Know What's Happening in Retail
Know What's Happening in Retail
AI start‑ups deploy virtual‑try‑on tech to slash $850 billion retail return losses
AI start‑ups such as Catches are launching virtual‑try‑on platforms that create realistic digital twins of shoppers, aiming to reduce the retail sector’s $850 billion return problem. The National Retail Federation reports that 15.8% of U.S. sales – 19.3% online – were returned in 2025, eroding margins. Generative AI and cheap cloud compute now make these tools cost‑effective.
Also developing:
Malabar Gold & Diamonds announced a ₹1,580 crore expansion plan that will add 20 new showrooms across India by March 31. The rollout will lift the company’s global footprint to 445 stores in 14 countries and 22 Indian states and union territories. The initiative is projected to generate more than 725 jobs. Executives describe the rapid rollout as a testament to confidence in India’s long‑term luxury‑jewellery demand.
Amazon rolls out 1-hour, 3-hour delivery as ultrafast shipping trend grows in the U.S. https://t.co/EFa2clCW92
Amazon announced nationwide one‑hour and three‑hour delivery options, initially covering more than 90,000 SKUs. Prime members pay $9.99 for a one‑hour slot and $4.99 for three‑hour delivery, while non‑Prime customers face $19.99 and $14.99 respectively. The service launches in hundreds...
eBay has reopened its eBay Live seller program, adding new categories such as fashion, electronics, toys, and more. Existing interested sellers must re‑register even if they previously signed up. The platform targets creators with streaming or social‑media experience who can...
Retail Media X Europe will convene over 750 senior executives, brands, agencies, and tech innovators in London on 14 May 2026 to discuss the fast‑growing European retail media market, projected to reach £25 billion by 2026. The conference features three tracks—scaling networks,...
THG Fulfil has launched a native, zero‑code app on the Shopify App Store, enabling fast‑scaling and medium‑enterprise brands to connect directly to its global logistics network. The integration offers end‑to‑end fulfillment, inventory management, and courier coordination across 195 countries without...
Global ecommerce retailers—estimated at nine to twelve million—are collectively spending about $210 billion on paid digital advertising each year, yet confidence in the returns from that spend is eroding. The rise of privacy regulations, cookie deprecation and AI‑driven ad platforms has...
In 2026 small‑business retailers will confront rapid AI‑driven efficiency gains alongside heightened cost pressures from persistent tariffs and a bifurcated K‑shaped economy. While AI promises customized sales content, autonomous logistics and robotics, many firms fear automation could erode core labor...
This irritates me so much when presented on various TV programmes. That 6% Retail Margin is actually much smaller; 1% to 2%. The 6% figure includes lots of costs like staff, building, expenses, blah blah.
Botox and other aesthetic injections are moving out of traditional dermatologist offices into unconventional locations such as upscale grocery retailer Erewhon and Planned Parenthood clinics. The shift reflects a broader consumer appetite for convenient, on‑demand cosmetic procedures, prompting a wave...
Lulus, the 30‑year‑old occasion‑wear label, is expanding its wholesale footprint by adding Amazon and Victoria’s Secret to its distribution roster. The brand already entered all 350 Nordstrom stores and broadened its assortment at Urban Outfitters, aiming to capture customers where...
The Indian government will mandate QR‑code‑based digital certification for every retail shop, linking each outlet to a central compliance database. Shoppers can scan the code with a smartphone to see real‑time status on pricing, weights, and past violations. The scheme,...
Electronic shelf labels (ESLs) have moved from pilot projects to core operations, with Woolworths deploying roughly 17 million tags across more than 770 ANZ stores and Bunnings following suit. The digital tags allow prices to be updated centrally in minutes, opening...
Fourteen broom and dustpan sets have recently received U.S. design patents, many of which already rank among Amazon's top‑selling household items. The patents were filed between 2021 and 2024 and will remain in force through the 2030s and 2040s. Concurrently,...
Overspends everywhere on meta tonight. Check your accounts and prep your data for refund requests.
Dermatologist‑founded Fig.1, after exiting CVS in August, will debut its eight‑product facial line online at Sephora in March 2026. The brand’s retinol system, which accounts for 31% of sales, has seen 167% year‑over‑year growth, with the stronger level‑2 formula up...
Artificial intelligence has moved from a headline buzzword to a core component of retail operations, automating structured tasks such as reporting, pricing, and inventory management. While AI boosts efficiency, the real challenge is redefining roles so that human workers focus...
