What to Expect at NRF 2026
An early preview of what to expect at Retail's Big Show
Interested in connecting with me at the show? I’ll be attending on behalf of Levata. Levata solves technology challenges by integrating the right hardware, software, and services—backed by expert insight. We help retailers deliver seamless customer experiences across every touchpoint by aligning technology with strategy.
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Guys...Gals…….big week here. NRF 2026 is retail’s Super Bowl, where the industry’s biggest players, boldest ideas, and most important plays of the year all come together on one stage in New York.
What to Expect When Attending NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show
NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show, taking place this weekend (January 10–13) at New York City’s Javits Center, is the premier destination for retail professionals looking to experience the future of the industry. Attendees can expect a jam-packed schedule of keynote presentations, breakout sessions, and panel discussions featuring leaders from across the retail spectrum. The expo floor will showcase over a thousand exhibitors, offering the latest in technology, experiential store design, AI-driven solutions, and innovative business models. Beyond the show floor, New York City itself becomes an extension of the event, providing a dynamic backdrop of diverse retail formats, flagship stores, and experimental pop-ups.
Key Trends
Attendees can expect artificial intelligence and generative AI to be a major focus across the exhibitor floor, with solutions applied to forecasting, personalization, supply chain optimization, customer experience, and loss prevention. Retail Media Networks (RMNs) continue to expand, and many exhibitors will highlight how these platforms are evolving beyond traditional advertising to become deeply integrated into commerce. Digital twins and simulation technologies are also on display, allowing retailers to test and optimize store layouts, supply chains, and operational strategies in virtual environments before applying them in real-world settings. Workforce technologies will be prominent as well, with solutions designed to support store associates through AI-driven scheduling, task management, and in-store assistance, not just for customer-facing activities. Immersive and experiential retail will be showcased through virtual try-ons, AR experiences, and fully interactive store environments, giving retailers actionable ideas they can roll out in their own locations.
The Expo Floor
The NRF exhibitor floor is more than a showcase of what’s new — it’s an opportunity to identify actionable solutions that can be integrated into your business. Attendees can leave with inspiration as well as tangible contacts, potential vendors, technology partners, and pilot opportunities. The floor also serves as a benchmark to understand which technologies are mainstream, which are emerging, and which merit evaluation now. Beyond technology, the exhibitor floor is a strategic networking hub, where conversations extend beyond sales pitches to include product leaders, innovation executives, and fellow retailers, providing insights that can influence your strategy long after the event concludes.
Cutting‑Edge Technology Everywhere: The expo will be a major hub for next-generation retail technology — think AI, augmented reality, robotics, machine learning, computer vision, and more. According to the NRF’s own Expo Overview, the show will spotlight “futuristic solutions” that are shaping “The Next Now” in retail.
You’ll find interactive demos, live product showcases, and hands-on experiences that go beyond passive displays. Many booths will let you try out the technology, which makes this a powerful place to see practical applications, not just conceptual ideas.
Innovators Showcase & Startup Hub
Innovators Showcase: This is where the most disruptive, high-growth retail tech companies will be — startups and scale-ups pushing boundaries. The Showcase brings together solutions like smart carts, AI-driven checkout, digital twins, and other bleeding-edge tech.
Startup Hub: A separate zone for emerging brands and early-stage companies. It’s a great place to spot rising stars, forge partnerships, or find new, agile tech partners.
Foodservice Innovation Zone: Food and C-store retail are getting their own spotlight. The Foodservice Innovation Zone will feature approximately 75 booths focused on restaurant and grab‑and‑go tech, robotics, drive-thru innovations, and in-store automation.
This zone includes its own stage for thought leadership—so you can see both the technology demos and hear from industry leaders about how these solutions actually scale in food‑retail environments.
Exhibitor Big Ideas Sessions: Throughout the expo, there will be “Exhibitor Big Ideas” stages where exhibitors present real-world case studies and product demos. These sessions show how other retailers are using the technology to drive results, so you’ll learn not just what’s new, but how to apply it.
With so much happening, preparation is everything. Start by defining your goals: are you there to learn about AI, evaluate solution providers, benchmark experience design, or connect with peers and partners? Align your schedule to sessions and exhibitors that support those goals. Allow time between sessions to explore the expo floor and have conversations with solution teams. Bring a mix of business cards and digital contact info tools because meeting people fast becomes the best ROI of the week.
Comfort matters. Wear comfortable shoes, pack a portable phone charger, and keep a small notebook or digital note system for ideas and insights you want to capture on the fly. Hydration and quick snacks between sessions help you maintain focus during long days of walking and learning. (Pro tip from experienced conference goers: plan for foot comfort and efficient note capture before anything else).
Retail Store Tours
Have you ever wanted to take a look behind the curtain?
Retail Store Tours offers expert-led, highly curated walking tours of the city’s most innovative retail environments. These tours are designed to give attendees a behind-the-scenes look at how top-performing stores integrate technology, design, and customer experience to drive engagement and sales. Led by a team of retailers, academics, and longtime New Yorkers, Retail Store Tours provides actionable insights on everything from store layout and tech integration to brand storytelling and immersive experiences.
Tour options at NRF 2026 include a variety of themed experiences to suit different roles and interests. The American Dream tour is perfect for tech-savvy executives, featuring integrated digital signage, AR activations, and social media-enhanced experiences. In SoHo, participants explore purpose-driven, people-centric retail environments, learning how emerging brands test and scale new business models. The Fifth Avenue tour offers a deep dive into iconic brands, showing how best practices are embedded in their operations and culture. In the Flatiron District, attendees see innovation and reinvention in action through design-driven concept stores, while the Wall Street Transformation Tour provides insight into how some of the city’s most historic neighborhoods continue to drive global retail innovation.
Participating in Retail Store Tours allows NRF attendees to step off the show floor and gain hands-on experience with some of the most innovative, design-forward, and customer-centric retail environments in the world.
Networking and Events
Beyond formal sessions, NRF is as much about who you meet as what you hear. Networking lounges, expo happy hours, and themed receptions offer valuable chances to share ideas, identify new partners, and strengthen industry ties. Block time in your calendar for these events rather than treating them as afterthoughts.
Before You Arrive
Before heading to New York, download the event app, finalize your session schedule, and list your must-see exhibitors. Pre-book meetings with partners and peers you plan to connect with. Identify the store tours you want to join and understand their start times and meeting points so you don’t miss out due to scheduling conflicts. Finally, make sure your technology is ready: power banks, calendar reminders, and easy access to maps and floor plans will keep you organized from the first keynote to the last networking event.