How First Thing Built a Defensible Position in a Noisy Market
First Thing, an Australian intimates brand founded by Georgia Gazal, has carved a defensible niche by focusing on comfort‑first, everyday wear rather than high‑glamour marketing. Its flagship strapless bra, sold out six times and purchased every 34 minutes, solves long‑standing pain points with a padding‑free, weight‑distributed design. The company leverages a high‑frequency Instagram Reel strategy that showcases real‑customer reviews, turning social proof into a growth engine. While remaining primarily direct‑to‑consumer, First Thing is preparing pop‑up experiences to blend online convenience with tactile trust.
Amazon to Cut 14,000 Corporate Jobs in Second Round of Layoffs
Amazon announced a second round of corporate layoffs, targeting roughly 14,000 employees as early as Jan. 27. This follows an initial cut of 14,000 staff in October and brings the total planned reductions to 30,000, about 10% of its corporate...
Affirm and Esusu to Launch Flexible Payment Option for Renters
Affirm and fintech platform Esusu are piloting a rent‑payment option that splits monthly rent into two interest‑free installments with no late fees. The service will be available to Esusu members, adding to the recently launched Esusu Pay tool. Esusu’s platform...
Guzman Y Gomez Sides with Uber Eats as Exclusive Delivery Partner
Guzman Y Gomez (GYG) has signed a multi‑year exclusive agreement with Uber Eats, making the platform the sole delivery channel for its Australian outlets from February 22. The deal includes joint investment aimed at enhancing value, choice and convenience for...
Why Sa Sa’s Recovery Is Not a Return to the Old Tourist Retail Model
Sa Sa International posted a 12.5% rise in quarterly turnover to HK$1.16 billion, driven by both brick‑and‑mortar and online channels. Offline sales in Hong Kong and Macau grew 11.8% year‑on‑year, with same‑store sales up 14.7%, while average transaction value rose 9.4%....
Amazon Upgrades RFID Lanes
Amazon announced a next‑generation RFID lane system that is fully portable and can be installed in a matter of hours rather than weeks. The new lanes retain the high‑accuracy scanning capabilities of earlier models while shedding the need for permanent...
Temu Challenges Amazon’s Cross-Border Ecommerce Market Share in 2025
Temu captured roughly 24% of cross‑border ecommerce sales in 2025, matching Amazon as the leading seller in that segment. The surge follows a sub‑1% share in 2022 and a high‑profile Super Bowl campaign in early 2023. IPC data shows shoppers...
Ecommerce Trends: Why AI Choices, Charges and Friction All Matter for Returns
The FedEx‑Morning Consult 2025 holiday‑season survey shows online retailers expect higher return volumes in 2026, with 40% of merchants now charging return fees—a jump from 25% in 2024, especially among small businesses. Consumers are sensitive to these fees; 59% say...
EBay Bans Illicit Automated Shopping Amid Rapid Rise of AI Agents
eBay has revised its User Agreement to expressly forbid third‑party “buy‑for‑me” agents and large‑language‑model (LLM) chatbots from placing orders on its platform without explicit permission. The new clause, effective February 20 2026, expands the previous ban on generic bots to specifically target...
Procter & Gamble Says Data and Technology Will Support Company’s Reinvention
Procter & Gamble’s new CEO Shailesh Jejurikar announced that data and technology will underpin the company’s near‑term performance boost and long‑term reinvention. The latest quarter showed flat organic sales overall, with beauty up 4% and health care up 3, while grooming,...
Dr. Phone Fix Expands to 44 Stores After Rapid Late-2025 Growth, Reports Higher Same-Store Revenue
Dr. Phone Fix Canada Corp. expanded its retail footprint from 35 to 44 stores by the end of 2025, a 26% increase driven by acquisitions and organic openings. The company reported same‑store revenue growth, with average annualized sales climbing to...
Nordstrom to Move Downtown Seattle Rack Store to Historic Building
Nordstrom is relocating its downtown Seattle Rack store to a nearby historic building, creating a 39,000‑square‑foot off‑price space that will open in spring 2027. The move highlights Rack’s role as a growth engine within Nordstrom’s broader strategy, contrasting with rivals that...
