March 7, 2026
 

 WEEKEND EDITION

Welcome to this issue of the Total Retail Report: Weekend Edition, a recap of what you may have missed this past week on myTotalRetail.com. Have a great weekend!

The 2025 Holiday Season Tested Retail Execution: What Retailers Need to Know for 2026

by Mike Simpson and Sean Pineau

During the 2025 holiday season, fulfillment became far more visible than many retailers expected. Economic uncertainty shaped conservative planning assumptions heading into peak season, however, once the season was underway, execution mattered more than forecasts. Why? Because consumer demand didn’t soften. In fact, Adobe Analytics reported more than $10 million in online spend every minute…

 

The Power to Pivot: Operational Velocity as a Key Retail Metric

by Pam Orlando Zanni

Over the last few years, most retail organizations have gone all-in on “digital transformation.” They’ve bought the software, hired the data experts, and built impressive tech stacks. But here’s the reality: even with all those tools, many marketing teams still feel like they’re driving a Ferrari on a dirt road. If the data says on…

 

Trust as Currency: Balancing Hyperpersonalization and Ethics in the Age of Agentic Retail

by Rosemary DeAragon

The retail landscape has undergone more transformation in the last 24 months than in the previous decade. While the past few years were defined by the rise of enterprise artificial intelligence optimizing supply chains and back-office efficiencies, 2026 marks the year the “AI agent” officially takes the driver’s seat in the consumer journey. As we…

 
 
 
 
 
Sponsored by Melissa

Unlocking Global Markets

Cross-border e-commerce is no longer limited to enterprise retailers. It is now a vital growth channel for brands seeking new revenue, broader audiences, and long-term resilience. This whitepaper explores the opportunities and challenges of international expansion, with a focus on the role of address verification and data quality. Download the report to gain practical insights from Melissa Data and learn how to scale globally without sacrificing customer experience or profitability.

 
 
 
Sponsored by Manhattan Associates

What Sets Retail’s Top Performers Apart

What makes some retailers rise above the rest? We analyzed unified commerce strategies from over 225 brands to find out. The Unified Commerce Benchmark reveals the real-world capabilities and decisions that separate leaders from laggards across shopping, checkout, fulfillment, and service. See what top performers are doing differently to get ahead.

 

How to Turn BOPIS Into a Revenue Driver

by Jack Margeson

Buy online, pick up in-store. Five words that sound simple … until a wrong item turns an excited customer into a lost one. BOPIS (buy online, pick up in-store), BOSS (buy online, ship to store), and BORIS (buy online, return in-store) have evolved from convenience features into measurable revenue channels. The math is compelling: a…

 

Building a Foundation for Audience Monetization With First-Party Data

by Grigori Melnik

Retailers are finally realizing that their customer data can pay for itself. For years, brands have treated first-party data as a cost of doing business, but now it’s being redefined as a monetizable asset. Purchase history, browsing behavior, loyalty engagement, and customer preferences are becoming foundational inputs for personalization and performance measurement. Most organizations recognize…