The retail world is going to change in some pretty serious ways next year. It’s important to stay up to date with these expected trends so your bookstore can be fully prepared to navigate the upcoming challenges with as much preparation as possible. Find out what retailers can come to expect in 2026 with these predictions.
AI Will Shake Up Shopping
Artificial intelligence is poised to become a crucial part of the customer retail experience in 2026. Some experts are predicting up to 25% of all consumers will use specialty retail chatbots for product research, store comparisons, and customer service. This figure represents a huge portion of your current and potential customers that will rely on AI chatbots to assist them in their shopping, much like a regular store employee would. Consider adding a chatbot to your store’s website that can assist viewers with these common needs that are normally done in person.
Social Media Commerce Will Grow
Social commerce has been growing for a while, and that’s expected to continue in 2026. Increasingly each day, consumers are using social media to find, compare, and purchase products. Just under half of all consumers in the US are using social media in this way, which goes to show how big this trend currently is and will grow to be! One way your bookstore can capitalize on this trend is to integrate ecommerce into your social media for your bookstore. If you don’t already run a Facebook or Instagram account for your store, consider starting one today.
Shoppers Will Care Less About Brand Names
As inflation continues to plague both producers and consumers, retailers can expect to see consumers opting for generic brand items over the most famous name brands. Reportedly, nearly half of all consumers in the US will be buying private-label or low-cast brands over name brands. It’s always a good idea to carry both private labels and name brands in your inventory, but for 2026 consider stocking more private labels than name brand. This will give consumers more reason to continue shopping in your bookstore.
Sources
https://knfins.com/emerging-2026-retail-trends-a-look-at-three-major-shifts-in-consumer-behavior/
https://www.capgemini.com/insights/research-library/retail-trends-2026/
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