Participate in NRF 2025, the largest retail fair in the world held in New York, it was a transformative experience. The event reaffirmed crucial trends for the sector and highlighted challenges that require innovation, strategy and technology on the part of companies. Yes, artificial intelligence (AI) has been omnipresent – but the future of retail is not limited to it. The fair brought valuable insights about personalization, operational efficiency, customer experience and the impact of new consumption dynamics.
One of the biggest challenges of modern retail is to create personalized and relevant experiences for the consumer. The era of cookies is coming to an end, what makes it essential to adopt strategies that combine first-party data and intelligent solutions to understand and anticipate needs. The AI and themachine learning play an essential role in this journey. According to the Retail Central (June 2024), 47% of large e-commerce companies have already implemented AI to enhance their marketing strategies.
This use allows for real-time behavior analysis, identifying buying patterns and preferences, in addition to enabling personalized recommendations that optimize the user experience. With the automation of marketing campaigns, as interactions become more relevant and assertive, increasing conversion rates.
Efficiency in customer service has also become a competitive advantage. Research indicates that 70% of consumers prefer quick interactions via chatbot, according to a report from Freshworks Inc. and Toluna. The use of advanced chatbots and virtual assistants allows frequent questions to be resolved in real time, for example, while a hybrid service, combining AI and human intervention at the right moments, improves the consumer experience. Sentiment analysis has become an essential tool, allowing the identification of dissatisfied customers and directing them to more agile and personalized support.
Another central point of NRF 2025 was the discussion about cart abandonment, a recurring problem in e-commerce. With the use of AI, it is possible to minimize this issue by personalizing offers according to browsing history and even local weather. Automatic alerts reminding customers about forgotten items in the cart and tailored offers can encourage conversion. Furthermore, predictive strategies are capable of identifying behavior patterns and offering strategic incentives for customers likely to abandon their purchase.
Operational efficiency was one of the major themes of the event. NRF emphasized the importance of intelligent inventory management, essential to avoid excesses and breakages. Machine learning has already established itself as an indispensable tool for demand forecasting, allowing for automated replenishment and integration with smart logistics. This reduces operational costs and significantly improves the shopping experience, ensuring products are available at the right time and optimizing delivery times.
With the increasing restriction on the use of third-party cookies, brands need to reinvent their strategies to better understand their customers. Predictive analytics and behavior-based programmatic advertising emerge as fundamental solutions for this new scenario. O uso de testes A/B automatizados ajuda a otimizar anúncios e promoções, ensuring greater impact and conversion. Without the cookies, customer loyalty becomes even more relevant.
At NRF 2025, it became evident that a diversified payment ecosystem and well-structured loyalty programs are the way to lasting engagement. The offer of digital wallets and flexible installments improves conversion, while personalized and exclusive benefits encourage repeat purchases. Consumer loyalty is becoming an increasingly valuable asset and an undeniable competitive advantage.
To conclude my experience during the event, I participated in a tour of some of the most iconic stores in New York, like the Apple Store on 5th Avenue, Bergdorf Goodman and Hermès on Madison Avenue. What these stores have in common is the extreme personalization in service and products, the exclusivity in every detail of the experience and highly skilled teams passionate about the brand. This emotional connection with the customer is what truly differentiates high-performance retail.
NRF 2025 made it clear that technology is a powerful tool, but they are the people who make a difference. The continuous training of teams and the total focus on customer experience are the true drivers of success in modern retail. The challenge now is not only to understand these transformations, but act quickly to innovate and offer unforgettable journeys to consumers. The future of retail has already begun.
