🎯Today's Retail Pulse
Updated 45m agoWhat's happening: Wickes launches UK‑wide retail media network for home‑improvement shoppers
Wickes introduced Wickes Connected Retail Media, a first‑of‑its‑kind retail media network that combines onsite and offsite advertising across its 230 stores and online channels. Built with Epsilon’s COREid identity graph, the platform merges digital and in‑store signals to enable precise audience activation for brands targeting home‑improvement customers.
Also developing:
News•Mar 1, 2026
Apple Retail Stores and Corporate Offices in UAE Temporarily Closed
Apple announced the temporary closure of its corporate offices and five Apple Store locations across the United Arab Emirates after a sharp escalation in the Middle East conflict. The shutdown aligns with new guidance from the UAE Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation, which urges private sector firms to limit on‑site staff and adopt remote work where possible. The affected stores in Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Al Ain will remain closed from March 1 through March 3, with the possibility of extension if conditions worsen. Services such as the Genius Bar are expected to be unavailable during this period.
By 9to5Mac
News•Mar 1, 2026
Faster, Better, Stronger: Growth Awaits at the Newly Imagined National Hardware Show
The National Hardware Show has been rebranded as NHS Concept to Commerce, targeting the full product lifecycle from ideation to shelf. The 2026 Las Vegas event introduces dedicated pavilions for global manufacturers, brands, inventors and an AI‑driven Product Journey Experience...
By Hardware Retailing
News•Mar 1, 2026
In Real Life: Align Your Operation’s Digital and Brick-and-Mortar Presence
Retailers now have a digital twin that AI evaluates when generating search overviews. An optimized Google Business Profile serves as the new Yellow Pages, feeding AI the first impression of a store. Consistency of name, address, and phone across online...
By Hardware Retailing
News•Mar 1, 2026
Tight Connections: A Retailer’s Key to Success in the Fastener Category
The fastener aisle at Gus Bock’s Ace Hardware in northwestern Indiana has become a major revenue engine thanks to a close partnership with its fastener vendor. The vendor supplies planograms, color‑coded bulk bins, and an online ordering portal that give...
By Hardware Retailing
News•Mar 1, 2026
The Third-Largest Coffee Chain in the U.S. Actually Sells Very Little Hot Coffee
Dutch Bros, founded by two Oregon dairy farmers, has become the third‑largest coffee chain in the United States, trailing only Starbucks and Dunkin’. The chain’s 1,140 locations serve roughly 90% of their beverages cold, focusing on highly customizable energy drinks...
By WSJ – U.S. Business (global/Asia spillover)
News•Feb 28, 2026
Nintendo NY and San Francisco Announce In-Store Events for March 2026
Nintendo’s two U.S. flagship stores—New York and San Francisco—have announced a trio of in‑store events for March 2026. The lineup includes the Pokémon Pokopia launch on March 5, a Mario Day meet‑and‑greet on March 10, and a Mario Tennis Fever tournament on...
By GoNintendo
Blog•Feb 28, 2026
Stay22 Lands US$122M Investment From Summit Partners to Accelerate International AI Expansion
Stay22, a Montreal‑based creator‑economy platform, secured a $122 million growth capital infusion from private‑equity firm Summit Partners. The company reported processing more than $1 billion in transactions last year, underscoring its rapid adoption among event‑driven merchants. The new funding will be directed...
By Shopifreaks
Blog•Feb 28, 2026
Block Cuts 40% of Workforce as Dorsey Says AI Tools Have Changed How to Build and Run a Company
Block announced a 40% workforce reduction, cutting more than 4,000 jobs as it pivots toward artificial‑intelligence‑driven operations. CEO Jack Dorsey said AI tools have fundamentally altered how companies are built and run, prompting the restructuring. Despite the layoffs, the company...
By Shopifreaks
Podcast•Feb 28, 2026•5 min
Burger King’s President Answers the Phone | Fast Five Shorts
Burger King President Tom Curtis launched a two‑week initiative where he personally fielded customer calls and texts on a dedicated work number, recording the interactions for a marketing campaign and future service improvements. The move builds on the successful "Whopper...
