Today's Retail Pulse
TikTok Shop launches in the Netherlands, opening in‑app commerce to Dutch brands
TikTok Shop will go live in the Netherlands on June 15 2026, offering Dutch users shoppable videos, livestreams and a dedicated storefront. The rollout is part of a simultaneous expansion into Belgium, Poland and Austria, adding to a European footprint that already hosts over 100,000 businesses across France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Ireland.
The 10 Hashtags Driving the Most Beauty Sales on TikTok Shop
TikTok Shop’s beauty category generated more than $670 million in sales over the past year, driven primarily by hashtag‑centric video content. The #skincare hashtag alone accounted for roughly $142 million, making it the top revenue generator. K‑beauty tags such as #Koreanskincare and brand‑specific hashtags like #Medicube and #DrMelaxin also ranked among the top ten, each delivering tens of millions in sales. Hair and perfume tags rounded out the list, showing the platform’s broad category reach.
Blitz Franchise Partners with Crêpe Delicious to Accelerate National Expansion
Blitz Franchise has partnered with Crêpe Delicious to accelerate the brand’s national expansion across Canada. Crêpe Delicious, a fast‑casual crêpe and café concept with over 60 locations, is now actively recruiting franchise partners. Blitz will manage franchise recruitment, site selection, and development...
WNBA Player Lexie Hull Launches Forta, Aimed at Creating a New Category of Performance-Driven Makeup
WNBA star Lexie Hull and investor Bella Guller have launched Forta, a performance‑driven makeup line built around sweat‑resistant polymers. After two‑and‑a‑half years of formulation, the brand debuted direct‑to‑consumer, seeding products to athletes across the WNBA, gymnastics, soccer and volleyball. TikTok...
Coach Won over Gen Z in North America. Now It’s Stepping up Its Focus Abroad
Coach has leveraged deep Gen‑Z consumer research to revitalize its brand, first in North America and now across Asia and Europe. Tailored partnerships with streetwear labels like Clot and Matin Kim, plus localized ambassador programs, have driven double‑digit revenue growth—22% in...
Malibu Taps Creator Sabrina Brier for ‘Get Ready With Me’ Campaign to Promote New Pink Spirit
Malibu has introduced Malibu Pink, a rum‑based spirit flavored with guava, coconut and pineapple, and is launching it through a "Get Ready With Malibu Pink" campaign. The brand partnered with comedian‑creator Sabrina Brier to produce #GRWM videos and a stop‑motion...
Singapore-Based Brand Castlery to Open Its First Store in the US
Singapore‑based furniture brand Castlery is opening its first U.S. storefront, a 3,000‑sqft showroom in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighbourhood, slated for May 15. The space showcases 17 room sets designed for compact city living and blends Eastern and Western design cues. Backed...
Scam Alert: Riders Force Unwanted Substitutions on Out‑of‑Stock Orders
Hey @letsblinkit @blinkitcares there's a new scam. If an item is out of stock at the store, they send a replacement of their choice The delivery rider then forces you to either accept the order with replaced item or CANCEL the...
Why Gap Is Targeting China’s Lower Tiers While Guess Packs Up
Gap is renewing its push into Greater China by opening roughly 50 new stores this year through local partner Baozun, aiming for double‑digit revenue growth. The retailer’s Chinese sales rose more than 20% last year, and executives target 30% annual...
How to Enhance Your Business’s Curb Appeal
First impressions are formed in seconds, and a well‑kept exterior can turn a passerby into a paying customer. Clean walkways, fresh paint, strategic landscaping, and modern signage signal professionalism, safety, and attention to detail. The article outlines low‑cost upgrades—painting, plantings,...
OMG Group Names Today the Brave as Brand, Retail and Media Agency Partner
OMG Group has appointed Today the Brave as its full‑service agency partner to drive end‑to‑end brand growth. The agency will oversee brand strategy, social and paid media, as well as trade and retail activation for existing brands like Blue Dinosaur...