Rip Curl’s parent, KMD Brands, saw its EBITDA margin plunge to 5.6% after aggressive discounting, despite a modest 2.1% revenue increase to NZ$550 million in FY25. The profit decline drove a 27% EBITDA drop and pushed KMD’s share price to around...
Employees at grocery stores are increasingly frustrated by customers discarding trash—ranging from fast‑food wrappers to dirty diapers—inside shopping carts. A University of Arizona study found harmful bacteria on 72 % of carts, many testing positive for E. coli, highlighting a public‑health concern....
David’s Bridal announced a new wholesale division aimed at independent boutiques worldwide, offering exclusive designer capsule collections that will not appear in its own stores or online. The program features collaborations with Vera Wang Bride, Oleg Cassini, and Viola Chan Couture and aligns with the...
nShift introduced the AI‑powered nShift Companion, an assistant embedded in its Checkout product that helps retailers configure delivery options using plain‑language prompts. The tool taps the company’s Model Context Protocol to pull real‑time carrier data, ensuring recommendations are grounded in...
CNET’s 2026 roundup evaluates nine grocery‑delivery platforms, from Amazon Fresh and Walmart+ to niche players like Misfits Market and Hungryroot. Test orders measured selection breadth, pricing, delivery speed, and freshness, revealing Amazon Fresh’s extensive catalog and Prime‑free shipping, Walmart+’s rural...
Target’s chief information and product officer, Prat Vemana, is steering a $6 billion technology push aimed at reversing a multi‑quarter sales slump. The retailer is deploying AI‑driven tools such as Trend Brain to accelerate design cycles and new demand‑forecasting models for...
Love’s Travel Stops unveiled an upgraded Love’s Rewards program, integrating a single platform for both professional and casual drivers across its 670 locations. The new system, accessible via the Love’s App, awards points on fuel, in‑store merchandise, and branded items,...
Walmart is piloting a rapid remodel program for its Neighborhood Market stores, temporarily shutting the main shopping floors for four weeks while keeping pharmacies and fuel stations operational. The test, covering locations in Florida, Oklahoma, Texas, Georgia, South Carolina and...
Tesco partnered with BBH to stage a 2.5 m × 8 m billboard at King’s Cross Station on 14 March, displaying 5,000 tulips and the prompt “Need Anything From Tesco?”. Passersby could collect a free bouquet, wrapped by brand ambassadors, as a last‑minute Mother’s Day...
SupplyHouse has opened a 527,000‑square‑foot fulfillment center in Canal Winchester, Ohio, more than doubling its previous space. The larger warehouse allows deeper inventory, expanded product assortment, and faster same‑day shipping for contractors and DIY customers across the Midwest and Plains....
Hip Pop, the UK’s leading gut‑friendly soft‑drink brand, is launching its Berries & Cherries and Tropical Peach 4 × 330 ml packs in Tesco stores nationwide. The move follows three years of triple‑digit growth and a Best Carbonated Drink award at the 2025 UK Soft...
Evri Group is deploying Veri Snap AI, an Amazon Web Services‑powered generative AI solution, to automatically evaluate the 90 million delivery photos it captures each month. The technology, built on AWS Nova Lite via Bedrock, checks parcel placement and condition, flagging non‑compliant...
Coca‑Cola has introduced a new Sprite Chill Mango Citrus flavor sold exclusively at Walmart, available in 20‑ounce full‑sugar bottles and 12‑pack zero‑sugar cans. The launch follows earlier Walmart‑only releases like Strawberry‑Kiwi and continues the company’s limited‑time offering (LTO) strategy to...
Phizz, the UK’s leading hydration enhancer, has launched an integrated London‑wide campaign running from March to June under the tagline “Phizz Makes It Better.” The multi‑channel effort combines out‑of‑home ads, a fleet of branded taxis and buses, large‑scale sampling and...
Shoe Palace has opened the fourth “Nine Three” flagship on Melrose Avenue, extending its experiential retail rollout to seven locations. The Los Angeles store channels California’s Prohibition era with a speakeasy‑style lounge, custom stone, marble, and pastel accents. The concept showcases...
Wendy’s has teamed up with the NCAA as the Official Dunks partner for the 2026 March Madness tournament, launching a limited‑time Dunks Menu featuring Frosty‑Fries combos. The promotion runs from March 16 to April 6, with every app purchase entering customers into...
