In less than five years, launching a third-party marketplace has gone from a questionable move to a strategic imperative for many major retailers. Recorded live at NRF 2026, this episode of Retail Remix digs into that shift with Scott Eckert, CEO of the Americas at marketplace operator Mirakl.

Scott explains why retailers are embracing curated marketplaces as an offensive growth strategy — no longer just as a defensive reaction to Amazon — and how brands like Ulta Beauty, Best Buy and Lowe’s are expanding assortment without diluting brand identity.

The conversation also dives into how AI answer engines are reshaping product discovery, and why clean, machine-readable catalog data may soon matter more than traditional SEO. Plus, Scott shares Mirakl’s growing role in retail media and the company’s vision of becoming an orchestration layer across emerging AI-driven commerce channels.

Key Takeaways

• How the proving power of Amazon and, perhaps more importantly, Walmart has completely shifted retailers’ attitude toward online marketplaces;
• Why retail media and marketplace strategies increasingly go hand in hand;
• The important role marketplaces will play in the world of AI commerce, when done right;
• Why product data must be optimized differently for different AI platforms like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic; and
• The essential quality of a truly disruptive product or service. 

Related Links

• Learn how Mirakl powers enterprise marketplaces and retail media
• Related reading: Mirakl CEO: Marketplaces are ‘Arming the Rebellion’ of Traditional Retail Against Big Tech
• Related reading:Best Buy’s New Third-Party Marketplace is Now Live
• Explore more NRF26 coverage and retail insights from Retail TouchPoints
• Subscribe so you don’t miss more episodes of Retail Remix from the show floor of NRF26