Gucci's Gaming and AI Ventures Prove Revenue‑Driving
Gucci Continues Its Push Into Gaming, AI And Virtual Worlds “There is sometimes a temptation to see projects like this as creative experiments that generate headlines but not necessarily revenue. The numbers suggest otherwise.” https://t.co/h0pVwZDXd0 https://t.co/WMeDPDOCBJ
Tmall Ramps up Merchant Support as Focus Shifts to Profitability
Tmall announced an expanded merchant‑support program that pivots from pure traffic subsidies to profit‑protecting cash incentives, larger subsidies and AI‑driven efficiency tools. The platform reported a 15% year‑on‑year rise in brands with GMV above RMB 100 million (≈$14.5 M), more than 13,000 brands...
Beyond Aggregator Dependency: How Balancing Your Channels Turns Into a Strategic Advantage. A Practical Framework
Restaurants are rethinking reliance on third‑party delivery aggregators as commissions climb above 30% and data walls limit customer insights. A new framework advises brands to treat aggregators as acquisition tools while building intuitive direct channels that capture up to 60%...
‘Obsess Over Your Customer’: The Secret To Staying Afloat As A Heritage Label In A Trend-Obsessed Market
SABA, a 60‑year‑old Australian fashion label, is leveraging a customer‑obsession mindset to stay relevant in a trend‑driven market. General Manager Lucinda Grice Ross emphasizes that the brand’s timeless DNA—quality, construction, and strong lines—must be paired with modern lifestyle insights. The company...
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,...
Jollibee to Open New Location on East 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan
Jollibee announced a new restaurant at 14 East 42nd Street in Midtown Manhattan, slated to open on March 31, 2026. The outlet will be the brand’s third Manhattan location, positioned between Fifth and Madison Avenues near Grand Central Station. It will operate daily from...
Etsy Updates Seller Tools, Adds Performance-Data Insights
Etsy unveiled a suite of seller‑tool upgrades, including an auto‑fill listing form, a redesigned Shop Manager, and a beta version of Enhanced Marketplace Insights that adds week‑over‑week keyword trends, saved searches, and improved keyword ideas. The platform also introduced a...
Save Up to 51% on Activewear During the Last Day of Amazon’s Big Spring Sale
Amazon’s Big Spring Sale wraps up with activewear discounts ranging from 15% to a massive 51%, spotlighting items like Champion’s crewneck sweatshirt and Amazon Essentials Tech Stretch T‑shirts. Two tees can be purchased for under $15, while other picks such...
Charles Tyrwhitt Names Luke Donald Global Sports Ambassador
Charles Tyrwhitt has appointed European Ryder Cup captain Luke Donald as its global sports ambassador, marking the brand’s first professional golfer partnership. Donald will front the summer “Summer’s in Swing” campaign launching in May and represent the label at corporate and...
Retail Pharmacy Growth Raises Stakes for Hospitals
Retail giants are accelerating their pharmacy footprints, with Amazon planning same‑day prescription delivery in 4,500 U.S. cities by the end of 2026 and Walmart promoting 3,000 pharmacy technicians while raising wages to $22‑$40.50 per hour. Walgreens and CVS are also...
Even AI Struggles With One‑Shot Real‑World Business Tasks
things that seem possible but are hard to one-shot* with the latest agents - come up a unique tee concept, design it, and sell at least 100 tee shirts for a profit - sell $1000 worth of drop shipped goods for a...
EBay’s Social Sharing Tool Goes Down for over 24 Hours, Leaving Sellers without a Key Listing Promotion Feature
eBay's Social Sharing tool, which lets sellers post listings directly to Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram from the Seller Hub, has been down for over 24 hours, displaying an error page. Launched in 2023, the feature has already faced setbacks, including...
Zara Teams with Willy Chavarria for Global ‘Vatisimo’ Collection
Zara has launched the Vatisimo collection with designer Willy Chavarria, rolling it out worldwide this week. The partnership merges Chavarria’s culturally rooted aesthetic with Zara’s massive distribution network, sparking debate over authenticity and mass‑market representation.
Chipotle's Burrito Vault Returns, Offering $2 Million in Free Food and Record Engagement
Chipotle has relaunched its Burrito Vault game for a third year, putting more than $2 million in free food on the line and attracting over 3.5 million player attempts. The hourly puzzle, hosted on UnlockBurritoDay.com, rewards the first correct guess each hour...