CEOs Know AI Is Important. But What Should They Do with It?
A Virtuous AI and Chief Executive Group survey of over 300 mid‑market CEOs shows 98.5% believe AI adds value, yet only 7% have a company‑wide AI strategy. More than half are still in pilot phases and a third have merely explored...
Store Openings Slowed in 2025
Retail store openings stalled in fiscal 2025, expanding only 0.7% year‑over‑year, according to Telsey Advisory Group. The slowdown follows tighter capital‑expenditure plans and macro‑economic uncertainty. Forecasts show a rebound in 2026 with net openings rising 1.4%, driven by beauty, off‑price...
Safeguarding Autonomous AI Agents: Accertify’s Conrad Kennington Discusses Issues, Opportunities
Accertify’s AI chief Conrad Kennington warns that autonomous shopping agents erode traditional fraud signals, creating new vulnerabilities. As agents automate purchases, token‑based transactions strip away behavioral context, making fraud detection harder. Kennington stresses the need for fresh data points, device...
TikTok Offers European Fulfillment for Asian Sellers
TikTok is extending its Fulfilled by TikTok service to Europe, offering Asian merchants warehousing, order fulfillment and returns through facilities in Germany, France, Italy and Spain. The move positions TikTok not only as a marketplace but also as a logistics...
Francesca’s Reportedly Prepping to Shut Down Stores, Liquidate Inventory
Francesca’s, the women’s specialty retailer, is preparing to shut down operations and liquidate its inventory, with liquidation slated to begin on Jan. 16, 2026. The move follows abrupt staff layoffs announced without warning, as confirmed by former buyers and a customer‑service...
Popular European Resale Platform Vinted Makes U.S. Debut
European resale platform Vinted, founded in 2008, is launching in the United States with an initial rollout in New York. The company posted €813.4 million in revenue for 2024, a 36% increase year‑over‑year, and aims to reach €1 billion in 2025. Unlike...
Tesco Trials Crime Reporting Platform
Tesco will pilot the Auror crime‑reporting platform in 40 stores across Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire for a ten‑week trial starting 26 January. The system centralises incident data, enabling faster reporting, case management and police collaboration while trained staff review CCTV footage for...
Why Shift4 Targets Big Merchants
Shift4 Payments is deliberately courting large, multi‑location merchants and venues because they face fewer payment‑processor alternatives. CEO Taylor Lauber highlighted the appeal of complex software environments, citing the New York Yankees, Hilton Worldwide, and Caesar’s Entertainment as prime examples. The...
What’s up with Department Stores?
Department store closures are accelerating, with Saks Global filing bankruptcy and Macy’s planning to shutter 150 locations by 2026. Green Street reports rising mall anchor vacancies, linking the department‑store decline to 175 mall closures over the past 15 years. Despite...
Zellers Sets Sights on National Expansion After Edmonton Debut
Zellers reopened its first new standalone store in Edmonton’s Londonderry Mall in October 2025, marking the launch of a privately‑owned, smaller‑format “Zellers 3.0” concept. The store quickly outperformed traffic and sales expectations, validating a value‑driven department‑store model that blends core apparel and home...
Should Banks Compete in the Credit Builder Card Market?
The episode examines the rise of fintech‑driven credit‑builder cards, which let users fund a demand‑deposit account instead of a traditional secured‑card deposit, and compares this model to legacy secured cards. Brian Riley explains that while fintechs can reach a large,...
5 Lessons the Fashion Industry Can Take From the CSRD
The EU’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) is prompting fashion brands to overhaul ESG reporting, emphasizing supply‑chain traceability, dual materiality, and audit‑level assurance. Europe’s experience shows that rigorous, transparent disclosures not only satisfy regulators but also improve access to capital...
How Gymshark and Good American Found Success by Bucking the Norm
Good American shattered the fashion myth that size dictates choice by expanding from plus‑size to petite offerings, creating a loyal, inclusive customer base. Gymshark, meanwhile, doubled down on its core lifting apparel, generating roughly $1 billion in sales while limiting brick‑and‑mortar...
