Retailers Prioritize Payments To Drive Resilience

The U.S. retail sector is shifting toward payments, data and personalization as retail sales slipped, with the Department of Commerce reporting Feb. 10 that eight of 13 categories declined during December holiday shopping. Industry analysis and PYMNTS data show payments now provide high-resolution behavioral signals and enable AI-driven immediacy, prompting retailers like Walmart and Target to integrate payments with identity and inventory to preserve conversions and predict demand.