SPS Commerce’s new tech marries AI and retail supply chain efficiency

Retail Sales Forecast - The National Retail Federation predicts retail sales in November and December of 2025 will grow between 3.7% and 4.2% over 2024, translating to total spending between $1.01 trillion and $1.02 trillion [1] - In comparison, 2024's holiday sales rose 4.3% over 2023, reaching $976.1 billion [1] Supply Chain Adaptation - SPS Commerce's latest product announcements indicate that the future of retail supply chains will be defined by the ability to adapt to constant disruption rather than just incremental efficiency gains [2] - SPS believes AI will increasingly serve as the operating system for commerce, orchestrating inventory decisions, demand forecasting, and fulfillment coordination at machine speed [3] AI-Driven Supply Chains - SPS is positioning its network as essential for making AI-driven supply chains viable, with new AI-enabled fulfillment capabilities designed to enhance supplier performance and insights [4] - The company is a founding member of the Commerce Operations Foundation and supports the launch of the Order Network eXchange (onX) [4] Shared Operational Language - The ambition behind onX is to create a shared operational language for orders, inventory, and fulfillment data across commerce and logistics systems, enabling real-time data flow between various platforms [5] - This initiative aims to close the gap between selling channels and fulfillment execution, which has historically limited visibility and automation [5] Omnichannel Retail Expectations - As omnichannel retail becomes a baseline expectation, consumers no longer distinguish between ecommerce, stores, marketplaces, or drop-ship models, demanding speed and accuracy across all platforms [6] - For suppliers, this translates into managing more order types across multiple systems with little tolerance for error [6] Market Trends and Solutions - SPS Commerce is uniquely positioned to identify trends shaping the supply chain due to its access to wholesale and point-of-sale data from both retailers and suppliers [7] - The company designs solutions to help partners navigate changes in the supply chain rapidly [7]