🎯Today's Retail Pulse
Updated 1h agoWhat's happening: MojoAuth unveils enterprise‑grade passwordless platform for large retailers
MojoAuth introduced a password‑less authentication solution that merges WebAuthn passkeys, OTP, magic links and adaptive risk‑based MFA, removing passwords while meeting PCI‑DSS standards. The platform supports private‑cloud deployments and is built to sustain traffic spikes such as Black‑Friday sales across web and mobile channels.
Also developing:
By the numbers: Tilray Brands acquires BrewDog for £33M ($44M)
News•Feb 27, 2026
WhatsApp’s Quiet Takeover: How Conversational AI Is Redefining Retail
Conversational AI is moving from website bots to messaging apps, with WhatsApp emerging as the flagship channel for retail in markets such as Hong Kong, Singapore and India. Sanuker’s Woztell platform lets retailers stitch ecommerce, CRM and ERP data into a single WhatsApp thread, enabling AI agents to manage discovery, FAQs and first‑line service while humans handle high‑value tasks. The solution emphasizes real‑time, CRM‑connected personalization, rapid deployment, and strict governance to avoid spam and regulatory risk. Industry leaders see this as a shift toward high‑trust, AI‑assisted customer experiences that can reduce cost‑to‑serve and boost conversion.
By Inside Retail Asia
News•Feb 26, 2026
Sam Altman’s World ID Wins Major Brand Partners
Tools for Humanity, the iris‑scanning startup co‑founded by Sam Altman, is rolling out its World ID platform with high‑profile brand partners. A Gap store in San Francisco now hosts an Orb device that captures facial and eye data, while Tinder...
By PYMNTS
News•Feb 26, 2026
Stars Align for Passkeys but Will Adoption Follow?
Credential‑based fraud and login friction are eroding conversion for high‑value e‑commerce shoppers, prompting merchants to seek stronger, lower‑friction authentication. Passkeys, built on FIDO public‑key cryptography and unlocked via biometrics or PIN, promise to eliminate password reuse and phishing risk. PayPal...
By PYMNTS
Blog•Feb 26, 2026
Does Nostalgia Convert?
Target rolled out a dedicated Space Jam 30th‑anniversary endcap, featuring licensed basketballs, secret‑stuff bottles, and a popcorn bucket. The display was tightly curated, avoiding SKU sprawl and presenting a single nostalgic story. The article argues that while nostalgia captures shopper...
By Retail in Real Time
News•Feb 26, 2026
JD Sports Expands RFID Across Europe
JD Sports has signed a multiyear agreement with Checkpoint Systems to deploy the ItemOptix RFID platform across its European footprint, beginning with more than 400 UK and Ireland stores by the end of 2024 and scaling to nearly 1,000 locations...
By Sourcing Journal
News•Feb 26, 2026
Amazon Same-Day Grocery Delivery and Pharmacy Services Comes to Louisville
Amazon has launched same‑day grocery delivery and pharmacy services in Louisville, covering a 55‑mile radius. The rollout adds Louisville to more than 2,300 U.S. cities offering Amazon grocery delivery and moves the company toward its goal of nearly 4,500 cities...
By Supermarket News
Blog•Feb 26, 2026
Walmart to Begin Selling Onn Smart TVs Running Google TV for the First Time
Walmart is extending its low‑cost Onn brand into smart‑TV territory by introducing Google TV‑powered models for the first time. A Bluetooth certification filing reveals three series—SGQ, MQP and SQ—offering 55‑, 65‑ and 75‑inch 4K screens. Pricing is expected to stay...
By AFTVnews
News•Feb 26, 2026
Retail Atmosphere Starts with People, Not Shelves
Retail atmosphere is driven more by people than by shelves. While visual merchandising and layout influence perception, the article argues that staff behavior, eye contact, and consistent appearance create the emotional experience that customers remember. Human cues reduce decision stress...
By Retail Focus (UK)
News•Feb 26, 2026
ACV Auctions Expands AI Tools as Q4 Revenue Rises
ACV Auctions reported Q4 2025 revenue of $184 million, a 15% year‑over‑year increase, and full‑year revenue of $760 million, up 19% from 2024. The company narrowed its quarterly net loss to $20 million, improving by 23% versus the prior year, while selling 192,757...
