There are long-term trends that course through the retail industry for years, like the evolution of the mall, and short-term trends inspired by current events, like the Trump administration’s tariffs or the rise of new technologies.
As we look ahead to 2026, we’ve got our eye on a number of these. Perhaps one of the fastest moving is retail’s growing use of generative AI, which has potential impacts across customer data, retail workforces and more. The state of department stores also remains in flux, especially with the bankruptcy of luxury conglomerate Saks Global at the start of the year.
Retail Dive has been observing the trajectory of the consumer for years now — and we’ll continue to do so in 2026 as shoppers react to the weight of inflation, price increases and other factors. Spending trends can also point to larger category shifts, from fashion cycles in apparel to a recovery timeline for sectors like home.
We’ll be tracking all of this and more in the year ahead.
