Agenda

Javier Quiñones, CEO and Chief Sustainability Officer, IKEA U.S., opens NRF Rev 2026 with a powerful perspective on the convergence of profit, sustainability, and circularity. In this forward-looking keynote, Javier will share practical strategies that balance business growth with environmental responsibility. Learn how IKEA is embedding circular principles into every stage – from designing repairable furniture to launching national Buy back & resell services. He will also discuss how IKEA partners with companies to reduce food waste from its locations, alongside efforts in renewable energy, such as on-site rooftop solar energy, reducing the company’s carbon footprint. Walk away with actionable insights that prove a more sustainable future isn’t just possible – it’s profitable.

Significant progress is being made in recommerce. No longer a write off, retailers are embracing resale and contributing to a more circular economy.  And, as the demand for circular business models continues to grow, retailers like Target are leveraging technology and AI to transform traditional B2B resale practices. In this session, hear from Target about how its recommerce program has evolved into a data-driven machine, enabling the company to optimize resale strategies to drive the best pricing possible, enhance inventory management, and accurately forecast future pricing for B2B channels.

In this session, leading venture capitalists and investors share how next-generation innovations will reshape returns and reverse logistics in 2026. The discussion will spotlight how emerging technologies are transforming reverse logistics from a costly necessity into a strategic advantage. From AI and RFID to predictive analytics, automation, and resale, these tools are unlocking new ways to reduce return volume, cut costs, and streamline operations. The panel will also explore where investment dollars are flowing today—and which innovations are positioned to drive tomorrow’s transformation across retail and supply chains. Attendees will gain insight into the trends, technologies, and strategies poised to turn returns into a source of value, efficiency, and customer loyalty in the years ahead.

Product returns come in familiar cycles across categories, with predictable peaks shaped by buying patterns and industry rhythms. But those steady waves can quickly swell into hurricane-force surges that strain even the most seasoned operations. Navigating them successfully requires reverse logistics systems built to flex, scaling up and down without compromising the quality and consistency customers, retailers, and manufacturers rely on. Join us to discover how leading companies are mastering the art of riding the reverse-logistics waves.