By Digital Commerce 360
Blog•Feb 26, 2026
Web to Print Storefronts for Shopify: Build a Customization Channel That Scales
Shopify merchants can add a web‑to‑print storefront to let customers design and purchase customized printed goods, automating file preparation and production routing. The solution typically requires a SaaS platform like PrintXpand, integration with Shopify, and configurable SKUs, with implementation taking...
By eCommerce Fastlane
News•Feb 26, 2026
Ground Beef, Egg Purchases Surge on Flashfood as Grocery Prices Rise in 2026
Flashfood reported a sharp rise in protein purchases as grocery prices climb, with ground beef sales up 28% and egg purchases soaring 90% year‑over‑year. Protein now accounts for more than 30% of the app’s total sales, reflecting consumer shifts toward...
By Supermarket News
Blog•Feb 26, 2026
Giant, Stop&Shop, Martin’s: Get 4x Points On Select Third-Party Giftcards (2/27-3/12)
Giant, Stop & Shop, and Martin’s are running a limited‑time promotion that awards four times the usual fuel points on purchases of selected third‑party gift cards between Feb 27 and Mar 12. Eligible cards include Airbnb, Delta, Disney, DoorDash, Southwest, Hotels.com, Lyft,...
By Doctor of Credit
News•Feb 26, 2026
NYC Mayor Wants $70M for City-Run Grocery Stores
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a plan to allocate $70 million toward launching a city‑run grocery‑store program. The proposal comes as the administration confronts a $5.4 billion budget shortfall and a $127 billion 2027 budget request. The plan envisions one subsidized...
By Supermarket News
News•Feb 26, 2026
Rackhams Partners with Base.com to Accelerate Seller Expansion
Rackhams has partnered with Base.com to simplify expansion for established Amazon and eBay sellers onto the Rackhams marketplace. Base.com provides a multi‑channel operating system that centralises listings, inventory, pricing, and order fulfillment across major marketplaces and ecommerce platforms. The collaboration...
By ChannelX (formerly Tamebay)
News•Feb 26, 2026
Home Improvement Market Poised for Continued Growth Despite Economic Challenges
The U.S. home improvement products market is projected to reach roughly $688 billion by 2029, driven by an average 4% annual growth rate from 2026 through 2029. Despite lingering economic pressure, first‑quarter 2026 spending remained near record levels, anchored by repair...
By Hardware Retailing
News•Feb 26, 2026
2 Home Furnishing Stocks Set to Benefit Despite Industry Odds
The Zacks Retail‑Home Furnishings sector faces headwinds from high mortgage rates, weak housing turnover, and tariff pressures, resulting in a 7.3% underperformance versus the S&P 500’s 20.4% gain. Despite the bleak backdrop, digital tools such as augmented‑reality visualizers and AI‑driven personalization...
By Nasdaq — Investing
News•Feb 26, 2026
E-Com Survey: Growth Is Inseparable From Operational Maturity
The 2026 State of Commerce Ops Report by Linnworks shows that mid‑market e‑commerce retailers in the U.K. and U.S. are experiencing robust year‑over‑year growth, with nearly 90% reporting moderate to significant expansion. However, the survey highlights that scalability hinges on...
By Supply Chain Quarterly
News•Feb 26, 2026
Burger King’s AI “Patty” Moves AI Into Frontline Execution
Burger King is piloting an AI assistant named “Patty” inside employee headsets, embedding it within the BK Assistant platform to guide crew members, monitor equipment, and analyze service language. The system connects to the cloud‑based point‑of‑sale, enabling near‑real‑time inventory updates,...
By Logistics Viewpoints
News•Feb 26, 2026
Borden Cheese Launches National Search for "America's Favorite Grilled Cheese"
Borden Cheese has launched a nationwide contest to crown “America’s Favorite Grilled Cheese,” inviting consumers to vote for one of four recipe contenders through March 24, 2026. Each vote doubles as an entry to win a year’s supply of Borden cheese and...