By Omni Talk
Podcast•Feb 28, 2026•4 min
Gap Inc. Debuts Encore To Unify The Four Brands | Fast Five Shorts
Gap Inc. launched Encore, a unified cross‑brand loyalty program for Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, and Athleta, consolidating nearly 40 million members into a single points bank with three tiers—Core, Premier, and All Access. The program adds perks like extended returns,...
By Omni Talk
Podcast•Feb 28, 2026•3 min
Kohl's Bets On The Deal Bar To Win Back Shoppers | Fast Five Shorts
Kohl's is rolling out a front‑of‑store "deal bar" featuring items under $10 across all 1,100+ locations, aiming to spark impulse purchases with rotating seasonal assortments. Retail analyst Evan Mann acknowledges the concept can boost sales but doubts it will significantly...
By Omni Talk
News•Feb 28, 2026
It's Time for Banh Mi to Go National, Says This Vietnamese Sandwich Pioneer
Vietnamese sandwich pioneer Bun Mee, founded in San Francisco in 2011, operates five Bay Area locations. The brand is launching its first New York City outlet through a franchisee, marking its inaugural entry into the East Coast market. This move...
By Restaurant Business
News•Feb 28, 2026
E-Commerce 2026 Trends: Building Loyalty and Trust with AI-Powered Visual Experiences
Retailers are accelerating AI‑powered visual experiences to boost loyalty. Hyper‑personalisation delivers up to 16% higher commercial impact, while AR/VR try‑on lifts conversion by 94%. Brands will adopt staged, transparent AI content, focusing on complex, interactive experiences. Trust hinges on consent...
By Retail Times (UK)
Blog•Feb 28, 2026
What Is POS Experience? 8 Strategies To Enhance Customer Satisfaction
Shopify highlights that point‑of‑sale (POS) experience is the decisive moment of a retail visit, where checkout friction can outweigh all prior service. Retailers must treat POS as a design and workflow challenge, not just a payment app, to meet online‑level...
By eCommerce Fastlane
News•Feb 28, 2026
How Micro Fulfillment Hubs Make Same-Day Delivery for Small Retailers Possible
Micro‑fulfillment centers (MFCs) are compact, technology‑driven hubs placed within 5‑10 miles of consumers, enabling same‑day or even two‑hour deliveries for small retailers. By decentralizing inventory, they cut last‑mile distances and reduce shipping costs, directly addressing the 21% cart‑abandonment rate tied...
By BRASI Blog
News•Feb 28, 2026
Modern Retail Podcast: Marketing Is Experiencing an AI Reckoning
In the latest Modern Retail Podcast, co‑hosts Gabriela Barkho and Melissa Daniels, joined by executive editor Anna Hensel, examine how artificial intelligence is reshaping retail marketing. They note that rising customer‑acquisition costs and a more discerning shopper base are driving...
By Modern Retail
News•Feb 28, 2026
Revolve Group Net Sales Grow as AI’s Role Expands for Shoppers
Revolve Group reported a 10.4% year‑over‑year increase in net sales to $324.37 million for Q4 2025, driven by AI‑enhanced personalization, search and styling tools. Beauty product sales surged 43%, while net income rose 58% and adjusted EBITDA grew 44%. Executives highlighted...
By Digital Commerce 360
News•Feb 27, 2026
BlueLinx Bets on AI as It Navigates a Soft Housing Market
BlueLinx Holdings is reshaping its digital roadmap around artificial intelligence while steering through a soft housing market that left full‑year 2025 sales essentially flat. The company skipped a multi‑million‑dollar traditional ecommerce build, citing rapid AI‑driven changes in ordering behavior. Q4...
By Digital Commerce 360
News•Feb 27, 2026
Resideo Pushes Connected Products and Digital Buying Tools
Resideo Technologies reported Q4 revenue of $1.895 billion, a 2% increase, and net income of $136 million, while full‑year sales hit a record $7.472 billion, up 11% from 2024. A one‑time $527 million loss, linked to ending a Honeywell indemnification agreement, turned the annual...
