Top 15 Tech Platforms Used in US Retail in 2026

The retail industry in the United States is currently navigating a digital revolution that is fundamentally changing how we shop. No longer is retail just about physical storefronts or simple websites; it has evolved into a complex "omnichannel" ecosystem where physical and digital worlds blend seamlessly. To stay competitive, retailers are moving away from manual processes and adopting high-tech platforms that use artificial intelligence, real-time data, and advanced automation. These tools help businesses predict what customers want before they even know it, manage massive inventories across thousands of locations, and provide checkout experiences that are faster than ever before.

I’m Riten, founder of Fueler, a skills-first portfolio platform that connects talented individuals with companies through assignments, portfolios, and projects, not just resumes/CVs. Think Dribbble/Behance for work samples + AngelList for hiring infrastructure.

1. Shopify Plus for Enterprise E-commerce

Shopify Plus is the high-octane version of the world’s most famous e-commerce platform, specifically designed for large-scale US retailers that process millions of dollars in sales. Unlike the standard version, Shopify Plus offers advanced automation tools like "Shopify Flow" and "Launchpad," which allow retailers to automate everything from inventory restocks to major sales events without manual intervention. It is built to handle massive spikes in traffic, such as during Black Friday or viral product drops, ensuring that a website never crashes when customers are ready to buy. For many US brands, this platform is the backbone of their digital presence because it balances extreme power with an easy-to-use interface.

• The platform includes "Shopify Audiences," a powerful tool that uses machine learning to help retailers find high-intent buyers on platforms like Meta and Google, significantly lowering the cost of acquiring new customers.
• It features a fully customizable checkout experience through "Checkout Extensibility," allowing brands to add their own branding, loyalty programs, and upsell offers directly into the final payment step to increase average order value.
• Retailers get access to unlimited staff accounts and the ability to manage up to 10 different localized stores under one dashboard, making it perfect for brands expanding into international markets or different product lines.
• The "B2B on Shopify" feature allows companies to run their wholesale and retail businesses from a single platform, with custom pricing, payment terms, and catalogs tailored specifically for different business clients.
• It offers advanced "Organization Settings" that provide a high-level view of all store analytics, billing, and user permissions, which is essential for large corporations managing multiple sub-brands simultaneously.

Pricing:

• Standard Plus: Starts at $2,300 per month for a 3-year term (or $2,500 for a 1-year term).
• Variable Fee: For higher volume businesses, a fee of 0.25% of GMV (Gross Merchandise Value) per month may apply once sales hit a certain threshold.

Why it matters:

In US retail, the digital experience is often the first point of contact with a customer, and a slow or broken website means instant lost revenue. Shopify Plus provides the reliability and scalability that enterprise brands need to grow without worrying about the technical "plumbing" of their online store. It allows retail teams to focus on creative marketing and product development rather than fixing website bugs or server issues.

2. Salesforce Commerce Cloud for Unified Shopping

Salesforce Commerce Cloud is a cloud-based platform that helps US retailers create personalized shopping experiences across every possible channel, including mobile, social, web, and even in-store. It is part of the larger Salesforce ecosystem, meaning it integrates perfectly with their world-class CRM (Customer Relationship Management) tools to give retailers a 360-degree view of their customers. The platform uses "Einstein AI" to offer highly accurate product recommendations and predictive search results that adapt in real-time as a user browses. This tool is a favorite for major retailers who want to ensure that a customer’s experience is exactly the same whether they are shopping on an iPhone or talking to a sales associate in a physical mall.

• The platform uses "Predictive Sort," an AI feature that automatically reorders product search results based on a specific customer's past behavior and the likelihood of them making a purchase.
• It includes "Commerce Cloud Order Management," which provides a single view of all inventory across warehouses and physical stores, enabling "Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store" (BOPIS) and "Ship from Store" capabilities.
• Retailers can use "Page Designer," a drag-and-drop tool that allows marketing teams to create beautiful, high-converting landing pages and promotional banners without needing to write a single line of code.
• The "Einstein Copilot" serves as a generative AI assistant for merchandisers, helping them draft product descriptions, create SEO-friendly titles, and even suggest promotional strategies based on current market trends.
• It offers robust "Multi-Site Management" tools that allow global brands to launch localized sites in hundreds of regions with support for local languages, currencies, and tax regulations all within a single architecture.

