Saks Global’s eCommerce Units Gets Permission to Hire Liquidator Amid Bankruptcy
Saks Global’s eCommerce arm, Saks OFF 5th Digital, received court approval to hire a liquidator and sell its remaining inventory while the parent company remains in Chapter 11. The liquidation order applies only to the online unit; the company’s brick‑and‑mortar locations—including Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Bergdorf Goodman and Saks OFF 5th—will stay open. Saks Global declared bankruptcy on Jan. 14 after amassing significant debt but secured a $1.75 billion financing package, with an initial $500 million tranche already drawn. New CEO Geoffrey van Raemdonck is steering a restructuring that balances debt relief, supplier negotiations, and brand continuity.
21st Century HealthCare Launches Direct-to-Consumer Ecommerce
21st Century HealthCare Inc., a veteran vitamin and supplement manufacturer, has opened its first direct‑to‑consumer ecommerce store built on Shopify Plus by web agency Fyresite. The new site offers the full product line, subscription ordering, bundled offers and mobile checkout,...
TikTok Deal Finalised: U.S. Joint Venture Secures App’s Future Amid Security Concerns
ByteDance has finalized a U.S. joint venture that transfers TikTok’s American operations to a partnership with domestic investors. The arrangement places all user data on U.S. servers and gives U.S. regulators oversight, addressing longstanding security concerns. ByteDance will retain a...
Brunello Cucinelli Launches a New AI-Powered Ecommerce Site
Brunello Cucinelli unveiled Callimacus, an AI‑powered ecommerce site built on its in‑house Solomeo platform. The site lets shoppers enter natural‑language prompts, delivering real‑time, personalized product recommendations that echo the brand’s boutique experience. Executives say the technology will bolster both brand...
With More Institutions on Board, FedNow Notches Volume and Value Gains
The episode highlights FedNow’s rapid expansion to 1,600 participating institutions, driving a 460% YoY rise in daily transactions to nearly 30,000 and a total transaction value of $853.4 billion, with average payments soaring to $101,435. It contrasts FedNow’s broader network reach...
Target Adds Former Nike Innovation Chief to Board
Target announced that former Nike chief innovation officer John Hoke will join its board in March, while ex‑HanesBrands CEO Steve Bratspies will come aboard in April. Both will serve on key committees—Hoke on governance, sustainability, compensation and human‑capital, Bratspies on audit,...
The Weekly Closeout: Reebok Teams with Karol G and Will January Storms Ice Out Retail Sales?
Reebok announced a multiyear partnership with Grammy‑winning Colombian star Karol G, naming her a global brand ambassador and co‑designer for upcoming Classics‑inspired footwear and apparel. Hasbro bolstered its board with former Nintendo of America president and COO Doug Bowser and...
Caleres Taps Interim CFO; Details Saks Bankruptcy Impact
Caleres named its chief accounting officer, Daniel Karpel, as interim CFO after Jack Calandra resigned effective Jan. 15 and will leave by Jan. 30. The company launched an external search for a permanent finance chief. Caleres also revised its Q4 guidance, flagging...
Ulta Continues Middle East Expansion with UAE Debut
Ulta Beauty is debuting in the United Arab Emirates with a flagship store at Mall of the Emirates on Jan. 29, marking its first UAE location. The expansion is executed through a franchise partnership with Alshaya Group, which also oversees Ulta’s...
Affirm Seeks Nevada Bank Charter
Affirm Holdings has filed applications with Nevada’s Financial Institutions Division and the FDIC to obtain a state charter for an industrial loan company, dubbed "Affirm Bank." The move aims to expand its buy‑now‑pay‑later (BNPL) offerings and diversify beyond merchant‑only financing....
Verifone Tackles Identity Challenge
Verifone is tackling the biggest friction in omnichannel commerce—consumer identity—by unifying identification, loyalty and payment into a single transaction flow. The company highlights that while digital shoppers can be recognized with cookies and device fingerprints, in‑store shoppers remain anonymous until...
Iceland Bolsters Retail Media with ‘UK First’ Sensor Technology
Iceland Foods has partnered with Stratacache to roll out Walkbase sensor technology across its 766‑store retail media network, making it the first European retailer to use camera‑free, privacy‑safe audience measurement. The sensor solution will provide real‑time, closed‑loop attribution for in‑store...
M&A Advisor on Ecommerce Valuations
Frank Kosarek, co‑founder of BizPort, explains that ecommerce valuations now hinge on seller discretionary earnings (SDE) rather than top‑line revenue, with multiples typically 2×–2.5× and up to 5× for subscription‑heavy brands. He notes that buyers prefer companies generating recurring sales,...
HiStone Refreshes Flagship Portfolio
HiStone unveiled a refreshed flagship POS portfolio at NRF 2026, featuring five models powered by Intel’s 12th‑ and 13th‑Gen Core processors. The new devices—HK568A, HK578A, HK600A, HS330A and HK968A—offer clock speeds up to 4.6 GHz, expanded Smart Cache, DDR4 memory and PCIe Gen 4...
Banks Without Invoicing Services Are Missing a Small Business Opportunity
The episode highlights how small businesses now view invoicing as a core part of their payments experience and why banks are uniquely positioned to capture this market. Ian Benton explains that effective invoicing tools—ranging from simple payment requests linked to...
