5 Big Retail Shifts We Saw at Shoptalk with Treasure Data

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Walking the floor at Shoptalk this year, one thing was clear—retail is no longer just about selling products. It’s about creating connection and brands were asking the same question:

“How do we build real loyalty in a world full of choices?”

So we sat down with the MoEngage Catalyst Partner, Treasure Data, and unpacked five powerful trends we saw shaping the future of customer engagement in retail

1. Loyalty Is No Longer About Points—It’s About Purpose

Loyalty programs used to be simple. Buy more, earn points, save money. But the playbook is changing.

At Shoptalk, we saw brands like Wayfair reimagine loyalty by creating what they call a “virtuous shopping loop.” Their program rewards customers with credits based on past purchases—turning buying into a cycle that feels earned and personalized. It’s not just a discount; it’s a reason to return.

Today’s customers want to feel valued beyond the price tag. Loyalty now lives in the experience: how a brand remembers you, surprises you, and keeps you engaged long after checkout.

2. Influence Isn’t Optional Anymore. It’s the Front Door.

Shopping doesn’t start on a search bar anymore; it begins on a scroll.

As we heard across panels and partner chats, influencer-driven shopping is becoming the default discovery path. And with media budgets shifting toward creators, brands are realizing it’s not enough to just sponsor a post. You must understand which voices move your audience—and how those moments translate into action.

The brands winning in this space are collecting data on what content converts, learning what their audience responds to, and building long-term relationships with creators—not just one-off campaigns.

3. AI Is the New Retail Assistant—Behind Every Touchpoint

We’ve all heard the AI hype. But at Shoptalk, we saw how it’s actually showing up in the retail experience.

AI is quietly reshaping how customers engage—and what they expect- from more intelligent product recommendations to personalized promotions and in-store self-service.

Treasure Data highlighted how AI isn’t just speeding up decisions. It’s helping brands reduce wasted spend, like continuing to advertise that product you already bought last week. It’s also shortening campaign development cycles and helping teams move faster from insight to execution.

But AI only works when it’s built on clean, connected, real-time data. This brings us to the foundation…

4. A Diamond Customer Record Isn’t a Dream. It’s the Strategy.

You can’t personalize what you don’t understand. That’s why so many brands are investing in Customer Data Platforms (CDPs)—because without one, there’s no single view of the customer.

With a CDP like Treasure Data, brands can stitch together every interaction, creating a “diamond record” that incorporates first-, second-, and third-party data to power personalized engagement. And when paired with MoEngage, that insight turns into action across every channel—email, push, app, web, and more.

What used to feel like a far-off goal (true 1:1 marketing) is now a real, scalable strategy.

5. Great Marketing Isn’t Just Creative. It’s Data-Driven.

Every campaign, every message, every promotion—it all starts with data.

The smartest marketers we spoke to at Shoptalk are looking at behavior, not just demographics. Where are customers shopping? What time of day? Which messages drive action? These are the questions guiding everything from media spend to product assortment.

But data is only as good as its quality. As one speaker put it, “You can’t AI your way out of bad data.” Clean inputs mean smart outputs. And that’s what makes personalization truly click.

What It All Means for You

After a few days of soaking up the energy and insights at Shoptalk, one thing became crystal clear: the brands that win in today’s retail world are the ones that lead with empathy and intelligence.

They invest in experiences, not just transactions. They use data to deepen connections, not just drive clicks. And they stay relentlessly focused on the customer.

At MoEngage, we’re proud to partner with Treasure Data to make that vision real by combining their powerful CDP with our cross-channel engagement platform to help brands build meaningful moments that convert.

Thinking about where to go next after Shoptalk? Let’s chat!