Pricing:

• Starter Edition: Roughly 1% of Gross Merchandise Value (GMV) with an annual minimum.
• Growth/Plus Editions: Can range from 2% to 3% of GMV, depending on the level of AI features and support required.

Why it matters:

The modern US consumer expects a personalized experience, and Salesforce Commerce Cloud is the most powerful tool for delivering that at scale. By connecting data from marketing, sales, and service, it ensures that every interaction a customer has with a brand is relevant and helpful. This deep level of personalization is what builds long-term loyalty and keeps customers coming back in a very crowded retail market.

3. Oracle NetSuite for Retail ERP

Oracle NetSuite is an all-in-one Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platform that has become the industry standard for US retailers looking to manage their entire business from a single software system. It handles everything from accounting and financial reporting to inventory management, human resources, and supply chain logistics. Because it is cloud-native, a retail CEO can see exactly how much profit their company made in the last hour across fifty different stores while sitting in an airport lounge. It eliminates the need for separate, disconnected software for different departments, ensuring that everyone in the company is working with the exact same data in real-time.

• The "Smart Order Management" feature automatically determines the most cost-effective and fastest way to fulfill an order, whether that means shipping from a warehouse or a nearby retail store.
• It includes an "Advanced Inventory" module that uses demand planning and historical data to predict when a retailer needs to reorder stock, preventing both overstocking and "out-of-stock" scenarios.
• The platform features "NetSuite OneWorld," which allows large retail groups to manage multiple legal entities, domestic and international subsidiaries, and different currencies with consolidated financial reporting.
• Retailers can use the "SuiteCommerce" module to build a fully integrated web store that shares the same database as their inventory and accounting, ensuring that product availability is always 100% accurate.
• It provides a "Retail-Ready Dashboard" that gives managers instant visibility into Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) like sales per square foot, inventory turnover, and customer acquisition costs.

Pricing:

• Base License: Typically starts around $10,000 to $20,000 per year.
• User/Module Fees: Total costs for a mid-sized retailer usually land between $30,000 and $100,000+ per year, depending on the number of users and specific add-ons like WMS or SuiteCommerce.

Why it matters:

Efficiency is the secret to survival in the retail world, where profit margins are often very thin. Oracle NetSuite provides the "single source of truth" that a retail business needs to operate without chaos. Automating the back-office and connecting it to the front-end, it allows US retailers to scale rapidly while keeping a very tight grip on their finances and inventory levels.

4. Blue Yonder for Supply Chain Resilience

Blue Yonder is a world-leading digital supply chain platform that uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to help US retailers navigate the complexities of modern logistics. In an era where global shipping can be unpredictable, Blue Yonder provides "End-to-End Visibility," allowing retailers to track their products from the factory floor in Asia all the way to the customer's doorstep in New York. The platform specializes in "Demand Forecasting," using thousands of data points like weather patterns, social media trends, and local events to predict exactly what products will be in high demand. This helps retailers move their stock to the right locations before a surge in sales happens, ensuring they never miss an opportunity.

• The "Luminate Command Center" provides a real-time "map" of the entire supply chain, flagging potential disruptions like port strikes or extreme weather and suggesting alternative routes or suppliers instantly.
• It features "Inventory Optimization" tools that use AI to balance service levels with cost, helping retailers reduce their total inventory investment by up to 10% while improving product availability.
• The "Warehouse Management System" (WMS) automates the flow of goods through distribution centers, optimizing robot and human worker paths to increase packing speed and accuracy.
• Blue Yonder includes a "Category Management" tool that helps retailers design the perfect store shelf layout (planograms) based on local shopper preferences and sales data to maximize "grab-and-go" purchases.
• The "Labor Management" module helps retail managers create better staff schedules by predicting foot traffic, ensuring there are enough employees during busy hours without overspending on payroll during slow times.

Pricing:

• Enterprise Only: Blue Yonder uses a custom pricing model based on the complexity of the supply chain and volume of transactions, often starting in the high tens of thousands per year for large implementations.

Why it matters:

The "Amazon Effect" has trained US shoppers to expect products to be in stock and delivered almost instantly. Blue Yonder gives other retailers the technical power to compete with giants by making their supply chains smarter and more agile. It reduces waste, lowers shipping costs, and ensures that the right product is always in the right place at the right time.

