Today's Retail Pulse
World Cup fuels retail showdown as Nike, Adidas, Puma and New Balance gear up for 2026 tournament
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, co‑hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, is projected to add more than $40 billion to global GDP. Leading sportswear brands are planning high‑profile product drops and experiential activations to capture the surge in soccer enthusiasm.
Home Depot Sees Fiscal 2025 Sales Surpassing $164 Billion US
Home Depot reported fiscal 2025 sales of $164.7 billion, a 3.2% increase over the prior year, driven by modest comparable sales growth. Fourth‑quarter sales slipped 3.8% to $38.2 billion, reflecting a shorter reporting period and lingering consumer uncertainty. Net earnings fell slightly despite higher revenue, while adjusted diluted EPS declined to $14.69. The retailer forecast FY2026 sales growth of 2.5%‑4.5% and plans to open roughly 15 new stores while targeting a 33.1% gross margin.
Why CX Outcomes, Not Price Cuts, Will Drive Retail Growth in 2026
Retailers face a slowdown in consumer spending, with S&P Global projecting just 2.0% growth in 2026. The article argues that price cuts provide only short‑term sales boosts while eroding margins and brand equity. Instead, it positions customer experience (CX) as...
The Rise of Mike’s Hot Honey: Founder Mike Kurtz on Authentic Growth & Collaboration in the Hospitality Business
In this episode, founder Mike Kurtz recounts the origins and explosive growth of Mike's Hot Honey, from a spontaneous discovery on a Brazilian hiking trip to its adoption by major chains like Taco Bell and KFC. He details the grassroots...
Hims Alums Launch Fiber-Boosted Sweetener Brand Poca
Hilary Coles and Emily Boschwitz, former Hims executives, have launched Poca, a zero‑calorie sweetener syrup enriched with three grams of fiber per serving. The product combines allulose, monk fruit, and inulin, avoiding sugar alcohols and stevia, and is offered in portable sachets...
How Amazon’s Creative Agent Turns Retail Media Into a ‘Commerce Engine’
Amazon Ads unveiled Creative Agent, an AI‑driven creative partner inside Creative Studio that lets advertisers generate video and display ads through a chat‑based workflow. Leveraging Amazon’s retail insights, the tool pulls product pages, shopper signals and brand guidelines to produce...
Partnerships Key to Unlocking Value in Payments Space: KPMG International
KPMG International’s new report warns that banks and retailers must forge strategic partnerships to keep pace with rapid payment‑technology change. Survey data from 500 banks and 500 retailers shows 54 % of retailers consider payment modernization essential, yet only 45 % say...
Study Finds $796bn Total Retail Loss for Retailers in 2025
Appriss Retail’s 2026 Total Retail Loss Benchmark Report reveals a staggering $796 bn loss for retailers in 2025, driven primarily by merchandise returns and shrinkage. Returns alone accounted for $706 bn, with $100 bn classified as preventable fraud and abuse. Shrinkage contributed an...
Natural Spa Factory Champions Low Volume, High Mix Manufacturing to Support Emerging and Premium Brands
Natural Spa Factory’s Low‑Volume High‑Mix (LVHM) model lets emerging and premium brands produce small‑batch, multi‑format products without sacrificing professional‑grade formulation, quality control, or compliance. By consolidating formulation, filling, packaging, printing, fulfillment and dropshipping under one roof, the factory reduces handoffs...
Samsung Ads’ Smart TV Carousel Delivers for Non-Endemic Brands
Samsung Ads introduced an Immersive Carousel ad unit on its European Smart TV home screens, supporting up to five rotating tiles per placement. The format appears on more than 70 million Samsung TVs, auto‑rotating every five seconds and also navigable via...
Shoe Giant Deichmann “Held Its Own” In 2025, Invests in New Campus
Deichmann closed 2025 with €8.9 billion in revenue, a modest 2 % currency‑adjusted increase, translating to 180 million pairs of shoes sold worldwide. The German shoe giant outperformed much of the broader fashion and footwear sector despite a challenging market environment. CEO Heinrich...
Nearly Half of Shoppers Used Mobile for Their Latest Retail Purchase
The 2025 Global Digital Shopping Index, commissioned by Visa Acceptance Solutions, found that 48% of shoppers used a mobile device for their most recent retail purchase, with usage exceeding 60% in the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Mobile browsing frequency is...
