FEBRUARY 2026
FEBRUARY 2026
Managing Editor: John Mathews
Senior Writer: Stephanie Kreml
Writers: Mary Alison, Allison Gillchrist,
Kim Langdon Cull, Connie Yerbic, Elena Borrelli
Magazine Designer : Michelle Wong
Digital Publishing Director: John Louis
Advertising: David Miller
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Across this edition, industry leaders share a clear message: the mechanics of digital commerce are being rewritten in real time. AI is shifting from assistant to active participant. Discovery is moving beyond search boxes to conversational prompts. Recommendations are shaped less by clicks and more by context. Increasingly, systems are narrowing choices, surfacing products, and preparing to transact on a shopper’s behalf.
This shift is transforming the foundations of online retail.
Product data is no longer just operational infrastructure; it has become the language through which brands communicate with AI-driven discovery engines. Promotions are evolving from static discounts into dynamic, personalized incentives triggered by intent. Fulfillment networks are becoming more elastic and predictive, built to flex with demand and global uncertainty. Behind the scenes, organizations are rethinking their architectures to support coordinated, agentic systems operating at unprecedented speed.
Yet progress now hinges on a factor technology alone cannot solve: trust.
As AI moves closer to autonomous action, shoppers and businesses are demanding transparency, accountability, and control. Explainability is no longer a technical feature — it is a commercial requirement. Retailers must prove not only that their systems are intelligent, but that they are reliable, governed, and aligned with customer expectations.
The voices in this edition make one thing clear: the next phase of ecommerce will belong to retailers who integrate intelligence, execution, and trust into one cohesive strategy.
The era of agentic commerce has arrived. The winners will be those who design for it with both ambition and accountability.
Happy reading.
John Mathews
editor@retail-today.com
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