakeslee as CEO.

Birdzi launches Journey for grocers, retailers aiming to drive personalization

January 22, 2026

Birdzi has unveiled Journey, a tool that enables grocers and retailers to deliver real-time, behavior-based offers to drive smarter customer engagement.

Hawaiian Airlines aims to boost customer experience with $600M strategy

January 22, 2026

Hawaiian Airlines, a part of Alaska Airlines, plans to invest more than $600 million over five years to enhance the experience by modernizing airport spaces…

The art of retail storytelling: Elevating hospitality through meaningful experiences

Explore how storytelling is reshaping the retail experience by turning stores into meaningful, hospitality-driven destinations.

Zeroth Robotics launches AI robots for consumers, businesses

January 21, 2026

Zeroth Robotics has launched interactive AI robots in the U.S., for both consumers and commercial buyers.

Consumer text-based purchases on the rise

January 21, 2026

More than half, 65%, of consumers made a purchase from a brand's text message in 2025 and consumers now prefer redeeming offers via text more than email and…

AI foundational factor in retail

January 20, 2026

Artificial intelligence has moved out of the experimental phase and is now foundational, according to Solink's "State of AI in Retail" report.

The endless aisle gets smarter: 5 predictions that will shape retail in 2026

by Bennett Carroccio — SVP, Rokt Catalog, Rokt, Rokt Catalog

The endless aisle isn’t disappearing but it is getting smarter, more intentional, and more aligned with how people actually shop.

Woof Gang enjoys robust sales, footprint growth

January 20, 2026

Pet grooming brand Woof Gang Bakery & Grooming saw a 25% year over year sales boost in 2025 and doubled its footprint in three years.

AI spurring smarter business growth, claims IBM study

January 19, 2026

Companies have high expectations from AI efforts with productivity gains predicted to grow by 42% and with 67% of companies expecting the technology to…

Buc-ee’s planning biggest c-store yet

January 19, 2026

Buc-ee's aims to construct its biggest c-store to date. The store will be built in Fort Pierce, Florida.

Why most brands lose their best BFCM customers and how to fix it in 2026

by Kait Stephens — CEO & Co-Founder, Brij

Your best customers from 2025? They’re already out there. You just need to make sure they’re not invisible the next time they show up.

WHSmith North America Media Network taps ISM for retail media network

January 16, 2026

WHSmith North America Media Network is partnering with In-Store Marketplace, a centralized platform for digital in-store media integration, on a retail media…

OptConnect acquires DPL Wireless

January 14, 2026

OptConnect, a wireless connectivity solutions provider, has acquired DPL Wireless, a cellular connectivity and IoT company for ATMs. OptConnect plans to…

Nearly half of consumers would choose dental visit than wait a week for refund

January 14, 2026

Nearly half, 44%, of U.S. consumers would rather visit the dentist than wait seven days for a refund.

5 reasons why gamified loyalty programs fail

by Konstantin Melnikov — Founder, NTI Loyalty

Retailers often underestimate the complexity of gamification, and how hard it is to capture and hold consumer attention. This leads to mistakes that cause…