GUEST COMMENT Hello, Answer Engines: How Brands Can Stay Seen when Users Don’t Click
In 2025 Google and Bing introduced AI‑powered snippets and chat‑style overviews that answer queries directly, ushering in a zero‑click search era. Brands can no longer rely on traditional click‑through SEO and must instead structure content for featured snippets, FAQ blocks,...
Market Wins Over Gut: Test Every Product
I lost $7k testing a jewellery product everyone said was a guaranteed winner. It flopped. I spent $500 on a 'boring' kitchen gadget. It's now doing $30k/month. The market doesn't care about your gut feeling. Test everything.
Exclusive First Interview with Edge Retail Academy's New CEO Ft. Becka Johnson Kibby
In this episode, Michael Burpo interviews Becca Johnson‑Kibbe, the newly appointed CEO of Edge Retail Academy, about the company's role as a business‑coaching and data‑analytics arm of the Edge POS system, the industry’s most widely used jewelry point‑of‑sale platform. Becca...
‘Purpose Before Profit’: IKEA India CEO Patrik Antoni on Scaling for the Long Term
IKEA India’s CEO Patrik Antoni emphasized that purpose, not profit, drives the company’s long‑term scaling in the country. He highlighted deep consumer insight, democratic design and consistent quality as pillars for adapting a billion‑dollar brand to India’s diverse market. While...
Sephora UK to Open New Small Format Store in London’s West End
Sephora UK will launch a 4,400 sq ft boutique on London’s Carnaby Street, marking its first West End presence. The store features 2,600 sq ft of trading space, a distinctive façade, and a curated product mix aimed at speed and expertise. It will incorporate...
Complaints From Fashion Shoppers Surge
Citizens Advice logged nearly 18,000 fashion‑related complaints in 2025, a 21% jump from the previous year. Online orders generated 82% of the grievances, while women’s apparel accounted for almost half of all issues. The most common problems were faulty goods,...
Luxury on Trial: What Will Stand up in 2026
The luxury sector is moving from mystique to evidence as AI‑savvy consumers scrutinize every sustainability claim. 2025’s rise in greenwashing exposed fragile trust, forcing brands to prove value through transparent, audit‑ready data and third‑party verification. Margins are squeezed by higher...
Pandora Appoints David Boynton as Managing Director for Northern Europe
Pandora announced David Boynton as managing director for Northern Europe, bringing a seasoned retail background to the jewellery brand. Boynton previously led The Body Shop, Charles Tyrwhitt and L’Occitane, and served as interim general manager for Pandora’s Central Eastern Europe...
Alo Heads Down Under with First Store Locations Revealed
Los Angeles‑based athleisure brand Alo Yoga announced its entry into the Australian market with two flagship stores, one at Chatswood Chase and a 700 sqm, two‑level location in Westfield Bondi. The openings are part of Alo’s broader international expansion, adding to...
GoWit Announces Partnership with Publicis Media Middle East to Scale Commerce & Retail Media Across MENA & Türkiye
GoWit, a commerce‑enablement platform, has entered a strategic partnership with Publicis Media Middle East to expand its retail‑media solutions across the MENA region and Turkey. The collaboration will combine GoWit's AI‑driven shopping tools with Publicis' extensive media network, enabling brands...
Why Custom Algorithm Company 59A Cares So Much About Offline Data
Custom algorithm firm 59A, which has been serving UK advertisers for six years, announced its U.S. launch last week, appointing Jon Nash as the first U.S. CEO. The company builds bespoke media‑buying code by blending online signals with a wide...
From Nausea to Relief, How Beauty Founders and Execs Are Reacting to the Supreme Court’s Tariff Decision
The U.S. Supreme Court ruled to block the Trump‑era tariffs on Chinese beauty products, ending weeks of uncertainty for the industry. Beauty founders and executives, who had been bracing for higher import costs, described the decision as a “relief” after...
Rodan + Fields Moves Beyond Social Selling with Influencer-Powered ‘C-Suite’ Campaign
Rodan + Fields is transitioning from a pure social‑selling model to an omnichannel strategy, launching its Pure C Serum on a new direct‑to‑consumer website and through Ulta Beauty. To amplify the rollout, the brand unveiled a “C‑Suite” influencer campaign featuring seven...
