News•Jan 18, 2026
Amazon Rules Product Discovery, for Now
Amazon continues to dominate U.S. product discovery, with 56 % of shoppers starting searches on the platform in a 2024 Jungle Scout survey—still ahead of Google (42 %) and Walmart (29 %). Its edge derives from Prime’s free‑shipping guarantee, a catalog of over 12 million Amazon‑owned items plus 600 million third‑party listings, and a trusted review system that lowers purchase risk. The dedicated mobile app further reduces friction, keeping consumers within the Amazon ecosystem. However, the share has slipped from 61 % in 2022, signaling emerging pressure from AI‑driven commerce and social platforms.
By Practical Ecommerce
News•Jan 18, 2026
Liberty Appoints Managing Director of Retail
Liberty has promoted Lydia King to managing director of retail, effective immediately. King, who joined the iconic department store in December 2023 and became group buying and merchandising director in January 2025, brings extensive experience from senior buying roles at...
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Jan 18, 2026
Frasers Group Unifies Loyalty and Rewards Offering Under Frasers Plus
Frasers Group is consolidating its loyalty programmes by folding the Sports Direct Membership into its Frasers Plus platform, an FCA‑regulated credit account that spans the group’s portfolio and 16 partner retailers. The unified rewards system launches in February 2026, promising...
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Jan 17, 2026
Bank of Italy Models Ethereum Risks in Extreme Price Collapse Scenario
The Bank of Italy’s financial stability unit released a stress‑test model that simulates the impact of an extreme Ethereum price collapse on the Italian financial system. The scenario assumes an 80%‑plus drop in ETH value, triggering liquidity strains for banks...
By PaySpace Magazine
News•Jan 17, 2026
Modern Retail Podcast: Cautious Optimism at NRF Around AI and Shopper Sentiment in 2026
At the National Retail Federation’s 2026 conference, retailers displayed cautious optimism about AI’s role in commerce. Brands highlighted agentic commerce use cases, including AI-powered checkout and product discovery, while tech giants Google and Microsoft unveiled new retail AI tools. Despite...
By Modern Retail
News•Jan 16, 2026
Ingenico, Samsung, and Talus Introduce Mobile Business Operating Solution in North America
Ingenico, Samsung, and Talus have launched a joint Mobile Business Operating Solution (MBOS) for North American merchants. The platform fuses Samsung’s Galaxy hardware, Ingenico’s payment processing stack, and Talus’s cloud‑based back‑office services into a single, app‑driven point‑of‑sale system. It supports...
By PaySpace Magazine
News•Jan 16, 2026
2026 eBay Business Seller Meetups
eBay’s 2026 Seller Meetups return with a slate of free, in‑person events running from January through February across multiple UK cities. Organized by local seller leaders, each session blends peer support, practical e‑commerce tips and discussions on emerging tools such...
By ChannelX (formerly Tamebay)
News•Jan 16, 2026
Incoming Walmart CEO Reshapes C-Suite with Internal Promotions
Incoming Walmart President and CEO John Furner will assume his role on Feb. 1, 2026 and immediately reshaped the retailer’s C‑suite by promoting four long‑time insiders. Seth Dallaire moves to EVP and Chief Growth Officer for Walmart Inc., overseeing global platforms such as...
By Retail TouchPoints
News•Jan 16, 2026
Pet Retailers Vie for Loyalty with Virtual Vet Services, Pet-Inclusive Air Travel
PetSmart has introduced a virtual veterinary support service powered by Vetster in select U.S. stores, giving associates real‑time access to licensed vets for a range of pet health issues. Petco, meanwhile, has teamed with regional carrier JSX to roll out...
By Retail TouchPoints
News•Jan 16, 2026
The Next Retail Advantage Is Hiding in Merchants’ Payments Systems
Merchants are hitting conversion walls because legacy checkout systems can’t keep up with mobile traffic and buy‑now‑pay‑later demand. Adobe’s Payment Services, built into Adobe Commerce and Magento Open Source, offers a unified payments layer that simplifies adding digital wallets and...
By Modern Retail
News•Jan 16, 2026
DIY Approach Fuels Craft Cocktail Brand
Liber & Co., founded in 2011 by three Texas friends, has grown from a single pot of syrup to multiple 1,500‑gallon tanks supplying premium non‑alcoholic cocktail syrups worldwide. The company’s DIY ethos drives in‑house manufacturing, warehousing, marketing and global sales,...
By Practical Ecommerce
News•Jan 16, 2026
Tractor Supply, Planning 100 New Stores in 2026, Opens 2,400th Store in South Carolina
Tractor Supply opened its 2,400th store in Aiken, South Carolina, marking a milestone in its rapid expansion. The retailer continues its aggressive growth plan, targeting 100 new stores in 2026, matching its 2025 rollout. The new location featured a $2,400...