5. Zebra Technologies for Frontline Automation

Zebra Technologies provides the rugged hardware and specialized software that "frontline" workers in US retail stores and warehouses use every single day. If you have ever seen a store associate scanning a barcode with a handheld device or printing a shipping label, chances are they were using a Zebra product. Their latest AI-powered mobile computers and scanners are designed to withstand the drops and spills of a busy retail environment while providing instant access to inventory data. Beyond just hardware, Zebra’s software platforms help managers assign tasks to employees, track the location of high-value items using RFID, and even monitor store shelves for out-of-stock items using computer vision.

• The "TC Series" handheld computers are ultra-rugged, Android-based devices that allow employees to check prices, locate stock, and even process mobile payments from anywhere on the sales floor.
• Zebra's "Workcloud Task Management" software uses AI to automatically send "actionable tasks" to employees' devices, such as alerting them to a spill in aisle five or a low-stock item that needs to be moved from the backroom.
• It features "SmartSense for Retail," which uses a network of sensors and RFID tags to track every item in a store with 99.9% accuracy, virtually eliminating "shrink" or lost inventory.
• The "Reflexis Workforce Management" tool helps large retail chains manage employee shift-swapping, compliance with labor laws, and long-term staffing forecasts based on predicted sales data.
• Zebra also provides advanced "Self-Checkout" and "Point of Sale" (POS) solutions that use high-speed scanners to reduce wait times and improve the customer experience at the front of the store.

Pricing:

• Hardware: Handheld devices typically range from $800 to $2,000 per unit.
• Software: Workcloud and management platforms are sold on a subscription basis, usually quoted per location or per user.

Why it matters:

The employees on the sales floor are the "face" of a retail brand, but they can't do their jobs well if they are stuck with old, slow technology. Zebra empowers these workers by putting all the information they need in the palm of their hand. In the US retail market, where labor is expensive and customer expectations are high, these tools are essential for maximizing productivity and keeping stores running smoothly.

6. Adyen for Global Payment Orchestration

Adyen is a high-tech payment platform used by some of the biggest retailers in the US, like Gap and Microsoft, to handle every part of the transaction process. Unlike traditional payment processors that use a messy "patchwork" of different systems for online and in-store sales, Adyen provides a single, unified platform. This means if a customer buys a pair of shoes online but wants to return them in a physical store, the retailer can instantly find the transaction and issue a refund without any hassle. Adyen is famous for its "Direct Acquiring" model, which cuts out unnecessary middlemen, leading to higher payment success rates and lower fees for the retailer.

• The "Unified Commerce" feature connects online and offline payment data, allowing retailers to recognize their best customers regardless of where or how they choose to shop.
• It includes "RevenueProtect," an AI-driven fraud detection system that uses global data to spot real fraud while ensuring that legitimate customers don't have their cards accidentally declined.
• Adyen supports "Real-Time Account Updater" technology, which automatically updates a customer's stored credit card information if their bank issues them a new card, preventing failed subscription payments.
• The platform provides a wide range of "Point of Sale" (POS) hardware, from sleek mobile terminals to integrated checkout systems, all running on the same secure global network.
• Retailers get access to deep "Shopper Insights," showing them data on things like average transaction value, popular payment methods, and customer return rates across different regions.

Pricing:

• Transaction-Based: Adyen charges a fixed processing fee (typically $0.13) plus a variable commission based on the payment method (e.g., Interchange ++ for credit cards). No monthly "subscription" fees are required for the basic platform.

Why it matters:

Payments are the "moment of truth" in retail, and any friction at the checkout can cause a customer to walk away. Adyen makes the payment process invisible and effortless. For US retailers, it provides the security and global reach needed to accept any currency or payment method from Apple Pay to international credit cardswith 100% confidence and transparency.

7. Microsoft Cloud for Retail

Microsoft Cloud for Retail is a specialized suite of tools built on top of Azure, Microsoft 365, and Dynamics 365 that is designed specifically to help US retailers digitally transform their operations. It provides a "Retail Data Model" that helps companies combine data from their website, physical stores, supply chain, and social media into one organized system. This platform is heavily focused on the power of "Generative AI" through Microsoft Copilot, helping retail teams analyze massive data sets by simply asking questions in plain English. It is a favorite for established enterprise retailers who are already using the Microsoft ecosystem and want a secure, scalable way to modernize their business.

