It is that time of the year again! The time where Omni Talk and Placer.ai get together for their annual tradition of handing out mid-year grades across retail.
Placer.ai’s Chief Marketing Officer, Ethan Chernofsky, is back to give his mid-year report card assessment of which retailers are setting the pace, which ones are making impressive comebacks, and which emerging trends are shaping the future of retail.
Using Placer.ai’s industry-leading location analytics and foot traffic data, Ethan joins Chris Walton to break down the biggest retail stories from the first half of 2026. Together, they discuss why retailers like Five Below, Ross, Costco, and Walmart continue to outperform, whether Starbucks’ turnaround is gaining real momentum, if Target is truly on the road to recovery, and why America’s malls continue to surprise even the biggest retail experts.
Key topics covered:
- Why Five Below, Ross, Costco, and Walmart earn top marks halfway through 2026
- Starbucks’ turnaround and the early success of its “Back to Starbucks” strategy
- Whether Target’s improving traffic signals a true recovery or simply easier year-over-year comparisons
- Why malls continue to outperform expectations and attract younger shoppers
- The resurgence of experiential retail and what it means for the future of shopping
- Why traditional grocery stores remain remarkably resilient despite increased competition
- The continued growth of coffee chains and fitness brands across the U.S.
- Why the retail impact of GLP-1 medications remains difficult to measure
- Surprising insights behind Shein’s acquisition of Everlane
- How Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s use fuel programs to strengthen customer loyalty
- What Dairy Queen’s biggest traffic day reveals about retail strategy and seasonal merchandising
- Why retailers must continue evolving their merchandising and customer experience to stay ahead
Whether you’re a retailer, brand leader, investor, or simply fascinated by consumer behavior, this annual mid-year retail report offers data-backed insights into the trends shaping retail in 2026.
Be careful out there,
– Chris and the Omni Talk team
P.S. To see our full lineup of past Ask An Expert conversations, head here.
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Omni Talk® is the retail blog for retailers, written by retailers. Chris Walton founded Omni Talk® in 2017 and have quickly turned it into one of the fastest growing blogs in retail.