Back to all
U.S. ecommerce sales will jump 8% this holiday season, while overall retail is predicted to grow 4% during the peak seasonal shopping months. For retailers and brands, that surge raises the stakes: product data must be accurate, sites must perform under pressure, delivery promises must actually deliver, and returns must be seamless (or prevented, if possible).
The Rithum 2026 commerce readiness index provides a timely view into these challenges. Based on an independent survey of retail and brand executives, it reflects what your peers are prioritizing right now as they prepare for 2026. The index was created to help retailers and brands identify the actions that matter most—and make measurable progress across channels and fulfillment so they’re stable and steady coming into 2026.
What the survey responses reveal about 2026 for retailers and brands
Pulling from the responses of commerce executives, the index focuses on what shapes results before and after purchase, the role of data quality in decision-making, how to get the most out of automation, and where the industry is bracing for impact. You’ll see benchmarks and practical plays from peers that will help you guide near-term priorities, including how they’re:
- Fixing pre-checkout gaps by connecting ads to in-stock SKUs and keeping product pages current
- Reducing avoidable contacts and returns after purchase
- Cutting manual work with data standards and automation that speed decisions
- Protecting margin with a clearer view of cost to serve
- Implementing AI that delivers results, not just noise
What breaks the path to purchase
According to survey respondents, the path to purchase is breaking from a thousand small fractures that add up fast. Shoppers bounce at broken links, out-of-stock products, slow sites, confusing listings, and irrelevant ads. Post-purchase, they churn after poor service, clunky returns, and delayed communication.
For retailers, the biggest cracks appear before checkout, with the majority pointing to ad-to-product page breakdowns, followed by payment issues. For brands, the pain shows up after the sale, with customer care and returns topping the list.
Commerce leaders say what’s breaking isn’t just the customer experience, but the systems behind it. Siloed data, manual workflows, and slow response times leave teams reacting after the moment has passed.
Coming into 2026, retailers and brands are focused on fixing the breaks that lose customers. The index shows where peers are investing in stronger product connections, clearer delivery promises, and smoother service to protect both satisfaction and margin.
Why better data ends spreadsheet speed
Many retailers and brands say they’re still stuck at “spreadsheet speed.” Manual work dominates, from vendor analysts pivoting late-order reports in Excel to reconciling conflicting data across systems. These steps slow reaction times and introduce errors that ripple through decisions.
Nearly three in four executives admit they sometimes act on outdated or inaccurate data. More than one-third say it happens often. That kind of gap leaves strategy shaped by incomplete information rather than facts teams can trust.
The index points to how retailers and brands are starting to move faster by cutting manual steps so decisions can happen in hours, not days, and so they can rely on standardized data at every level.
Why retailers and brands need this index
Rithum’s 2026 commerce readiness index reflects what leading retailers and brands say is working before and after purchase, with benchmarks you can use to guide your next steps.
Download the report to see the full findings.
