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.
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Retailers are confronting a new wave of return fraud powered by AI‑generated images. Executives at Boll & Branch and Bogg Bag discovered counterfeit photos used to claim damaged goods, prompting tighter verification. Experts say AI tools have accelerated fraud, contributing to an estimated $100 billion in annual losses and a projected $379 billion cost of returns by 2026. Brands are now rethinking return policies, adding video checks and shared fraud databases to protect revenue without alienating honest shoppers.
Luckin Coffee posted double‑digit Q4 revenue growth, with net revenues climbing 32.9% to RMB 12.7 billion. The chain added 1,834 new stores, bringing total locations to 31,048, including 1,792 in China and a handful overseas. Same‑store sales for company‑operated stores improved...
Hong Kong investment group Bonjour Holdings reported a half‑year loss of HK$68.8 million for the period ending 31 December 2025, an improvement from the HK$134.4 million loss a year earlier. Revenue plunged 50.4% year‑on‑year to HK$6.7 million in its retail and wholesale division, while gross...
Asembl has launched a limited‑edition 325ml Raw C coconut water infused with Menz’s Violet Crumble honeycomb flavor, now sold in selected Coles stores across Australia. The drink combines Raw C’s hydration benefits with the nostalgic sweet crunch of the iconic...
Michael Hill International reported a half‑year revenue of $370.9 million, up 3% YoY, and a net profit after tax of $22.3 million, a 32% increase despite a full‑year loss. The profit boost was driven primarily by a 70‑basis‑point lift in the Canadian...
Retail marketers often pick agencies based on relationships, reputation lists, price, and niche experience, but those criteria only get to the long‑list stage. The article argues that true partnership hinges on deeper factors such as transparent KPI sharing, resistance to...
LSKD has held the number‑one spot on Humii’s Inside Retail Online CX Index for two consecutive years, posting sub‑5% abandonment and near‑100% retention. The brand’s edge stems from frictionless returns, ultra‑fast operational speed, intuitive product discovery, transparent checkout, clear loyalty...
Bunnings’ marketing chief Justine Mills and CommBank’s Jo Boundy discussed the disruptive potential of retail media during B&T’s CMO Power List interview. They highlighted how Hammer Media reshapes supplier‑to‑consumer engagement and how Bunnings is now acting as a publisher, leveraging...
Etsy has begun displaying a combined item‑plus‑shipping price for UK shoppers in search results, a change announced on February 25. The update aligns the marketplace with the UK Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers (DMCC) Act, which mandates upfront price transparency. Sellers...
ThredUp reported Q4 2025 revenue of $79.7 million, up 18.5% year‑over‑year, and a full‑year revenue of $310.8 million, a 20% increase. The company completed its shift to a consignment‑based model, now covering over 90% of transactions, and posted adjusted EBITDA in every...
In this episode, retail strategist Ian Scott walks host James Cook through the concept of a "retail safari," explaining how he curates immersive store tours for clients seeking inspiration beyond their own categories. Scott highlights the importance of mixing specific...
Aldi has been confirmed as the leading UK retailer for Scottish produce according to the NFU Scotland 2025‑26 ShelfWatch report. The audit of 78 Scottish stores found Aldi sources an average of 65% of fresh Scottish items, far outpacing the...
Chimera Brand Development has secured a national listing for Ouzo of Plomari across 166 Marks & Spencer stores, marking the spirit’s UK retail debut just seven months after the distributor was appointed. The Greek‑heritage ouzo, Greece’s top‑selling anise spirit, will be positioned as...
Waitrose secured a rare triple crown at the 2026 IWSC National Drinks Retail Awards, winning the Classic Supermarket, Online Supermarket and Sustainable Supermarket trophies. The awards were relaunched with five new categories and a £15,000 educational bursary programme for buying...
British dermatology brand AMELIORATE has entered 116 Tesco stores across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, bringing its clinically proven skincare line to mainstream shoppers. The launch spotlights the Transforming Body Lotion, an award‑winning product formulated with the proprietary LaH6...
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...
All World Machinery Supply, a Roscoe, Illinois distributor of 15,000 machine‑part SKUs, tackled a storage crunch and labor bottlenecks by installing four Kardex vertical lift modules (VLMs) and an in‑house conveyor system. The VLMs cut the warehouse footprint by 75%...
Modern's 2026 Productivity Achievement Awards recognized top performers in warehousing/distribution, innovation, and e‑fulfillment. Performance Health won Warehousing/Distribution for a streamlined distribution center, reduced packaging waste, and improved KPI tracking. Staples earned the Innovation award for its integrated robotics platform, autonomous...
Andrews Distributing partnered with Big Joe Forklifts to deploy the LPT40 DSD, a pallet truck that integrates a scale for delivery‑by‑weight verification. The system replaces manual case counting, cutting stop times by up to 43% and easing navigation in tight store...
Apple is preparing retail stores for a major influx of customers in response to this week’s new products. Here’s what I’m expecting and details on the preparation. https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2026-03-01/apple-touch-screen-macbook-pro-fall-2026-details-cheap-macbook-launch-core-ai-mm7rcg48
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...
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...
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...
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...
Former VP at $LVMH on their competitive advantage "LVMH benefits from its level of diversification. They cover so much ground in their understanding of an ability to reach a consumer interested in luxury products from so many different angles."
Warby Parker donated over 20 million pairs of glasses through their 'Buy a Pair, Give a Pair' program. A mission baked into every sale. Meanwhile you're just selling a product with no story or purpose behind it. That's the gap.
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...
I realized just now that I'm so old I remember when books would have a section called "you would also like" and/or have order forms you could rip out. The market was different back then and certain books (like SFF)...
And also, if your e-commerce business makes less than $500,000/year you truly don’t need a marketing team or an agency or a social media manager. And I truly don’t care what anybody in any of those roles have to say....
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...
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...
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...
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,...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
