Enhancing the Shopper Journey
Seventy-five percent of retailers say AI agents will be essential for a competitive edge by 2026, according to the sixth edition of the Connected Shoppers report by Salesforce, based on a survey of 8,350 shoppers and 1,700 industry decision-makers.
Unified Commerce Brings Opportunities and Challenges
Companies are working to connect online and offline experiences to understand shoppers and serve them seamlessly across channels. Retailers are upgrading systems and empowering store associates to improve efficiency and provide more value to shoppers. Eighty-eight percent of retailers say unified commerce will be very important or critical to their business objectives over the next two years.
AI Agents Poised to Redefine Retail
AI agents greatly expand AI’s impact by independently responding to customer inquiries, managing inventory, and more. Seventy-five percent of retailers say AI agents will be essential for a competitive edge by 2026. Retailers view leveraging AI as their number one opportunity.
Rewards Programs Put a Check on Declining Shopper Loyalty
Brand loyalty can be fleeting, especially among younger shoppers. Companies are responding by reimagining customer service and refining their rewards programs. Eighty-four percent of loyalty program members say programs make them more likely to repurchase.
Top Retail Industry Challenges and Opportunities
The survey identified the top five retail industry challenges: industry competition, inflation and high costs, rising customer acquisition costs, changing consumer behavior, and cost of returns. The top five retail opportunities: leverage AI, implement unified commerce, increase e-commerce sales, improve customer service, and increase store associate productivity.
Enhancing the Shopper Journey
The survey found that physical store purchase volume decreases as shopping spreads across digital channels. The growth of digital commerce isn’t creating a single winner. Instead, online marketplaces, retailer websites, brand websites, and delivery apps are all gaining a modest share as consumer journeys take unique paths.
Unified Commerce Brings Change
Retailers see AI as their number one opportunity, yet implementing these data-enabled solutions is also their top operational challenge. High operational costs and disconnected systems slow progress on AI and other critical business opportunities. Meanwhile, store associates feel the burden of disconnected technology — only 17% have access to a unified view of customer data as they navigate disconnected systems in their daily work.
AI Agents Will Redefine Retail
The survey found that 85% of retailers use AI already, and only 2% have no plans for the technology. More innovation is underway as AI becomes increasingly agentic, taking action autonomously without human involvement.
Conclusion
Retailers are transforming stores to deliver elevated retail experiences: 59% now offer in-store services like customization and repairs, while 46% provide dedicated spaces for events and community gatherings. Retailers are doing more than buying new software when building a foundation for AI agents. As many as 86% of retailers with AI say it will restructure their operations. The future of the retail industry is autonomous — a hybrid workforce of humans and AI agents delivering customer value and better experiences. Welcome to the autonomous enterprise, where self-driving retailers can focus on the business currencies that matter most: trust, speed, intelligence, personalization, and scale.
FAQs
Q: What percentage of retailers say AI agents will be essential for a competitive edge by 2026?
A: Seventy-five percent of retailers say AI agents will be essential for a competitive edge by 2026.
Q: What is the top opportunity for retailers, according to the survey?
A: Leveraging AI is the top opportunity for retailers, according to the survey.
Q: What is the top challenge for retailers, according to the survey?
A: The top five retail industry challenges, according to the survey, are industry competition, inflation and high costs, rising customer acquisition costs, changing consumer behavior, and cost of returns.