Bad Address Data Starts at Checkout — and Carries Through Fulfillment
Inaccurate address data remains a major pain point for retailers, with 6.5% of U.S. mail undeliverable and up to 20% of customer records degrading each year. Melissa’s e‑book shows that errors introduced at checkout can cost $1 to validate, $10...
KFC Rolls Out $7 Value Feast Lineup to Capture Budget‑Conscious Diners
KFC unveiled a new Value Feast menu starting at $7, featuring box meals that bundle chicken, fries and a drink. The rollout aims to win over cost‑aware consumers as everyday expenses climb, and is backed by a high‑energy ad campaign.
Collectible Labubu Maker Pop Mart Signs 7K-SF Lease at 680 Fifth Avenue
Pop Mart, the Chinese maker of Labubu plush toys, has signed a lease for a 7,000‑square‑foot store at 680 Fifth Avenue, marking its fifth New York City location. The corner spot at West 54th Street joins existing outlets in Times...
AI Pushes B2B Ecommerce Toward Fewer Platforms as Budgets Shift
Artificial intelligence is prompting B2B ecommerce leaders to trim fragmented software stacks and invest in unified, AI‑enabled platforms. Redpoint Ventures reports that 45% of CIOs are redirecting spend toward AI while 54% are consolidating vendors, targeting systems that blend ecommerce,...
Walmart Mexico Extends Strategic Partnership with Vusion
Walmart de México y Centroamérica is expanding its partnership with Vusion to roll out the EdgeSense connected‑store platform across all Walmart Express locations by the end of 2026, with a subsequent rollout to its Supercenter fleet. The deployment will install...
Microsoft Lets Merchants Update Store Names and Domains in Merchant Center
Microsoft Advertising now lets e‑commerce merchants edit their Merchant Center store name and domain directly, removing the need for support tickets. Store‑name changes undergo editorial review while existing ads keep running, and domain updates require ownership verification before activation. The...
Würth Expands E-Procurement Integration to Streamline B2B Purchasing
Würth Group is broadening its integration with SAP Business Network to automate B2B indirect procurement across its extensive sales and distribution footprint. By linking purchase orders, delivery confirmations and invoices, the company aims to replace fragmented, manual processes with a...
Retail Media’s Measurement Problem Is A Trust Problem – And Incrementality Is The Way Forward
Retail media spending is surging, yet marketers struggle to prove true performance because attribution models often credit sales that would have happened anyway. The industry’s fragmented measurement standards make cross‑platform comparison unreliable. Incrementality—measuring the causal lift of ads—offers a clearer...
Guess Drops Second Campaign with Hyunjin
Guess unveiled the second wave of its Spring/Summer 2026 global campaign, starring Hyunjin of K‑pop group Stray Kids. The Los Angeles‑based denim label is using the partnership to inject a bolder, more expressive energy into its heritage denim line. A Korea‑led creative...
GigaCloud Partners with Otto Group to Expand European Marketplace Assortment
GigaCloud Technology Inc. announced a partnership with Otto Group to broaden the latter’s European B2B marketplace assortment. The collaboration will introduce select GigaCloud sellers, primarily furniture and appliance brands, onto Otto’s platform across more than 30 countries, tapping GigaCloud’s Asian...
The Costco Hot Dog Themed Bourbon Customers Are Buying Just For The Label
Costco partnered with Rare Character to release a limited‑edition, hot‑dog‑themed bourbon priced at $85.99. The single‑barrel, 11‑year‑old whiskey appeared in a Washington, D.C. store and sold out within 24 hours, driven largely by the novelty label rather than the spirit...
The Biggest Fashion Collabs You Missed in March
Dazed Digital’s March roundup spotlights the season’s most buzz‑worthy fashion collaborations, from Guess Jeans × Hysteric Glamour’s retro denim capsule to Y‑3 × Mercedes’ futuristic sportswear line and Nike × Palace’s limited skate collection. The featured drops blend streetwear grit with luxury polish, generating rapid sell‑outs and intense...
Zevin’s Bestseller Sparks Book Club Boycott Over Zionist Accusations
A Chicago independent bookstore barred Gabrielle Zevin’s "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" from its book club after staff labeled the author a Zionist. The move has ignited a heated debate among writers, publishers, and activists about censorship, cultural boycotts, and...
