Today's Retail Pulse
Chipotle relaunches Summer of Extras to offset price‑hike sales dip
Chipotle increased menu prices by roughly 2% in early 2025, which coincided with a 1.7% decline in comparable restaurant sales year‑over‑year. To win back price‑sensitive diners, the chain revived its Summer of Extras promotion, offering free entrees through monthly streak challenges and local leaderboards—a program that previously generated about $12 million.
Also developing:
Audio Ads Are Coming to 6,000 More Dollar General Stores
Dollar General is expanding its in‑store audio advertising network, partnering with retail ad‑tech firm Qsic to equip an additional 6,000 locations. The rollout will bring audio ads to 12,000 stores—about half of the retailer’s 21,000‑store footprint—by the end of Q2. Qsic will provide AI‑driven ad delivery and measurement that ties directly to point‑of‑sale data. The move follows a competitive RFP and builds on a pilot already running in 6,000 stores.
LoweConex Enhances Maintenance, Energy & Capital Investment Outcomes for Thousands of Retail Stores
LoweConex announced multi‑million‑dollar savings across energy, maintenance, and capital decisions for thousands of retail stores in 2025‑early 2026, driven by its Conex OS platform. The system unifies data from BMS, refrigeration, and HVAC assets, delivering real‑time visibility for retailers such as...
The Quiet Shift Putting Content at the Centre of Retail
Retailers in Australia are confronting a quiet but decisive shift: content has become the central engine of the omnichannel experience. Legacy, siloed systems struggle to keep pace with shoppers who expect real‑time, consistent information across web, mobile, stores and marketplaces....
Harbour Town Adelaide Boasts Sales Surge as New Tenants Join Offer
Harbour Town Adelaide reported a 6% rise in sales on a moving annual total basis and a 4% increase in foot traffic over the past year. The centre welcomed ten new premium‑outlet stores, adding brands such as Michael Kors, Swarovski and...
BoF Professional Masterclass | The Fashion Marketer’s Guide to AI
The Business of Fashion will host a Professional Masterclass on April 15, focusing on how AI has become a core component of fashion marketing and offering practical frameworks for its implementation. The event features case‑study author Haley Crawford, BoF editor Marc Bain,...
Metro Retail Sales Rise, Fuelling Double-Digit Earnings Growth
Metro Retail Stores Group (MRSGI) posted FY25 revenue above PhP 40 billion (≈US$662.8 million) and total sales of PhP 41.56 billion (≈US$742 million), marking a new scale milestone. Net income climbed 12% year‑on‑year to PhP 682.64 million (≈US$12.2 million) as operating efficiency improved. Same‑store sales rose modestly 0.6% while...
Bangkok-Based Coffee Startup Ve/La Expands Into Singapore
Bangkok‑born specialty coffee brand Ve/la is set to launch its first airport café at Changi Airport’s Terminal 1, slated for late summer 2026. The 24‑hour location will be the chain’s third international market after Thailand and London and will feature a...
Brands Focus on Leaner Product Lines Amid Surging Input Costs
Brands across smartphones, televisions and fast‑moving consumer goods are trimming product portfolios as input costs surge amid the Iran war and AI‑driven demand for components. Memory chips have risen 50‑90% and packaging materials 20‑35%, prompting manufacturers to cut 5‑7% of...
The Thrift Shift: Majority of Canadians Plan to Shop Second-Hand This Year
A Habitat for Humanity ReStore survey of 1,536 Canadians shows 60% plan to shop second‑hand this year, driven chiefly by cost‑of‑living pressures. Sixty‑eight percent thrift to save money, while 83% view it as both economically and environmentally sensible. Thrifting is...
For Mother’s Day, Kendra Scott Invests in Its Largest Influencer Activation to Date
Kendra Scott unveiled its "Mark It: Jewelry for the Moments That Matter" campaign for Mother’s Day, fronted by influencer Sara Foster and featuring more than 200 short‑form videos across TikTok, YouTube, Meta and Pinterest. The effort represents the brand’s largest influencer...
