NRF 2026 Recap
What stood out most at NRF this year wasn’t just the technology, but what retailers are prioritizing beneath it
NRF always brings a flood of innovation: AI tools, robotics, automation, new data platforms, “future of retail” demos, and plenty of buzzwords.
But NRF 2026 made one thing feel more obvious than ever:
The industry isn’t chasing technology for novelty—it’s chasing clarity, consistency, and performance.
This year’s strongest themes weren’t just about what retail could become. They were about what retail needs in order to operate better right now.
And that’s where the real story lived.
NRF Innovators Showcase: The Explosion of AI… and the Data That Powers It
A walkthrough of the NRF Innovators Showcase confirmed the obvious:
There’s no shortage of AI.
But the deeper shift wasn’t just “AI for AI’s sake.” What’s becoming critical is the infrastructure around it:
Data capture tools and first-party data are becoming essential for brands and retailers.
Retailers aren’t just looking for dashboards. They’re looking for measurable inputs that help them see what’s happening, understand what it means, and take action faster.
A few highlights from the showcase included:
A “store in a box” robotic store model with major event potential
ShopSight, enabling brands to co-create products that can be manufactured and/or used for consumer research
Brij, connecting multiple touchpoints across the purchase journey
HYPERVSN, still stopping people in their tracks with holograms that draw attention instantly
What stood out most was that the best solutions weren’t abstract—they were focused on making retail more measurable, more connected, and more responsive.
The Narrative Retail Needs to Drop: “Stores Are Dead”
Throughout NRF week, one theme kept resurfacing in conversations with industry peers:
Stores aren’t dead.
Bad stores are dead.
Because shoppers are still showing us—with their actual behavior—that physical retail matters:
83% of purchases still happen in-store
Research continues to show Gen Z and Gen Alpha returning to stores and malls
Customers haven’t stopped wanting physical spaces—they’ve stopped tolerating spaces that don’t deliver
The point isn’t to defend the store.
The point is to raise the standard of what the store experience should be.
Opening Keynotes: A Reminder That Retail is Bigger Than “AI Trends”
The NRF Big Show opened with a powerful moment featuring:
Bob Eddy, Chairman of BJ’s Wholesale Club and NRF Board Chair
Ed Stack, Executive Chairman of DICK’S Sporting Goods
Bob Eddy spoke candidly about the challenges retail has faced over the past year, but also reinforced the scale and resilience of the industry—highlighting retail’s impact of $5.3 trillion to US GDP.
Ed Stack’s remarks were especially telling for 2026 because of what he emphasized first: Not AI but experience, culture, and real strategic execution.
He spoke about what DICK’S is doing to create better retail experiences, the importance of internal collaboration, and both the opportunities and challenges of integrating Foot Locker into DICK’S Sporting Goods.
DICK’S House of Sport: The Rise of Retail as a “Third Place”
One of the most exciting parts of the keynote discussion was hearing more about DICK’S House of Sport.
This format pushes beyond traditional retail into community-focused, experiential destinations—complete with immersive installations like:
Rock-climbing walls
Turf fields
Areas where customers can test products in real-world conditions
It’s a clear example of how retail is evolving into something more like a third place—a destination where people come for engagement, connection, and experience, not only transactions.
Stack also highlighted the cultural focus behind their performance and the mission-driven work of the Sports Matter Foundation, which has helped remove economic barriers for over 3 million children.
And the results speak for themselves: In fiscal 2024, DICK’S achieved record net sales of $13.4 billion, driven by a strong 5.2% increase in comparable store sales and meaningful market share gains.
More at Morgan’s: Innovation That Solves Real Retail Problems
Another NRF highlight came from visiting the More at Morgan’s booth.
It’s one of those concepts that’s hard to fully understand until you see it in action—but the retail value becomes clear fast.
Their approach touches multiple real pain points, including:
Theft
Staffing challenges
Inventory control
Operational consistency
They already have a location in Brooklyn, and it’s the kind of retail concept that makes you want to experience the model firsthand.
Because the most impactful innovation often isn’t flashy.
It’s functional.
NRF Foundation Mentor Experience: The Future of Retail is Motivated
One of the most inspiring moments of NRF week came through the NRF Foundation Executive Mentor Experience.
Thousands of students from across the country come to NYC for three days fully immersed in retail—and this year there were over 1,000 students participating.
Mentors had the opportunity to spend time with around 50 students each, and the impact was immediate:
Every student brought energy, curiosity, and real excitement about building a career in retail.
It was a reminder that even in a rapidly changing industry, the next generation is showing up ready to lead—and that momentum matters.
The NRF 2026 Takeaway: The Future of Retail is Execution + Experience
NRF 2026 delivered the technologies and trends we expected.
But the bigger takeaway wasn’t about what’s new.
It was about what’s true:
Execution still wins
Experience still differentiates
Data is becoming the foundation—not just the “nice to have”
The store matters when it’s designed to be worth the trip
Retail isn’t moving toward a future where everything is automated and impersonal.
It’s moving toward a future where physical retail becomes more measurable, more optimized, and more meaningful—powered by technology, but won through human experience.