Amanda McCormick Bacal, SVP of Marketing at JOOR, said, “2025 was a turbulent year with many economic factors and market conditions increasing the need for information and adaptability. Heading into 2026, the overarching theme for brands and retailers is to focus on agility and informed decision-making. The trends we’re seeing—from the resurgence of wholesale as a key driver of profitable growth to the dramatic shift toward in-season buying—demand that brands and retailers have a strategy built on real-time insights. JOOR provides the unique data and tools necessary to optimize your collection, manage orders, secure ideal retail partnerships, and ultimately future-proof your business.”
Exclusive data taken from more than 14,00 brands and approximately 675,000 retail buyers across 150 countries allows a unique look at current and past market complexities.
The top 5 major trends
- Resurgence of Wholesale: 52% of all brand respondents reported wholesale as their most profitable distribution channel.
- In-Season Buying on the Rise: Average time for wholesale orders being placed for a product to the shipping fell from 263 days (2019) to only 102 days (2024).
- Brands Introducing Tighter Collections: Development of smaller range collections has risen from 19% to 37% in the last 2 years
- Indie Retail’s Continued Growth: Independent retail gained market share, from 49% (2020) to 62% (2025) of total wholesale transactions.
- AI-Driven Acceleration: Machine learning is improving the quality of data, and it assists in buying decisions.
Download the detailed whitepaper here.