The Top 10 Brands Gen Z and Millennials Are Loyal To
Young consumers show a nuanced form of brand loyalty, calling themselves “loyal‑ish” rather than fully committed. YPulse’s survey of 13‑ to 39‑year‑olds finds tech giants Apple, Samsung, Sony and PlayStation dominate the top‑10 loyalty list, while McDonald’s ranks seventh thanks...
Banana Republic and The Explorers Club on a Journey Together
Banana Republic has teamed with The Explorers Club to debut a 20‑piece “Archive Reissue” capsule that reinterprets the brand’s iconic styles from the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. The collection rolls out on Tuesday in 29 Banana Republic stores across the...
Sol De Janeiro’s Director of Global Influence on the Rise of ‘Non-Followers’ and the New Rules of Social Engagement
Sol de Janeiro’s new director of global influence, Avrielle Cortes, says the brand is shifting from a TikTok‑centric strategy to a fragmented, multi‑platform approach. She highlights the rise of “non‑followers” – viewers reached through algorithmic feeds – as a key...
Kohl’s Is Stepping up Its Creator Efforts as It Attempts a Sales Reset
Kohl’s is expanding its creator marketing program to reverse a 4% drop in net sales and a softer‑than‑expected fourth‑quarter. The retailer now works with about 1,500 nano‑creators, offering commissions, free products and exclusive event access, while maintaining a roster of...
Candy Brand Behave Bet Everything on TikTok Shop, Went Viral and Secured a Target Launch
In summer 2024, low‑sugar candy brand Behave faced bankruptcy with only 60 days of cash left. The founders pivoted to TikTok Shop, posting multiple daily videos until a viral post of their Super Sour Skulls sold out in three days...
Retail Daily Minute | Starbucks Uplifts Chicago Stores, Ahold Delhaize Expands Pay-by-Bank & Edibles.com Enters Physical Retail
The episode spotlights three retail developments: Starbucks' pilot of a cozy, “uplifted” Chicago store under its Back to Starbucks strategy, Ahold Delhaize’s expansion of a pay‑by‑bank payment option across Giant Food and Stop & Shop, and Edibles.com’s launch of a...
Creator Content Has Become Critical for Retail Media Networks
Retail media networks are weaving creator‑led content into brand campaigns, leveraging sales data to pinpoint influencers with the highest conversion potential. Walmart Connect has expanded its Omnicom partnership to include Meta insights, while Best Buy will run seasonal YouTube spots with...
Disney Store Plans Perth Pop-Up
Disney Store will open a limited‑time pop‑up in Perth’s Lakeside Joondalup Shopping City from April 18 to May 31. The activation aligns with the anniversaries of Winnie the Pooh and Pixar Studios and showcases themed collections including Star Wars, Lucifer, Bambi, and...
French Garden Centre Gamm Vert Releases ‘Grow It Yourself’ Groceries
French garden‑centre chain Gamm vert has rolled out a new "Grow’ceries" campaign in partnership with Ogilvy Paris. The initiative repurposes familiar supermarket packaging – tomato‑sauce cans, soup cartons, pesto jars and crisps packets – to contain seeds and young plants for home...
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/merchandising.asp-final-abafdb2d61ea4c68adb40b5decaa2c21.png)
Merchandising Strategies: Boost Retail Sales With Effective Techniques
Investopedia outlines how modern merchandising blends pricing, display design, and promotional tactics to drive retail sales. It highlights the seasonal rhythm of U.S. retail, from Valentine’s Day to Christmas, and the shift of chief merchants toward customer experience and digital...
IKEA Winds Back Its Famous 365-Day Refund Policy
IKEA announced that opened or assembled items must now be returned within 60 days in Australia and New Zealand, replacing its iconic 365‑day policy. The change, effective April 9, limits refunds to store credit rather than original payment methods. Unopened, unused goods...
Dick's Sporting Goods Targets 250 Foot Locker Stores with Fast Break Revamp
At JPMorgan’s 12th Annual Retail Roundup, Dick's Sporting Goods executives announced a plan to extend the Fast Break store concept to roughly 250 U.S. Foot Locker locations by the back‑to‑school season. The company also framed the Foot Locker acquisition as a...
