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Retail has quickly evolved from isolated multi-channel approaches to a fully integrated unified commerce model, where sales, operations, and data are seamlessly connected. This shift empowers businesses to deliver consistent, personalised customer experiences while driving operational efficiency and strategic agility.
Technology is now a core business driver, fuelling innovation across AI-powered personalisation, automated fulfilment, real-time analytics, and beyond. As we approach 2025, the integration of artificial intelligence, automation, and data, promises to redefine retail innovation and competitive advantage.
In this blog, we explore the key retail technology trends shaping eCommerce in 2026, offering insights for business leaders aiming to use technology for growth, differentiation, and enhanced customer engagement.
Unified Commerce becomes the Standard
In 2026, unified commerce will increasingly replace fragmented retail systems and become the expected baseline for high performing retailers. While multi-channel and omnichannel approaches focused on presence and visibility, unified commerce integrates online and in-store sales, inventory, customer data, fulfillment and operations into one sound platform.
This sort of integration brings real benefits such as: real time data sync across channels, lower costs due to fewer stockout and less over/under ordering, easier order and delivery process, and a more consistent customer experience regardless of where customer shops.
In the UK, the case for unified commerce is striking… Research from Adyen showed that UK retailers who adopted unified commerce saw a 16% point boost in growth in 2022 and only 14% of UK businesses had fully invested in unified commerce, though 44% were beginning the journey. According to Shopify’s 2024 UK State of Commerce Report, on the customer side, 65% of UK consumers said an integrated online and offline experience is important when choosing brands. However, only about 32% of UK businesses say they have tried to integrate online and in-store experiences, meaning the majority (around 68%) have not yet done so. As a result indicating a big gap between customer expectation and business readiness.
Shopify’s unified POS and online system can reduce friction by giving retailers a single platform to manage inventory, orders, returns and customer information across both physical stores and eCommerce. This allows for real time stock updates, avoids double selling, improves speed, and gives customers consistent service whether they interact online or in person.
UK-based beauty brand, Sculpted By Aimee, integrated Shopify POS across its retail stores. Before this, the brand struggles with capturing customer emails during in-store purchases, missing out on valuable engagement opportunities. After implementation, Sculpted By Aimee saw a 275% increase in email capture rates, significantly enhancing their market reach and customer loyalty. The integration also unified customer data across channels, allowing for a seamless loyalty program and personalised communications. Staff found the checkout process smoother, enabling more natural interactions with customers even during busy periods. This case highlights how unified commerce powered by platforms like Shopify helps brands streamline operations and deepen customer relationships, key drivers of growth in 2026 and beyond.
AI-Powered customer experiences
Today’s AI models can analyse complex behavioural patterns, such as terms, page views, purchase frequency, even contextual cues like location and time of day to understand not just what a customer is doing, but why. These insights fuel predictive recommendations, dynamic content, and personalised offers that increase conversion, average order value, and retention.
Intelligent search is also being transformed by natural language processing (NLP), helping customers find products based on conversational queries. This improves discoverability, reduces friction, and accelerates path to purchase.
The impact of AI-powered personalisation is both measurable and strategic. Brands that use customer data to deliver predictive, intent-driven experiences are seeing improved conversion, higher retention, and more effective marketing performance.
To scale this, businesses need more than just data, they need integrated tools and alignment. Platforms like Shopify are making this accessible by enabling automated product recommendations, personalised email flows, and intelligent on-site search, all without deep technical resources.
However, efficiency alone isn’t enough. While AI handles scale and precision, creativity drives emotional connection. Brands that stand out combine automated personalisation with human-led storytelling, design, and brand voice.
UK jewellery brand Astrid & Miyu is a strong example. They use AI to personalise shopping experiences and communications, but combine this with campaigns and strong community engagement. The result is a data-informed, emotionally resonant brand experience that drives growth and loyalty.
The rise of retail operating systems
Automation tools that unify stock, fulfilment, and customer service under one operating system are quickly becoming essential for UK retailers. These systems help reduce manual errors, speed up order processing, and scale operations more reliably.
For reference, research by Impact Express estimates that over 85% of UK fulfilment warehouses will be automated by 2030, up from about 45% in 2023. Many fulfilment centres already are using robotics, predictive inventory tools, and AI-powered process intelligence to cut handling times and improve accuracy.
