The Biggest and Boldest NRF Must-See Tech Preview | Ask An Expert

Join Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga for their second annual NRF must-see tech preview, showcasing five breakthrough retail technologies solving critical operational challenges. From AI employees autonomously negotiating supplier contracts to overhead RFID achieving 99% inventory accuracy, discover the solutions delivering measurable ROI and transforming how retailers operate in 2026.

Featured companies and innovations:

Gain - AI employees Natalie and Bob executing end-to-end supplier negotiations and replenishment, closing deals from repair parts to $2-3M agreements

ESW - Cross-border commerce platform reducing international duties by 60% and enabling launches across 200+ countries without the $2.5-4.5M per-country build cost

PervasID - Overhead RFID technology (Trackmaster 3X) delivering 98-99% stock accuracy with 6-8 month ROI and 5-10% sales increases through improved on-shelf availability

Diebold Nixdorf - Visual AI at checkout reducing shrink from 3% to under 1% through intelligent nudging, with 80% of shoppers self-rectifying when prompted about missed scans

Cleveron - Robotic parcel lockers deployed in 300+ Zara stores across 38 countries, eliminating click-and-collect friction with QR code scan delivery in seconds

Whether you're a retail technology executive planning your NRF booth strategy, building your 2026 technology roadmap, or looking to move beyond pilots to production deployments, this preview delivers real deployment data, ROI calculations, and operational insights from retailers like Zara, H & M, Calvin Klein, and other major CPG companies already scaling these solutions.

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