Our 2026 Retailers To Watch | Ask An Expert

Retail’s future winners aren’t defined by hype. They are defined by where consumers actually go. In this Omni Talk Ask An Expert episode, hosts Chris Walton and Anne Mezzenga sit down with Ethan Chernofsky, Chief Marketing Officer at Placer.ai, to break down the retailers, sectors, and strategies poised to shape 2026.Drawing from real-world foot traffic data and consumer behavior insights, Ethan shares which brands are gaining momentum, which are in turnaround mode, and how shifting expectations around health, value, and experience are redefining retail success. From fitness to grocery to coffee to digitally native retail, this conversation uncovers where physical retail is headed next.Key Topics Covered:Why the fitness sector, including brands like EōS Fitness, is benefiting from long-term health and wellness shiftsHow grocers like H-E-B are winning through localization and innovationThe competitive momentum behind specialty retailers like MichaelsThe “bounce-back” potential of Starbucks and its third-place strategy revivalWhere Home Depot and Target stand on the recovery spectrumGrocery’s evolving battleground: quality vs. value vs. unique differentiationHow retailers like Kroger are experimenting to stay competitiveThe future of digitally native brands and physical retail after pullbacks from players like AllbirdsWhy partnerships with retailers such as Nordstrom may reshape DTC expansionThe industry debate around “value” and why it may be retail’s most misunderstood conceptWhether you’re building your 2026 retail strategy, evaluating growth sectors, or tracking competitive momentum, this conversation delivers data-backed insights to help you understand where consumers are spending their time and why.Connect with Ethan: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ethan-chernofsky-16ab4519/Visit Placer.ai: https://www.placer.ai#RetailTrends #RetailersToWatch #RetailAnalytics #FootTrafficData #RetailStrategy #FitnessIndustry #GroceryRetail #Starbucks #DTCBrands #ConsumerBehavior #OmniTalk #RetailInsightsThis podcast uses the following third-party services for analysis: Podcorn - https://podcorn.com/privacy