Discover how AI-powered agents on Microsoft Fabric are accelerating retail merchandising decisions
Retail organizations are under increasing pressure to move faster and make smarter, data-driven decisions at scale. In this latest Marketplace Partner Spotlight, Microsoft highlights how AI agents built on Microsoft Fabric are helping merchandising teams transform complex operational data into actionable insights—without leaving the security of their existing data environment. By leveraging Microsoft Fabric and OneLake as a unified data foundation, partners like Lucid Data Hub are enabling retailers to automate time-intensive reporting processes and shift toward continuous, insight-driven workflows. These business-ready AI agents can analyze large volumes of sales and operational data, surface meaningful trends, and deliver clear recommendations—empowering buyers and store leaders to act faster and with greater confidence. The impact is tangible: merchandising teams can reduce hours of manual analysis into minutes, uncover item-level performance insights, and identify opportunities across store clusters to optimize outcomes. If you’re exploring how AI agents, Microsoft Fabric, and the Microsoft Marketplace ecosystem can drive intelligent automation in retail, this article offers practical insights and real-world examples to help you get started. 👉 Read the full article AI agents on Microsoft Fabric for faster retail merchandising decisionsHow do you actually unlock growth from Microsoft Teams Marketplace?
Hey folks 👋 Looking for some real-world advice from people who’ve been through this. Context: We’ve been listed as a Microsoft Teams app for several years now. The app is stable, actively used, and well-maintained - but for a long time, Teams Marketplace wasn’t a meaningful acquisition channel for us. Things changed a bit last year. We started seeing organic growth without running any dedicated campaigns, plus more mid-market and enterprise teams installing the app, running trials, and even using it in production. That was encouraging - but it also raised a bigger question. How do you actually systematize this and get real, repeatable benefits from the Teams Marketplace? I know there are Microsoft Partner programs, co-sell motions, marketplace benefits, etc. - but honestly, it’s been very hard to figure out: - where exactly to start - what applies to ISVs building Teams apps - how to apply correctly - and what actually moves the needle vs. what’s just “nice to have” On top of that, it’s unclear how (or if) you can interact directly with the Teams/Marketplace team. From our perspective, this should be a win-win: we invest heavily into the platform, build for Teams users, and want to make that experience better. Questions to the community: If you’re a Teams app developer: what actually worked for you in terms of marketplace growth? Which Partner programs or motions are worth the effort, and which can be safely ignored early on? Is there a realistic way to engage with the Teams Marketplace team (feedback loops, programs, office hours, etc.)? How do you go from “organic installs happen” to a structured channel? Would really appreciate any practical advice, lessons learned, or even “what not to do” stories 🙏 Thanks in advance!5 App Advisor capabilities that help sell faster on Microsoft Marketplace
Signing in to App Advisor unlocks features that help you manage projects, personalize your development guidance, and move from build to Marketplace sales faster. App Advisor helps streamline the process for anyone, with no barriers to start. However, when you sign in and authenticate, the experience becomes even more powerful. Read the 5 reasons to authenticate in App Advisor here.How to Build a Microsoft Marketplace Channel Practice: A Partner Guide to Scalable Growth
For Microsoft partners looking to make Marketplace a repeatable, scalable growth channel, this article outlines what it really takes to succeed. It breaks down how top partners structure their teams, align ownership across sales, alliances, and operations, and activate Microsoft Marketplace as a core part of their co-sell and go-to-market strategy. With practical frameworks, best practices, and real-world guidance, this resource helps partners drive pipeline, accelerate deal velocity, and grow alongside Microsoft through Marketplace. Read the full article: How to build a Microsoft Marketplace channel practiceTurn Microsoft Marketplace into a true growth engine
Many software companies publish their solution in Microsoft Marketplace and wait—hoping growth will follow. The fastest‑growing partners take a different approach. By combining a transactable Marketplace offer with Azure IP co‑sell eligibility, sellers unlock a powerful growth engine. Co‑sell ready offers consistently drive larger deals, faster close rates, and direct access to Microsoft’s field sellers, while allowing customers to apply purchases toward their Azure commitments. When Marketplace and co‑sell work together, partners move faster, sell bigger, and accelerate their enterprise sales motion. Read the full article and learn more about accelerating growth through the Microsoft Marketplace: Accelerate massive growth by co-selling through Microsoft Marketplace with App Advisor guidancePipeline Prioritization with Marketplace Propensity Scoring
A note of gratitude to the Marketplace Rewards team + a recommendation for my partner peers: Marketplace Propensity Scoring has proven to be an exceedingly powerful tool for prioritizing pipeline and accelerating sales cycles. Offered as a Marketplace Rewards benefit, propensity scoring provides you with a score that ranks your pipeline prospects by their likelihood (0 to 100) to transact through Marketplace. We combine this with our co-sell conversations a) to help our buyer identify who on their own IT team has the necessary permissions to buy through Marketplace and b) to gain insight into the customer's MACC status (ie, are they behind pace and therefore keen to decrement via Marketplace purchases). We've shaved a full month off our historical sales cycle since implementing this into our process three quarters ago. Side note on another way valuable way to use this benefit: We also lead with Marketplace in opportunities with a propensity score of 0. Three times we've been successful in being a customer's first-ever Marketplace transaction. It took a lot more effort, but we do it because it demonstrates for our Microsoft friends our commitment to the co-sell motion . . . and they LOVE it when we help them establish a precedent on which they can build the customer's Marketplace muscle. #MarketplaceChampionsAzure sponsorship update on Microsoft Marketplace