• The platform includes "Personalized Discovery," which uses AI to create custom-tailored product catalogs for every individual shopper based on their past interactions and preferences.
• It features "Intelligent Store Operations," a suite of tools that helps store managers monitor foot traffic, optimize staff schedules, and use computer vision to ensure shelves are always stocked and organized.
• "Microsoft Copilot for Sales" helps corporate retail buyers and account managers summarize long email chains, prepare for vendor meetings, and draft professional communications in seconds.
• It offers "Digital Twin" capabilities, allowing retailers to create a virtual 3D replica of their stores or warehouses to test different layouts and "what-if" scenarios before making physical changes.
• The "Microsoft Purview" integration provides world-class data governance and security, ensuring that sensitive customer credit card data and personal information are protected according to global regulations.

Pricing:

• Tiered Subscription: Generally requires a Microsoft Azure or Dynamics 365 subscription, with retail-specific "Add-on" costs that are customized based on the size of the company and the services used.

Why it matters:

Many US retailers are sitting on mountains of data but have no idea how to use it. Microsoft Cloud for Retail provides the "brains" to make sense of all that information. It helps retailers move from being "reactive" (fixing problems after they happen) to being "predictive" (preventing problems before they occur), which is the key to winning in the high-tech retail era.

8. Square for Retail (Modern POS & Beyond)

Square for Retail is a comprehensive platform that has moved far beyond just the "little white card reader" to become a full-scale business management system for US retailers. It is specifically designed to help small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) compete with giant corporations by providing them with professional-grade tools for inventory, payroll, and marketing. The platform is famous for its "all-in-one" approach, where the same software that rings up a customer also tracks stock levels across multiple locations and sends out email newsletters. Square’s ease of use and transparent pricing make it the go-to choice for boutique owners and growing retail chains across the United States.

• The "Auto-Stock" feature allows retailers to set "low-stock alerts" and automatically generate purchase orders for vendors when items fall below a certain level.
• It includes a built-in "Online Store Builder" that automatically syncs with the physical store's inventory, ensuring that an item sold in-person is instantly removed from the website to prevent over-selling.
• Square's "Marketing Suite" uses AI to analyze customer spending habits and automatically send personalized discounts or "we miss you" emails to people who haven't shopped in a while.
• The "Square Banking" feature provides retailers with instant access to their sales funds through a business debit card and offers "Square Loans" based on their sales history rather than just a credit score.
• It offers a "Team Management" module that allows employees to clock in and out directly on the POS system, with the data flowing instantly into Square Payroll for easy processing.

Pricing:

• Free Plan: $0/month (plus transaction fees of 2.6% + 10¢ per in-person tap/dip/swipe).
• Plus Plan: $89 per month per location (includes advanced inventory and reporting).
• Premium Plan: Custom pricing for large-volume retailers with specialized requirements.

Why it matters:

Small businesses are the backbone of US retail, but they often struggle with complex software. Square levels the playing field by making enterprise-level technology accessible to everyone. It simplifies the day-to-day chaos of running a store, allowing owners to focus on their passion and their customers rather than their spreadsheets.

9. SAP S/4HANA for Retail

SAP S/4HANA is a high-performance ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) system that uses an "In-Memory" database to process massive amounts of retail data in real-time. It is specifically designed for global US retail giants that need to manage millions of "Stock Keeping Units" (SKUs) across a complex web of international warehouses and stores. The platform excels at "Real-Time Inventory Management," meaning a corporate buyer can see the exact stock level of every single product in every single store across the country at any given second. SAP is often the "brain" of the world's largest retailers, helping them automate complex financial processes and optimize their entire supply chain for maximum profitability.

• The "Customer Activity Repository" (CAR) collects data from every point of sale and online interaction to provide a "single version of the truth" for sales and inventory analytics.
• It features "Automated Replenishment," which uses machine learning to suggest how much stock should be sent to each store based on local demand patterns and upcoming promotions.
• The "Omnichannel Promotion Pricing" engine ensures that a "Buy One, Get One" sale works perfectly across every channel, from the mobile app to the physical checkout counter, without errors.
• SAP includes "Advanced Financial Closing" tools that help retail finance teams finish their monthly and yearly books much faster by automating repetitive accounting tasks.
• The platform provides "Predictive Analytics" that help retailers forecast fashion trends or seasonal demand with high accuracy, reducing the risk of being stuck with unsold merchandise.

Pricing:

• Enterprise Custom: SAP pricing is highly variable and depends on the number of users and the scale of the deployment, typically involving significant upfront implementation costs and ongoing annual maintenance fees.