By Retail TouchPoints
News•Jan 16, 2026
Escape the Aisle: Outgrowing the Category You Were Born Into
Pilgrim’s Europe used deep consumer insight to reposition Richmond from the nation’s favourite sausage brand to a broader mealtime brand. By shifting focus from product to the emotional moments of togetherness, the company identified a meat‑free opportunity that aligns with...
By Retail TouchPoints
News•Jan 16, 2026
Are Your Product Pages Invisible to AI? Retail’s New Fix
Retailers are revamping product detail pages (PDPs) to become machine‑readable, partnering with AI‑content platforms Cimulate and Bazaarvoice. Structured markup now tags key attributes, enabling generative AI, voice assistants, and visual search to surface products that were previously invisible. Early pilots...
By E-Commerce Times
News•Jan 16, 2026
ASOS Bets on Topshop Brand Revival with European Website Launch
Topshop has unveiled a dedicated EU ecommerce site, eu.topshop.com, covering 23 European markets and built on Shopify for faster browsing and richer storytelling. The launch follows ASOS's 2021 acquisition of the brand after Arcadia's collapse, aiming to transform the iconic...
By InternetRetailing
News•Jan 16, 2026
WHSmith North America Media Network Taps ISM for Retail Media Network
WHSmith North America Media Network has teamed with In‑Store Marketplace (ISM) to launch a retail media network across U.S. airports. The collaboration merges more than 700 digital screens and audio assets into a single programmatic ecosystem, leveraging Mood Media’s hardware...
By Retail Customer Experience
News•Jan 16, 2026
OPINION: How ‘Sustainability’ Claims Can Land Online Retailers in Regulatory Hot Water
Online retailers face heightened regulatory risk over greenwashing as the UK’s CMA and ASA intensify enforcement of the Green Claims Code. Recent ASA rulings against Nike, Lacoste and Superdry for unsubstantiated “sustainable” ads illustrate the pitfalls of vague claims. The...
By InternetRetailing
News•Jan 16, 2026
IKEA Pilots Virtual Product Experience in Welcome to Bloxburg
IKEA is piloting a virtual product experience inside the Roblox game Welcome to Bloxburg, targeting players in Sweden and Australia. From 22 January to 5 February, shoppers can unlock iconic items like the Stockholm sofa and Elsystem rug through an in‑game pop‑up...
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Jan 16, 2026
Topshop Launches European Website
Topshop has unveiled a dedicated European e‑commerce site, eu.topshop.com, serving 23 EU markets. The Shopify‑powered platform offers the brand’s full range of denim, dresses, footwear and accessories, expanding beyond its previous presence on ASOS.com. Managing Director Michelle Wilson highlighted plans...
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Jan 16, 2026
British Heart Foundation Appoints Chief Commercial Officer
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has promoted Allison Swaine‑Hughes to chief commercial officer, consolidating oversight of its 680 retail stores, e‑commerce platforms, and new commercial ventures. Swaine‑Hughes brings over 30 years of senior retail experience, including roles at Gap and...
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Jan 16, 2026
Glossy Pop Newsletter: Why Cocokind Is Sending Unreleased Products to Creators with 200 Followers
Cocokind has pivoted its PR mailer program from top‑tier influencers to a community‑first model, sending unreleased products to micro‑creators with 200‑300 followers. The December "leak" mailer introduced the $18 Milky‑Soft Face and Body Cleanser and replaced a quiz with a...
By Glossy
News•Jan 16, 2026
Luxury Briefing: Why Harrods’ Big Sale Swept TikTok, and What It Means for Luxury Brands
Harrods’ January sale exploded onto TikTok, turning a traditionally discreet event into a viral showcase. The platform streamed floor‑by‑floor discount maps and brand highlights, making the sale’s pricing details publicly visible. This unprecedented exposure challenges luxury retailers’ reliance on scarcity...
By Glossy
News•Jan 16, 2026
Glossy Podcast: The Ripple Effects of the Saks Global Bankruptcy
Saks Global announced bankruptcy, confirming long‑rumored debt woes and exposing hundreds of millions owed to luxury vendors such as Chanel and Kering. Amazon, which funded Saks' acquisition of Neiman Marcus, now labels its investment worthless. Brands have already halted shipments and...
By Glossy
News•Jan 15, 2026
NRF 2026: LVMH Puts "Quiet Tech" To Work
At NRF 2026, LVMH unveiled a "quiet tech" strategy that embeds digital tools into its luxury ecosystem without eclipsing the brand’s artisanal heritage. The approach leverages AI, RFID, and augmented‑reality to streamline inventory, enhance traceability, and enrich the client experience....