Orlebar Brown adopted Shopify POS, Shopify Markets, and Shopify Payments, which resulted in a smooth omnichannel experience. The integration of online and offline channels led to a 66% increase in basket completion rates, a significant reduction in customer complaints about the checkout process, and a 50% reduction in operational costs by combining systems. The unified platform also enabled real time inventory tracking, allowing staff to fulfill online orders from physical stores, enhancing customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.
Platforms like Shopify are making these capabilities more accessible, offering integrated tools that unify online and offline operations. For UK retailers, adopting retail operating systems is not just a back end upgrade, it’s a crucial step towards scalable, tech enabled growth in 2026 and beyond.
Data-driven merchandising and decision-making
Live data will be the backbone of smarter merchandising and operational decisions in 2026. Retailers can no longer rely solely on historical data or intuition; instead, real time insights will enable them to predict demand, optimise pricing, and manage stock with precision.
Predictive analytics tools aid machine learning to analyse large volumes of customer behaviour, sales patterns, and external factors such as seasonality or market trends. This allows businesses to forecast which products will be in demand, adjust prices dynamically to maximise margin and conversion, and minimise costly out of stocks or excess inventory.
Retailers using integrated commerce platforms can access real time dashboards that unify sales, inventory, and customer data across both online and offline channels. This centralised visibility enables faster, evident based decisions from identifying high performing products to adjusting pricing, stock levels, and promotions dynamically. By overcoming the lack of data integration, teams can respond to demand shifts in real time, reduce out of stock, and improve merchandising accuracy at scale.
As the volume and speed of data increase, predictive analytics will evolve from a ‘nice to have’ tool into an essential capability for competitive retailing. Businesses that master data-driven merchandising will be more agile, responsive, and profitable in and increasingly complex market.
Experiential retail and customer-centric ecosystems
As retail evolves beyond transactions, customer experience is becoming a core differentiator. In 2026, leading brands will design ecosystems, not just stores or websites. That blend of physical and digital touchpoints into a single, seamless journey.
In-store retail is no longer just about product availability; it’s about creating moments that build emotional connection and deepen loyalty. Immersive experiences, personalised consultations, exclusive events, and interactive displays are bringing customers into physical spaces for more than just shopping, they’re coming for the brand story. Meanwhile, digital tools enhance these moments via features like mobile checkouts, real time product look ups, AR/VR integrations and appointment bookings.
Loyalty programmes are also evolving. Instead of generic point systems, retailers are using unified customer profiles to personalise rewards are service, online and offline. This means customers are recognised and rewarded consistently, whether they’re browsing online, visiting stores, or engaging via social media.
One example in particular is Nike Rise, located in London. This flagship concept store merges digital with in-store tools such as: interactive displays, real time content localised to the store’s community, and seamless click and collect and return services. This is to create an environment where customers feel recognised and engaged both physically and digitally.
UK consumer behaviour supports this shift: a survey by Kin + Carta and YouGov found that 66% of UK consumers say that they spend more time and money than intended when they encounter an immersive retail experience. Further research from Metapack, ShipEngine, and Retail Economics shows that £52 billion of UK online non-food sales in 2023 interacted with physical touchpoints, such as store browsing, returns, and physical pick ups, underscoring how intertwined digital and physical channels already are.
On loyalty, The Gift Card and Voucher Association released findings that revealed: 91% of UK consumers participate in loyalty programmes, from supermarkets to coffee shops. This shows that rewards and recognition remain key drivers of customer engagement. Younger shoppers especially are interested in ‘experience-led loyalty’: research from LoyaltyLion showed that 73% of Gen Z & Millennials now prefer loyalty rewards that go beyond discounts, things like early access and exclusive events.
By designing stores like Nike Rise that merge digital platforms with immersive in-store tools, brands are building ecosystems that recognise customers wherever and however they engage. These experiences go beyond display and inventory, they make the most of unified customer profiles, membership or app data, and location based insights to deliver relevance, emotion, and value.
The future belongs to connected retailers
As retail continues to evolve at a rapid pace, the brands that will thrive are those investing in unified systems. AI-driven insights, and automation to streamline operations and personalise customer experiences. These technologies are not just tools, they form the backbone of agility, resilience, and relevance in today’s competitive market.
By breaking down barriers between online and offline channels, using real time data for smarter decisions, and creating immersive, customer-centric ecosystems, connected retailers can deliver the seamless, personalised experiences customers now expect
Retailers that embrace connected technologies today will define customer expectations tomorrow.
Ready to build a smarter retail ecosystem? Speak to Visualsoft’s commerce experts today.
