Today's Ecommerce Pulse
Target launches Circle Deal Days to challenge Amazon Prime Day
Target is launching its Target Circle Deal Days from June 23‑26, positioning the free‑to‑join program as a direct rival to Amazon Prime Day. New members who enroll between June 14‑22 receive a 15% discount on their first purchase, plus a free Starbucks coffee or Bullseye cookie on launch day, and a 50% discount on the first year of Target Circle 360.
Also developing:
By the numbers: FirstClub raises $55M Series B
US Senator Demands Answers on Google’s New Commerce Protocol
Senator Elizabeth Warren sent a Feb. 3 letter to Google CEO Sundar Pichai demanding details on the privacy framework of the Gemini checkout feature and the newly announced Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP). UCP, co‑developed with Shopify, lets AI agents from retailers such as Walmart, Target and Etsy communicate across the entire shopping journey, promising frictionless purchases. The letter contains 12 questions and a Feb. 17 response deadline, but Google has not yet replied. The request adds to a growing slate of investigations into Google’s data handling practices.
17 Email Design Best Practices For Ecommerce
In this episode, Vytautas Palubeckas outlines 17 actionable email design best practices for ecommerce, emphasizing the need for clear messaging, a single CTA, and mobile‑first layouts to boost conversions. He highlights the importance of a design system, white space, visual...
AI Slashes Zapier Spend From $10k to $1k
We pay Zapier $10k a year. We are reducing it to $1k a year with AI and new tech. People saying AI is not impacting companies, have no idea what's coming. https://t.co/9Tg7dQyFDG
Border Patrol, Canadian Ire Dampening Traffic at Simon Malls
Simon Property Group CEO David Simon said tariffs will keep weighing on retailers, potentially removing a few hundred million dollars of EBITDA from the company’s Catalyst Brands portfolio. He downplayed the effect of recent bankruptcies, noting that closed stores such...
A Year Into Turnaround Plan, the Estée Lauder Companies Finds Steady Growth
Estée Lauder Companies reported a 6% rise in Q2 net sales to $4.2 billion, marking the first growth after its “Beauty Reimagined” turnaround plan. Fragrance, skin‑care and hair‑care all posted double‑digit gains, while makeup slipped 1% despite MAC’s TikTok Shop debut....
Modernizing Payments Is Essential
The Federal Reserve announced Fedwire will run on Sundays and holidays, signaling a regulatory move toward 24‑hour payments. Mihail Duta of Finastra argues banks must modernize to meet digital‑native expectations for instant fund availability. Legacy systems lack the scalability and...
What’s the ROI of Emerging In-Store Design Trends? A Look at What They Are and How They Create Value
Retailers are redefining in‑store spaces, moving from seasonal inventory displays to experience‑driven environments that blend pop‑culture moments, digital balance, and personal relevance. Emerging trends include curating brand‑centric “shop‑within‑a‑shop” zones, nature‑inspired biomorphic designs, and modular display systems that can be reconfigured...
Staples Canada Boosts Productivity, Cuts Training Time with Fulfillment Center Robotics
Staples Canada, a three‑decade leader in next‑day delivery, has modernized its fulfillment network by adding Locus Robotics to two warehouses and plans three more deployments this year. The robots, integrated with a Manhattan Active WMS, have nearly doubled productivity, boosted...
Doorly On-Demand Home Services Marketplace Launches in Nine UK Cities
Doorly, formerly Appacut, has rebranded and expanded from a mobile barber booking app into an on‑demand home‑services marketplace operating in nine UK cities. Backed by £600,000 of investment, the platform now offers eight service categories ranging from personal chefs to...
Despite Q3 Loss, Lightspeed Optimistic on Executing Growth and Profitability Plan
Lightspeed Commerce reported fiscal Q3 revenue of $312.3 million, slightly beating its own and analysts’ forecasts, while posting a net loss of $33.6 million, wider than a year ago. The company upgraded its full‑year revenue outlook to $1.22 billion and expects higher gross...
Abercrombie, Ebay, Aldi Opt for IRL Activations to Capture Super Bowl Fervor
Brands are sidestepping the $7 million Super Bowl TV spot by rolling out real‑world activations across the Bay Area. eBay is converting its End Zone pop‑up into a live‑shopping studio, while Abercrombie & Fitch debuts an NFL‑licensed capsule and Pro Bowl...