By Retail Technology (Magazine)
News•Jan 15, 2026
‘Temu Matches Amazon in Cross-Border Sales’
Temu, the international arm of China‑based PDD Holdings, has surged to a 24 percent share of cross‑border e‑commerce, matching Amazon according to the IPC’s 2025 shopper survey. The platform grew from a 1 percent share in 2022 to parity with Amazon in...
By Ecommerce News Europe
News•Jan 15, 2026
Marketplace Briefing: Inside the Marketplace Strategies of Target, Best Buy and Nordstrom
At NRF’s Big Show, executives from Target, Best Buy and Nordstrom detailed how their third‑party marketplaces have evolved into strategic growth engines. After years of investment, each retailer is using the marketplace to broaden product assortments, boost margins and enhance...
By Modern Retail
News•Jan 15, 2026
Uniqlo to Debut Stores in Miami, Add to Texas Footprint
Uniqlo will launch its first Miami stores this fall while entering Austin and adding a location at Houston’s Galleria, expanding its Texas presence that began in 2024. The new stores will showcase RFID‑enabled self‑checkout, on‑site alterations, RE.UNIQLO donation bins, and...
By Retail TouchPoints
News•Jan 15, 2026
EBay Makes International Shipping Easier for German Sellers
eBay has introduced SpeedPAK in Germany, a logistics service that provides customs‑cleared shipping with duties prepaid, simplifying cross‑border sales for German merchants. The offering, built with logistics partner Orange Connex, integrates directly into eBay’s platform, allowing sellers to purchase labels...
By Ecommerce News Europe
News•Jan 15, 2026
45% of Peak Returns Were Paid For: Why Retailers Are Redrawing the Lines
During the 2025 peak season, 45% of returns were paid for, rising to 69% among smaller retailers, according to ZigZag data. The cost of processing these returns hit roughly £1.5 billion, with each return consuming 20%‑65% of the item’s value. Retailers...
By InternetRetailing
News•Jan 15, 2026
Beauty and Fashion in 2025: What Really Mattered and What Will Shape 2026
After a turbulent 2025, beauty and fashion brands discovered that consumers now prioritize authenticity over polished perfection. Data from Mention Me shows micro‑influencer content generates 60% more engagement, while imperfect and upcycled aesthetics drive higher loyalty. The shift signals a...
By Retail TouchPoints
News•Jan 15, 2026
How SharkNinja Creates Products Consumers Love — Really Love
SharkNinja turns roughly 70 product ideas into 25 market launches each year, leveraging deep ethnographic research and up to 200 design revisions per item. The company outpaces the small‑appliance sector with a 20% CAGR, generating $3 billion in revenue across price...
By Retail TouchPoints
News•Jan 15, 2026
Lawmakers Eye Dynamic Ecommerce Pricing
U.S. lawmakers are intensifying scrutiny of AI‑driven dynamic pricing, highlighted by Senator Chuck Schumer’s criticism of Instacart’s 2025 experiment that showed up to 23% price variation on grocery items. In Tennessee, House Bill 1468 would outlaw personalized algorithmic pricing by...
By Practical Ecommerce
News•Jan 15, 2026
WhatsApp Loyalty Programmes: The Future of Modern Retail
WhatsApp loyalty programmes are rapidly replacing traditional point‑based schemes as retailers tap into the platform’s 90% UK adult penetration and near‑instant open rates. By embedding rewards directly in a channel customers already use, retailers eliminate the friction of separate apps...
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Jan 15, 2026
THG Ends 2025 on a High as Subscriptions Drive Loyalty and Beauty Outperformance
THG closed 2025 with its strongest quarter, posting a 7.0% Q4 revenue rise and returning to full‑year growth of 2.3% for the first time since 2021. The boost came from a subscriptions‑led model that deepened loyalty across its Beauty and...
By InternetRetailing
News•Jan 15, 2026
Dunelm Reveals Subdued Second Quarter Trading
Dunelm reported a modest 1.6% rise in second‑quarter sales to £498 million, taking first‑half growth to 3.6% at £926 million. The retailer now expects full‑year pre‑tax profit to sit at the lower end of analysts’ forecasts, with first‑half profit projected around £112‑£114 million....
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Jan 15, 2026
Very Group Reports ‘Resilient’ Christmas
The Very Group posted a "resilient" holiday season, with Very brand sales rising 1.9% over the six weeks to 27 December. Strong demand drove double‑digit growth in home (7.9%) and toys and beauty (6.4%). Black Friday saw a record 209,000 items...
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Jan 15, 2026
2026 Beauty M&A Predictions with Industry Vet Kimber Maderazzo
The beauty sector experienced a resurgence in M&A activity in 2025, highlighted by three transactions exceeding $1 billion each—e.l.f. Beauty’s acquisition of Rhode, Unilever’s purchase of Dr. Squatch, and L’Oréal’s buy of Medik‑8. Industry veteran Kimber Maderazzo says 2026 will shift focus...