Why it matters:

For a multi-billion dollar retailer, even a 0.5% improvement in inventory accuracy or shipping speed can result in millions of dollars in extra profit. SAP S/4HANA provides the precision and scale that these massive organizations need to operate without friction. It is the "heavy-duty" engine that keeps the world's largest retail operations running smoothly 24/7.

10. Bluecore for Retail Marketing Automation

Bluecore is a "Retailer-First" marketing platform that uses AI to help US brands communicate with their customers in a much more personalized way. While general marketing tools often send the same email to everyone, Bluecore "listens" to how a customer interacts with a retailer's website, what they click on, what they add to their cart, and what they buy. It then uses this data to automatically send "Triggered Emails" or ads that are specific to that person. For example, if a customer looks at a specific pair of running shoes and they later go on sale, Bluecore can instantly send them a personalized notification, significantly increasing the chance of a sale.

• The "Smart Campaign" builder allows marketers to create thousands of personalized email variations in minutes, with the AI choosing the best products and images for each individual recipient.
• It features "Predictive Customer Life-Cycle" modeling, which identifies which customers are "at risk" of leaving and automatically sends them a special offer to win them back.
• The platform includes a "Product Catalog Integration" that automatically updates marketing content based on what is actually in stock, so you never accidentally promote an item that is sold out.
• Bluecore's AI can predict a customer's "Next Best Purchase," suggesting items that they are statistically likely to buy based on the behavior of thousands of similar shoppers.
• It offers "Direct-to-Social" integrations, allowing retailers to use their website data to create highly targeted ad audiences on platforms like Instagram and TikTok for better ROI.

Pricing:

• Custom Enterprise: Pricing is typically based on the number of customers in the retailer's database and the volume of messages sent, usually starting in the mid-five-figure range per year.

Why it matters:

In the US, consumers are bombarded with hundreds of generic marketing messages every day, and most of them are ignored. Bluecore helps retailers stand out by making sure every message is relevant and timely. It turns marketing from an "annoyance" into a helpful service, which is the most effective way to drive sales and build a loyal customer base in the modern era.

11. RELEX Solutions for Unified Planning

RELEX Solutions is a specialized platform that helps US retailers optimize their "Living Supply Chain" through integrated demand forecasting, inventory replenishment, and space planning. It is famous for being "Incredibly Fast," able to process millions of rows of data in seconds to give managers the answers they need. RELEX is used by major grocery and hardware chains to ensure that perishable items like milk and bread are always fresh and available, while also minimizing food waste. By connecting "what we sell" with "what we buy" and "how we shelf it," RELEX provides a unified view of the business that helps retailers stay agile in a changing market.

• The platform uses AI to create "Hyper-Local Forecasts," taking into account things like local school holidays, weather changes, and regional events that might affect what people buy.
• It features "Automated Replenishment" that can handle complex scenarios, such as "promotional peaks" or "seasonal ramp-ups," ensuring shelves are full without overstocking the backroom.
• RELEX includes "Floor and Shelf Space Optimization," which helps retailers decide exactly how much space to give each product to maximize sales per square foot.
• The "Fresh Food Optimization" module is specifically designed to reduce waste in grocery stores by accurately predicting exactly how much "short-life" inventory is needed each day.
• It offers a "Promotion Planning" tool that simulates the impact of a sale before it happens, helping retailers ensure they have enough stock and staff to handle the extra traffic.

Pricing:

• SaaS Subscription: Custom pricing based on the number of stores and total SKU count, typically targeted at mid-to-large retail organizations.

Why it matters:

For retailers selling groceries or seasonal goods, managing inventory is a race against time. RELEX helps these businesses win that race by using data to make better, faster decisions. It protects the retailer’s profit margins while also benefiting the environment by significantly reducing the amount of unsold food and products that end up in landfills.

12. Manhattan Active for Omnichannel Commerce

Manhattan Active is a cloud-native platform that focuses on "The Unified Consumer," helping US retailers manage their inventory and orders across every possible sales point. It is unique because it combines a world-class "Warehouse Management System" (WMS) with a powerful "Order Management System" (OMS) in a single solution. This allows a retailer to promise a customer "Next-Day Delivery" and be 100% sure they can fulfill it because the system knows exactly where the product is and how fast it can be shipped. Manhattan is the "secret weapon" for many high-end US brands that pride themselves on having the fastest and most reliable delivery in the industry.

