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A PMC Exclusive Event

Scale & Beyond: Commerce Leaders Forum

Why unified foundations are becoming critical as customer journeys and AI accelerate
  • 20th January 2026
  • The Conduit, London
Event Highlights
  • Infinitely complex customer journeys
  • AI as an accelerator, not a workaround
  • Smarter growth in a tougher market

The race to unified commerce in an AI-driven world

On 20th January 2026 at The Conduit, London

PMC’s Commerce Leaders Forum brought together senior retail leaders, brands and technology experts to explore how unified commerce and AI are reshaping the realities of modern retail, against a backdrop of economic pressure and increasingly complex customer behaviour.

Across the afternoon, one challenge consistently emerged: as growth becomes harder and customer journeys more fragmented, retailers must close the widening gap between strategic ambition and operational execution if they are to remain competitive.

Richard Lim – CEO, Retail Economics

Rather than following linear paths, customers now move fluidly between physical stores, ecommerce, social platforms, marketplaces and emerging models such as resale. These journeys are becoming more unpredictable and more demanding at the same time, placing pressure on retailers to deliver consistent experiences wherever and however customers choose to engage.

Richard highlighted that while many organisations still operate with fragmented systems and siloed data, customer expectations assume coherence. This disconnect is forcing retailers to confront the gap between their ambitions around unified commerce and the realities of their existing architecture. Those unable to integrate their core platforms are finding it increasingly difficult to adapt at pace.

Richard Lim – CEO, Retail Economics

Rather than following linear paths, customers now move fluidly between physical stores, ecommerce, social platforms, marketplaces and emerging models such as resale. These journeys are becoming more unpredictable and more demanding at the same time, placing pressure on retailers to deliver consistent experiences wherever and however customers choose to engage.

Richard highlighted that while many organisations still operate with fragmented systems and siloed data, customer expectations assume coherence. This disconnect is forcing retailers to confront the gap between their ambitions around unified commerce and the realities of their existing architecture. Those unable to integrate their core platforms are finding it increasingly difficult to adapt at pace.

Richard Lim – CEO, Retail Economics

Rather than following linear paths, customers now move fluidly between physical stores, ecommerce, social platforms, marketplaces and emerging models such as resale. These journeys are becoming more unpredictable and more demanding at the same time, placing pressure on retailers to deliver consistent experiences wherever and however customers choose to engage.

Richard highlighted that while many organisations still operate with fragmented systems and siloed data, customer expectations assume coherence. This disconnect is forcing retailers to confront the gap between their ambitions around unified commerce and the realities of their existing architecture. Those unable to integrate their core platforms are finding it increasingly difficult to adapt at pace.

AI as an accelerator, not a workaround

Katie King followed with a grounded view of AI’s role in retail, particularly as economic uncertainty continues to limit easy growth opportunities.

Rather than presenting AI as a quick win, Katie stressed that its effectiveness is determined by the quality of the foundations beneath it. Where data, systems and operating models are fragmented, AI tends to expose issues rather than resolve them. Where foundations are strong, it becomes a powerful tool for improving decision-making, automation and personalisation.

"AI will put a gloss over weaknesses in a business’s fundamentals. If the ‘glue’ is missing between the tech and the tools, retailers miss out on the true realisation of AI."
Katie King
Katie King CEO, AI Strategist & Author

Her message was clear: AI delivers its greatest value when it supports people and processes, rather than attempting to compensate for structural weaknesses. As retailers look to AI for growth, the priority must be ensuring the basics are fit for purpose.

Smarter growth in a tougher market

Miya Knights then brought a broader market and consumer lens to the conversation, drawing on insights from NRF 2026 and wider industry research.

She pointed to a more cautious consumer environment, shaped by sustained cost pressures and shifting priorities around discretionary spend.

 As a result, demand is becoming harder to stimulate through volume or novelty alone. Instead, consumers are increasingly selective, seeking clearer value and relevance in their purchasing decisions.

In response, Miya argued that retailers need to move beyond simply operating efficiently and focus on making smarter choices about where and how they invest. This includes prioritising technology that genuinely supports teams and reduces friction, often described as ‘quiet tech’, rather than adding layers of complexity in pursuit of innovation for its own sake.

She also emphasised that long-term advantage in commerce is cumulative, built through consistent, well-aligned decisions across technology, experience and organisational design.