We’re delighted to share that Azure Sponsorship can now be applied to Azure MCA billing profiles—even when those profiles had past or active Monetary Credit (including ACO). This removes a long‑standing friction point that has been blocking scaled use of Marketplace Rewards Azure benefits for a large portion of our Marketplace customers and partners, immediately improving customer satisfaction and unlocking a key growth lever for 3P marketplace sales. For more details: February 2026 announcements - Partner Center announcements | Microsoft LearnWinning in 2026 and beyond: Key insights from Ultimate Partner’s Livestream
2026 is reshaping partner strategy at a pace we’ve never seen before. AI, cloud marketplaces, ecosystem-led growth, and shifting buyer behavior are transforming how partners influence, co-sell, and win. During Ultimate Partner’s January 13 livestream, analyst Jay McBain and Microsoft leader Cyril Belikoff offered deep insight into the trends defining the year ahead. Cyril Belikoff,(VP of Commercial Cloud & AI Marketing at Microsoft) Key takeaways Frontier Firm Framework: Enrich Employee Experiences → Reinvent Customer Engagement → Reshape Business Processes → Bend the Innovation Curve. Microsoft introduced Work IQ, Fabric IQ, and Foundry IQ to help organizations operationalize AI. Agent 365 enables governance, security, and observability for AI agents. Microsoft Marketplace is now unified into a single experience and growing rapidly. Resale-Enabled Offers (REO) unleash scale by connecting ISVs with resellers/MSPs globally. Jay McBain (Chief Analyst at Omdia) Key takeaways “Opportunity — that’s the word for partners in 2026.” Tech is expected to grow more than 10%, with massive upside in AI-related services. 96% of enterprise deals involve multiple partners. Co-selling and influence—not resale—drive the majority of wins. Marketplaces are accelerating. Indirect influence is rising even in areas where resale declines. “Early partner involvement determines who wins the deal.” Visibility into the ecosystem is becoming essential. Many deals are shaped months before a vendor or seller ever see activity. Certifications matter. 80%+ of customers evaluate partners based on competencies and continuous learning. AI services are the fastest-growing partner opportunity, with >35% CAGR projected through 2030. Partner action plan for 2026 Invest in continuous AI upskilling and certifications. Use ecosystem tools to detect early influence moments. Publish or resell offers in Microsoft Marketplace. Prioritize data modernization to unlock AI impact. Lean into co-selling and multi-partner orchestration. The partners who embrace ecosystem visibility, continuous learning, and marketplace-driven growth will be best positioned to win in 2026 and beyond. If you missed the livestream, you can watch a recap here: Podcast - Ultimate Guide to Partnering® Join the movement Ultimate Partner® is built for one thing: helping partnership leaders achieve their greatest results by staying ahead of the tectonic shifts in AI, marketplace, co-sell, and ecosystem-led growth. Learn More and attend upcoming events here: Events - Ultimate Guide to Partnering®Microsoft Ignite- Meaningful Announcements That Create Real Movement
Now that we are officially in 2026, I want to reflect back on Microsoft Ignite as it was more energized than ever. There is real momentum right now across Microsoft Marketplace, and the most meaningful shift I am seeing is around REO( Reseller Enabled Offer )capability. This is opening the door for partners to take Marketplace offers and bring them directly into new regions, new customer segments, and new routes to market without adding operational friction for either side. A true channel selling motion! For ISVs, REO means you can authorize trusted partners to resell your Marketplace offer in the way that works best for the customer. You no longer need to manage every deal yourself. For partners, it means instant access to in demand AI and security solutions that customers are already asking for. It removes barriers, it speeds up the process, and it connects the ecosystem in a much more natural way. If anyone in the community is exploring REO, private offers, multiparty models, or Marketplace strategy in general, it would be great to hear from you or reach out and would love to discuss. Looking forward to connecting with everyone in the new year. justinroyal2026 Is different—Are you ready to win?
2026 Is different—Are you ready to win? 2026 isn’t just another year—it’s a turning point. Cloud go-to-market strategies are being rewritten in real time by AI, marketplaces, co-sell, and ecosystem-led growth. The hard truth? If your strategy isn’t fully aligned this year, you’re going to feel it. That’s why Ultimate Partner is kicking off the year with a must-attend free livestream designed to give you clarity and actionable steps—not theory. On January 13 | 11:00–12:30 pm ET, Vince Menzione, CEO of Ultimate Partner will join two industry leaders for an inside look at what’s next: Jay McBain, Chief Analyst at Omdia, will share his predictions for 2026 and beyond. Cyril Belikoff, VP of Commercial Cloud & AI Marketing at Microsoft, will reveal exciting changes at Microsoft and how to align your GTM strategy for success. This is your chance to ask the tough questions during a LIVE Q&A and walk away with insights you can put into action immediately. ______________________________________________________ 📅 January 13 | 11:00–12:30 pm ET 🎥 Livestream: “Winning in 2026 and Beyond” 👉 Register for FREE: HERE
