Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
Current consumption demands that technology keep pace with the user without creating navigation barriers, and to illustrate this scenario, VTEX DAY 2026 transformed São Paulo Expo into a true functional "city." The event demonstrated in practice how online retail integrates into the natural flow of people's lives, operating silently during daily activities, instead of being an isolated shopping destination.
Consequently, the market's strategic focus has also shifted. Competitiveness no longer lies solely in acquiring new tools, but in the ability to orchestrate complete journeys with zero friction. Therefore, understanding the movements presented in this ecosystem is the essential step to prepare your operation and scale your sales in the coming years.
What you need to know about the highlights of VTEX Day 2026
- The concept of the edition: The event moved away from a purely technological vision to focus on human behavior, infrastructure, and hospitality as conversion tools;
- Operational AI: Artificial Intelligence has gone beyond simply being creative (generating texts) and has become autonomous, closing entire sales via WhatsApp;
- Frontiers of Retail Media: The food and wholesale sector has entered the market strongly for sponsored advertising sales, using physical data to optimize digital ROAS;
- The power of engineering: the event launched the Brazilian Engineering Awards, celebrating national science and awarding groundbreaking research in the biomedical field;
- Presence of e-Plus: a ePlus completed 10 years as a sponsor, launching the squads model. CS FLEX and exclusive implementation conditions;
- Invisible payment: The checkout process becomes a seamless part of the brand experience, with the “Payment Split"enabling complex collaborations."
From Generative AI to the Operational AI Revolution
Firstly, the event's major technological leap was the consolidation of multi-agent Artificial Intelligence systems. Unlike previous years, where AI only assisted in content creation, the technology now actively operates the business. Essentially, the autonomous agents demonstrated at the event can monitor competitor pricing and adjust campaign performance in real time.
In our experience with the continuous evolution of online stores, we've observed that the operational overload of the marketing team has always limited scalability. However, with agents closing sales on WhatsApp from start to finish without human intervention, your team saves time . This allows professionals to focus exclusively on growth strategies.
The Rise of Retail Media and Content as Conversion
Furthermore, digital advertising has taken on new dimensions. The entry of giants like Tenda Atacado into VTEX's Retail Media ecosystem has proven that wholesale retail is the new goldmine for advertisers. This means that brands now reach customers at the exact moment of stock replenishment. As a result, the use of data from physical stores maximizes the Return on Ad Spend (ROAS) in online campaigns.
Conversely, the marketing of technical products has also evolved in a surprising way . Established brands have proven that live commerce has gone from being a simple sales platform to a high-fidelity production. Marketing in 2026 is based on demonstrating value and practical utility. Therefore, educating the customer through live social interactions has become the fastest way to shorten the purchase decision cycle.
Brazilian Engineering AwardsScience lands on the main stage.
The opening of the meeting was marked by a powerful narrative about Brazil's identity and technical capabilities. VTEX founders Mariano Gomide and Geraldo Thomaz emphasized that the country exports not only culture, but also cutting-edge engineering. To materialize this concept, the organization launched the first edition of the Brazilian Engineering Awards . The award was created to prove that the country is a global hub for the development of complex solutions.
The most memorable moment of the event occurred during this award ceremony. The honoree was scientist and biologist Tatiana Sampaio, recognized for her groundbreaking research with polylaminin, a substance aimed at regenerating spinal cord injuries . The research has just been approved by Anvisa (Brazilian Health Regulatory Agency) for clinical trials, a milestone in national science.
In a surprising and moving moment, former Olympic gymnast Laís Souza took to the stage to present the award . After more than a decade unable to walk due to a serious skiing accident, Laís appeared standing, supported by an assistive technology device. This scene perfectly encapsulated the event's central message: Brazilian engineering is a real tool for human achievement and societal transformation.
10 YEARS OF E-PLUS AT VTEX DAY: INNOVATION, NETWORKING AND EXCLUSIVE SOLUTIONS AT THE 2026 EDITION
On the other hand, the business pavilion was buzzing intensely during the two days, and our booth reflected exactly this market dynamism . Celebrating our tenth consecutive year as official sponsors, we welcomed hundreds of retailers, partners, and friends from the market. During the event, our team did a lot of networking, mapping the current pain points of operations and absorbing the newest technological solutions geared towards digital retail.
Furthermore, face-to-face contact allowed us to provide direct answers to the growth challenges faced by retailers. We leveraged the strength of the trade show to detail the VTEX RISE program, which offers exceptional financial and technical conditions for those wishing to migrate platforms. If you weren't at VTEX DAY or couldn't visit our booth, check out all the details of this unmissable opportunity in this explanatory video:
The launch of CS Flex: Your high-performance squad.
Finally, we understand that deploying a cutting-edge platform is only the first step to success. A common challenge in replatforming projects is the lack of qualified personnel to support daily growth . To address this, e-Plus officially launched the CS FLEX model at the event.
Basically, it's a smart format where you contract a monthly package of hours and gain immediate access to a multidisciplinary team. This way, your e-commerce business has access to specialists in SEO , Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) , CRM , and advanced developers. Your brand gains the flexibility to allocate these hours where the business needs them most each month, accelerating your time-to-market and protecting your revenue.
The Old E-Commerce vs. the New Ecosystem
To clarify the changes discussed during the event panels, we have created the table below. It highlights how brands need to change their stance immediately.
| Retail strategy | Traditional e-commerce (Destination-focused) | New ecosystem (Focus on flow) |
| Customer journey | The customer is forced to interrupt their routine and access a specific website. | The purchase happens seamlessly where the customer already is (social networks, subway, chats). |
| The Role of Artificial Intelligence | Limited to generating isolated texts, descriptions, and images. | Autonomous and operational, executing complex sales and monitoring prices. |
| Payment experience | A bureaucratic process, seen as a final barrier full of friction. | Invisible and native, acting as a natural extension of the brand experience. |
| Logistics and after-sales service | Treated solely as mandatory operating costs after the sale. | Used as active branding tools to elevate the net promoter score (NPS) |
THE FUTURE OF RETAIL
In short, the lessons left by the São Paulo Expo pavilion are definitive. The digital environment in the premium segment, for example, no longer acts as a transactional shortcut. Global brands have transformed their stores into cultural showcases, where WhatsApp, the website, and the physical store compose a unique journey of desire and convenience . Ultimately, the survival of your business depends on the flawless orchestration of these layers of experience.
Therefore, we invite you to explore other content on the e-Plus blog to continue refining your technological vision. Now, if you want to apply these trends in practice, talk to our team of experts . Discover how VTEX implementation with the conditions of VTEX RISE and evolutionary management through our CS FLEX team can radically transform your e-commerce ecosystem.
FAQ
What were the main technological highlights of vtex day 2026?
The main technological highlights focused on the transition from creative AI to operational AI. The event demonstrated autonomous agents capable of closing sales on WhatsApp without human intervention. Furthermore, the strengthening of Retail Media networks in the wholesale sector gained significant prominence in the plenary sessions.
What is the prize? Brazilian Engineering Awards?
The Brazilian Engineering Awards is an official initiative launched at the event to recognize and reward projects that raise the standard of national science and engineering. In its first edition, the award honored scientist Tatiana Sampaio, reinforcing Brazil's capacity to export medical technology and innovation.
What is the CS FLEX model launched by e-Plus?
CS FLEX is a new model for providing evolving services created by e-Plus. It allows the store owner to contract a monthly bank of hours and utilize a complete team of specialists, including SEO, CRO, CRM professionals and developers, guaranteeing total flexibility to evolve the online store.