Quebec Retail Hours Pilot Expands Weekend Shopping
Starting March 11, 2026 Quebec will launch a province‑wide, one‑year pilot that lets most retailers stay open until 9:00 PM on Saturdays and Sundays, ending the long‑standing 5:00 PM weekend curfew. Participation is voluntary, allowing merchants to choose hours based on staffing...
Off Season Taps Into the NBA’s Growing Merchandise Sales with New Licensed Fashion Collection
Off Season, the fashion label known for NFL‑centric apparel, launched its first NBA‑focused ready‑to‑wear collection, featuring items from halter tops to track jackets. The line spotlights a select group of teams—including the Knicks, Warriors, Lakers and Clippers—and is sold through...
How Sundae Body Turned ‘Beige’ Body Wash Into a 3 Million–Unit Powerhouse
Australian beauty brand Sundae Body has sold over 3 million units and expanded to 9,000 stores worldwide by treating brand as the operating system rather than a marketing afterthought. The company differentiates its body‑care line with sensory‑first formulas, candy‑colored packaging and...
City Chic Pares Back Losses, but US Downscaling Weighs Down Sales
City Chic Collective posted a modest improvement in profitability for the fiscal first half, with underlying EBITDA jumping 86% to $6.5 million and losses from continuing operations halving to $3.5 million. Global sales slipped 0.4% to $69.2 million, driven by a 31.4% plunge...
Amazon Opens 2nd Largest Asia Office in Bengaluru for 7,000 Employees
Amazon has opened its second‑largest office in Asia, a 12‑storey, 1.1 million‑square‑foot campus in Bengaluru that will house more than 7,000 employees across e‑commerce, payments, technology and seller services. The facility features flexible workspaces, extensive recreation amenities and sustainable building practices...
Behind the Resurgence: Zomato, Swiggy Regain Food Delivery Momentum in the Dec Quarter
India’s food‑delivery duopoly posted a strong rebound in the October‑December quarter, with Zomato’s gross order value climbing 21.3% and Swiggy’s rising 20.5%, both surpassing the 20% growth threshold. Monthly transacting users grew 21.5% to 24.9 million for Zomato and 18.1 million for...
Amazon Borrows Forum ‘Mentor’ Program From eBay
Amazon has introduced a Seller Expert Pilot Program, inviting top contributors on its Seller Forums in the US, UK, Japan, and India to earn gift cards for posting quality content and providing feedback. Participants can receive a $100 gift card...
Cotton On Accelerates India Growth with Apparel Group Partnership
Cotton On Group has signed a licensing partnership with Apparel Group to accelerate its expansion in India. The agreement outlines a phased omnichannel rollout that will launch brick‑and‑mortar stores, a dedicated e‑commerce site, and presence on key digital marketplaces. Apparel...
Inside Koala Eco’s Disciplined Push Into the US Natural Channel
Koala Eco, an Australian natural‑care brand, has moved beyond its US entry phase to a disciplined scaling strategy focused on profitable growth. Co‑founders Paul Davidson and Jessica Bragdon prioritize performance per door, deepening presence in premium natural retailers like Sprouts...
Pull&Bear Closes Last Store in Singapore
Pull&Bear has closed its last Singapore store at VivoCity, ending a 20‑year physical retail presence in the city‑state. The brand confirmed the shutdown on its website and directed returns to Zara’s VivoCity location. Inditex, Pull&Bear’s parent, has been trimming its...
Marks & Spencer Looks Set to Exit the Philippines
Marks & Spencer’s Philippine franchise, operated by the former Rustan’s Group now owned by SSI Group, has shuttered several key locations, cutting its footprint from over 20 stores to 13. Recent closures at TriNoma, Robinsons Manila, Marquee Mall and possibly...
Westfield Operator Scentre Group Grows Income for Fifth Consecutive Year
Scentre Group, operator of 42 Westfield malls in Australia and New Zealand, reported its fifth year of consecutive growth in 2025. Customer visits rose 2.7% to 540 million, occupancy reached 99.8%, and business partner sales hit $30 billion. Funds from operations increased 4.9%...
Why Tumi Is Doubling Down on Function as Asia Travels Again
Tumi has relaunched its Alpha collection, positioning it as a performance‑driven luxury line built for modern movement. The brand’s global campaign, fronted by Lando Norris and Chinese actor Wei Daxun, stresses purpose‑filled travel. In Asia‑Pacific, Tumi tailors its approach: Hong...