5 Content Marketing Ideas for March 2026
The article outlines five March 2026 content‑marketing ideas—spring renewal, National Peanut Butter Lover’s Day, Live Long and Prosper Day, Make Up Your Own Holiday Day, and the America at 250 celebration. Each concept pairs a seasonal or cultural moment with product‑focused storytelling...
Is Selling On Etsy Worth It? Insights And Tips For 2026
The episode breaks down whether selling on Etsy is worthwhile in 2026, covering the platform’s massive buyer base, fee structure, and the most popular product categories such as personalized jewelry and craft supplies. It highlights the major advantages—low startup costs,...
Aldi Marks a Big Anniversary with Lots of Store Openings
Aldi celebrates its 50th U.S. anniversary by unveiling an aggressive expansion plan, targeting more than 180 new stores across 31 states in 2026. The retailer aims to reach nearly 2,800 locations by year‑end and has a five‑year Colorado strategy that...
Ecer.com Drives Cross-Border B2B Into the Mobile-First Era
Cross‑border B2B sourcing has become overwhelmingly mobile, with over 70 % of inquiries now made on smartphones or tablets. Ecer.com, an early mobile‑first marketplace, has built a comprehensive trade ecosystem that combines real‑time messaging, AI translation, and immersive VR/3D tools. These...
ATEC America VP Details C3L Cash Recycler Capabilities
ATEC America’s Vice President Ryan Loebs showcased the C3L Compact Cash Recycler at NRF 2026, emphasizing its multi‑function capabilities beyond a traditional ATM. Despite its small footprint, the device delivers high‑speed cash dispensing, deposit, and recycling, positioning it as a...
Retail’s Big Reset: Why 2026 Will Separate Brands that Execute From Brands that Just Plan
The article argues that retail success in 2026 will be defined by flawless execution rather than elaborate planning. Tight budgets, leaner teams and faster‑moving customer expectations force brands to gain real‑time visibility into store‑level actions. Companies that close the gap...
Combining Heritage with Contemporary at Pashley Cycles
Pashley Cycles, a century‑old British bike maker, appointed former Ribble CEO Andy Smallwood to spearhead a brand revival. Smallwood has consolidated manufacturing, showroom and sales under one roof, emphasizing fully UK‑made frames built from Reynolds steel. The company shifted its...
Nykaa Posts Rs 2,873 Cr Revenue in Q3 FY26; Profit Jumps 2.5X
Nykaa reported Rs 2,873 crore revenue in Q3 FY26, a 27% year‑on‑year increase, while net profit surged 2.5‑fold to Rs 68 crore. The beauty segment continued to dominate, delivering 91% of total sales, and operating costs rose to Rs 2,753 crore. Sequentially, profit more than doubled...
Sainsbury’s and Amazon Bosses Join Retail Trust’s Board of Trustees
Sainsbury’s chief retail, logistics and supply chain officer Tracey Clements and Amazon’s EU Fresh director Matt Birch have been appointed trustees of the Retail Trust, joining a board that already includes senior figures from Landsec, New Look and Matalan. The charity works...
Retailers Ready for Trade Show Scoop
The Scoop trade show opens at London’s Olympia on 8 February, celebrating its 15th anniversary. Over 250 designers from Europe, the US and Australia will present collections spanning fashion, accessories, home, beauty and menswear. Leading retailers including Harrods, John Lewis,...
Two-Thirds of Cardholders View Issuers More Positively After Credit Limit Increases
A PYMNTS Intelligence study of 2,199 cardholders reveals that 67% of limit‑increase requests are denied, while 56% of granted increases occur automatically. Subprime borrowers experience a 94% denial rate, and after a denial, 31% cut usage, 20% seek a new...
ECommerce Growth Makes Tokenized Checkout the Baseline
Digital wallets have moved from niche to mainstream, propelled by Apple Pay’s rapid adoption and the pandemic‑driven eCommerce surge, making tokenized checkout the new standard. Over the past five years issuers expanded Apple Pay across markets, while consumers shifted to...
Lydia and Mistral AI Announce Collaboration to Integrate Generative AI Into Payment Processing
Lydia, a leading European mobile wallet, announced a partnership with Mistral AI to embed generative‑AI capabilities directly into its payment processing stack. The collaboration will power real‑time fraud detection, dynamic risk scoring, and personalized checkout experiences across Lydia’s merchant network....
