Today's Retail Pulse
Fresho acquires Nation Wilcox to dominate UK food‑wholesale software
Fresho, the Australian‑origin order‑management platform, has acquired UK ERP specialist Nation Wilcox, creating the largest software suite for British food wholesalers. The combined platform now serves over 400 wholesalers and caterers and processes more than £2 billion (≈$2.5 billion) in annual GMV.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Spinny targets $250-300M in IPO
Dear Marketers: There’s No ‘Average’ Grocery Shopper Today
Schaefer’s new research divides U.S. grocery shoppers into three distinct groups—social‑first, TV‑first and streaming‑first—each demanding its own media mix, creative style and measurement approach. Brands are currently over‑spending on linear TV, under‑spending on streaming, and mis‑measuring social impact by focusing on click‑to‑purchase instead of in‑store lift. The agency warns that 2026 media plans treat these segments as a single audience, leading to wasted spend and missed growth. Streaming‑first shoppers represent the biggest underfunded opportunity for food‑and‑beverage marketers.
Capital One Shopping Adds Apple Gift Card Redemptions (and Princess Cruises, Best Western, and More)
Capital One Shopping announced a fresh batch of gift‑card redemption options, adding Apple, Princess Cruises, Best Western, eBay and several other brands. The publicly available portal lets users earn rewards without a Capital One account, but those points can only...
How Spirit Airlines’ Low-Cost Branding Contributed to Its Crash
Spirit Airlines, once a leading ultra‑low‑cost carrier, ceased operations on May 2, ending 34 years of service. The airline’s aggressive base‑fare pricing, epitomized by a 2011 $9 Los Angeles‑Las Vegas promotion, eroded brand perception and profitability. Coupled with intensifying competition and a failed government...
Vogue Unveils 10 Statement Trends Set to Shape Spring 2026 Wardrobes
Vogue released its Spring 2026 trend forecast, highlighting ten statement looks that will dominate wardrobes. The report emphasizes bold accessories—especially brooches—as a key styling tool, signaling a shift toward more intentional, eye‑catching outfits for the season.
Attend Forrester’s Agentic Commerce Workshop To Ensure That You’re Asking The Right Questions About Agentic Commerce
Forrester is hosting a two‑day interactive workshop titled “Catalyze Agentic Commerce — How To Move From FOMO To Focus” in New York (June 16‑17) and San Francisco (June 29‑30). The sessions will help brands evaluate the emerging “agentic commerce” channel, which includes answer‑engine shopping...
Loblaw Steps Further Into AI
Loblaw Companies Limited has partnered with Canadian AI specialist Shakudo to build a centralized platform for developing and scaling in‑house artificial‑intelligence and machine‑learning applications. The new system will streamline data infrastructure, reduce duplicated effort across Loblaw’s digital teams, and support...
Fujian Firms Turn to Cross‑Border E‑Commerce, Boosting Overseas Margins
Private firms in China's Fujian province are accelerating cross‑border e‑commerce to offset trade frictions and rising costs. Chelsearu's shift to live‑streaming sales lifted its product price from $30 to over $100, while the Shishi Public Service Center helped launch 326...
EP257: Introducing Amazon Supply Chain Services
Amazon has launched Amazon Supply Chain Services, extending its $100 billion logistics network to sellers of all sizes. The service promises faster delivery, lower fulfillment costs, and access to Amazon‑run warehousing, transportation, and analytics tools. It targets businesses from $10 K to...
Last-Minute Mother’s Day Gifts She’ll Never Know Are From Amazon
Amazon remains the go‑to platform for last‑minute Mother’s Day gifts, thanks to its reliable two‑day Prime shipping that often arrives before the holiday. The article, written by Refinery29’s Shopping Director, advises shoppers to narrow their search to three core categories—fashion,...
Sony Agrees to $7.85 Million Settlement in PlayStation Store Class Action
Sony has secured preliminary court approval for a $7.85 million settlement that resolves a U.S. class‑action lawsuit accusing the company of monopolizing its digital storefront. The deal will credit eligible PlayStation Network accounts, a move that could affect more than 4.4 million...
TikTok Fuels NeeDoh Squishy Toy Sell‑Outs, Depleting a Year's Stock in Nine Weeks
Schylling's NeeDoh stress toys have sold through an entire year's inventory within the first nine weeks of 2026 after a TikTok frenzy, prompting rapid sell‑outs on Amazon, Walmart and other e‑commerce platforms. The viral demand has triggered reseller price spikes,...
