Walmart Mexico Expands ESL Partnership
Walmart de México y Centroamérica announced an expansion of its electronic shelf label (ESL) partnership with AI‑digitisation specialist Vusion. The rollout will extend Vusion’s AI‑driven pricing and inventory modules to a larger share of Walmart’s Mexican store network. The collaboration builds on an earlier pilot that demonstrated real‑time price updates and stock visibility. Walmart expects the expanded ESL deployment to improve shelf efficiency and boost sales margins across its regional operations.
Puma to Launch AI Concierge
Puma announced it will introduce an AI‑powered store concierge focused on its running product range. The virtual assistant will guide shoppers, recommend items, and answer product queries in real time. Deployment is slated for Puma’s flagship locations beginning in 2027,...
WKD Appoints Social Media Partner
On March 23, 2026, UK‑based alcoholic beverage brand WKD announced the appointment of a new social‑media agency to overhaul its digital presence. The partnership is aimed at revitalising WKD’s content strategy, targeting younger consumers and expanding reach across TikTok, Instagram...
Retail Technology Show Reveals 2026 Innovation Awards Shortlist
The Retail Technology Show (RTS) announced the shortlist for its 2026 Innovation Awards, highlighting cutting‑edge solutions from Europe’s most progressive retailers and tech providers. The list features AI‑driven inventory platforms, sustainable packaging systems, and advanced omnichannel tools. By showcasing both...
Williams-Sonoma to Test ChatGPT Ads
Williams‑Sonoma, a digital‑first home furnishings retailer, has joined OpenAI’s Ad Pilot Program to test advertising placements within ChatGPT. The move makes the company one of the first to run ads in the AI chatbot environment. The pilot will allow Williams‑Sonoma...
Agentic Commerce Gets Operational Fast
Agentic commerce is moving from concept to operational reality as retailers adopt self‑improving AI agents. These agents continuously refine their decision‑making by ingesting sales, inventory, and customer interaction data. Simultaneously, product data governance frameworks are being deployed to keep catalog...
C&A Improves Inventory Visibility
Fashion retailer C&A has partnered with technology firm Nedap to launch its Inventory Engine, a platform that centralises real‑time stock information across stores and e‑commerce channels. The solution boosts inventory visibility, enabling more accurate omnichannel order fulfilment and faster replenishment...
Agentic AI Is About to Rewrite How We Shop
Agentic AI, autonomous shopping assistants, are poised to transform e‑commerce by handling product search, recommendation, and checkout. Checkout.com’s COO argues that consumer trust, data security, and transparent value will determine adoption more than raw technology. Early pilots show AI agents...
Sensors and Vision Enhance Store Performance
Retailers are aligning RFID‑adjacent IoT sensors with computer‑vision systems to create a unified, real‑time data layer by 2026. The combined technology provides machine‑readable truth that automates inventory tracking, shelf compliance, and shopper behavior analysis. Miya Knights notes that this convergence...
Coty Gets AI Makeover
Cosmetics giant Coty announced a strategic partnership with OpenAI to embed advanced artificial intelligence across its worldwide operations. The collaboration will deploy custom language models and generative AI tools to accelerate product development, marketing, and consumer insight generation. Coty plans...
Amazon Breaks Speed Limit
Amazon announced that its UK Prime service delivered over 1.6 billion items same‑day or next‑day in 2025, the fastest pace in its history. The milestone reflects a 22% increase over 2024 and underscores the company’s expanded fulfillment footprint across the country....
Toshiba Global Commerce Announces Retail IT Partner
Toshiba Global Commerce has awarded Smart CT a contract to deliver IT maintenance and support for 32 major UK high‑street retailers. The partnership covers hardware, software, and network services across the retailers' point‑of‑sale and back‑office systems. Smart CT will manage...
The Vitamin Shoppe Adds AI Advisor
The Vitamin Shoppe launched its first Innovation Store featuring an AI‑powered advisor that guides shoppers through supplement selection. The digital assistant draws on a proprietary knowledge base and real‑time inventory data to deliver personalized recommendations. Integrated with the retailer’s loyalty...
Gumtree Secures Onboarding for Growth
Gumtree announced a strategic onboarding partnership aimed at accelerating its entry into the home‑services market. The collaboration introduces automated verification, streamlined listing creation, and promotional placement tools for service providers. Gumtree projects a 30% increase in home‑services listings within the...
Shoppers Still Wary of AI Agents
Adoption of AI-powered shopping assistants is accelerating, yet most consumers remain hesitant to let these agents complete purchases autonomously. Recent surveys show that trust gaps center on payment handling, with many shoppers fearing fraud or loss of control. The friction...