M&S Unveils New Flagship Store in Bath
Marks & Spencer opened an 83,000‑square‑foot flagship in Bath’s SouthGate, replacing its former city store. The four‑storey venue houses a 14,000‑square‑foot market‑style food hall, a 1,600‑square‑foot beauty hall featuring Estée Lauder and other brands, and a top‑floor homeware collection including the...
Gymshark Appoints Carly Natalizia as Chief Commercial Officer
Gymshark has promoted Carly Natalizia to chief commercial officer after four years as vice president of marketing and most recently chief digital officer. Natalizia previously led marketing at The Very Group and held senior roles at Virgin Money, MBNA, Bank...
‘A Beautiful Mess’: Best & Less Unveils New Branding Campaign
Best & Less has partnered with Connecting Plots Group to launch a new brand repositioning campaign called “So. Much. Better.” The campaign reframes value as freedom for Australian families, emphasizing authentic, messy moments over curated perfection. Research underpinning the work...
Cosmix by the Numbers: What Marico Gets in Its Latest D2C Acquisition
Marico announced the acquisition of a 60% stake in plant‑based nutrition startup Cosmix, adding the brand to its growing D2C portfolio that already includes Plix, True Elements, Just Herbs and Beardo. Cosmix more than doubled its FY25 revenue to ₹50.93 crore...
Beverage Startup CHINI KUM Raises Pre-Seed Funding
CHINI KUM, a zero‑sugar beverage startup, secured ₹1 crore in pre‑seed funding from a group of angel investors and founder participation. The capital will fund product innovation, flavor expansion, and nationwide distribution, with a focus on quick‑commerce channels. The brand launched its...
Taste Meets Technology: How Dotshop Is Putting Curation Back Into Luxury
Dotshop, an Australian luxury e‑commerce platform founded by Lisa Ruffle and Steve Jensen, combines human editorial curation with AI to deliver intuitive product discovery. Unlike algorithm‑driven marketplaces that prioritize scale, Dotshop’s AI interprets taste, intent and behavior within a framework...
JB Hi-Fi Launches Retail Media Network, a First for the Electronics Sector
JB Hi-Fi announced the launch of its own retail media network, the first dedicated to the consumer electronics sector. The service is built in partnership with Retail MediaWorks and will allow brands and agencies to run targeted omnichannel campaigns across...
Amazon Shifts Key Leadership in Selling Partner Services
The episode discusses Amazon’s recent leadership reshuffle in its Worldwide Selling Partner Services (SPS) division, with VP Dharmesh Mehta moving to a Technical Advisor role for CEO Andy Jassy and Amit Agarwal taking over SPS while also overseeing Customer Trust....
How Brands and Retailers Should Strategically Respond to the GLP-1 Consumer Boom
Coresight Research projects the U.S. GLP‑1 drug market to surge from $42.6 billion in 2024 to $137 billion by 2030, driven by broader insurance coverage and next‑generation oral therapies. The rapid adoption of GLP‑1 medications is reshaping retail demand, with consumers buying...
Shopify Tightens AI Data Rules and Elevates Acquired Founders: A Signal to the Ecosystem
The episode examines Shopify's recent overhaul of its partner program and API terms, which now require explicit permission for any use of merchant or customer data to train AI models, and its parallel initiative to give founders of acquired startups...
With New Launch, Hailey Bieber’s Makeup Artist Aims to Dominate Foundation Sales at Sephora
Celebrity makeup artist Mary Phillips’ brand m.ph by Mary Phillips introduced Le Skin Weightless Serum Foundation, a $49, 35‑shade, medium‑coverage formula with 2% niacinamide. The launch follows the brand’s underpainting palette and aims to become Sephora’s number‑one foundation, challenging Haus...
Glossy Beauty Podcast: Why Creators Are Building Systems — Not Chasing Virality — on TikTok Shop
TikTok’s U.S. operation was sold for roughly $14 billion to a consortium that includes Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX, underscoring the platform’s strategic value. Recent data shows TikTok Shop moved about $19 billion of goods globally in Q3 2024, rivaling legacy marketplaces. Brands...
The Health and Wellness Trends Modern Retail and Glossy Staffers Are Watching in 2026
Modern Retail and Glossy highlighted a surge in health‑focused consumer behavior for 2026, driven by wearable tech like the Oura ring and the rise of biohacking. Shoppers are increasingly demanding data‑backed efficacy for functional ingredients such as adaptogens, pre‑biotics, and...
