Retail tech: major trends for 2026
In 2026, retail can no longer afford to promise. It must deliver. Retail tech has entered the execution stage. The race for showcase innovation is over, giving way to clear priorities: operational...
USA : Amazon ordered to pay US$1.28 billion for disputed customer returns
On January 23, 2026, preparing to lose 16,000 staff, Amazon agreed to pay US$309 million as part of a judicial settlement related to a returns policy, which has been the subject of a class action...
28 January 2026
2026 Trends – Unified commerce: when stock and product flow management is boosted by AI
(Trends, 5/6) Under margin pressure and faced with increasingly complex omnichannel flows, retailers are turning stock management into a strategic streamlining lever. Demand planning, OMS and...
27 January 2026
Ahead of an I.P.O., OpenAI tests advertising on ChatGPT in the U.S.A.
In mid-January, OpenAI (2024 revenue: 3.7 billion dollars, up by 130% in a year) announced the launch of advertising on ChatGPT from February 2026 in the U.S.A. Sponsored ads will appear for users...
23 January 2026
Save launches an e-commerce site to support a shift towards sales
Having just reached break-even, the French subsidiary of refurbished specialist Save intends to go beyond an historical model of repair to develop sales of accessories and refurbished products...
Faume expands into the U.S.A. via a partnership with logistics provider Eren Recondition
As Vinted launched a platform in the U.S.A. last November, French white-label second-hand specialist Faume (2025 revenue: 3.2 million euros, up by 40% in a year) announced expansion into the...
23 January 2026
2026 Trends – Retail organises itself in the face of the Trump trade war
(Trend 4/6) Invested as President for a second term in 2025, Donald Trump has shaken global trade. Between higher customs duties, a tax on small parcels, attacks on diversity and inclusion...
Picnic plans to open a 3rd warehouse in France
To support growth, the Dutch online grocery retailer Picnic (global revenue 2025 : 1.5 billion euros, up by 25%) continues to concentrate their logistics network. In France, revenue was reported...
23 January 2026
Spangle AI raises US$15 million to ensure continuity in e-commerce navigation
The US start-up Spangle AI raised US$15 million in a Series A round on January 8, 2026, led by NewRoad Capital Partners. This brings total funding to US$21 million for a valuation of US$100...
16 January 2026
After closing all stores, Topshop relaunches offline and online with Shopify
On January 15, the British fashion retailer Topshop announced the launch of an e-commerce website (eu.topshop.com) across 23 European countries including France, Germany, Italy and Spain. The...
16 January 2026
2026 Trends – BNPL, mobile checkout, wallets: new challenges for payments
(Trends 3/6) Faced with soaring Visa and Mastercard fees, European retailers are looking for alternative payment methods that protect margins while boosting conversion. From wallets and...
Circana: French e-commerce ended 2025 with strong growth, hypermarkets continue to decline
After four years of decline, volumes of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) rose again in 2025 in France and Europe, although they did not compensate for four years of losses. The rebound was...
Black Friday: Amazon’s AI assistant Rufus featured in 38% of sessions in the US
While peak season sales, revealed at the NRF Big Show, rose by 4.1% in the US from November 1 to December 31, 2025, Rufus, Amazon’s conversational chatbot, confirmed its traction. During the...
15 January 2026
With Walmart, Ulta Beauty, Zalando and Carrefour, Google launches an agentic commerce protocol
Following the launch of payments in Copilot, Google is preparing to join OpenAI and Microsoft, but with a more integrated version focused on its own payment method, Google Pay. These moves...
13 January 2026
David Schwarz (Mobivia, ex Carrefour): ”Given the rising traction of low-cost, retailers will have to launch adapted offers”
With 15 years of experience as an executive in major retail groups (including Mobivia and Carrefour) and as an investor and a tech player, David Schwarz has a dual perspective on the ecosystem. In...
13 January 2026
Ocado: why the automation giant is ending exclusivity contracts
On December 30, the British e-grocer and automated warehouse specialist Ocado (2024 turnover: €3.7 billion, up by 14.1% year-on-year) announced the end of national exclusivity clauses with...
12 January 2026
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Most viewed articles of the month on mind Retail
What readers clicked on the most last month.
What readers clicked on the most last month.
1
Shoptimus AI scales up in grocery smart shopping lists and prepares for a new funding round
After securing a strategic partnership with Spanish grocer Bon Preu, retail tech firm Shoptimus AI—first spotted by Carrefour—is accelerating a rollout. By leveraging AI agents to automate grocery...
11 January 2026
2
With Walmart, Ulta Beauty, Zalando and Carrefour, Google launches an agentic commerce protocol
Following the launch of payments in Copilot, Google is preparing to join OpenAI and Microsoft, but with a more integrated version focused on its own payment method, Google Pay. These moves...
13 January 2026
3
Circana: French e-commerce ended 2025 with strong growth, hypermarkets continue to decline
After four years of decline, volumes of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) rose again in 2025 in France and Europe, although they did not compensate for four years of losses. The rebound was...
4
2026 Trends – Chatbots, WhatsApp, social networks: don’t miss out on conversation
(Trends 2/6) After a cautious observation phase by retailers and some high-profile hallucination issues, 2025 was a turning point operationally for chatbots and conversational tools. Positioned...
13 January 2026
5
Black Friday: Amazon’s AI assistant Rufus featured in 38% of sessions in the US
While peak season sales, revealed at the NRF Big Show, rose by 4.1% in the US from November 1 to December 31, 2025, Rufus, Amazon’s conversational chatbot, confirmed its traction. During the...
15 January 2026
6
2026 Trends – How far should retailers open the door to AI Search engines ?
(Trends 1/6) With data visibility, recommendations, transactions on ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity, LLMs are establishing themselves as new entry points for e-commerce. As search, comparison and...