By Digital Commerce 360
News•Feb 27, 2026
Mirakl Turns Profitable as Recurring Revenue and Marketplace Activity Grows
Mirakl announced full‑year profitability for 2025, driven by a 23% jump in annual recurring revenue (ARR) to $218 million. Marketplace and dropship activity surged, processing roughly $15 billion in gross merchandise value (GMV), a 31% increase year‑over‑year. New products such as Mirakl...
By Digital Commerce 360
Blog•Feb 27, 2026
Katana Cloud Inventory Review 2026: The Honest Guide for Shopify Brands That Make What They Sell
Katana positions itself as the only Shopify‑native cloud inventory and manufacturing platform, unifying real‑time inventory, production planning, and shop‑floor execution. It targets Shopify brands that make their own products, charging a $299 per‑month Core plan plus optional add‑ons and a $2,000...
By eCommerce Fastlane
News•Feb 27, 2026
Scooters Coffee Reaches 900 Stores Nationwide with 83 New Locations Added in 2025 Across 32 States
Scooter’s Coffee announced it has reached 900 stores nationwide, adding 83 new locations in 2025 across 32 states. The expansion represents a 10% increase over the prior year, following a 16% growth spurt in 2024. The company attributes the growth...
By Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN)
News•Feb 27, 2026
AI, Clean Beauty and U.S. Growth Reshape Global Cosmetics Outlook
The global cosmetics market is forecast to reach $704.17 billion by 2032, expanding at a 5.25% CAGR from $492.18 billion in 2025. Skincare dominates, representing 48% of revenue, with the United States driving premium growth through anti‑aging, SPF, and microbiome‑friendly products. Artificial‑intelligence...
By Mass Market Retailers
News•Feb 27, 2026
Home Depot Launches Real-Time Delivery Tracking for Large Items
Home Depot has introduced real‑time delivery tracking for all large‑item orders, expanding a feature previously limited to small parcels. The rollout leverages handheld devices used by drivers to log checkpoints, giving customers live visibility into the status of bulky shipments...
By Supply Chain Dive
News•Feb 27, 2026
Sprouts Coming To Vacant Highland Park 99 Cents Only Store
Sprouts Farmers Market has signed a lease for the former 99 Cents Only store at 6235 York Blvd. in Highland Park, Los Angeles, with plans to open a new grocery outlet in 2027. The existing 21,000‑square‑foot building will be demolished and...
By Bisnow
News•Feb 27, 2026
Builders FirstSource Partners With Blitzy to Implement AI Software Development
Builders FirstSource (BFS) announced a strategic partnership with Blitzy AI, an autonomous software development platform designed for product development. The collaboration introduces an agentic software development lifecycle, enabling BFS to modernize its technology stack and accelerate delivery. Within the first...
By Hardware Retailing
News•Feb 27, 2026
Boot Barn Strengthens Its Country Music Ties With New Stagecoach Sponsorship
Boot Barn announced its debut sponsorship of the Stagecoach country‑music festival, serving as the official boot retailer and presenting sponsor of the new Mustang Stage. The partnership includes on‑site activations, custom giveaways, and a pre‑festival in‑store loyalty event at its...
By WWD
News•Feb 27, 2026
NRF’s Retail’s Big Show Is Driving the Next Wave of Restaurant Innovation
The National Retail Federation’s Retail’s Big Show in New York is now a proving ground for restaurant technology, showcasing AI, automation, and data‑driven loyalty tools that were once retail‑only. Sessions highlighted Dine Brands’ 34% cut in ticket‑resolution time and the...
By Total Food Service
News•Feb 27, 2026
Mint Velvet’s Brand Campaign Activations Take over the Capital This London Fashion Week
Mint Velvet is turning London Fashion Week into a city‑wide showcase, deploying brand activations in Underground stations and a wrapped London cab to spotlight its Spring Leather and Suede jacket line. The retailer also hosted an intimate editor dinner with...