By Mass Market Retailers
News•Feb 26, 2026
Walmart's Advertising Revenue Is Outpacing Amazon's
Walmart’s advertising business surged 46% to $6.4 billion in FY26, outpacing Amazon’s 22% rise to $68.6 billion. The dollar gap narrowed from roughly 15:1 to 11:1, though it remains sizable. Growth figures include the VIZIO acquisition, while Walmart Connect – the core...
By Marketplace Pulse
News•Feb 26, 2026
Shopify Dominant Software in New Stores
ShopRank research shows Shopify powered 54% of new online stores in the Netherlands, 49% in France and 41% in Spain last year. Across seven major European markets, Shopify launched 148,044 new stores, outpacing WooCommerce’s 99,140 and PrestaShop’s 9,747. WooCommerce saw...
By Ecommerce News Europe
News•Feb 26, 2026
Puma CEO Cites $260 Hyrox Sneaker as Early Step in Turnaround
Puma CEO Arthur Hoeld is steering a turnaround by slashing staff, buying back excess inventory, and spotlighting a new training division. The company launched the $260 Puma X Hyrox Deviate Nitro Elite, its first shoe built specifically for the Hyrox fitness competition. Hoeld calls the...
By The Business of Fashion (BoF)
Blog•Feb 26, 2026
UK Appoints Former Amazon Exec Doug Gurr as CMA Chair
The UK government has confirmed former Amazon executive Doug Gurr as the permanent chair of the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA). Gurr, who previously led Amazon’s UK operations, had been serving in an interim capacity before his appointment. He will...
By Shopifreaks
News•Feb 26, 2026
3 Ways FedEx, UPS Competitors Are Leveling up in 2026
Alternative parcel carriers such as Veho, Gofo, UniUni and Maersk E‑Commerce are intensifying competition with FedEx and UPS in 2026. They are rolling out new tech‑driven features like real‑time performance portals, AI‑optimized FlexSave delivery windows, picture‑proof‑of‑delivery and weekend service. Coverage is...
By Supply Chain Dive
News•Feb 26, 2026
Outback Steakhouse, Noodles & Company, CAVA
Outback Steakhouse recorded a 0.9% traffic increase in Q4, its first rise in four years, driven by the popular Aussie 3‑Course value meals, though same‑store sales slipped 0.6% because of lower pricing. The chain will allocate $50 million toward further restaurant...
By Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN)
News•Feb 26, 2026
Sofa Club Appoints Stephanie Rackley to Head up Marketing
Sofa Club, the online furniture retailer, has appointed Stephanie Rackley as its group marketing director. Rackley previously served as a marketing consultant and social media strategist at Caroline Gardner, and held senior roles at Medik8, Bare Minerals and Champneys. In...
By The Retail Bulletin (UK)
News•Feb 26, 2026
Dia Makes Impressive Comeback in Spain
Grupo Dia posted a profit in 2025 after seven consecutive loss‑making years, reporting €5.8 billion in total turnover, a 3.5% increase. In Spain, sales rose 8% to €4.6 billion, driven by a 7.4% rise in comparable turnover and the opening of 94...
By Retail Detail (EU)
News•Feb 26, 2026
Papa Johns Will Close 300 Restaurants
Papa Johns announced it will shutter 300 underperforming North American restaurants by the end of 2027, targeting sites that generate less than $600,000 in annual sales and typically post negative four‑wall earnings. The closures are part of a broader transformation...
By Restaurant Dive (Industry Dive)
News•Feb 26, 2026
Target Leans Into Spirit of Adventure with Roller Rabbit Collab
Target is rolling out a limited‑time collaboration with cult‑favorite lifestyle brand Roller Rabbit on March 7, offering more than 250 items that span apparel, travel gear, home goods and new categories such as luggage and outdoor products. The collection is anchored...
By Retail TouchPoints
News•Feb 26, 2026
Colruyt Group Extends Sunday Opening Hours for Okay City City Stores
Colruyt Group is extending Sunday opening hours for its urban Okay City stores in Ghent, Antwerp and Liège, now staying open until 7:30 p.m. The change follows a trial that showed strong customer uptake and stable average turnover per shopping cart....
