The Invisible Edge: The Best Retail Tech is the One You Never See
Posted by Kit Campoy on Jan 21, 2026
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Walking the floors of The National Retail Federation’s (NRF) Big Show gives you a glimpse into the future. Sometimes it seems like we’ll be living in a movie like Blade Runner sooner rather than later. This year, there were flashy robots and hologram technology. It’s easy to get mesmerized by new and 3D tech.
But NewStore’s panel discussion brought me back down to what’s practical and most important. The panel, moderated by Cailin Broccoli, VP of Customer Experience at NewStore, was just the right antidote to all that over-the-top tech.
The session, How Customer Experience Still Creates Retail’s Competitive Edge, brought together three great minds in retail: Jason Lerman (VP of IT and Systems at UNTUCKit), Marc Iannotta (VP of Operations at Veronica Beard), and Harsha Bellur (CIO at James Avery Artisan Jewelry).
As a retail leader turned writer, I understand how the right tech can make a store run better. Often, the newest solution isn’t always the best fit. This panel highlighted what’s most important. In 2026, the real winner isn’t the retailer with the flashiest tech; it’s the one with invisible tech.
Here are my takeaways from a session that felt less like a tech talk and more like a guide for what retail stores actually need.
Too often, brands launch flashy tech solutions that look great on a conference floor but fail when they’re deployed on the retail floor. Harsha Bellur from James Avery Artisan Jewelry expressed it clearly, “The best technology is the one that no one sees.”
The panel was unanimous on this. If your technology disrupts the natural flow of a customer’s journey, it’s not an asset. That, my friend, is an obstacle. Technology shouldn’t be a “stack” that sits on top of your business. It’s got to be the invisible thread that connects your customer with their purchase.
These leaders talked about the “tech for tech’s sake” trap. Don’t add complexity that doesn’t add real value. The goal should always be to simplify. Today, there are infinite options. The retailer who makes the experience effortless is the one who will earn its customers’ loyalty.
Tech companies often focus on the front end, but NewStore’s panel spent a lot of time discussing the “behind-the-scenes” systems. As a former store leader, I can tell you—if the back-of-house is disorganized, the whole store is, too.
Marc Iannotta from Veronica Beard raised an insightful point about organizational agility. “There may be value in shifting workloads to different teams,” he said. As retail evolves, the lines between HQ, warehouse, and store associates are blurring. If a customer places an order from their car in the parking lot, the expectation is immediate. Meeting that expectation requires a synchronized back end.
Jason Lerman of UNTUCKit added a layer of operational empathy to this idea. He challenged leaders to look at the actual workload on the store teams. How many people does it take to run this new system? Is it actually making their jobs easier, or just adding another screen for them to monitor? His advice: “Watch it until it works smoothly.” If your tech requires a manual to operate, it’s probably going to fail during the Saturday afternoon rush.
Yes. Thank you for that, Jason.
Operational gaps usually show up at the seams where old systems meet new ones.
The panel warned against “stacking” new solutions on top of legacy tech without proper integration. This creates “Franken-tech”—a monster that may look okay on the surface but breaks easily.
The panel’s checklist for avoiding a tech meltdown:
Test integration before you go live: This sounds obvious, but in the rush to launch, it’s often the first thing cut.
Have a Plan B: If something fails, then what? Do your associates know how to keep the customer happy?
Optimize what you have: Before buying a new tool, ensure you’re using 100% of the capabilities of your current ones.
When Cailin Broccoli asked the panel what they would invest in first if they were starting from scratch, the answer was loud and clear: the Order Management System (OMS).
Both UNTUCKit and Veronica Beard pointed to the OMS as the heartbeat of the operation. Because the OMS is what enables the “seamless” part of “seamless CX.” It’s the engine that handles Buy Online Pick Up In-Store (BOPIS), ship-from-store, and cross-channel returns.
Without a robust OMS, you’re just guessing where your inventory is. And in 2026, guessing is a quick way to lose a customer for life.
The most insightful moment of the session came from Harsha Bellur. He argued that the first priority of any tech investment should be to “make our associates’ lives easier.” (Sincerely, thank you, Harsha.)
The store associate is the face of your brand. If they are frustrated by a slow POS system, a clunky inventory search, or a confusing return process, that frustration will bleed into the customer experience.
When you give an associate a tool that allows them to answer a customer’s question in seconds, rather than running to a back room to check a computer, you’re improving metrics overall. You’re also empowering your people to provide better service. That is what fosters long-term relationships.
As the session wrapped up, the message was clear: Year-over-year growth doesn’t come from cutting corners or chasing every trend. It comes from creating a seamless brand journey.
Leading retailers like UNTUCKit, Veronica Beard, and James Avery aren’t winning because they have more technology. They’re winning because they’ve made the behind-the-scenes so sturdy that the front-of-house feels seamless and easy.
Customer-centricity is an operational choice. It means choosing a practical system, implementing processes that support your people, and deploying tech that stays out of the way so your brand can shine.
Kit Campoy is a retail expert and the author of the book, The Retail Leader’s Field Guide. She spent 46,000 hours in stores leading teams. Today, she trains frontline teams and writes for world-class SaaS retail tech brands.
