If 2025 was the year of experimentation with chatbots, NRF 2026 marks the year of the agent. Retail has moved beyond Generative AI that simply talks, toward Agentic AI, autonomous systems that actually perform work. This shift was impossible to ignore at the new AI Stage, where the focus was not on ideas, but on execution. We saw firsthand how Shopify’s AI-native infrastructure now enables agents to handle complex inventory routing, returns logic, and hyper-personalized experiences without human intervention.
AI itself is not new to retail. What is new, and heavily emphasized at the National Retail Federation conference this year, is agency. In previous cycles, AI supported teams through chat, copy suggestions, or basic recommendations. Useful, but limited. In 2026, the spotlight is firmly on systems that can make decisions within defined rules. These are not experiments. They are operational systems already in use.
What Makes Agentic AI Fundamentally Different In 2026
Agentic AI is designed to act across the commerce stack, not just assist at the surface level:
- Rerouting inventory in real time based on availability and demand.
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Triggering restocks without manual intervention.
- Processing returns and exchanges automatically.
- Delivering personalization at scale across channels.
For US Shopify merchants, this distinction matters because acquisition has become more expensive. As customer acquisition costs rise, growth increasingly depends on retention, efficiency, and speed. This is why the AI in retail case series discussions at NRF 2026 focused less on hype and more on readiness. Brands are turning AI into a silent growth engine, but only when the underlying systems are built correctly.
Shopify’s advantage lies in its unified data layer. Inventory, fulfillment, CRM, and storefront data live in one ecosystem, which is what allows autonomous agents to operate reliably rather than introducing risk. Without this foundation, AI breaks down quickly. Fragmented apps, inconsistent product data, and manual workflows are still the biggest blockers we see. In those environments, AI remains theoretical.
At SANOMADS, we help merchants prepare for Agentic AI by auditing Shopify data structures, rebuilding automation flows, and integrating ERP and CRM systems where needed. This work is not flashy, but it is foundational. Without it, AI remains theoretical.
This is why the ‘AI in Retail' case series at NRF 2026 emphasizes readiness over hype. Brands that treat AI as a plugin fall behind. Brands that treat AI as infrastructure move faster with fewer errors.
What Does Unified Commerce Mean For A Shopify Merchant With No Physical Store?
One of the clearest messages from Harley Finkelstein’s keynote at this NRF conference was direct and unambiguous: omnichannel is no longer enough. In its place, Unified Commerce has emerged as the new standard. The distinction is subtle but critical. Omnichannel connects multiple systems. Unified Commerce operates from a single brain, where real-time data flows seamlessly across online storefronts, POS, checkout, and fulfillment.
At Retail’s Big Show, this shift was reinforced repeatedly. Shopify’s platform now functions as a unified system of record. Inventory updates instantly. Customer profiles stay in sync across channels. Returns and exchanges move fluidly between online and in-store environments without friction. This is not an incremental upgrade. It is a structural change in how modern commerce operates.
We saw this model in action with high-growth US brands like SKIMS and Vuori, both referenced during the NRF show. By operating from a single data layer, these brands enable instant in-store pickup, frictionless returns, and consistent customer experiences regardless of where the transaction begins. Customers can buy online, return in store, or pick up locally without system conflicts. That is what truly “phygital” looks like in practice.
Why Unified Commerce Matters For Shopify Brands In 2026
For US brands, this shift matters even if they do not operate physical retail locations. Unified Commerce supports consistency across the entire commerce footprint:
- Marketplaces, social commerce, and direct-to-consumer channels.
- Fulfillment models such as BOPIS and BORIS.
- Post-purchase workflows including returns and exchanges.
From a growth perspective, the benefits compound quickly. Unified systems reduce operational drag, lower support volume, improve inventory accuracy, and shorten fulfillment timelines.
Is Headless Commerce Still The Gold Standard For Shopify Plus Brands In 2026?
At SANOMADS, we frequently encounter Shopify Plus brands held back by legacy logic that prevents this level of unification. Custom apps that do not communicate with each other. POS setups operating in isolation. Fulfillment rules that still require manual intervention. These silos undermine the promise of Unified Commerce.
Our role is to simplify.
We rebuild Shopify architectures so Unified Commerce becomes an operational reality rather than a buzzword. Through custom theme development, POS implementation, and Shopify Plus migrations, we align digital and physical touchpoints into a single, mobile-first system.
Shopify’s redesigned POS app, now faster and more intuitive, plays a key role in this shift by reducing transaction time for retail staff and improving in-store experiences. When stores are built or migrated with this unified approach from the start, the result is a smoother customer journey and stronger long-term retention.
