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…

Online holiday spend hit $257.8B, sets new e-commerce record

January 14, 2026

Consumers spent $257.8 billion online, from November through December, reflecting a 6.8% jump year over year and set a new e-commerce record.

Home Depot launches creator portal

January 13, 2026

The Home Depot has launched the Home Depot Creator Portal aimed at connecting digital content creators to the home improvement retailers to monetize home…

How to make every shopping experience memorable

Explore how retailers can elevate customer engagement by blending physical and digital channels into seamless, memorable shopping experiences.

AI use is mainstream among consumers

January 13, 2026

A hefty number of consumers, 70%, are using AI in their personal lives and nearly half, 45%, are using it daily compared to half that just nine months ago.

Hanna Andersson hires Kacey Sharrett as chief digital officer

January 12, 2026

Kacey Sharrett has been name chief digital officer at Hanna Andersson, a children's apparel brand.

Luxury vintage retailer deploys Digital Wave platform for systems upgrade

January 12, 2026

What Goes Around Comes Around, a vintage luxury retailer, is deploying the Digital Wave Technology ONE Platform as part of a digital modernization strategy.

Stopping fraud without sacrificing customer experience: A real-time playbook for modern retail

by Bill Bruno — CEO, Celebrus

If your fraud strategy currently prioritizes protection over experience or vice versa, it’s time to rethink the balance. Modern fraud prevention should do…

Wegmans deploys facial recognition tech for store security

January 9, 2026

Wegmans has deployed facial recognition cameras in a "small fraction" of stores to boost security at locations with elevated risks.

Creative Realities launches digital drive-thru 2.0

January 9, 2026

Creative Realities, a provider of digital signage, media and adtech solutions, has launched digital drive-thru 2.0, a modular solution aimed at improving…

Walgreens taps Rokt in AI-powered retail media expansion

January 8, 2026

Walgreens Advertising Group, the retail media arm of Walgreens, has expanded its retail media ecosystem with Rokt, an e-commerce technology company using…

Save Mart partners with Amazon on return kiosks in select stores

January 7, 2026

Save Mart has partnered with Amazon to introduce return kiosks in Save Mart stores in California and Western Nevada.

1800Flowers.com appoints Alexander Zelikovsky as CIO

January 7, 2026

1800Flowers.com has appointed Alexander Zelioksvy a CIO.

Retail AI Council debuts protocol to boost customer relationships

January 6, 2026

The Retail AI Council, a retailer-led organization dedicated to helping retailers embrace the transformative potential of AI, has formed the Shopper Context…

How agentic AI is powering operational agility in retail

by Padmanabhan Venkatesan — Senior Corporate Vice President - Consumer Tech, Persistent

Looking ahead, agentic AI will power a new wave of adaptive retail where D2C, social and just-in-time commerce converge. These models close the gap between…

Top read retail CX stories in 2025: Consumer behavior, AI ethics, brand tech deployments

by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com

The top most read articles in 2025 ran the gamut from tracking tariff policies to understanding generational consumer behavior to brand technology deployments.