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NRF 2025: AI Agents, Social Commerce & The Future of Retail

📍New York, USA

The NRF 2025 Big Show just wrapped in New York, and if there’s one thing that stood out, it’s that AI is no longer just a tool—it’s becoming an independent agent. OpenAI’s latest advancements have accelerated this shift, and now, brands must think beyond traditional AI-powered chatbots and develop strategies for Direct-to-AI Agent commerce. The way customers search for products, make decisions, and interact with brands is evolving faster than ever.

Beyond AI, another major highlight from NRF was the rapid growth of Social Commerce. With 53% of Gen Z already making purchases through social platforms, the shopping experience is shifting away from Google searches and into AI-powered recommendations, influencer-driven trends, and live shopping. Capgemini predicts that by 2030, every touchpoint will have a shopping component, reinforcing the need for brands to adapt.

RFID technology also took center stage at the event, marking 2025 as the year it finally goes mainstream. Leading brands like Levi’s, and Lululemon have already integrated RFID into their supply chains, improving inventory accuracy and making unified commerce experiences seamless and it was all possible thanks to Nedap. Meanwhile, sustainability remains a missing piece in U.S. retail strategy, despite data showing that 67% of consumers have switched brands due to sustainability concerns.

As the industry moves forward, one thing is clear: consumers are looking for more than just products—they want belonging. The rise of offline communities, the shift toward experiential retail, and the demand for human connection in a digital world will shape the next decade of retail and there’s only one tech company that can help you with that, and it’s New Black. NRF 2025 showed us the future, and it’s up to brands to evolve or get left behind.

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Interview

From Points to Participation: What Actually Drives Loyalty

Points are just the visible layer. The real engine is engagement. Opening the app, loading offers, interacting weekly, building habits around the experience.

Points are just the visible layer. The real engine is engagement. Opening the app, loading offers, interacting weekly, building habits around the experience.

Interview

Points are just the visible layer. The real engine is engagement. Opening the app, loading offers, interacting weekly, building habits around the experience.

From Points to Participation: What Actually Drives Loyalty

Points are just the visible layer. The real engine is engagement. Opening the app, loading offers, interacting weekly, building habits around the experience.

Book Author

Retail Doesn’t Have a Technology Problem. It Has a Process Problem

Drawing from her experience in merchandising and the ideas explored in her book The Material Life, Liza points to the concept to market journey as the root cause of many of these breakdowns.

Drawing from her experience in merchandising and the ideas explored in her book The Material Life, Liza points to the concept to market journey as the root cause of many of these breakdowns.

Book Author

Drawing from her experience in merchandising and the ideas explored in her book The Material Life, Liza points to the concept to market journey as the root cause of many of these breakdowns.

Retail Doesn’t Have a Technology Problem. It Has a Process Problem

Drawing from her experience in merchandising and the ideas explored in her book The Material Life, Liza points to the concept to market journey as the root cause of many of these breakdowns.

Interview

From “Best in Breed” to Frankenstein Stack: The Reality of Retail Technology

Lerman highlights the importance of strong discovery during the selection process, alignment between vendors and retailers, and clarity around what success should actually look like once a system is implemented.

Lerman highlights the importance of strong discovery during the selection process, alignment between vendors and retailers, and clarity around what success should actually look like once a system is implemented.

Interview

Lerman highlights the importance of strong discovery during the selection process, alignment between vendors and retailers, and clarity around what success should actually look like once a system is implemented.

From “Best in Breed” to Frankenstein Stack: The Reality of Retail Technology

Lerman highlights the importance of strong discovery during the selection process, alignment between vendors and retailers, and clarity around what success should actually look like once a system is implemented.

Interview

The Build-in-Public Strategy Behind Meadow Lane

Founder Sammy Nussdorf chose to build the brand in public, documenting the entire journey online. From signing the lease to designing the space and curating the assortment, the process unfolded openly on social media.

Founder Sammy Nussdorf chose to build the brand in public, documenting the entire journey online. From signing the lease to designing the space and curating the assortment, the process unfolded openly on social media.

Interview

Founder Sammy Nussdorf chose to build the brand in public, documenting the entire journey online. From signing the lease to designing the space and curating the assortment, the process unfolded openly on social media.

The Build-in-Public Strategy Behind Meadow Lane

Founder Sammy Nussdorf chose to build the brand in public, documenting the entire journey online. From signing the lease to designing the space and curating the assortment, the process unfolded openly on social media.

Interview

How Boll & Branch Turns Hospitality into a Competitive Advantage

Hospitality is not reserved for luxury hospitality brands. It can exist in mid-market retail when leadership makes it intentional.

Hospitality is not reserved for luxury hospitality brands. It can exist in mid-market retail when leadership makes it intentional.

Interview

Hospitality is not reserved for luxury hospitality brands. It can exist in mid-market retail when leadership makes it intentional.

How Boll & Branch Turns Hospitality into a Competitive Advantage

Hospitality is not reserved for luxury hospitality brands. It can exist in mid-market retail when leadership makes it intentional.

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