2026 Retail Trends Every Independent Store Must Know
Kick off 2026 with the retail trend forecast you actually need. In this episode of Rooted in Retail, Crystal Vilkaitis sits down with Anjarae Hamilton, Head of Retailer Sales and Account Management at Faire, to break down the highly anticipated 2026 Faire Forecast and what it means for independent retailers.
This year’s forecast is all about self-expression, and Anjarae shares the four biggest consumer trends shaping what shoppers are buying right now. From the rise of “Well-Read” retreats to bold maximalist prints and the surge in “Witching Hour” products, this episode gives you a clear roadmap for what to stock, how to market it, and how to stay profitable even in an uncertain economy.
You’ll also learn how top retailers are adjusting their buying strategy, testing smarter inventory, and using AI-powered search tools to move faster and sell more.
If you want to stay ahead of trends and make better buying decisions in 2026, this episode is a must-watch.
🎯 What You’ll Learn:
00:00 Introduction
02:18 Meet Anjarae Hamilton from Faire
04:39 The 2026 Faire Forecast Overview
05:22 Trend 1: "Well Read" & The Book Club Era
05:52 Trend 2: "FanFair" (Sports & Olympics)
07:08 Trend 3: "More is More" (Maximalism Returns)
07:54 Trend 4: "Witching Hour" (Tarot & Astrology)
10:07 How to Create Experiences Around Trends
13:05 IndERA Commercial
14:34 Navigating 2026 Economic Challenges
15:35 Strategy: High Frequency vs. Bulk Buying
16:40 Saving on Tariffs & Shipping Costs
18:37 AI & Natural Language Search on Faire
19:42 Search Demo: "Utah Hardware Store"
22:43 New Feature: Multi-Brand Order Bundling
23:33 Explained: Faire Direct (0% Commission)
25:35 Resilience Round
29:17 How to connect with Anjarae
29:52 Outro
Links:
Explore Faire - https://www.faire.com/
Read the 2026 Faire Forecast - https://www.google.com/search?q=http://fair.com/forecast
Join the Independent Retailers Association (IndERA) - https://www.joinindera.com/
Connect with Anjarae Hamilton on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/anjarae/
Ari Lowenstein: 7 Product Categories Retailers Need - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5j_BerLyE0I
Join IndERA - Go to http://indera.co/prompt to access the prompt
Book a Call with IndERA - https://indera.co
This conversation is part of a special Pro-only coaching call, the type members usually access inside IndERA Pro. Want more deep-dive sessions like this? Use code HOLIDAY to save $503 on your yearly Pro membership. You’ll get instant access to every 2025 replay and can start saving the dates for all 2026 coaching calls!
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2026 Retail Trends Every Independent Store Must Know: Kick off 2026 with the retail trend forecast you actually need. In this episode of Rooted in Retail, Crystal Vilkaitis sits down with Anjarae Hamilton, Head of… #RetailTrends #IndependentRetail #2026Forecast #ConsumerTrends #RetailStrategy