Digital retail begins 2026 under a new strategic dynamic. After a year pressured by narrow margins and increasingly high customer acquisition costs, the sector is betting on the consolidation of two technological fronts to regain profitability: Retail Media (retail media) and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The integration of these tools marks a structural change in e-commerce, which is no longer just a sales channel to act as a data and media ecosystem, focused on operational efficiency and conversion accuracy.
The rise of Retail as a Media
Retail Media — a strategy in which retailers sell advertising space on their own channels using data from their customers — maintains an accelerated pace of growth. According to eMarketer projections, the segment moved around US$2.6 billion in Latin America in 2025. Brazil leads this scenario, accounting for 40% of the total, equivalent to US$1.06 billion.
For Alexandre Mendes, partner-CMO at Lope Digital Commerce, these numbers inaugurate a new stage for the market.
"Retail, previously seen only as a sales channel, now acts as a robust media vehicle, monetizing inventory and data. When this information is integrated into campaigns, communication gains precision and returns increase", analyzes Mendes.
The model allows brands to use consumers' purchase history and browsing behavior to create more assertive offers, reducing friction in the purchase journey.
AI: The engine of productivity
While Retail Media boosts revenue, Artificial Intelligence works to reduce costs and improve efficiency. A study by consultancy Strand Partners, commissioned by AWS, reveals that 40% of Brazilian companies already use AI. The impact on results is significant:
- 96% recorded productivity gains;
- 95% reported an increase in revenue.
The technology has been applied mainly to inventory management, demand forecasting and service. "AI has become a structuring tool, which adjusts inventory levels and connects the entire operation to consumer expectations. This alignment is decisive in generating loyalty", explains Mendes.
Outlook for 2026
The trend for this year is the maturation of these strategies. With consumers less tolerant of failures, synchronization between product availability (managed by AI) and personalized campaigns (via Retail Media) will be the competitive differentiator.
The market projects that retailers able to consolidate the use of proprietary data will not only protect their margins, but will redefine the shopping experience in an environment increasingly driven by concrete results.