By Retail Detail (EU)
News•Feb 26, 2026
Kroger Traffic Rises as Trips Grow Shorter in Q4 2025 – Placer.ai Blog
Kroger reported a 2.3% year‑over‑year rise in overall store traffic and a 2.8% increase in visits per venue for Q4 2025, signaling continued grocery demand resilience. At the same time, average dwell time slipped, indicating shoppers are making more frequent, mission‑driven...
By Placer.ai Blog
News•Feb 26, 2026
Casino Working on Recovery After Further Decline in Revenue
French retailer Casino posted 2025 consolidated sales of €8.26 billion, up 0.5 % on a comparable‑store basis but down 2.5 % in published terms. The decline reflects the closure of roughly 1,000 small neighbourhood stores as the chain trims its footprint. Despite the...
By Retail Detail (EU)
News•Feb 26, 2026
Søstrene Grene Accelerates UK Expansion as Manchester Opening Marks 400th Global Store
Søstrene Grene will unveil its 400th global store at Manchester Arndale on 26 March, marking the sixth UK opening of 2026. The Danish retailer now operates more than 70 UK locations and aims for 100 stores by 2027, after a 130 percent...
By A1 Retail Magazine (UK)
News•Feb 26, 2026
Burger King Has Upgraded Its Signature Whopper
Burger King announced its first Whopper reformulation in nearly ten years, driven by guest feedback. The new version keeps the quarter‑pound flame‑grilled beef but adds a premium bun, upgraded mayo, and serves the sandwich in a heat‑retaining box, while eliminating...
By Nation’s Restaurant News (NRN)
News•Feb 26, 2026
Festival Place Leading the Way with New Inclusivity Initiative
Festival Place in Basingstoke has become the UK’s first shopping centre to launch a dedicated inclusivity partnership with disability consultancy Purple Advantage. The collaboration delivers bespoke training, practical tools and ongoing support to centre staff and retailers, aiming to make...
By A1 Retail Magazine (UK)
News•Feb 26, 2026
NOMO’s Biggest Ever Easter Range Secures Free From Award Wins
NOMO’s 2026 Easter collection earned multiple gold and silver accolades at the Free From Easter Awards, marking the brand’s most extensive range to date. The lineup introduced four new allergen‑free products, including a Salted Popcorn Egg and Honeycomb Bunny, while...
By A1 Retail Magazine (UK)
News•Feb 26, 2026
UK Supermarkets Show Progress on Packaging Sustainability – but There’s Still Room to Improve
Research by Aura shows 53% of packaging used by the UK’s nine biggest supermarkets scores green for recyclability under Defra’s RAM, while 37% falls into amber or red categories. The methodology will feed into eco‑modulated EPR fees that begin in...
By A1 Retail Magazine (UK)
Blog•Feb 26, 2026
RRD Details Smart Packaging Implementation
RRD’s 2026 Integrated Packaging Report surveyed 400 packaging, label and supply‑chain leaders, revealing a stark gap between strong awareness of smart packaging and its limited real‑world adoption. While most respondents intend to adopt connected packaging—using RFID, QR codes and IoT...
By RFID Journal
News•Feb 26, 2026
AI Revives Ecommerce DIY
Ecommerce firms are embracing AI and automation to revive a DIY spirit, letting non‑technical staff build custom tools. A Northwest retailer equipped employees with OpenAI, Gemini and n8n, creating a price‑monitoring workflow that feeds data into Google Sheets. The approach...
By Practical Ecommerce
News•Feb 26, 2026
Estée Lauder to Armani: The Risks and Rewards of Reformulating a Hero Beauty Product
Iconic beauty brands such as Estée Lauder and Armani are reformulating flagship foundations like Double Wear and Luminous Silk to address regulatory changes, ingredient costs, and supply‑chain disruptions. While reformulations can alienate loyal consumers, companies argue that staying static poses...