By Retail Times (UK)
News•Feb 27, 2026
Whole Foods Market Triples Pitch Day Capacity for Q2 2026, Offering up to 50 Brand Slots
Whole Foods Market announced a three‑fold increase in its Q2 2026 Pitch Day capacity, offering up to 50 dedicated slots across Grocery, Whole Body and Specialty categories. Applications open on 27 February and close on 27 March, with the pitch event slated for...
By Retail Times (UK)
News•Feb 27, 2026
Local Food, Real People, Better Experiences: The Rise of the Modern Farm Shop
Shoppers increasingly demand traceable, locally‑sourced food, prompting a resurgence of modern farm shops. The Farm Retail Association notes that roughly 75 pence of every £1 spent at farm retailers stays within the local economy, reinforcing community wealth. Yorkshire‑based Farmer Copleys became...
By Retail Times (UK)
News•Feb 27, 2026
Mercatto Expands with New Location in Port Credit
Toronto‑born Italian chain Mercatto is opening its first location outside the city core, Mercatto Centrale, in Mississauga’s Brightwater waterfront community on March 13, 2026. The 8,500‑square‑foot restaurant offers over 290 seats, including a 90‑seat patio, and introduces an exclusive brunch menu. Operated by...
By Retail Insider Canada
News•Feb 27, 2026
H‑E‑B Announces Major Remodel and Expansion of 83 & Lincoln Store in Harlingen
H‑E‑B has launched a comprehensive remodel and expansion of its 83 & Lincoln store in Harlingen, increasing the footprint to nearly 112,000 square feet. The project, slated for completion in early 2027, adds expanded departments, a refreshed exterior, and a...
By Mass Market Retailers
News•Feb 27, 2026
Giant Tiger and the Canadian Women’s Foundation Partner on International Women’s Day Shirt
Giant Tiger Stores Limited has launched its fourth‑year exclusive International Women’s Day shirt in partnership with the Canadian Women’s Foundation, with 100% of profits earmarked for the foundation’s gender‑equity programs. The design, created by Ottawa‑based queer artist Linh VH Nguyen in collaboration with...
By Retail Insider Canada
News•Feb 27, 2026
5 Shoes & Retail Apparel Stocks Capitalizing on Premiumization Trends
The Shoes & Retail Apparel sector is riding a premiumization wave, with consumers favoring high‑quality, performance‑driven footwear and apparel that command higher price points. Digital acceleration and direct‑to‑consumer (DTC) strategies are boosting margins, inventory efficiency, and customer engagement across brands....
By Nasdaq — Investing
News•Feb 27, 2026
Target to Remove Certified Synthetic Colors From Entire Cereal Assortment
Target Corp. announced that by the end of May it will stock only cereals free of certified synthetic colors across all stores and online. The initiative follows internal guest insights showing a sustained shift toward products without artificial additives, especially...
By Mass Market Retailers
Blog•Feb 27, 2026
TikTok Shop Scraps Controversial Shipping Overhaul Under Seller Pressure
TikTok Shop announced on February 17, 2026 that it is pausing the enforcement of a policy that would have eliminated independent shipping for U.S. sellers, keeping the existing fulfillment model in place for now. The original mandate required merchants to...
By EcomCrew
Blog•Feb 27, 2026
Amazon and Shopify Now Control Nearly Half of U.S. E-Commerce
Amazon now commands roughly 35.7% of U.S. online retail, generating about $440 billion in 2025, while Shopify’s merchant network accounts for 14% of the market. Together they control 49.7% of the $1.2 trillion U.S. e‑commerce landscape, up from 43% in 2021. This...
By EcomCrew
News•Feb 27, 2026
3 Numbers that Highlight Grocers’ Evolving Approach to Health and Wellness
Grocers are rapidly embedding health and wellness into their core business, with 96% of food‑industry companies now reporting formal nutrition strategies. The FMI survey shows that registered dietitian nutritionists lead 79% of wellness decision‑making, while pharmacy leadership influence has climbed...
By Grocery Dive
News•Feb 27, 2026
PayPal, Rainforest Join Forces
PayPal announced a partnership with Atlanta‑based Rainforest to embed PayPal, Venmo and buy‑now‑pay‑later services directly into Rainforest’s software platform. The integration is designed to accelerate merchant payouts, cut late‑payment incidents and shift transaction volume away from cash and checks. Rainforest,...