• The platform features "Versionless" software, meaning it is automatically updated every quarter with new features and security patches without the retailer ever needing to do a "big upgrade."
• It includes "Adaptive Inventory," which uses AI to automatically move stock between different warehouses based on where the most orders are coming from, reducing shipping distances and costs.
• The "Point of Sale" (POS) module allows store associates to see a customer’s entire online and offline shopping history, enabling them to provide expert personalized service on the spot.
• Manhattan provides "Real-Time Labor Management," helping warehouse managers track the productivity of both human workers and automated robots to identify and fix bottlenecks.
• It offers a "Customer Service" portal that gives support agents a "single pane of glass" view of every order, making it easy to change a shipping address or track a lost package in seconds.

Pricing:

• Tiered Enterprise: Custom pricing based on transaction volume and number of locations, typically involving a long-term SaaS contract.

Why it matters:

In the US, "fast shipping" is no longer a luxury; it is a requirement. Manhattan Active provides the technical infrastructure needed to make complex logistics look easy to the customer. It ensures that the "behind-the-scenes" part of retail is just as fast and polished as the front-end website, which is essential for maintaining a premium brand image.

13. Yotpo for Retention and Loyalty

Yotpo is a "Retention Marketing" platform that helps US retailers turn one-time buyers into lifelong fans through reviews, loyalty programs, and visual marketing. In an age where social proof is everything, Yotpo makes it easy for brands to collect and display "User-Generated Content" (UGC), such as customer photos and high-quality reviews. By showing potential buyers that other people love a product, Yotpo helps build the trust needed to make a sale. Beyond just reviews, it also powers sophisticated "Loyalty and Referral" programs that reward customers for their repeat business and for telling their friends about the brand.

• The "Reviews & Ratings" module uses AI to highlight the most helpful feedback and "sentiment" from thousands of reviews, making it easy for shoppers to find the information they need.
• It features a "Visual UGC" tool that automatically pulls customer photos from Instagram and displays them on the product page, creating a "shoppable gallery" that feels authentic and modern.
• The "Loyalty & Rewards" platform allows retailers to create custom "VIP Tiers," giving their best customers early access to new products or special "members-only" discounts.
• Yotpo includes an "SMS Marketing" tool that allows brands to send personalized text messages for order updates, abandoned carts, or birthday rewards with industry-leading open rates.
• It offers "Syndication" capabilities, allowing a brand to share its reviews and photos across different marketplaces like Google Shopping, Walmart, and Amazon to boost visibility everywhere.

Pricing:

• Free Plan: Available for small stores with basic review features.
• Premium Plans: Start around $199/month and go up into the thousands for enterprise brands requiring full loyalty and SMS suites.

Why it matters:

Acquiring a new customer in the US is more expensive than ever, so "keeping" the customers you already have is the smartest way to grow. Yotpo provides the tools to build a real community around a brand. It makes customers feel valued and heard, which is the most powerful way to drive repeat sales and long-term profitability in a competitive market.

14. Mirakl for Marketplace Expansion

Mirakl is a specialized platform that allows US retailers to launch and manage their own "Third-Party Marketplace," similar to how Amazon or Walmart.com operate. Instead of a retailer needing to buy and store every single product they sell, Mirakl allows them to invite other vendors to sell on their website. This allows a retailer to dramatically increase the number of products they offer (their "assortment") without taking on the risk of buying extra inventory. Mirakl handles all the complex parts of running a marketplace, including vendor onboarding, product quality control, and payment splitting, allowing the retailer to focus on driving traffic and growing their brand.

• The platform features "Automated Seller Onboarding," which makes it easy to bring thousands of new vendors into the marketplace while ensuring they meet the brand's quality standards.
• It includes an "AI-Powered Catalog Manager" that automatically categorizes and cleans up product data from different sellers, ensuring the website looks consistent and professional.
• Mirakl provides "Customer Service Tools" that allow the retailer to mediate disputes between buyers and third-party sellers, protecting the reputation of the main brand.
• The platform offers "Advanced Analytics" that show which marketplace products are selling best, helping the retailer decide which items they might want to eventually stock themselves.
• It integrates with every major e-commerce platform, including Shopify Plus, Salesforce, and SAP, allowing retailers to add marketplace capabilities to their existing tech stack.

Pricing:

• Enterprise Custom: Pricing typically involves an implementation fee plus a small percentage of the "Gross Merchandise Value" (GMV) processed through the third-party sellers.