By Cosmetics Business
News•Feb 26, 2026
Analysis: Are We Witnessing the Fall of the Celebrity Beauty Brand?
Celebrity beauty brands have long leveraged star power, from early fragrance lines by Britney Spears and Jennifer Lopez to modern powerhouses like Kylie Cosmetics and Rare Beauty. Recent closures—including Gwen Stefani’s Gxve Beauty, Drew Barrymore’s Flower Beauty, and Kate Moss’s Cosmoss—suggest the segment’s...
By Cosmetics Business
News•Feb 26, 2026
Momentum Builds in Athletic Apparel & Sporting Goods: DICK’s, Academy Sports + Outdoors, and Lululemon – Placer.ai Blog
Foot traffic data and Q3 earnings show DICK’s, Academy Sports + Outdoors, and Lululemon each leaning on distinct growth levers in 2026. DICK’s maintains stable visits while integrating Foot Locker and rolling out experiential House of Sport and Field House concepts. Academy...
By Placer.ai Blog
News•Feb 26, 2026
Hello Sunday Voluntarily Recalls Mineral Sunscreen in UK over Potential Health Risk
Hello Sunday has voluntarily recalled its The One For Your Eyes Mineral Eye Cream SPF 50 in the United Kingdom after recent laboratory testing revealed the product does not achieve the advertised SPF 50 protection. The recall affects all batches sold between...
By Cosmetics Business
News•Feb 26, 2026
Unrest Continues at Intermarché Belgium
Intermarché Belgium’s 2022 acquisition of the Mestdagh franchise doubled its store count but triggered operational chaos, leading to multiple bankruptcies and legal disputes. Independent shopkeepers report tens of millions of euros in debt as the group allegedly shifts invoices onto...
By Retail Detail (EU)
Blog•Feb 26, 2026
Does The Trade Desk Need to Get Acquisitive?
The Trade Desk (TTD) is feeling pressure as major agencies pull spend toward Amazon’s DSP and its own OpenPath and Kokai platforms stumble. Recent earnings missed revenue expectations, highlighting a slowdown despite the company’s $12 billion market cap and strong growth...
By Next in Media
News•Feb 26, 2026
The Hidden Customer Experience Cost of Returns: Why Apparel Brands Must Rethink Reverse Logistics
Apparel brands are recognizing that returns have become a pivotal customer‑experience moment rather than a hidden back‑office cost. Over 80% of shoppers say return policies influence purchase decisions, and slow, opaque refunds erode trust and repeat‑purchase intent. Reverse‑logistics delays have...
By Retail Customer Experience
News•Feb 26, 2026
Australia’s Top Retailers Honoured for CX, Store and Loyalty
Australia’s Retailer Awards, presented by Inside Retail and Shiperoo, honored leading retailers for excellence in customer experience, store design and loyalty. Priceline secured the CX Innovator of the Year award for firms with over $250 million revenue, while Decjuba won the...
By Inside Retail Australia
News•Feb 26, 2026
Akeneo Partners with Stripe to Help Businesses Get Ready to Sell on AI Agents
Akeneo, a product experience company, announced a partnership with Stripe to integrate its PIM platform with Stripe’s Agentic Commerce Suite. The joint solution lets merchants expose structured, real‑time product data to AI assistants and enables agent‑ready checkout, payments, and fraud...
By Retail Focus (UK)
News•Feb 26, 2026
Eurobrick Supports New Marks & Spencer Flagship Store in Bristol
Marks & Spencer opened a new flagship store at Cabot Circus in Bristol in November 2025, featuring a food hall fitted out by Eurobrick. The supplier delivered 75 m² of its I‑Clad cladding system together with Red Blue Flamed brick slips...
By Retail Focus (UK)
News•Feb 26, 2026
EcoVista Evolves Brand to Sharpen Focus on Retail Media, DOOH and Stadia
EcoVista has launched a refreshed brand identity and website, sharpening its focus on three core verticals—Retail Media, Digital Out of Home (DOOH), and Venues & Stadia. Over the past year the company expanded its retail‑media projects, moving from pure installation...
By Retail Focus (UK)