Target Offers 10% Nationwide Teacher Discount for Teacher Appreciation Week
Target Corp. is rolling out a 10% storewide discount for verified teachers nationwide during Teacher Appreciation Week, May 3‑9, 2026. The discount is available through the free Target Circle loyalty program and applies to a single purchase. Teachers also receive over 50%...
De Rigo Reports 2025 Retail Growth, Cash Generation
Italian eyewear group De Rigo posted a 3.4% decline in consolidated sales to €520.1 million (≈$567 million) for 2025, but retail revenues rose 2.5% to €266.6 million (≈$291 million) and grew 5.8% on a constant‑currency basis. Wholesale fell as a weaker U.S. dollar, Turkish lira...
Secondhand Marketplace: Building Your Brand’s Resale Platform
Secondhand marketplaces are rapidly expanding, with ThredUp reporting a 144% growth in U.S. pre‑owned apparel since 2018 and forecasting $74 billion in sales by 2029. Brands such as Patagonia, Levi’s and Sabai are launching proprietary resale platforms to capture margin, protect...
Shopify Launches AI Claude that Fixes Stores on Command
Shopify shipped the feature where you can yell at Claude to fix your store and it just does it. https://t.co/AlPHAxquNI
Eye on POS: Preferred Hotels Prefer Toast; NCR Voyix Expands at Stater Bros. Markets
Toast Inc. joined Preferred Hotels & Resorts' Alliance Partner Program, becoming an endorsed point‑of‑sale provider for the luxury hotel group’s 625 independent properties across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland. The partnership opens a new hospitality revenue...
GameStop Wants eBay for $56bn
In this episode of World Business Express, the hosts dissect GameStop’s unexpected $56 billion unsolicited bid to acquire eBay, questioning the feasibility of financing such a deal and its strategic rationale. They also explore the ongoing maritime crisis in the Strait...
Rack Up Tons Of Bilt & Membership Rewards Points With Big Give Week
Rakuten has launched its Big Give Week promotion, running May 4‑11, 2026, and promises a baseline 15% cash back at hundreds of online retailers, with many merchants offering 20% or more. The promotion highlights a broad lineup of popular stores, from apparel...
L.L.Bean Promo Codes and Deals | 15% Off in May 2026 | Condé Nast Traveler
L.L.Bean is leveraging a high‑frequency discount model, refreshing daily markdowns at 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. ET, while also running seasonal sales that can reach 50% off apparel and 20% off the Acadia tent. The retailer extends a 10% price reduction to...
EU SMEs Hit 17 Billion Euros in Amazon Exports
More than 100,000 European Union SMEs used Amazon as a sales channel in 2025, pushing total Amazon sales to over €40 bn ($43.6 bn) and generating €17 bn ($18.5 bn) in cross‑border transactions—€2 bn ($2.2 bn) higher than the previous year. About 85% of those sellers...
The End of the Marketing Blast: Retail Enters the Conversation Era
Retail CRM Endear reports a 50% year‑over‑year rise in personalized messaging, signaling a move away from one‑off blasts toward continuous, relationship‑driven conversations. Email open rates now peak in February at 56.1%, outpacing the traditional November surge. Brands are integrating email,...
DoorDash Is Bad For Restaurants, Drivers, And Customers — Why Does Everyone Keep Using It?
DoorDash’s commission model forces restaurants to add surcharges and absorb 15‑30% fees, squeezing already thin profit margins. Drivers receive low pay and often deliver sub‑par service, leading to food‑quality issues. Consumers face higher total costs, while restaurants lose direct customer...
Former Nintendo Exec Explains Why the Company Doesn’t Tend to Put Its Games on Sale
Former Nintendo of America president Reggie Fils‑Aime told the NYU Game Centre that Nintendo’s culture prioritizes shipping fully finished, feature‑complete games, which limits how often and how deeply the company discounts titles. He claimed *The Legend of Zelda: Breath of...
Deals and Cashback Move Into ChatGPT Conversations
Minty has introduced an AI‑powered shopping companion that plugs into ChatGPT, surfacing deals and cashback offers directly within the conversation. The company says 70% of U.S. shoppers already turn to AI for discounts and has signed more than 10,000 brands...