By Payments Dive
News•Feb 27, 2026
DESIGNME Launches Rooting for All Women Campaign
DESIGNME, a Canadian vegan hair‑care brand, launched the “Rooting for All Women” limited‑edition campaign on Feb. 27, 2026. The initiative celebrates women’s personal and professional transformations and donates a portion of sales, up to $10,000, to women‑focused charities, including Montreal’s Chez Doris....
By Retail Insider Canada
News•Feb 27, 2026
Lloyds Stops Opening some Bank Accounts for Customers in Branches
Lloyds Banking Group announced it will no longer open joint, premium or student accounts in its branches, and staff will not switch customers from other providers. Customers seeking new accounts will be directed to the bank’s app or website, though...
By Finextra
News•Feb 27, 2026
Topshop Sets World Record: First Fashion Show with AI Live Shopping
Topshop staged a world‑first AI‑powered fashion show in Manchester, replacing the traditional runway with a hybrid physical‑digital experience. Shoppers used the bespoke Front Row AI app to buy each silhouette in real time while models walked, and later tried the...
By Retail Detail (EU)
News•Feb 27, 2026
National Pizza Chain Closing Hundreds of Locations After Brutal Drop in Sales
Papa John’s announced plans to shutter roughly 300 underperforming U.S. restaurants by the end of 2027, with about 200 closures slated for this year. The move follows a 5.4% drop in same‑store sales across North America and a broader flat‑lining...
By Yahoo Finance – Finance News
News•Feb 27, 2026
The Friday Checkout: ShopRite’s Integrated Approach to GLP-1s
ShopRite, part of Wakefern Food Corp., has introduced a limited‑time "Wellness Your Way" starter kit for customers beginning GLP‑1 therapy. The kit bundles medication samples, coupons and a dietitian‑crafted wellness guide, explicitly tying the chain’s pharmacy and grocery divisions. The...
By Grocery Dive
News•Feb 27, 2026
Amazon Deepens AI Push with $50B OpenAI Investment
Amazon announced a multi‑year partnership with OpenAI, committing $50 billion—$15 billion upfront and $35 billion conditional—to accelerate AI adoption. The deal includes a stateful runtime on Amazon Bedrock, exclusive AWS distribution for OpenAI Frontier, and an expanded $100 billion Trainium compute commitment over eight...
By Mass Market Retailers
News•Feb 27, 2026
Albertsons Cos. Names Brian Rice to Board of Directors
Albertsons Companies announced that Brian Rice, the executive vice president and global chief information officer of McDonald’s, will join its board of directors on February 25, 2026, expanding the board to 11 members. Rice brings more than three decades of...
By Mass Market Retailers
News•Feb 27, 2026
The Hidden Surge in Sales Promotion Fraud: What Retailers Must Prepare For in 2026
Sales promotion fraud is accelerating as retailers launch richer incentives in 2026, and AI‑powered bots and synthetic identities are now automating claim submissions at scale. Fraudsters exploit loopholes in cashback, rebate and trade‑in programs, using deep‑fake receipts and coordinated “promotion...
By Retail TouchPoints
Blog•Feb 27, 2026
Avery Dennison First to Integrate Pragmatic Chips at Scale
Avery Dennison has become the first company to mass‑produce NFC inlays that embed Pragmatic Semiconductor’s NFC Connect FlexIC chips. The partnership delivers low‑cost, edge‑level intelligence for consumer packaged goods, supporting digital brand experiences and compliance tools such as Digital Product...
By RFID Journal
News•Feb 27, 2026
Lakeside Shopping Centre Announces Arrival of Fashion Heavyweight Urban Outfitters
London’s Lakeside Shopping Centre announced that Urban Outfitters will open a 6,500‑square‑foot store on the lower level in summer 2026. The new outlet will feature the retailer’s own brands alongside labels such as Levi’s, Dickies and Carhartt WIP, and will...
By Retail Focus (UK)