Unified Commerce is no longer a future vision. At NRF 2026, it is the baseline for brands that want to scale without adding complexity.
Retail Media Networks (RMNs) as the New Revenue Stream
One of the most commercially important conversations at the National Retail Federation’s Big Show is happening around Retail Media Networks (RMNs).
Retailers are no longer just sellers. They are publishers. This idea was reinforced on stage by Ryan Reynolds, who spoke about how modern brands win attention by owning their audience rather than renting it. The takeaway for retailers was clear: the same principles that power entertainment brands now apply to commerce. First-party data, direct distribution, and owned media are no longer optional if brands want leverage in a zero-click world.
How are US retailers using NRF insights to combat "Google Zero" ?
With first party data becoming more valuable and third party cookies fading, brands are sitting on monetizable traffic. Shopify Audiences and RMN integrations allow merchants to turn high intent site visitors into ad inventory.
What Makes RMNs Difficult To Execute Well
While the opportunity is clear, execution is not simple. RMNs require operational maturity that many Shopify merchants are still building:
- Clean, well-structured customer segmentation.
- Compliant handling of first-party data.
- Seamless integration with ad and analytics platforms.
This is where many merchants hesitate. They recognize the upside, but lack the internal expertise to operationalize RMNs without compromising customer trust or performance.
Supply Chain Resilience and Instant Commerce
Supply chain resilience emerged as one of the most urgent themes at the national retail federation big show this year. Retailers are actively moving away from fragile “just in time” models toward “just in case” strategies designed to withstand global volatility. At NRF 2026, resilience is no longer defined only by how fast an order ships, but by what happens after the purchase.
Sustainability and resilience were also central themes in sessions led by Mary Beth Laughton, who emphasized that returns, reverse logistics, and circular retail models are no longer back-office concerns. For modern retailers, these systems directly influence trust, loyalty, and lifetime value, especially as consumers become more conscious of waste and operational transparency.
What Are The Biggest Fulfillment Challenges Discussed At NRF 2026?
Consumer expectations have not softened. Same day delivery and real time updates are now baseline requirements, not differentiators. As a result, fulfillment has become the point where brand loyalty is either earned or lost.
Where Fulfillment Pressure Is Showing Up For Shopify Brands
For Shopify merchants, these challenges tend to surface in a few critical areas:
- Meeting same-day or next-day delivery expectations without eroding margins.
- Coordinating inventory across multiple locations without overselling.
- Maintaining customer trust through clear post-purchase communication.
For Shopify brands, Omnichannel fulfillment (BOPIS/BORIS) is not simply a convenience feature. It is a margin protection strategy. Brands can no longer rely on a single fulfillment path or warehouse. Shopify’s fulfillment ecosystem supports this reality by enabling distributed inventory, localized delivery nodes, and real time routing, allowing US merchants to compete with Amazon-level expectations without building custom logistics infrastructure.
At SANOMADS, our work goes beyond fulfillment mechanics alone. We help brands design fulfillment logic that balances speed, cost, and sustainability by integrating third-party logistics platforms, aligning order routing rules, and connecting Shopify with ERP and CRM systems through custom apps and APIs. Our Shopify marketing for high-growth brands extends into this phase as well, ensuring the customer journey does not end at checkout but continues through delivery, returns, and long-term re-engagement.
These improvements directly influence post-purchase loyalty, one of the most underleveraged growth drivers discussed during the NRF Connect sessions. In 2026, the brands that scale sustainably are not the ones shipping the fastest at any cost, but the ones building resilient systems that turn every fulfilled order into a reason to come back.
3 Action Steps for Shopify Brands in 2026
As this NRF January event concludes, the question for US brands is: what now? The real work happens after the show and the key is execution.
Based on what we have seen at the National Retail Federation conference, we recommend a three-step action plan for Shopify merchants:
- Move Beyond Generative AI: Start adopting Agentic AI that can perform tasks like inventory reconciliation or customer support ticket handling. At SANOMADS, we can help you build these custom workflows to eliminate manual work.
- Unify Your Data.: Break down the silos between your online store and your physical locations. If your current platform prevents you from achieving these goals, our experts can help you seamlessly migrate to Shopify Plus.
- Prioritize the Post-Purchase Experience: Focus on post-purchase loyalty and efficient returns management. Our conversion rate optimization services and 24/7 technical support ensure your store stays fast, functional, and profitable.
The future belongs to those who act on "The Next Now." Whether you need a full store redesign, a custom app, or a data-driven marketing strategy, we are here to stand with you for the long term. Let's turn these NRF 2026 insights into your brand's next big growth story.
