Partner Relationship Management and Channel Commerce Enablement: Key Themes in 2026

This IDC Perspective highlights six transformative trends shaping PRM and channel commerce enablement in 2026, including agentic AI for intelligent engagement, omni-channel partner experiences, data-driven incentives, life-cycle automation, integrated channel commerce, and partner feedback. This document offers actionable insights for technology buyers to capitalize on these trends."The coming year signals the dawn of intelligence-led partner ecosystems, where agentic AI powers proactive engagement, omni-channel orchestration delivers seamless experiences, and data-driven incentives align partners with strategic growth. Leading organizations will leverage life-cycle automation, embedded commerce capabilities, and continuous partner feedback to transform channels into engines of competitive advantage and mutual value creation," said Mark Casidsid, senior research analyst, AI-Enabled Business Commerce, Partner Relationship, and Ecosystem Management.