Is the Retail Media Network Gold Rush Over?
Retail media networks are moving from a gold‑rush expansion to a consolidation phase as marketers reallocate spend toward platforms that prove clear ROI. New data from Keen Decision Systems shows over a quarter of retail marketers pulling budget from RMNs...
The State of eCommerce for Marketers – 2026 Edition
The 2026 State of eCommerce for Marketers report shows a decisive pivot from user acquisition to re‑engagement as paid install volumes dip across more than 13 markets. Remarketing now commands a larger share of ad spend worldwide, while geopolitical tariffs...
Ahold Delhaize USA Brands Expand On-Demand Grocery Delivery with Uber Eats
Ahold Delhaize USA announced an expanded partnership with Uber Eats, adding nearly 2,000 stores from Food Lion, Giant, The GIANT Company, Hannaford and Stop & Shop to the Uber Eats grocery marketplace. Shoppers can now browse fresh foods, pantry staples, household essentials and alcohol directly in the Uber Eats app,...
Rakuten “Big Give” Week: 15X-20X on Many Popular Travel Brands (and Saks)
Rakuten’s Big Give Week runs May 4‑11, delivering 15%‑20% cash back or 15‑20 Bilt or American Express Membership Rewards points per dollar on a slate of travel brands and Saks Fifth Avenue. Rates shift daily, and some “up to” offers apply...
Amazon Now Second‑largest Grocery Retailer in the U.S.
"We’re now the second largest grocer in the U.S." - Amazon CEO Andy Jassy (via @TheTranscript_ )
The Ultimate Guide To Agentic Commerce
Fastlane Insider’s “Ultimate Guide to Agentic Commerce” outlines how AI shopping agents are reshaping the Shopify ecosystem. The guide details AI commerce, AI visibility, and offers a $1,500 audit to help brands appear in generative‑AI results. It leverages a decade...
IKEA China CEO Pontus Erntell Calls China a Strategic Growth Market After Small-Format Store Launch
IKEA China CEO Pontus Erntell announced the opening of a 1,500‑square‑meter small‑format store in eastern Beijing, calling China a "very exciting" and strategic market across retail, value‑chain and development dimensions. The launch signals IKEA’s pivot to precise market penetration and...
Mindgruve Hires Former Amazon Exec Spencer Lian‑Thornton as VP to Boost Enterprise Partnerships
San Diego‑based data‑technology agency Mindgruve announced Spencer Lian‑Thornton as its new vice president of growth and partnerships. The former Amazon executive will lead efforts to deepen enterprise collaborations and scale Mindgruve’s retail‑media platform.
Purina and U.S. Soccer Celebrate Our Pets
Purina announced the launch of the National Pet Kit, a dog jersey that mirrors the U.S. Men's National Team uniform, available through PetSmart, the official U.S. Soccer Store and Purina’s TikTok Shop. The brand unveiled a new national marketing campaign...
Starbucks Elevates Barista to Menu Architect as AI-Run Café Tests Future of Employment
Starbucks announced that a former part‑time barista now leads menu development for Europe, the Middle East and Africa, underscoring the power of internal mobility. At the same time, San Francisco startup Andon Labs opened an AI‑managed café in Stockholm, raising...
Bolster AI Launches Marketplace Protection, Cutting Fraud Costs by 20X
Bolster AI unveiled Marketplace Monitoring & Takedowns, a service that continuously scans global e‑commerce platforms for counterfeit, unauthorized, and fraudulent listings. The solution pairs AI‑driven detection with evidence‑backed takedown requests, automating removal and suppressing repeat offenders. By streamlining the enforcement...
Fee-Free Visa Gift Cards In-Store at Staples (Online Sold Out)
Staples is again offering fee‑free $200 Visa gift cards both in‑store and online through May 9, 2026. In‑store shoppers can avoid the usual $7.95 activation fee and buy up to nine cards per day, while the online portal sold out its discounted...
South Korea's Online Shopping Hits $17.4B Record in March, Mobile Sales Lead
South Korea's online retail volume reached a new high in March, climbing 13.3% year‑over‑year to 25.58 trillion won (about $17.4 billion). Mobile commerce drove the surge, contributing 75.9% of total online sales and growing 11.6% to 19.41 trillion won ($13.2 billion). Strong demand for...
