Retail rarely waits for anyone. Shopper expectations shift with the seasons, new technology lands faster than most teams can evaluate, and the gap between retailers who adapt and those who hesitate keeps widening.
NRF has captured that pace in its call for the 2027 Big Show: "Fast forward to the future of retail." From 10 to 12 January 2027, more than 41,000 retail professionals from over 100 countries will gather at the Javits Center in New York to explore what comes next, with 175+ sessions and more than 1,000 partners on the Expo floor.
RetailNext will be there, and we're bringing something new: an all-new booth designed from the ground up to be the most interactive and engaging experience we've ever brought to the show. Here's what we're watching in the industry, why it matters for your stores, and what you can expect when you visit us.
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Three Shifts Setting The Pace For 2027
NRF's 2027 agenda is built around speed, with tracks such as "Fast forward customer experiences," "Operations at optimal speed," and "Press play on tech and innovation". Three themes stand out for leaders running physical stores.
- The store remains retail's main stage. According to the US Census Bureau, e-commerce accounted for 17.1% of US retail sales in Q2 2026. That means more than four in five retail dollars still go to stores. With NRF forecasting 2026 retail sales to grow 4.4% to $5.6 trillion, the opportunity in stores is growing, and so is the cost of not understanding what happens inside them.
- AI ambition is outrunning AI proof. In Deloitte's 2026 survey of 200 retail and CPG executives, 75% called AI a top strategic priority, yet only 16.5% could quantify a return. The next phase of AI in retail will belong to tools that connect directly to measurable outcomes, not experiments that stall in a pilot.
- Operations have to move at the speed of the shopper. Staffing, merchandising, and loss prevention decisions can no longer wait for a monthly report. Retailers need to see what is happening across their portfolio now and act before the moment passes.
Innovation That Keeps Pace With Retail
At RetailNext, innovation isn't an annual announcement. It's how we work. Every year we look hard at what our customers need next and build toward it, because the retailers we partner with can't afford to stand still, and neither can we.
That focus shows up across our platform:
- Aurora, our AI-powered sensor, captures accurate in-store traffic and shopper behavior, giving teams a trusted foundation for every decision that follows.
- Pulse AI turns that data into answers. Store and regional teams can ask questions in plain language and get practical coaching on what to do next, without waiting on an analyst.
- Traffic Analytics, Insights and Asset Protection connect the dots across operations, marketing, merchandising and loss prevention, so every team works from the same picture of the store.
Most importantly, the platform delivers results retailers can measure. The Vitamin Shoppe generated $6 million in additional sales in seven months, and Boggi Milano achieved a 40% gain in shopper yield alongside a five-point lift in conversion. Today, more than 600 retailers across over 100 countries rely on RetailNext to understand and improve their physical stores.
In a year when executives are being asked to prove the value of AI, that's the kind of outcome that matters.
Learn More 👉 Our AI Advantage
Introducing Our All-New Booth
This year, we're bringing that same commitment to innovation to the show floor. Our all-new booth at booth #4647 has been designed around one idea: you shouldn't just hear about retail intelligence; you should experience it.
We've made it more interactive and engaging than ever before. Here's what's waiting for you:
- See Aurora in action. Watch our AI-powered sensor capture traffic and shopper behavior live, right on the booth, and see how accurate data becomes the starting point for better decisions.
- Put Pulse AI to the test. Step up and ask your own questions. See how Pulse AI responds with clear answers and coaching that store teams can act on immediately.
- Join a conversation. Our booth sessions bring together RetailNext experts, customers, and industry voices to share what's working in stores today. Check back for the full schedule.
- Play and win. We've built in a few surprises, with games and giveaways to make your visit as memorable as it is useful.
Whether you have five minutes between sessions or want a deeper discussion with our team, the new booth is built to give you something worth taking back to your business.
NRF is asking the industry to fast-forward. For us, that means helping retailers move from knowing what happened in their stores to knowing what to do next, and doing it with confidence. We'd love to show you how.
See you in New York.
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