How to Partner with Funded Retail Startups in 2026
Explore the latest funding trends in US retail startups for 2025-2026 and understand why targeting these newly funded companies offers unique growth opportunities for partners and vendors.
Staff Report
Global insights on omnichannel retail and commerce from the Doing Business in Bentonville Staff Report Team—expert analysis and trends shaping Bentonville’s role in the future of business.
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Tote.ai Secures $22.6M to Transform Convenience Retail with AI-Powered POS
Tote.ai raises $22.6 million to replace outdated POS systems in convenience retail with a unified AI-native platform, enhancing real-time operations, payments, and customer engagement.
GameStop to Shutter 470 Stores Nationwide by End of January
GameStop will close 470 U.S. stores by the end of January, impacting major states including New York, California, and Texas.
Chinese Tech Giants Push Era of Agentic Commerce
Chinese tech giants like Alibaba and ByteDance are driving “agentic commerce,” where AI agents autonomously manage shopping and payments, signaling a major shift in digital retail.
Can Tech Restore Luxury Retail’s Lost Human Touch?
Luxury retail lost its personal touch—AI clienteling and smart tech may be the key to restoring confidence, intimacy, and curated service at scale.
Sony Cedes Bravia TV Control to TCL in Strategic Deal
Sony hands 51% of its Bravia TV business to TCL, forming a joint venture to combine premium branding with mass-scale production and global reach.
Omnichannel Loyalty: The Key to Seamless Customer Engagement
Retailers embracing omnichannel loyalty drive deeper engagement, personalization, and lifetime value by unifying rewards across digital and in-store channels.
Eagle Eye Launches Scalable AI for Personalized Promotions
Eagle Eye's new AI-driven Personalized Promotions solution enables retailers to deliver one-to-one tailored offers in real time, enhancing promotional ROI and customer engagement at a scalable level.
Future of Commerce Highlights from NRF’26 for Retail Innovators
NRF’26 revealed key trends reshaping retail: AI impact, immersive store design, Gen Z engagement, and payment innovations for seamless shopping.
Lululemon in 2026: Reinventing Customer Experience with Wellness, AI, and Community
Lululemon strengthens customer experience through community events, omnichannel shopping, fitness integration, and sustainability efforts tied to its Impact Agenda.
Acosta Group and CommerceIQ Launch AI Retail Alliance
Acosta Group and CommerceIQ have partnered to blend connected commerce expertise with AI-driven retail intelligence, offering brands a powerful integrated approach to navigate the fast-evolving omnichannel retail landscape.
Retail Media 2026: Smarter, Faster, More Measurable
AI tools, smarter measurement, and omnichannel formats are transforming retail media strategies for brands and retailers in 2026.
Walmart Unveils Sweeping Leadership Shakeup Ahead of February CEO Transition
Walmart announces major leadership changes as John Furner is named CEO, marking a new era for the retail giant starting February 1, 2026.
From Delivery to Domination: Supply Chain Power Plays
Smart companies are using strategic supply chain moves not just to serve customers—but to outmaneuver their competition.
Omnichannel Packaging: Retail’s New Front Door
In omnichannel retail, packaging has become a full-fledged media channel—bridging shelf, screen, and social with storytelling, speed, and shopper impact.
Retail Media’s Evolution in 2025: From Product Pages to Agentic AI
Retail media became full-funnel in 2025, with agentic AI, CTV, and commerce data transforming how brands drive discovery, engagement, and conversion in 2026.