How Freedom Furniture Is Turning Casual Browsers Into Loyal Customers
Freedom Furniture is leveraging AI to unify its omnichannel retail experience, from discovery to post‑sale service. By expanding its catalog from 12,000 to over 70,000 SKUs through a dropship model, the retailer relies on AI‑driven search and recommendation engines that...
Adore Beauty Sales Soar but Black Friday ‘Overperformance’ Hurts Profits
Adore Beauty posted an 8.7% year‑on‑year revenue increase to $111.9 million, delivering a record underlying EBITDA of $4.1 million, up 14.5%. The strong Black Friday‑Cyber Monday sales drove a 120‑basis‑point dip in gross profit margin, falling to 35% as discounting intensified. The...
7-Eleven Bets Australia Can Prove Global Convenience Model
7‑Eleven Australia aims to reach 1,000 stores by 2030 after Seven & I Holdings’ $1.7 billion acquisition. The Japanese parent is using the market as a testbed for its food‑led convenience format, emphasizing fresh meals and private‑label items over traditional fuel...
Yes, Dunkin’s Massive 48-Ounce Coffee Bucket Is Real: List of Sightings Grows at Locations in Multiple States
Dunkin' is piloting a 48‑ounce coffee bucket, a giant iced latte served in a plastic container resembling a garden tool, at select stores in New Hampshire and Massachusetts. The concept emerged after smaller coffee shops sparked a social‑media craze for oversized...
T-Beauty: The Rise of Taiwan's Unsung Beauty Movement
Taiwan’s beauty sector, long known for OEM and ODM production, is emerging as a distinct consumer‑facing movement dubbed T‑beauty. The island is gaining global recognition for dermatological and scalp‑care brands, as well as technically precise makeup innovations. Industry leaders such...
Seafood Surveillance Goes High-Tech
Seafood operators are adopting high‑tech traceability systems that assign digital identities and monitor temperature throughout the supply chain. By using QR codes, cloud platforms and sensor‑based cold‑chain monitoring, retailers can verify species, harvest location, and freshness in real time. These...
How Interior Designers Build a Shopify Store That Captures Product Revenue From Day One
Interior designers with sizable followings can turn their influence into direct e‑commerce revenue by launching a Shopify store that combines service bookings, curated dropship products, and content publishing. The model promises 20‑35% of annual income from product sales and bookings,...
Walmart Data Ventures Launches Scintilla In-Store Platform
Walmart Data Ventures unveiled Scintilla In-Store, a mobile platform that fuses live inventory data, actionable metrics, and supplier‑assigned tasks for field representatives. The app replaces the former Volt system and aims to cut out‑of‑stock situations while improving planogram compliance at...
Why Amazon Sellers Need a Specialized Agency After $500K in Revenue
Amazon sellers reaching $300K‑$500K in monthly revenue encounter a structural shift in operational complexity that outpaces a lean, generalist model. Managing dozens of ASINs, multi‑marketplace listings, and five‑figure ad budgets requires specialized expertise across PPC, SEO, content, and inventory. The...
EXCLUSIVE: Milk Makeup Appoints Frank B as Global Artistic Director
Milk Makeup announced that Frank Buscarello, known as Frank B, has been appointed global artistic director, reporting to CMO Diana Briceno. The founder‑family insider brings decades of luxury fashion campaign experience and a non‑traditional graffiti background to the role. His mandate...
QXO Names New Chief Sales Officer
QXO has appointed Taylor Sommer as its new chief sales officer, bringing nearly three decades of experience in building high‑performance sales organizations. Sommer most recently served as executive vice president and chief sales officer at Republic National Distributing Company, where he...
Buzz Around Opening of New Honey Outlet at Denver International Airport
Denver International Airport has opened its first long‑term retail outlet for Björn Colorado Honey, a Colorado specialty brand. The store, designed by local firm Neoera, features a Scandinavian‑inspired café with honey‑infused beverages and premium honey tastings. Situated in Concourse C...
Master These 5 Essentials to Boost Clothing Sales
If you’re going to sell clothing, you need to understand these 5 things. This is why your content flops and your sales stay stuck.