Behind the Numbers: an EMARKETER Podcast artwork

What “Winning the Holidays” Actually Looks Like in 2026 | Reimagining Retail

Behind the Numbers: an EMARKETER Podcast · February 18, 2026 · 23 min

Summary

This episode dissects the evolving landscape of holiday retail in 2026, moving beyond simple sales metrics to define "winning the holidays" through customer loyalty, brand perception, and operational efficiency. It emphasizes the critical role of AI in driving personalized experiences at scale, optimizing inventory, and enhancing marketing efforts throughout the peak shopping season. Ecommerce operators will gain forward-looking strategies to leverage AI and data for superior customer engagement and seamless omnichannel experiences.

Key takeaways

Themes

retail & omnichannelai & automationanalytics & attributioncustomer retention

Topics covered

holiday shopping trendsai in retailpersonalization at scaleomnichannel retailpredictive analytics for demandcustomer experience

Episode description

On today’s podcast episode, we discuss what stood out most about how people shopped this past holiday season, what feels fundamentally different about the upcoming holiday season, what real personalization at scale looks like for retailers, and why AI matters even more during the holidays. Listen to the discussion with Vice President of Content and host Suzy Davidkhanian and Principal Analysts Sky Canaves and Zak Stambor. Get more insights like these with our free, industry-leading newsletters covering advertising, marketing, and commerce. Sign up at emarketer.com/newsletters Follow us on Instagram at: https://www.instagram.com/emarketer/For sponsorship opportunities contact us: advertising@emarketer.comFor more information visit: https://www.emarketer.com/advertise/Have questions or just want to say hi? Drop us a line at podcast@emarketer.com For a transcript of this episode click here:https://www.emarketer.com/content/podcast-what-winning-holidays-actually-looks-like-2026-reimagining-retail© 2026 EMARKETER

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Frequently asked about this episode

What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Redefine "winning the holidays" to prioritize customer loyalty, brand perception, operational efficiency, and exceptional customer experience over just sales volume.
What does this episode say about ai & automation?
Implement AI-driven personalization strategies across all touchpoints, from product recommendations to tailored marketing, to meet evolving consumer expectations and optimize engagement.
What does this episode say about analytics & attribution?
Utilize predictive analytics powered by AI to forecast demand accurately, optimize inventory management, and mitigate stockouts or overstocking during peak holiday periods.
What does this episode say about customer retention?
Integrate online and offline channels seamlessly to create a cohesive omnichannel shopping journey that prioritizes customer convenience and efficient fulfillment.
What does this episode say about retail & omnichannel?
Leverage data and analytics to understand granular consumer behavior shifts and inform agile strategies for inventory, marketing, and customer service during the holiday season.

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