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 a suite of pet‑focused travel perks, including branded swag, lounge treats, loaner carriers, in‑flight snacks, relief stations, and two Petco‑branded aircraft. Both initiatives aim to deepen pet‑owner loyalty by extending services beyond traditional retail. The moves reflect a broader industry shift toward integrated, experience‑driven pet care and travel solutions.
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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....
‘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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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....
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...
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...
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...
![[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)
[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...
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...
Coat Paints Adds AI Feature
Paint brand Coat Paints has unveiled a new AI-powered colour visualiser
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
Wellness Briefing: The Collabs and Campaigns Winning ‘New Year, New You’ Marketing, Plus News
The wellness sector’s January push centers on high‑impact "new year, new you" collaborations, notably fast‑casual restaurant tie‑ins and the quirky "Quitters’ Day" anti‑resolution campaign. Brands are leveraging these seasonal moments to capture early‑year consumer spend and differentiate in a crowded...
Always-On Retail: How MVNOs Are Solving the Multi-Location Connectivity Challenge
Retailers face costly network outages, with Gartner estimating $5,600 lost per minute, and 81% experiencing POS downtime annually. Traditional wired broadband can take weeks to install, delaying store openings and offering limited redundancy. Full‑service Mobile Virtual Network Operators (MVNOs) like...
The Perfume Shop Reports Strong Festive Performance
The Perfume Shop posted a robust festive season, with perfume bottle sales climbing 6% year‑on‑year. Between 30 November and 24 December customers purchased over 1.58 million bottles, averaging more than 63 000 per day. December sales rose 1.6%, led by Dior Sauvage, Carolina Herrera Good Girl and Chanel Coco Mademoiselle,...
Sofa Club Hires Paul Brennan as Managing Director
Sofa Club has appointed former Marc Jacobs executive Paul Brennan as its managing director. Brennan, who previously held senior roles at Yoox Net‑A‑Porter, Browns, John Lewis and most recently JW Anderson, will lead the brand’s UK expansion. The hire aligns...
Sosandar Boosted by Surge in Ecommerce Sales
Sosandar’s revenue rose 10% to £13.4 million in Q3, driven by a strong ecommerce surge. Online sales jumped 27% thanks to higher site traffic, better conversion rates, and larger order volumes. Brick‑and‑mortar stores also outperformed the prior year. CEOs say the...
Tools for Fast Search-Query Analysis
Ann Smarty highlights three Chrome extensions that streamline Google Search Console query analysis. Query Scout overlays page‑level query data and offers a $29 upgrade with pre‑built intent filters. Find Real Prompts extracts longer, AI‑style queries and can feed them to ChatGPT for...
The 1% Advantage: How Store Layouts Quietly Decide Who Wins in Retail
Retail store layouts can silently erode sales by confusing shoppers, a problem now quantifiable with in‑store analytics. Misplaced product adjacencies can shave up to 30% of traffic, while clear sightlines and logical groupings boost dwell time and basket size. Target’s...
How Inviting Consumers to ‘Ask Ralph’ Deepens Their Connection to the Ralph Lauren Brand
Ralph Lauren unveiled "Ask Ralph," an AI‑driven styling assistant now live on the Polo brand’s mobile app, built with Microsoft Azure AI and Copilot Studio. The agent taps real‑time inventory to deliver personalized outfit recommendations that echo the company’s timeless...