By Glossy
News•Jan 15, 2026
After Rapid Growth, Thirdlove Expands Its Menopause-Focused Line to Activewear
Thirdlove is extending its TempSync line into activewear, debuting a $78 active bra and $88 leggings that use thermoregulating particles. The TempSync franchise generated $1 million in sales within six weeks of its T‑shirt bra launch, prompting the brand to broaden...
By Glossy
![[Interview] Building for Where Retail Is Going? Sreeraman MG, Co-Founder Fynd](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://www.theretailbulletin.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/SMG-2.png)
News•Jan 15, 2026
[Interview] Building for Where Retail Is Going? Sreeraman MG, Co-Founder Fynd
Co‑founder Sreeraman MG outlines Fynd’s 2026 UK launch, positioning its AI‑native commerce layer as a plug‑in solution for mid‑market and enterprise retailers. The company will target fashion, beauty and grocery categories, tackling two core UK pain points: trustworthy cross‑channel attribution and...
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Jan 15, 2026
China’s JNBY Group Is Making a Case for Faux Fur, as the Real Thing Falls Out of Fashion
China’s JNBY Group introduced a plant‑based faux‑fur vest for its Croquis menswear line, marking the first large‑scale retail rollout of BioFluff’s Savian material. The collaboration leverages JNBY’s vertically integrated network of over 2,100 stores, allowing the eco‑fur product to reach...
By Glossy
News•Jan 15, 2026
Coat Paints Adds AI Feature
Paint brand Coat Paints has unveiled a new AI-powered colour visualiser
By Retail Technology (Magazine)
News•Jan 14, 2026
Building an Integrated Marketing Plan Across All Online and Offline Channels: When 1 + 1 + 1 = 3 (and...
The article argues that retailers must replace siloed marketing efforts with an integrated omnichannel plan that treats digital and offline touchpoints as a single customer journey. It highlights the pitfalls of double‑counting conversions and the need for centralized reporting, consistent...
By Total Retail
News•Jan 14, 2026
Levi’s Launches ‘Wear Longer Project’ to Teach Basic Clothing Repair Skills
Levi Strauss & Co. has launched the Wear Longer Project, a free, hands‑on clothing‑repair curriculum for high‑school students in partnership with Discovery Education. The pilot begins in San Francisco’s Eureka Lab and will expand through 2026, with employee volunteers delivering...
By Retail TouchPoints
News•Jan 14, 2026
E-Commerce Orders Surged in 2025, Dominated by Top-Performing Brands
U.S. e‑commerce orders surged 147 percent in 2025, marking the strongest annual growth in recent years. While overall traffic declined, average order values rose, rewarding brands that responded quickly with faster fulfillment and personalized experiences. The acceleration was driven by widespread...
By E-Commerce Times
News•Jan 14, 2026
Nearly Half of Consumers Would Choose Dental Visit than Wait a Week for Refund
TodayPay’s survey of 14,000 U.S. shoppers finds 44% would rather schedule a dental appointment than wait a week for a refund. An overwhelming 94% say an instant‑refund guarantee makes them more likely to complete a purchase, while 92% would shop...
By Retail Customer Experience
News•Jan 14, 2026
N Brown Group Appoints Natalie Rogers as Chief Operating Officer
N Brown Group has created a chief operating officer position and appointed Natalie Rogers, who has served as chief people and sustainability officer since 2024, to fill it. Rogers previously led people functions at Moonpig and Unum UK. The new role is...
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Jan 14, 2026
Conversation with… People in Retail Awards Judge Shane Ashby-Roche
Shane Ashby‑Roche, Head of Organisational Development and Culture at The White Company, returns as a judge for the 2026 People in Retail Awards. He reflects on a decade of L&D experience, including a two‑year IBM secondment, and how his role...
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Jan 14, 2026
Mulberry Grows Festive Sales as New Strategy Gains Traction
Mulberry reported a 5.1% rise in third‑quarter total sales and an 11% increase in like‑for‑like sales, driven by a 19% jump in full‑price transactions. The luxury brand saw growth across all regions, with the US up 12.7% and Europe up...
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Jan 14, 2026
ProCook Hails Strong Peak Season Trading
ProCook reported a 28% jump in total revenue to £32.8 million for the 12‑week period ending 4 January, driven by a 30% surge in e‑commerce and a 26.8% rise in retail sales. Like‑for‑like revenue grew 17.2% in Q3, marking the tenth consecutive...
By The Retail Bulletin
News•Jan 14, 2026
As Professional Hair Care Grows in US Retail and E-Commerce, Davines Bets on Old-School Salons
Davines Group defied a declining U.S. salon‑product market, posting a 42% increase in professional hair‑care sales through salons from 2019 to 2024 and surpassing $350 million in revenue in 2025. While overall salon sales fell 3% in the first half of...
By Glossy