Tageos Launches World’s First FlexIC-Based RFID Product Lines
Tageos and Pragmatic Semiconductor have launched EOS Lite and EOS Zero Lite, the first FlexIC‑based RFID product lines featuring a paper‑based NFC inlay and the ultra‑thin PR1301 chip. The EOS‑932 Zero Lite PR1301 inlay is designed for seamless integration into...
Tray’s Maple AI Integration and Other Digital Transactions News Briefs From 5/4/26
Tray, a point‑of‑sale system provider, announced a completed integration with Maple, an AI‑driven voice platform that will now be available to restaurant operators using Tray. Western Union disclosed it will leverage Fireblocks’ digital‑asset infrastructure to back its new USDPT stablecoin,...
Dollar General Launches Unified Retail Media Platform
Dollar General, together with Kevel and The Trade Desk, unveiled a unified retail media platform that merges its onsite ad inventory with offsite digital channels. The solution lets advertisers plan, execute and measure campaigns across the full purchase funnel from...
International Business Briefs | Amazon Opens Global Logistics Network to Third-Party Companies
Amazon announced Amazon Supply Chain Services, letting external firms tap its cargo fleet of over 100 planes and extensive warehouse network, a move that could pressure FedEx and UPS. The European Commission recommended banning Huawei and ZTE equipment, escalating cyber‑security...
Flipkart and Amazon Sale: Top Smartphone Deals Including iPhone 17, Pixel 10 and OnePlus Nord 6
Flipkart and Amazon are launching summer sales in early May, with Amazon beginning on May 8 and Flipkart on May 9, and offering early‑access deals for select devices. The promotions feature steep discounts on flagship smartphones, including Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra at ₹94,999 (~$1,145)...
Getting Ready for the World of Agentic Commerce: What Businesses Need to Know
Agentic commerce—AI‑driven digital assistants that shop, compare, and purchase for consumers—is poised to reshape retail. The market, valued at $46.7 billion in 2025, is forecast to reach $218.37 billion by 2031, growing at roughly 30% CAGR. Major players such as Google, Perplexity,...
Why Retail’s Next AI Breakthrough May Come From Convenience Stores
Retail AI is moving beyond e‑commerce personalization into the high‑velocity world of convenience stores. Operators are deploying machine‑learning models that forecast demand by the hour, adjust pricing, and optimize replenishment based on hyperlocal data such as weather and commuter patterns....
How Is AI Changing Retail Strategy Now?
Artificial intelligence is reshaping retail by moving shoppers from a traditional search model to an answer‑driven economy, evidenced by a 693% surge in AI‑generated traffic to retail sites by the end of 2025. This shift forces brands to prioritize Generative...
Lottie’s Meats’ Target Expansion Marks Brand's Largest Retail Move
Lottie’s Meats is expanding into Target stores across Northern California, Washington and Oregon, marking its biggest retail rollout yet. The move adds to the brand’s presence in more than 300 retail and food‑service locations nationwide. Target will stock two fully...
Turning Complex Data Into Genuine Audience Connections
Brandweek highlighted how brands are moving beyond single‑source analytics to build richer audience profiles by layering multiple data sets, AI insights, and traditional research. Speakers from Inmar Media, HalloweenCostumes.com, and Mars showed that combining digital signals with human‑centered tactics—like co‑creation...
Building a Luxury Brand: The Right Steps for Founders
The article outlines ten disciplined steps for founders who want to create a luxury brand, emphasizing a long‑term vision, identity before growth, obsessive attention to detail, and storytelling. It stresses that pricing, exclusivity, and consistency are core levers that protect...
Enamor Names Taapsee Pannu as Brand Ambassador
Enamor has appointed Indian actress Taapsee Pannu as its new brand ambassador, unveiling a digital campaign titled “Unapologetic As I Am.” The rollout introduces the brand’s bamboo‑cotton lingerie line, marketed as breathable, antimicrobial and free of pinch, dig or rash. The...
App Spotlight: WooCommerce for Zoho Inventory
Roadmap Studios, now part of CommerceBird, launched a certified WooCommerce for Zoho Inventory integration that automatically synchronizes products, orders, customers, and pricelists. The solution uses real‑time webhooks or scheduled sync to keep data aligned, eliminating manual entry and stock mismatches....