Miya Knights then brought a broader market and consumer lens to the conversation, drawing on insights from NRF 2026 and wider industry research.

She pointed to a more cautious consumer environment, shaped by sustained cost pressures and shifting priorities around discretionary spend. As a result, demand is becoming harder to stimulate through volume or novelty alone. Instead, consumers are increasingly selective, seeking clearer value and relevance in their purchasing decisions.

In response, Miya argued that retailers need to move beyond simply operating efficiently and focus on making smarter choices about where and how they invest. This includes prioritising technology that genuinely supports teams and reduces friction, often described as ‘quiet tech’, rather than adding layers of complexity in pursuit of innovation for its own sake.

She also emphasised that long-term advantage in commerce is cumulative, built through consistent, well-aligned decisions across technology, experience and organisational design.

Miya Knights – Director & Publisher, Retail Technology Magazine

Smarter growth in a tougher market

Miya Knights then brought a broader market and consumer lens to the conversation, drawing on insights from NRF 2026 and wider industry research. She pointed to a more cautious consumer environment, shaped by sustained cost pressures and shifting priorities around discretionary spend. As a result, demand is becoming harder to stimulate through volume or novelty alone. Instead, consumers are increasingly selective, seeking clearer value and relevance in their purchasing decisions. In response, Miya argued that retailers need to move beyond simply operating efficiently and focus on making smarter choices about where and how they invest. This includes prioritising technology that genuinely supports teams and reduces friction, often described as ‘quiet tech’, rather than adding layers of complexity in pursuit of innovation for its own sake. She also emphasised that long-term advantage in commerce is cumulative, built through consistent, well-aligned decisions across technology, experience and organisational design.

Turning insight into action

Building on the themes of the day, PMC’s CEO, Richard Lowe, reflected on what these shifts mean for retail leaders navigating complexity at scale.

Drawing on findings from PMC’s ‘The Race To Unified Commerce’ research report, conducted in partnership with Retail Economics, he highlighted how widespread complexity has become and how unevenly equipped organisations are to deal with it.

While younger, digitally native brands often benefit from simpler architectures, many omnichannel retailers remain constrained by legacy systems that limit flexibility. Integrating core platforms such as ERP, OMS, CRM and POS is increasingly critical to creating a reliable flow of data that supports faster, more confident decision-making.

Richard emphasised that complexity is now a universal challenge, requiring more decisive investment to close the gap between vision and execution and ensure organisations are positioned to respond effectively as opportunities emerge.

Panel discussion: authenticity, discovery and what’s next

The forum concluded with a panel discussion led by Natalie Berg, joined by Miya Knights, PMC’s Dan Jelfs and Shopify’s Shiv Patel.

The conversation explored what retailers may still be underestimating as commerce continues to evolve, from the operational strain created by connected journeys to the long-term cost of postponing architectural change.

Panellists also discussed how expectations around AI-led experiences are shifting, with greater emphasis on authenticity and trust. As product discovery moves beyond traditional search towards more contextual and value-driven experiences, retailers will need to rethink how relevance is created and communicated across AI-powered environments.

A shared conclusion

Across the afternoon, one conclusion stood out clearly. Unified commerce is no longer an abstract ambition or future-state roadmap. It is becoming a prerequisite for operating effectively in a retail environment defined by economic pressure, evolving consumer expectations and accelerating technological change.

For retailers and commerce brands the challenge is not whether to act, but how quickly they can strengthen the foundations that will allow them to adapt, compete and grow in the years ahead.

Why it matters, and what to do next

  • The discussions at our event made one thing clear - unified commerce and AI are no longer optional.
  • In a landscape of complex customer journeys, economic pressure and accelerating technology, the gap between ambition and execution is now a decisive factor in competitiveness.

Retailers with fragmented systems, siloed data or disconnected processes risk falling behind, while those who strengthen their foundations can use AI and automation to make smarter, faster decisions and deliver seamless customer experiences.

Act now. Assess your core platforms, streamline processes and align teams to close the gap between vision and reality. Delaying investment in foundational capabilities only increases complexity and reduces agility.

PMC works with retailers and commerce brands to identify the highest-impact opportunities, prioritise actions and accelerate transformation – turning unified commerce from an aspiration into practical, measurable outcomes. The question is no longer if it matters, but how quickly you can make it work for your business.

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