The Most Expensive Parts and Accessories Sold on eBay UK in 2025
eBay UK disclosed its 2025 most expensive vehicle parts, with an original aluminium Jaguar E‑Type bonnet leading at £18,564. The second‑most costly item was a complete Ford Transit Custom front end (£17,180), followed closely by a BMW M5 4.4‑litre V8...
OnePay Partners Klarna to Let Shoppers Turn Debit Card Purchases Into BNPL Loans
Walmart‑backed fintech OnePay has announced a partnership with Klarna to embed buy‑now‑pay‑later (BNPL) functionality directly into debit card transactions. The new service lets shoppers convert completed purchases into instalment loans, effectively offering retroactive financing. By leveraging Klarna’s established BNPL platform,...
Why Demand Gen Works Best Alongside Performance Max for Ecommerce
Google’s Demand Gen campaign type has matured into a powerful visual advertising solution for ecommerce, offering granular audience and placement control across YouTube, Discover, Gmail, and Shorts. When paired with Performance Max, which excels at automated, conversion‑driven scaling, advertisers can...
Shopify Shares More Details On Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) via @Sejournal, @Martinibuster
Shopify unveiled its open‑source Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP), co‑developed with Google, to enable agentic AI shopping that surfaces products based on personalized recommendations. The new Agentic plan lets non‑Shopify merchants upload product data to Shopify’s infrastructure, granting AI agents access...
Fruugo Update on EU Tax and Duty Changes for Low Value Consignments
Fruugo has warned sellers that the EU will eliminate the €150 low‑value parcel exemption, introducing a fixed handling fee and a €3 customs duty as interim measures before the 2028 threshold removal. Italy and Romania are already applying national handling...
Morrisons Travel Launches in Partnership with Expedia
Morrisons has introduced Morrisons Travel, a new travel‑booking platform built with Expedia Group and accessible via Morrisons.com and the More app. The service lets shoppers reserve hotels, flights, car hire and activities while earning 10 More Points for every £1...
Birdzi Launches Journey for Grocers, Retailers Aiming to Drive Personalization
Birdzi introduced Journey, a platform that lets grocers and retailers push real‑time, behavior‑driven offers to shoppers. The solution fuses retailer shopper data with Birdzi’s personalization engine, automating promotion delivery and enabling rapid implementation. It also opens a data‑sharing channel for...
The Art of Retail Storytelling: Elevating Hospitality Through Meaningful Experiences
Retail storytelling is reshaping hospitality by turning spaces and services into emotionally resonant experiences. A cohesive brand narrative—anchored in a clear point of view, reinforced through design, and subtly supported by technology—creates lasting guest memories and drives repeat visits. The...
3PR Revolutionizes Digital PR for Ecommerce Stores With New AI-Led Visibility Deliverables
Digital PR agency 3PR has launched an upgraded service aimed at ecommerce brands, integrating AI-driven visibility tactics into its productized campaigns. The new offering adds features to enhance search engine rankings, secure high-authority media placements, and improve conversion rates on...
Vahdam Teas Partners with 3PL for UK Multi-Channel Fulfilment
Vahdam Teas has teamed with UK third‑party logistics provider 3PL to run its B2B multi‑channel fulfilment operation across the United Kingdom. The partnership enables the tea brand to meet strict retailer requirements for Amazon, Costco, Holland & Barrett and others...
Primark Owner Confirms Lowered Outlook and Festive Revenue Fall
Associated British Foods (ABF) confirmed a softened outlook for Primark, reporting a 2.7% like‑for‑like revenue decline over the 16 weeks to 3 January. European sales fell 5.7%, while the UK market posted a modest 1.7% increase and combined UK‑Ireland sales rose...
The Works Posts Improved Interim Performance
The Works reported a modest 0.3% rise in like‑for‑like sales for the 26 weeks to 2 November 2025, driven by a 4% surge in store sales that outpaced the broader UK non‑food market. Total revenue slipped 0.3% to £123.8 m, while e‑commerce...
Financial Stress Drives a 17-Point Jump in Digital Wallet Use
A PYMNTS Intelligence survey of 2,108 U.S. adults shows financial stress is driving a sharp rise in digital‑wallet usage. High‑stress consumers were more than twice as likely to use a wallet for their last retail purchase (28% vs. 11%) and...
