Integrations are the deciding factor in 2026. Platforms that connect cleanly across the commerce stack will enable agentic experiences to scale, while fragmented systems will limit growth.
AI will be everywhere in retail in 2026, that’s not the differentiator. Integrations are.
Retailers and commerce SaaS platforms pulling ahead aren’t the ones talking the loudest about AI, they’re the ones whose systems actually connect well enough for AI to work. Agentic commerce doesn’t fail because models aren’t smart enough. It fails because data, workflows, and platforms are fragmented.
That fragmentation creates friction:
The more disconnected your stack, the less value AI can deliver.
Agentic commerce raises the bar. Intelligent agents don’t just recommend products; they act across inventory, pricing, fulfillment, payments, and customer service in real time.
That only works if integrations are:
For retailers, this means launching faster, operating with less complexity, and letting agents make real decisions using connected data.
For commerce SaaS providers, it means this: your product is judged by how fast it plugs into the existing stack, not how many features you ship.
In a market where features and AI capabilities are rapidly commoditizing, integration velocity is the real differentiator.
Integrations Are The Strategy
In 2026, retailers aren’t asking if a platform has integrations. They’re asking:
The platforms that win will be the ones designed to change, because agentic commerce will keep changing.
AI will be assumed in 2026. Features will be table stakes.
Integrations will decide who scales and who stalls.
Join us at NRF Retail’s Big Show, January 2026, stand 913, to see how agentic integrations turn connectivity into a true competitive advantage, and why they should sit at the center of your 2026 roadmap.
