Skip to content
MarketScale
‹ Back to IndustriesRetail

Emerging Trends of the New Normal Shopper

With signs pointing towards a slowing of the pandemic, the spotlight is on the emerging trends and patterns taking hold in the era of the new normal shopper. To make sense of these trends and gain better knowledge and understanding of where retail will shift and what it needs to do to capitalize on new…

This story was produced through MarketScale. See how Retail teams put it to work with Sales Enablement.

Share
Emerging Trends of the New Normal Shopper

Get featured

Want to get featured in MarketScale Retail?

Create a free MarketScale workspace and get your company's expertise featured across our Retail coverage. No credit card, no demo required.

Request an invite

With signs pointing towards a slowing of the pandemic, the spotlight is on the emerging trends and patterns taking hold in the era of the new normal shopper. To make sense of these trends and gain better knowledge and understanding of where retail will shift and what it needs to do to capitalize on new shopping behaviors, three retail thought leaders joined Experience Evolution. Jonathan Horemans, Head of Growth for Mercaux, Roger Sowerbutts, Global Vice President of Sales & Marketing for Go Instore, and Graeme Greenwood, VP of Product at JRNI, weighed in.

“We are seeing a number of demands and trends from our retail customers,” Greenwood said. “First, we see a comfort level with different types of modes. So, either video, call, or face-to-face. Most retail customers are happy to be on Zoom, or WhatsApp, or different types of video. We’re also seeing a new hybrid type of reality where consumers are really seeking out truly optimized, agile, safe, or frictionless service.”

“Generally, the retailers I’ve been speaking with have been quite rattled by the pandemic,” Horemans said. “And it’s thrown them off-kilter, which has made them aware and emphasized the importance of a strong foundation.” A retailer’s brand and its system’s ability to fulfill that value proposition is now at the forefront of their concerns. Before the pandemic, Horemans felt many retailers put those efforts on the backburner, but now ensuring they have a strong tech foundation is paramount.

One of the things Sowerbutts wondered as retail stores began to open up was if customer engagements with video would drop off. But he found that customers, even an older demographic, adapted to the new ways of shopping during the pandemic, and they like having these additional options. “What’s happened is the pandemic has accelerated the use of e-commerce and e-commerce platforms by five years,” Sowerbutts said. “It’s forced people to think about different ways of operating in different solutions.”

Follow us on social media for the latest updates in B2B!

Twitter – @MarketScale

Facebook – facebook.com/marketscale

LinkedIn – linkedin.com/company/marketscale

Your experts belong here

Every story in MarketScale Retail starts with a company putting its merchandising leads, store operations teams, and category managers on the record. Buyers are already reading this topic. The only question is whose experts they find.

Category buyers trust operators, so your merchandising leads shorten the distance between first search and first call.

Get your team featuredSee how it works15 minutes, straight to a calendar.

Follow Retail Insights

Get new expert content in your inbox.

Retail: are you visible to AI?

Before they reach out, Retail buyers ask AI engines which vendors to trust. See how AI describes your company today, and where competitors show up instead.

Free workspace

You just read one Retail expert. Your company is full of them.

This article was produced through MarketScale. The same platform turns your merchandising leads, store operations teams, and category managers into the articles, video, and social content Retail buyers are searching for. Create a free workspace and see it with your own people. No credit card, no demo required.

NPS +73 · 1,000+ creators · 38+ countries

What you get, free

Your own MarketScale Studio workspace
One video edit a month, on us
AI writing, editing, and publishing tools
In-platform coaching to learn the system

More Retail Insights

Building a Fine Jewelry Brand on Trust, Craft, and Long-Term Relationships

Building a Fine Jewelry Brand on Trust, Craft, and Long-Term Relationships

The article examines the foundations necessary to build a fine jewelry brand, emphasizing the importance of trust, craftsmanship, and building long-term relationships. It details the strategies companies can use to develop strong reputations and customer loyalty in the jewelry industry.

  • 01Trust is crucial for building a fine jewelry brand and maintaining customer loyalty.
  • 02Craftsmanship plays a key role in differentiating a jewelry brand in a competitive market.
  • 03Fostering long-term relationships with clients can enhance a brand's reputation and success.

Aug 12, 2026

Agentic AI is reshaping enterprise retail operations as Salesforce, Lululemon, and Brunello Cucinelli move from pilots to production

Agentic AI is reshaping enterprise retail operations as Salesforce, Lululemon, and Brunello Cucinelli move from pilots to production

Salesforce's deployment of Callimacus with Brunello Cucinelli and Lululemon's expansion of its AI stack indicate a significant transition in retail from AI pilots to full-scale operational use. This marks a pivotal shift in how retail enterprises leverage agentic AI solutions. The trend signifies an evolving landscape where AI becomes integral to everyday operational infrastructure in the retail sector.

  • 01Salesforce's Callimacus is being used by Brunello Cucinelli as part of their shift to using AI in operational functions.
  • 02Lululemon is expanding its AI stack, moving from pilot projects to fully integrated operational infrastructure.
  • 03Agentic AI is becoming a critical component of retail enterprise operations.

Aug 10, 2026

Retail's digital channel is outpacing store growth, and three moves by Tractor Supply, Albertsons, and DoorDash show why

Retail's digital channel is outpacing store growth, and three moves by Tractor Supply, Albertsons, and DoorDash show why

Tractor Supply, Albertsons, and DoorDash-Shopify are taking strategic actions to enhance their digital commerce capabilities as online sales approach 25% of total retail sales. These companies are investing in structural changes to adapt to the growing digital retail environment. Their initiatives reflect a broader industry shift toward ecommerce.

  • 01Ecommerce is nearing 25% of all retail sales.
  • 02Tractor Supply, Albertsons, and DoorDash-Shopify are investing in digital commerce infrastructure.
  • 03Digital channels are expanding faster than physical store growth.

Aug 8, 2026

Explore More Retail Insights

Read more expert perspectives from across Retail.

Browse Retail Hub

For B2B teams

Your experts could be publishing here

Stories like this one run on content MarketScale captures from real practitioners. See how your team's expertise becomes coverage in Retail and beyond.

Book a 15-minute demo

Or call us. No forms required. We pick up. 214-945-2512