McKinsey’s State of the Consumer 2026 report, based on a survey of 4,863 consumers in Brazil, France, Germany, the UK and the US, identifies two forces reshaping the sector – fast-moving technology and persistent cost pressure – which together drive four global consumer trends for 2026.
Category
Retail Use Cases
Gen Z Isn’t Buying Your Category. Are You Buying Theirs?
Most home improvement and furnishing retailers built their model around a life-stage assumption: “people buy houses, houses need filling; people come to us.” It worked for decades because the assumption held: previous generations entered homeownership earlier and with far less financial friction. But now…
How Reddit forces Brands to Change?
For years, brands have controlled the narrative. Today, before many purchases happen, something else takes place: People ask strangers. Not experts. Not brands. Not celebrities. Strangers. They open Reddit. And that shift says something important about where trust now lives.
Price Gets You the Sale. Experience Keeps the Customer.
Why Retail Leaders Must Stop Treating Experience as a Cost Center Retail has always been price sensitive — and in uncertain economic times, even more so. But the latest data challenges one of the industry’s most persistent assumptions: price alone does not create loyalty. It may win the first transaction, but it rarely wins the second.
Why Your Customers Aren’t Complaining Anymore – And Why That’s a Problem
Retail leaders often rely on feedback to understand what’s working and what isn’t. Fewer complaints, fewer issues — right? Wrong. Silence does not mean satisfaction. It means disengagement. From this post, you can learn how to reduce customer churn in retail.
The Four Forces Reshaping Consumer Behavior
I read an article on how consumer preferences are changing that resonated a lot with me. I have been wondering how the frequently shifting trends, the uncertainty about what the future holds and the massive overload of digital content will shape consumer behavior. I recently came across a piece in Retail TouchPoints that highlights four key forces expected to influence how people spend, engage with brands and express their identity this year: self-preservation, escapism, fandom and nonconformity.
The Future of Retail: How AI Will Shape the Next Generation of Shopping and Operations
Artificial intelligence is rapidly moving from experimental pilots to core infrastructure in retail. What once supported isolated use cases is now evolving into unified, enterprise-wide systems that touch customers, employees, partners, and internal technology teams alike. The future of retail will be defined not by single AI tools, but by coordinated AI ecosystems designed to simplify complexity and scale decision-making.
How Digital Retail Solutions Can Improve Customer Service
How can retailers improve customer service in a world of ever-rising expectations? The retail landscape is undergoing a profound transformation. While e-commerce continues to grow, brick-and-mortar stores face shrinking staff…
Boosting Retail Efficiency Without Sacrificing Customer Service in DIY Stores
In today’s retail landscape, striking the right balance between operational efficiency and excellent customer service in DIY retail stores is more important than ever. As many retailers seek to optimize…
Boosting Retail Efficiency Without Sacrificing Customer Service in Furniture Stores
In today’s retail landscape, striking the right balance between furniture store sales floor efficiency and excellent customer service is more important than ever. As many retailers seek to optimize store…