B&M Issues Profit Warning
B&M reported a 2.9% rise in third‑quarter group revenue but issued a profit warning as near‑term earnings are pressured by strategic investments. UK revenue grew 1.9% while like‑for‑like sales slipped 0.6%, whereas the French operation posted 8.5% total revenue growth...
B&Q to Launch New Trade-Exclusive Store Concept for TradePoint
B&Q will launch its first standalone TradePoint store in Barking next month, targeting trade professionals with a dedicated retail experience. The new concept complements B&Q’s ambition to grow TradePoint into a £1 billion business, after the segment posted a 6.9% sales...
Netrush Selects IQRush as Strategic Partner to Power AI-Driven Discovery Across the Customer Journey
AI-driven answer engines are reshaping the early stages of the customer journey, prompting brands to seek visibility into how these systems represent them. Netrush, an ecommerce growth agency, announced a strategic partnership with IQRush, a Generative Search Optimization and Answer...
IAB Europe Updates Commerce and Retail Media Standards and Flexi Ad Sizes Guidelines to Bring Even More Consistent Measurement
IAB Europe has released two new resources – the Commerce (Incl. Retail) Media Measurement Standards V2 and Flexi Ad Sizes Guidelines – to bring greater consistency to retail media across Europe. The updated standards incorporate extensive stakeholder feedback, a refined...
Back to School Spending Set to Rise – with Smaller Pool of Shoppers
Australian Retailers Association data shows back‑to‑school spending will rise to $2.9 billion, up $200 million from last year, driven by a 9.1 % increase in average spend per shopper. However, only 21 % of adults – about 4.5 million people – plan to shop, down...
Merry Hill Hails ‘Record’ Performance in 2025
Merry Hill reported a record 2025 performance, with sales up 4.3% and footfall rising 5% year‑on‑year. The growth was driven by a £20 million asset‑management‑focused investment programme that added a 100,000‑sq‑ft M&S flagship and attracted new international retailers such as Apple...
Aerie Launches Largest Collaboration yet, Focused on ‘Remixed Vintage’ and Styling Inspiration
Aerie unveiled its biggest collaboration yet, a 64‑piece “Emily + Meritt” capsule that embodies a “remixed vintage” aesthetic. The collection, priced between $18 and $88, spans intimates, sleepwear, loungewear and accessories and is available online, select stores, and prominently at the SoHo...
Fashion Briefing: The US Economy in 2026 Could Be Just as Challenging for Fashion Brands as 2025
Fashion executives warn that the U.S. economic outlook for 2026 will be as tough as 2025, citing heightened geopolitical tension, unpredictable tariffs and the growing complexity of AI adoption. Recent market volatility, fueled by President Trump's rhetoric and new trade...
Ulta Beauty’s Laura Beres Talks the Company’s New Wellness Boutique Pilot
Ulta Beauty is rolling out a new shop‑in‑shop concept called Wellness by Ulta Beauty, a 475‑square‑foot boutique pilot launching next week in four U.S. stores. The boutique features an education‑focused wall, gondolas, end caps, and a sampling table staffed by...
What It Takes for Startups to Pull Off a Costco Launch
After a regional test in Southern California, beverage brand Hiyo raced to launch in 400 Costco stores across 47 states within six weeks. The company produced an exclusive 18‑can variety pack, prepared over 1,000 pallets, and secured a national shelf...
Sam’s Club Aims to Make Free Samples More Measurable Using Kiosks, Tablets
Sam’s Club is integrating Freeosk’s free‑sample kiosks into its Member Access Program, rebranding the machines and managing sales opportunities in‑house. The retailer treats the kiosks as a retail‑media asset, linking sampling data to its broader advertising ecosystem. New interactive tablets...
Canadian Retail News From Around The Web For January 22, 2026
JLL projects that 65% of former Hudson’s Bay retail space in Canada will be leased within two years, driven by multi‑tenant strategies. Ontario’s new job‑posting regulations introduce mandatory pay transparency, AI disclosure and hiring follow‑up, reshaping retail employment practices. Brands...