Queensgate Peterborough has welcomed Seoul Plaza, a 4,099 sq ft Korean‑inspired grocery, as its first UK location. The store stocks Korean staples alongside Japanese, Chinese and Thai products, and features a hot‑food counter serving bibimbap, Korean fried chicken and bulgogi. Its opening...
Asda’s private‑label clothing line George is becoming a key growth engine, helping to offset thin grocery margins. Vice‑president Karl Doyle announced plans for 100 standalone George stores within five years, alongside a major online revamp. The brand’s affordable style is...
EuroShop 2026 in Düsseldorf drew over 81,000 visitors and 1,840 exhibitors, reaffirming its role as the retail industry’s global barometer. Attendees highlighted a surge in next‑gen LED lighting, immersive holographic demos, and hybrid material installations that marry natural textures with...
Dollar Tree posted a solid fourth‑quarter, with net sales climbing 9% to $5.45 billion and same‑store sales rising 5%, marking its 20th consecutive year of positive comparable sales. Gross margin expanded 150 basis points to 39.1% as pricing initiatives and lower...
Ontario is proposing legislation that would let retail stores open on Family Day and Victoria Day as early as 2026, while preserving existing public‑holiday protections. The move would eliminate the current patchwork of municipal bans on those two non‑religious holidays....
Ahold Delhaize USA promoted Abby Cook to senior vice president of its newly created Own Brands division, reporting to CCO Keith Nicks. Cook will steer the private‑label portfolio toward a "next phase of growth" as a core pillar of the retailer's Growing...
![[Opinion] Temu, Shein, AliExpress, and Now Joybuy: Are We Finally Waking up in Europe?](/cdn-cgi/image/width=1200,quality=75,format=auto,fit=cover/https://i0.wp.com/www.retaildetail.eu/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2026/03/joyexpress-electric-cargo-bike.webp)
Chinese e‑commerce giants Shein, Temu, AliExpress and now JD.com’s Joybuy are rapidly expanding into Europe, intensifying price competition for local retailers. These platforms combine ultra‑low pricing, AI‑driven merchandising and cross‑border logistics to attract cost‑conscious shoppers. The influx signals a systemic...
Marks & Spencer (M&S) tackled its chronic summer fashion underperformance by leveraging a deep consumer‑insight project with Basis Global. The insights team created a unified “one version of the truth” using a ‘Moments Framework’ that captured customers’ emotional drivers rather...
Decathlon has struck a strategic partnership with MediaMarktSaturn to launch shop‑in‑shop sections inside the electronics retailer’s German stores, beginning with a 1,000 m² space at Munich’s Perlach Einkaufszentrum. The first location opens on March 26, with additional sites slated for later this...
Topologie, the Franco‑Japanese brand that fuses climbing‑gear functionality with fashion, opened its third London shop at 79 Berwick Street in Soho. The new space showcases the brand’s modular Topologie Wares System, allowing shoppers to mix and match over 1,000 strap...
Former Head of Retail at $CPNG on why e-commerce penetration in Taiwan is smaller compared to the U.S. and China
"Build-A-Bear is launching its first-ever wholesale partnership with Walmart... Mini Beans, new collectible Micro Mini Beans, and the Build-A-Bear x Bluey collection, are available in 1,500+ Walmart stores nationwide, a major new distribution milestone."
Avery Dennison introduced the AD IdentiFresh inlay series, a new RFID solution aimed at fresh‑food categories such as bakery, meat, deli and produce. The inlays feature a proprietary antenna design that improves read performance on densely stacked, high‑moisture items, especially in...
The Bill for Free Shipping Has Finally Arrived - https://t.co/6zb11RFv7C #freeshipping #ecommerce #parcelshipping #retail #retailers #supplychain #logistics
Bare la Terre is set to launch on 21 March 2024, founded by mothers Elise Som and Nicola Takada Wood together with pediatric dermatologist Dr Mariana Noy. The brand offers dermatologist‑developed, conscious‑care products specifically for Gen Alpha’s developing skin. It arises from the “Sephora...
Interesting Read - Big bargains and ‘white knuckle’ buying: inside the rise of TJ Maxx https://t.co/l6W7b0J7T4 via @ft
Theo Paphitis’ retail portfolio posted mixed results for the year to March 2025. Boux Avenue lifted EBITDA to £6.4 million, driven by 6.9% sales growth and stronger margins, and aims for a further £4 million uplift in the current year. Ryman’s EBITDA...
