Merchandising & Store OpsWednesday, August 5, 2026
Integrations of artificial intelligence, machine learning, and IoT are enabling retailers to achieve real-time tracking and predictive analytics for store-level inventory optimization.
Agentic AI platforms are evolving from data analytics tools into autonomous systems that validate product concepts and optimize labor and sales operations.
Livestream shopping platform Whatnot closed a $265M Series D+ round in January 2025 and a $225M round in October 2025, reaching a valuation of nearly $11.5 billion.
Whatnot secured a $225 million Series F round in Q4 2025, representing 42.3% of total social commerce funding over the preceding five quarters.
Logile introduced a Fresh Operations Management Suite in March 2026 that combines production planning, recipe management, and computer-assisted ordering to align inventory with real-time demand.
