Retail Trends 2026: Four Shifts Retail Businesses Need To Prepare For

The shopfront of retail is about to change—will you be on the right side when the robots come knocking?

This episode of "The Resilient Retail Game Plan" is brought to you by SumUp. Get 10% off their hardware by clicking the link and using the coupon code "GamePlan10"

Hi, I'm Catherine Erdly.

This week on the Resilient Retail Game Plan, I’m laying out the four seismic shifts set to hit independent retailers by 2026.

Think agentic AI that shops for your customers, TikTok Shop turning the high street digital, trust as your most valuable currency, and the resale boom rewriting what “new” means.

With 25 years of retail trenches behind me, I’m sharing not just the what, but the how—so you can cut through the noise, strengthen cash flow for retailers, and make sure your product business survives (and thrives) in the new landscape.

Grab your notebook and come behind the counter—these are the independent retailer tips that matter.

Make sure you grab my freebie at http://resilientretailclub.com/freebie

Enjoy the episode? DM me your lightbulb moments or next guest wish list @resilientretailclub on Instagram. Please rate, follow, and review this podcast in your app—it helps more indie founders decide to give us a try!

00:00 "Top Retail Trends for 2026"

06:05 "Future of Shopping: AI & Shoptainment"

10:07 "Shoppable Live Streams on TikTok"

14:16 TikTok Shop: Creator-Brand Strategies

16:33 "AI Pets and Trust Issues"

18:42 Building Trust for Small Businesses

22:44 "Building Trust Through TikTok"

Mentioned in this episode:

Freebie download

Stock Freebie

Get 10% off with SumUp - Use code GamePlan10

https://www.resilientretailclub.com/RRGPsumup

Sum Up - 10% off hardware - use code "Game Plan 10"