Discussions

According to a panel of expert commentary compiled by Retail Touchpoints, three major factors will come to the fore for retailers in 2026: Sustainability and the importance of the circular economy will be even more prominent, particularly in demand from Gen Z consumers; curation, rather than raw assortment, means more to today’s consumer who is looking for the best product at the right time; and the confluence of traditional retail media networks, agentic retail, and discovery commerce (via social channels like TikTok or YouTube) will form hybrid entities tailored to each company’s needs.

According to reportage from Newsis and other outlets, the price of a top-level graphics card (GPU) may move from ~$2,000 currently to upwards of $5,000 in the immediate future, with both AMD and Nvidia signaling price hikes on the horizon. “What this means for the average consumer of PC parts for gaming purposes is that your PC parts are going to get drastically more expensive over the coming months if this report is accurate, and they’ll likely get more expensive due to basic supply / demand problems in the hardware market,” Eurogamer’s Connor Makar wrote (via Eurogamer).

Samsung’s new Galaxy Z Trifold has made an impressive splash in the market, drawing positive early commentary. “The TriFold has a 10-inch screen that folds in two places like a pamphlet, compared to the Galaxy Z Fold 7’s 8-inch screen that folds in half,” CNN’s Lisa Eadicicco wrote of the new design, which is aimed at those who work on their phone consistently (via CNN Business).

Executive chairman of Bed Bath & Beyond, Marcus Lemonis, will now be taking the helm as CEO. He stepped down from his position as Camping World CEO as of Jan. 1, 2026. Lemonis further put forth a three-point strategy underscoring his commitment to making the retailer an “Everything Home Company,” one “built around customers and the way life happens” (via Chain Store Age).

CES 2026 is set to kick off, at least officially, on Jan. 6, but announcements are already being made surrounding the Las Vegas consumer tech show. “Despite economic challenges, uncertainty, and tariff pressures, CTA [the Consumer Technology Association, which produces CES] projects U.S. consumer technology industry revenue to reach $565 billion in 2026,” Brian Comiskey, technology trends expert for the CTA, said (via IBD).