Retail trade in 2026: how to retain customers and preserve profit

In 2026, Ukrainian retail trade is operating under weak demand, a thin financial reserve, and a cautious buyer. According to surveys, the average financial reserve of small and medium-sized businesses is about 2.5 months of operation, demand remains weak, and buyers take longer to make decisions and compare prices more carefully. This material brings together the main problems of retailers and practical ways to solve them, including with the help of Torgsoft.

What is happening in the market now

The beginning of 2026 has been tense for Ukrainian business. In the first quarter, real GDP decreased for the first time since 2023 by approximately 0.6% due to strikes on the energy sector and their consequences for the economy. Business activity weakened, and consumer demand remains restrained.

The financial resilience of entrepreneurs is thin. According to the business situation study for March 2026, 49.4% of owners assess their financial condition as critical or unstable, and the average reserve volume is only about 2.5 months of operating activity. Another 29.6% of companies report growing accounts receivable, so delayed payments from counterparties quickly turn into a shortage of working capital.

Among the main problems, entrepreneurs name a lack of solvent customers in the domestic market, around 53%, a shortage of capital, around 40%, and high taxes and fees, around 36%. The energy factor is added to this: during power outages, businesses switch to generators, and the cost of such electricity is significantly higher than the grid tariff.

How the buyer changed in 2026

Consumer behavior has become pragmatic. According to a consumer sentiment study conducted in March 2026, 21% of Ukrainians save money and carefully plan expenses, while another 27% choose a rational optimization strategy. The main triggers of choice remain price, discounts, and special offers.

The second most important factor is convenience and care: a simple purchase path, ready-made solutions, and time saving. One third of buyers pay attention to honesty in communication and expect an open, calm tone from the brand. For a retailer, this means three practical guidelines for 2026:

• Price and benefit must be clear. The buyer compares and wants to see a clear benefit from buying specifically from you.
• Convenience retains customers. Fast service, product availability, and simple payment matter no less than price.
• Honest communication builds trust. Reminders and offers must be relevant and unobtrusive.

Problem 1. There are fewer orders, and purchase decisions take longer

When demand weakens, lowering prices for everyone indiscriminately is dangerous for profit. A smarter path is to understand exactly what is selling and work with the existing customer base that already knows your store.

The basic Torgsoft program shows the sales performance and profitability of each product, provides ABC analysis of the assortment, and reports on product movement. This helps focus purchases and promotions on items that generate turnover and margin, and avoid spending money on goods that remain idle.

The second direction is bringing back customers who have already bought from you. A regular customer costs less than a new one, and it is this customer who is sensitive to a personalized offer.

Problem 2. Price pressure and shrinking margin

The buyer compares prices, so the temptation to lower them is strong. The problem is that a discount without control eats up profit. To avoid this, a retailer needs to see the purchase price, current markup, and profit for each product and not fall below the profitability threshold.

In Torgsoft, markup and final price are controlled centrally, while reports show profit by product, group, and period. Instead of a blanket discount, you can work with prices selectively: keep an attractive price on fast-moving items and preserve margin on the rest of the assortment.

Problem 3. Money is frozen in inventory

When the financial buffer is thin, every hryvnia in excess stock is money withdrawn from turnover. At the same time, a shortage of fast-moving goods means lost sales. The retailer’s task in 2026 is to keep stock balanced for each item and each location.

Torgsoft shows product turnover, identifies dead stock and slow-moving items, and makes it clear where exactly money is frozen. Based on this data, it is easier to sell off leftovers and free up money for fast-moving goods.

Problem 4. Retaining the customer without devaluing service

A constant discount teaches the buyer to expect a low price and reduces profit. A more sustainable retention method is a loyalty program that gives the customer a clear benefit for repeat purchases while leaving you in control of the margin.

Torgsoft maintains a customer base with cards, cumulative discounts, and bonuses. On this basis, programs are built that encourage customers to return specifically to you.

• Discount club provides a discount to customers who have met the program conditions by purchase amount and period. This stimulates repeat sales and growth of the average receipt.
• Bonuses with a limited validity period accrue bonuses that expire after a specified time. This encourages the customer to return sooner.
• Gift certificates attract new buyers and generate additional sales.
• “Refer a friend” promotion launches a referral campaign with promo codes: the new customer receives a benefit, and the person who recommended them receives a bonus or discount.

How to increase the average receipt

When there are fewer buyers, part of the turnover is gained through a larger receipt. The same loyalty tools work here: a gift certificate increases the purchase amount, bonuses encourage adding an item to the basket, and referral recommendations bring new sales. Data from the customer profile suggests which complementary products to offer to this specific buyer.

Problem 5. Online channels and a single warehouse

The buyer in 2026 values convenience and buys where it is comfortable: on a website, on marketplaces, in messengers. For a retailer, this is a way to receive orders beyond the physical store. The difficulty arises when stock and prices across different channels are managed separately and do not match each other.

A sustainable solution is to keep all channels on a single warehouse with unified prices. Then a sale on any platform immediately affects the overall stock balance, and the buyer does not encounter a situation where the product has already been sold.

Problem 6. Power outages and unstable internet

Power outages stop the cash register and worsen service. For a retailer, it is important to continue selling and keeping records even when the connection is unstable.

Problem 7. Cash control and staff motivation

When the reserve is thin, daily control of payments and cash movement is needed. It is equally important that sellers are interested in selling the products that are profitable.

The Bank statements option pulls statements from Privat24 and monobank into the program and simplifies payment reconciliation. The Salary and staff motivation option automates the calculation of salaries, KPIs, bonuses, and schedules, so motivation becomes transparent and routine calculations disappear.

Two examples from Ukrainian retail

These examples show how large chains apply principles that are also available to a small store.

Fast product turnover. The ATB chain built its discounter model on high turnover: the assortment of each store is kept focused, with more than 3.5 thousand items, and centralized planning helps avoid both shortages and excess stock. Goods do not remain on shelves for long, so money stays in circulation. The same principle works for a small store: sales performance and turnover analysis shows which items generate turnover and which merely take up space and hold money inside them.

Loyalty that brings the buyer back. In Silpo’s “Own Account” program, the buyer receives bonuses for every UAH 100 of purchases and spends them on future purchases. In the related Fora chain, bonuses have a limited validity period and expire after three months, which encourages the customer to return sooner. A small store can launch the same mechanism through a discount club and bonuses with a limited validity period and retain customers without constant discounts.

Where to start this week

If time is short, start with three steps that produce the fastest result.

1. Look at the numbers. Open sales performance and profitability reports and find the products that generate profit and those that remain idle.
2. Put prices in order. Check the markup on fast-moving items and remove discounts that work at a loss.
3. Build a customer base. Start recording customer purchases so that later you can send relevant offers.

Full retailer checklist for 2026

Frequently asked questions

The 2026 market rewards precision. When you see the numbers for products, stock, and customers, you retain profit without risky price cuts and without losing service quality. Torgsoft collects this data in one system and turns it into daily management decisions.