Why it matters:

US retailers are constantly looking for ways to grow without needing more warehouse space or capital. Mirakl provides a "low-risk, high-reward" way to expand a brand by letting others do the heavy lifting of inventory. It turns a traditional retailer into a "platform," which is one of the most successful business models in the modern digital economy.

15. NVIDIA for In-Store Video Analytics

NVIDIA is famous for its powerful computer chips, but in the US retail world, it provides the "AI Brain" behind modern in-store video analytics and computer vision. By using NVIDIA’s "Metropolis" platform, retailers can turn their existing security cameras into powerful data-gathering tools. Instead of just recording footage, the AI can "see" how many people are in the store, which aisles are the most popular, and even detect if a shelf is empty and needs restocking. It can even help with "Loss Prevention" by spotting suspicious behavior or "ticket switching" at self-checkout machines in real-time, helping retailers reduce theft without needing more security guards.

• The platform uses "Heat Mapping" to show exactly where customers spend the most time in a store, helping managers decide where to place high-profit items or promotional displays.
• It features "Queue Management" alerts that notify managers to open a new register the moment the checkout line reaches a certain length, keeping customers happy and moving.
• NVIDIA's AI can perform "Demographic Analysis" (without storing personal identities), helping retailers understand the age and gender of their shoppers at different times of the day.
• The "On-Shelf Availability" tool uses overhead cameras to constantly scan for "holes" on the shelves, sending an instant alert to a worker’s handheld device to restock the item.
• It provides "Autonomous Checkout" support, powering the "Just Walk Out" technology where cameras track what a customer picks up and automatically charges their account when they leave.

Pricing:

• Usage-Based: Pricing is typically based on the number of "streams" or cameras being analyzed and the specific AI models being used, often integrated through a retail tech partner like Zebra or Honeywell.

Why it matters:

The physical store is the "black hole" of retail data until now. NVIDIA turns the physical environment into a "clickable" digital space where every movement can be measured and optimized. For US retailers, this provides the same level of deep analytics for their brick-and-mortar stores that they have always had for their websites, leading to better store designs and much higher sales.

Build Your Retail Tech Portfolio on Fueler

As you can see, the retail industry is no longer just about selling products; it is about mastering complex technology platforms. Whether you are a marketer using Yotpo, a supply chain expert using Blue Yonder, or a developer working with Shopify Plus, your ability to use these tools is what makes you valuable. At Fueler, we believe that your work should speak for itself. Instead of a resume that just says "I know retail tech," you can create a portfolio that shows the actual projects you have worked on. You can upload your case studies, your supply chain optimizations, or your custom Shopify themes to prove to US employers that you are ready for the future of retail.

Final Thoughts

The "Top 15" platforms listed here represent the absolute cutting edge of the US retail industry. From the "front-end" magic of personalized marketing and seamless payments to the "back-end" power of AI-driven supply chains and ERPs, these tools are what define a modern brand. For the professional working in this space, the message is clear: the more you master these platforms, the more opportunities you will have. The future of retail is data-driven, automated, and deeply personal, and these tech platforms are the ones leading the charge into 2026 and beyond.

FAQs

1. Which retail tech platform is best for small business growth in 2026?

For small businesses looking to scale quickly, Square for Retail or Shopify are the best choices. They offer affordable entry-level plans and include all the essential tools like a website, payments, and basic inventory in one easy-to-use package that grows as your business does.

2. How much does a high-end retail ERP like NetSuite cost for a mid-sized US company?

A mid-sized US retailer can expect to spend between $30,000 and $70,000 per year on Oracle NetSuite. This includes the base platform, user licenses for the team, and specific retail modules like "Advanced Inventory" or "OneWorld" for international sales.

3. Are AI tools like Blue Yonder only for huge retailers like Walmart?

While huge retailers were the early adopters, Blue Yonder and similar tools are now being used by mid-market retailers who have complex supply chains. Many of these platforms now offer "SaaS" versions that are more affordable and easier to implement for companies that aren't yet billion-dollar giants.

4. What is the most important retail tech trend for 2026?

The most important trend is Unified Commerce, which is the ability to connect all your data (online, in-store, and social) into one single platform like Adyen or Salesforce. This allows you to give customers a personalized experience no matter where they decide to shop.

5. Can I use AI video analytics in my store without violating customer privacy?

Yes, modern platforms like NVIDIA Metropolis are designed with "Privacy by Design." They analyze movement and patterns (like "a person is standing here") without ever needing to recognize or store a customer's face or personal identity, making them safe and compliant with US privacy laws.