Hike in Retail Sales in November: Statistics Canada
Canada's retail sales grew 1.3% in November, reaching $70.4 billion, with core sales up 1.6% after two months of decline. Food and beverage stores led the rebound, posting a 3.0% increase, driven by a 14.3% surge in beer, wine and liquor...
Amaze Announces Expanded Partnership with Contend to Scale the Next Generation of Creator-Led Commerce
Amaze Holdings announced an expanded strategic partnership with Contend, elevating the studio from advisor to fully integrated partner. The collaboration will combine Contend’s storytelling expertise with Amaze’s global commerce platform to deliver end‑to‑end creator‑led product launches. Throughout 2026 the duo...
Canadian Holiday Shoppers Getting Savvier: NerdWallet
NerdWallet Canada’s Harris Poll reveals that 2025 holiday shoppers spent an average of $828 on gifts, $120 more than the $708 they expected in October. Only 7% attribute the overspend to poor planning, while 43% point to inflation as the primary...
OnePay Integrates Rakuten Card-Linked Offers to Make Rewards Easier and More Valuable
OnePay, the Walmart‑backed fintech, has teamed up with Rakuten’s Card‑Linked Offer Network to embed merchant cashback offers directly within its app. The integration delivers automatic, card‑linked rewards at the point of sale, eliminating the need for coupons or manual redemption....
UK to Spend £1 Billion on Influencers, but 59% Can’t See a ROI
The UK is on track to spend more than £1 billion on influencer marketing by 2029, yet 59% of marketers say proving return on investment remains a major hurdle. Consumer trust is eroding, with authenticity, product use and clear sponsorship disclosure...
How to Sell It Well: Expert Tips for Mid‑Winter Success
eBay released a mid‑winter selling guide to help sellers boost listings during January’s slow period. The guide highlights AI‑driven photo listings, detailed item specifics, seasonal product focus, optimized titles, and pricing research. It also advises on choosing the right sale...
King’s Cross Reports Sales Growth Driven by Coal Drops Yard Retailers
London’s King’s Cross retail district posted double‑digit sales growth in 2024. Coal Drops Yard recorded a 20% year‑on‑year increase, while the wider estate saw total sales rise 13.5%, driven by a 16% jump in retail and a 10% lift in...
Gr4vy and Ecommpay Partner to Simplify Global Payments Through Single Integration
Fintech platforms Gr4vy and Ecommpay announced a partnership that delivers a single‑integration solution for global payments. The joint offering merges Gr4vy’s payment orchestration layer with Ecommpay’s extensive acquiring network, giving merchants access to over 200 payment methods in more than...
Retail Brand Monitoring: Protect Your Reputation
Retailers face instant brand reputation shifts as social media amplifies reviews, influencer posts, and viral content. Distinguishing brand monitoring (mention tracking) from reputation monitoring (sentiment and impact analysis) is essential for omnichannel consistency, product refinement, and crisis prevention. The article...
Exclusive: The Nue Co. Brings Its Functional Fragrances to Ulta Beauty
The Nue Co., a wellness brand known for functional fragrances, is launching its scent line at Ulta Beauty, expanding to 1,100 stores by April. The partnership introduces exclusive discovery kits, travel‑size 10 ml bottles, and full‑size options within Ulta’s new wellness‑focused...
Top Reasons Why Fintech Companies Struggle to Succeed in the Competitive Digital Landscape
Fintech firms face mounting obstacles that impede growth in an increasingly crowded digital arena. Tight regulatory regimes, persistent cash‑flow constraints for SME clients, and fierce competition for talent and technology stack integration are among the primary culprits. Recent moves—Qonto’s credit‑card...
Gen X Spending Patterns Are Shifting as Costs Rise
Gen X, the 46‑61 age cohort, remains the highest‑spending group, averaging $96,941 in 2024. Rising inflation and living costs have forced 67% to trim grocery budgets and 52% to postpone major purchases such as cars or furniture. Financial strain is...
Eight in 10 Small Businesses Want Credit and on Their Terms
A PYMNTS Intelligence survey of 514 U.S. small‑to‑medium business leaders shows that 83% are confident they will be approved for a new business credit card, shifting the market focus from basic access to product flexibility. More than half of card...
Razorpay Secures RBI PA-P Licence, Expanding Fully Regulated In-Store Payments Across India
Razorpay has been granted the Reserve Bank of India’s Payment Aggregator‑Physical (PA‑P) licence, allowing its point‑of‑sale solution to function as a fully regulated aggregator for in‑store transactions. The approval comes as physical retail remains the dominant purchase channel in India,...
Waterstones Enjoys Healthy Sales Both In-Store and Online
Waterstones reported a 7% sales increase to £565.6 million for the 53 weeks ending 3 May 2025, with like‑for‑like sales up 5%. Growth was broad‑based across regions and channels, driven by strong fiction titles and higher demand for stationery and children’s educational toys....
Luxury Briefing: Inside Burberry’s Outerwear-Led Recovery
Burberry’s latest fiscal third‑quarter results show a clear rebound driven primarily by outerwear sales, rather than a sweeping brand reinvention. After years of repositioning under the Burberry Forward framework, the company shifted focus from scarves—used to boost store traffic—to high‑margin...
Fabletics Is Turning Its Stores Into Membership Growth Hubs
Fabletics is repurposing its 120‑store footprint as a primary engine for VIP membership acquisition, with roughly half of in‑store shoppers signing up. The VIP program now accounts for more than 95% of the brand’s revenue, supporting a $1 billion revenue milestone...
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...
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...