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You know, something fascinating is happening in
retail right now.

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We're still a ways out from the holiday
shopping season,

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but this year, the big story isn't snowflakes or
sleigh bells,

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it's the macro landscape.

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From trade policy to inflation and shaky
consumer confidence,

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it's not one big disruption; it's all of them
all at once.

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We surveyed 50 retail buyers gearing up for the
holiday season.

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Here's what stood out.

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Eighty-four percent say shifts in macro policy have made them
more cautious this year.

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So how are they planning differently?
Let's dig into three major shifts we've seen.

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First, more than 50% of all their holiday
orders were placed by the end of May.

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It's two months earlier than last year.

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They look to be building up their stock earlier
to get ahead of potential supply chain

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disruptions, but here's the second interesting
shift.

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Many retail buyers told us they're shifting
orders to new suppliers or new countries.

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That's not just reactive.
Retailers learned the hard way during the

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pandemic.
Now, with next-gen innovations like AI,

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they're faster, savvier, and more agile.

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Which brings us to shift number three.

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In our survey, 78% of retailers told us they're
now turning to AI to improve their buying

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activities in general.

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Nearly three-quarters of retailers are using AI tools to
respond to macro volatility,

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including price pressures and supply chain
shifts.

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So how else are retailers using AI?

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The top three use cases include managing supply
chains, optimizing prices,

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and managing inventory.

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In other words, AI is helping retailers figure
out what to buy,

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where to get it, how much to charge, and how
much to stock.

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Perhaps it's this ability to adapt and innovate
that explains our final finding.

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Despite macroeconomic uncertainty, retailers
are still optimistic.

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They expect holiday sales to grow by 4.5% on
average.

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For an industry facing economic uncertainty,
changes in global trade,

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and increasingly cost conscious customers, that
sounds like an encouraging outlook.

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Retailers can't control the macro forces, but
they can control how they respond.

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The leaders this holiday season will be the
ones who plan early,

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move smart, and turn uncertainty into advantage.