66 WTO Members Adopt E‑Commerce Agreement, Extending Duty Moratorium on Digital Trade
Sixty‑six World Trade Organization members formally adopted a baseline e‑commerce agreement, extending the moratorium on customs duties for cross‑border digital services. The deal, hailed as a milestone for global trade policy, comes amid ongoing WTO reform talks and divergent views...
VisionStay.co/en Launches Zero‑Fee Portal to Bypass Middlemen in Healthcare, Travel and Retail
VisionStay.co/en introduced a global digital promotion portal that connects users directly to leading healthcare providers, travel booking sites and retail marketplaces without charging any service fees. The Istanbul‑based startup aims to cut middle‑man costs as inflation squeezes consumer budgets.
Snowflake Intelligence for Retail: Scaling Enterprise AI
The Mark Anthony Group (MAG) has moved from a traditional data warehouse to Snowflake Intelligence, turning its data platform into a generative business intelligence engine. By mandating Snowflake Secure Data Sharing in vendor RFPs, MAG streamlined real‑time data integration and...
Why TikTok Shop’s Real ROI Was Never Meant to Stay on TikTok
TikTok Shop is being re‑positioned from a narrow sales channel to a powerful demand‑generation engine, a shift highlighted by Greek sun‑care brand Carroten’s rapid U.S. expansion. Leveraging over 13,000 creators, the brand generated 152 million views, sparking a cascade that lifted Amazon...
Ulta Doubled Store Fulfillment Capabilities in 2025
Ulta Beauty doubled its ship‑from‑store footprint in fiscal 2025, increasing the number of U.S. stores that fulfill e‑commerce orders from roughly 500 to over 1,000. The expansion was powered by an AI‑driven order‑management system that optimized inventory allocation across stores....
Dollar General Slashes 1,500 SKUs, Boosts In-Stocks
Dollar General has eliminated more than 1,500 SKUs, driving a leaner product mix and reducing fourth‑quarter merchandise levels by 5.7%, equivalent to a $379 million drop. Inventory fell to $6.3 billion, while in‑stock rates improved by roughly 250 basis points year over...
Mars Gum Brands Mix Memes, ‘Borrowed Nostalgia’ in Global Campaign
Mars Snacking’s OEFY gum portfolio launched the global “Total Overthink of The Head” campaign, remixing Bonnie Tyler’s 1983 hit and weaving in viral memes to speak to Gen Z’s overthinking moments. The initiative, developed with BBDO Chicago and Omnicom, forms...
How Just Eat Takeaway.com Moves From Food Delivery to “On-Demand Retail”
Just Eat Takeaway.com is broadening its instant‑delivery platform beyond meals, adding partnerships with electronics retailer MediaMarkt and second‑hand seller CeX. The shift stems from observed cross‑selling, where customers added health, pet care, and other non‑food items to grocery orders. Pete...
Flaconi Expands to the UK, Spain and 5 More Countries
Flaconi, the German online perfume and beauty retailer, announced expansion into the United Kingdom and Spain, plus Hungary, Ireland, Norway, Portugal and Romania, raising its market footprint to 19 European countries. The company reported a 27% revenue increase to €651 million...
Restaurants Adopt Multiple Cloud Tools to Meet Volatile Demand
Most conversations about cloud computing in restaurants start with a familiar pain point: the number of systems a modern operation now relies on. POS, online ordering, inventory, staff scheduling, loyalty, guest engagement, voice systems—you name it. Ten years ago, a...
Inclusive Shade Range Fuels Explosive Sales, Limited Options Stall
Fenty Beauty launched with 40 foundation shades, hitting $100M in sales in 40 days because they served a market everyone else ignored. Meanwhile you're launching with 3 shades and wondering why nobody buys.
Homeland to Close 4 Stores, Consolidate Others
Homeland Stores, a HAC, Inc. banner, will shut four Oklahoma locations within the next 45 days and is consolidating operations in three markets ahead of a July 1 reopening. The retailer is also listing ten additional Oklahoma stores for sale as...
Shopify Flow UI Simplifies Metafield Automation via Sidekick
The new @Shopify Flow UI is clean. @thenuschke and team keep shipping. I just described what I wanted to Sidekick, and it built this entire metafield automation flow for me. https://t.co/pLVSJJeHil