Turning vision into strategy: From conference theme to framework for retail success

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The future of retail starts now. Your biggest wins in retail come from owning today *and* being prepared for tomorrow. That’s why NRF created Retail’s Big Show, an event packed full of priceless connections, practical education, and futuristic solutions.

Retail never stops evolving, partly because consumers often change how they shop. And in the process, there are a lot of behind-the-scenes people and places involved, including investors, influencers, suppliers, and marketing channels. With all of these players, that good ol’ linear buyer-seller relationship is, well, a little more nuanced these days.

What’s a retail professional to do in this complex new world? That’s where NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show comes in. It’s the top retailer event for digging into how to achieve retail success in a time of constant change. Through The Next Now, NRF is equipping retailers with insights, connections, and tools to help them thrive in this dynamic new era.

Here’s a breakdown of the vision The Next Now is built on and all the actionable strategies you can use to create your best industry event yet.

Here to help retailers

Retailers are facing one big challenge: succeeding in the present while looking ahead and preparing for the future. With all the cooks in the kitchen of consumer decisions, staying ahead is going to take a lot more than just being adaptable. It requires a whole lot of strategic foresight backed by actionable insights.

That’s why Retail’s Big Show is the kind of event retailers won’t want to miss. There, retailer leaders can gain clarity, direction, and practical tools to stay ahead in a rapidly changing retail world. Instead of chasing trends, NRF 2026 wants to help retail professionals *shape* trends.

This can’t-miss aspect of Retail’s Big Show helps set it apart in a crowded landscape of industry events by offering impactful, tangible ways for retailers to stay ahead of the curve.

Three pillars to make an impact

So, how exactly does Retail’s Big Show help retailers stay ahead? Well, NRF created a strategic framework with three main pillars for the kind of event that makes professionals say, “You just had to be there.”

Here are the three pillars of business impact that NRF used to build Retail’s Big Show and the theme The Next Now:

• Priceless connections: Can’t be at every industry event to shake every single hand this year? No sweat. At Retail’s Big Show, retail professionals get an entire year’s worth of networking opportunities packed into three tight days. Retail’s Big Show has all the peer-to-peer relationships, vendor partnerships, and career-advancing contacts a retail leader could need.

• Practical education: Put down your pens, paper, and laptops. At Retail’s Big Show, learning gets a lot more fun—and a lot more hands-on. Along with special programs and pavilions that let retailers get involved in the learning experience, Retail’s Big Show also features tons of inspiring speakers breaking down the industry’s top trends, all backed with data.

• Futuristic solutions: Want to get your hands on cutting-edge technology that can shape the future of the retail industry? At Retail’s Big Show, you can. Retail’s Big Show features over 300,000 square feet of tech, all there for you to test, play with, and use to propel your brand into the future.

Retail’s Big Show is a different kind of industry event, one that delivers real business impact by addressing the real challenges industry leaders face.

Why it all works

Let’s dig a little deeper into how Retail’s Big Show’s theme The Next Now delivers the kind of value that *really* sets it apart. It’s all thanks to the strategic framework the event was built on (and those three pillars we just talked about!).

The Next Now theme isn’t purely theoretical. It’s actually *actionable* and packed full of implementable takeaways retailers can set in motion as soon as they get home. Yep, you read that correctly—we did say “home.” That’s because Retail’s Big Show takes place in New York City, which means it convenes more than just US leaders sharing their wisdom. NRF 2026 has leaders from all over the world coming together to talk retail and share their top tips, tricks, insights, and what’s happening next…now.

The content of Retail’s Big Show is also jam-packed with value for retail pros of all levels. It comes down to the comprehensive approach NRF takes, one that spans customer experiences, operations, business models, talent, tech innovation, and leadership. And if that wasn’t enough, Retail’s Big Show also introduces a new addition: the AI Stage, which helps retailers effectively employ AI as a key element of their go-forward business strategies.

Top takeaways for retail event planners

NRF created proprietary positioning for Retail’s Big Show, The Next Now, to show how their event helps retailers solve real problems—like striving to be successful today while looking toward tomorrow—instead of just throwing fancy features at their attendees.

NRF positions The Next Now as essential, not optional. They emphasize the immediate action and practical takeaways the event offers while also balancing innovation. And most importantly, they recognize that not only is change not optional but also that change doesn’t need to be scary.

More than just a day

So, what’s NRF’s secret to turning an industry event from just a calendar date to a whole business imperative? It’s simple. They deliver ROI through connections that matter, education retailers can put to use right away, and top technology + solutions that can help prepare you for what’s coming next.

NRF 2026: Retail’s Big Show
January 11 – 13
Jacob Javits Center NYC