The Health and Wellness Trends Glossy and Modern Retail Staffers Are Watching in 2026
Consumer enthusiasm for health data is reshaping the wellness market, driven by wearable devices such as the Oura ring and the rise of biohacking. Shoppers are increasingly demanding proof of product efficacy and are scrutinizing health claims more rigorously. Brands...
Sell Out Your First Batch in 30 Minutes by Building an Audience With No Product to Sell
In this episode, founder Kendall Kransdorf of COTTO explains how she sold out her first production batch in just 30 minutes by prioritizing audience building over product readiness. She shares concrete social‑media strategies—such as pre‑launch content, community engagement, and demand...
CommerceX Raises ¥17.3B Series A for Retail Tec
CommerceX Holdings, a Japanese retail‑tech firm, raised ¥17.3 billion in a Series A round that combines equity and debt financing. The capital will fund an aggressive M&A strategy and upgrades to RECORE, its cloud‑based POS system for the reuse industry. Management targets...
How Zegna Accepts Full-Year Revenue Pressure to Reset Its Luxury Growth Model
Ermenegildo Zegna Group posted €1.92 billion in full‑year 2025 revenue, a 1.5% decline year‑on‑year, while the fourth quarter saw organic sales rise 4.6% driven by direct‑to‑consumer (DTC) growth across Zegna, Thom Browne and Tom Ford Fashion. The group accelerated its strategic shift toward...
Walmart Becomes First Traditional Retailer to Hit $1T Market Cap
Walmart's market value topped $1 trillion on Tuesday, making it the first traditional retailer to achieve that milestone. The surge followed a 2.9% share price gain after the company highlighted its automation and e‑commerce investments under CEO John Furner. Walmart’s move...
Ecommerce: How We Really Scale to $10 Million — Part 2
In the second half of their $10 million scaling playbook, Mark and Ian dive into the concrete tactics that turn traffic into sustainable revenue. They argue that email is the true growth engine, outline three levers—margin, lifetime value, and inventory—that dictate...
Walmart Shopper Reportedly Buys Nvidia RTX 5080 at Almost Half-Price — Clearance Aisle Could Be a Way to Beat GPU...
Walmart’s clearance aisle is offering deep discounts on Nvidia GPUs, with a Reddit user reporting a PNY GeForce RTX 5080 purchased for $562—almost half its $999 MSRP. Similar markdowns include RTX 5070 cards at $439, roughly a one‑third price cut. The reductions...
What Is A Transactional Email? (2026 Statistics And Services)
In this episode Karolina Petraskiene explains what transactional emails are and why they are the biggest revenue drivers for ecommerce, citing 2025‑2026 stats that show a $2.87 average revenue per email and a 19‑times higher conversion rate than marketing blasts....
PFG’s New CEO Signals Tech Focus as Sales Rise 5.2% in Fiscal Q2
Performance Food Group appointed Scott McPherson as CEO, pledging a stronger technology and efficiency agenda. The company posted fiscal Q2 net sales of $16.445 billion, up 5.2% year‑over‑year, and net earnings of $61.7 million, a 45.5% increase. Integration of the recent Cheney Brothers...
E.l.f. Beauty CEO Outlines Rhode’s International Expansion Plan, Holiday Sales Wins, Fall Mascara Launch on Today’s Earnings Call
E.l.f. Beauty posted a 38% jump in Q3 fiscal 2026 net sales to $489.5 million, largely fueled by the recent acquisition of Hailey Bieber’s brand Rhode. The company lifted its full‑year outlook, now expecting Rhode to contribute $260‑$265 million, up from $200 million....
Internal Links: SEO Best Practices for Internal Linking
In this episode, Shopify Senior SEO Specialist Arthur Camberlein explains what internal links are and why they’re vital for both user navigation and search‑engine crawling. He breaks down the main types of internal links—navigational, sidebar, footer, breadcrumb, contextual, CTA, and...
The Knot Unveils ChatGPT App for Wedding Planning
The Knot launched its first ChatGPT app, integrating its wedding planning platform with OpenAI’s conversational AI. The app draws on the company’s vendor marketplace and over 14.6 million reviews to deliver personalized, visual‑first vendor recommendations, review summaries, and smart rankings. Couples...
Klarna Joins Google's AI Protocol; Payoneer Expands Footprint
Klarna has joined Google’s Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), enabling its buy‑now/pay‑later service to operate within Google’s AI‑driven shopping ecosystem. The protocol, now backed by major card brands and PayPal, seeks to standardise agentic AI interactions for safer, more transparent commerce....