Guess, Marc Jacobs and Gap Double Down at Coachella
At Coachella 2026, Gap launched its first festival activation, the “Hoodie House,” offering limited‑edition Gap × Coachella hoodies that attendees can customize on‑site. Guess held its fifth Desert Experience, redesigned by creative studio Verdy and featuring partnerships with Patron Tequila and Hennessy....
Pacsun Rolls Out PS Vintage Resale Shops in 16 Stores, Targeting Gen Z Circular Fashion
Pacsun has introduced its PS Vintage resale concept in 16 brick‑and‑mortar stores, moving the online‑first program onto the shop floor. Partnering with second‑hand specialist Springy, the retailer aims to capture Gen Z’s demand for unique, sustainable fashion while revitalizing physical...
Google and Shopify Unveil Universal Commerce Protocol, Shifting E‑commerce to AI Agents
Google and Shopify introduced the Universal Commerce Protocol (UCP) at the NRF conference, collapsing discovery, checkout and payment into a single AI‑driven conversational interaction. The shift threatens traditional e‑commerce funnels and forces marketers to rethink measurement, visibility and monetization strategies.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():format(jpeg)/ScreenShot2019-10-15at10.56.50AM-64053c942f9e466da62dd16ae506ff3d.png)
Understanding Shrinkflation: Causes, Examples, and How to Identify It
Shrinkflation—reducing product size while keeping prices unchanged—has become a common tactic in the food and beverage sector as companies grapple with rising raw‑material and labor costs. Notable examples include Mars cutting UK chocolate bars by 15% in 2017 and Walkers...
Chinese Milk Tea Brands Expand in US, South Korea as Southeast Asia Grows Crowded
Chinese milk‑tea chains are moving beyond the crowded Southeast Asian market, targeting South Korea and the United States. Over 60 brands operate more than 6,100 outlets in the region, but saturation is prompting a shift from rapid expansion to tighter...
The Wegmans Policy More Customers Need To Take Advantage Of
Wegmans Food Markets offers a 30‑day raincheck for sale items that run out, allowing shoppers to purchase the advertised price or a comparable substitute. The raincheck cannot be combined with Shoppers Club digital coupons and is limited to a set...
Vietnam: Emerging Global Test Bed for AI-Driven Commerce
Vietnam is emerging as a global test bed for AI‑driven commerce, with 89% of online adults messaging businesses weekly and 78% finding AI chatbots helpful. The market has matured from basic social commerce to a "social commerce 2.0" where AI...
Amazon’s Major P&G Sale Is Back: Spend $80, Get $20 Credit – Save on Tide, Pampers, Dawn, Gillette, & More
Amazon has revived its partnership promotion with Procter & Gamble, offering shoppers a $20 Amazon credit when they spend at least $80 on qualifying P&G items. The deal covers household staples such as Tide detergent, Pampers diapers, Bounty paper towels,...
Has the Death of the Department Store Reached Japan?
Seibu's flagship department store in Shibuya will close in September, ending nearly six decades of operation. The shutdown reflects a broader slump in Japan's department‑store sector, where sales are now less than half of their 1990s peak despite a post‑COVID...
Google Backs Immersive Eyewear Brand Gentle Monster's Retail Revolution
Big fan of Google’s $100m investment in Gentle Monster to do smart glsses. Been to a few of its stores and layouts are slick. The South Korean lux eyewear brand does ~$600m a year. Retail setups have dope sculptures and 3D...
Target Opens 2,000th Store, Doubling Down on Brick‑and‑Mortar
Target opened its 2,000th store in Fuquay‑Varina, North Carolina, a 148,000‑square‑foot site that adds a 30% larger food and beverage area and new partnerships with CVS, Starbucks and Disney. The milestone underscores the retailer’s strategic push to expand and modernize...
Nut‑Free Pesto Startup Besto Scales to 60 Stores, Targeting Allergy‑Sensitive Consumers
Kaureen Randhawa launched Besto, a fresh, nut‑free pesto, and within a year the brand secured placement in about 60 stores across 17 states. The startup’s emphasis on perishable, ingredient‑transparent products aims to capture allergy‑sensitive shoppers and health‑focused consumers.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy Warns Tariffs Are Creeping Into Consumer Prices as Stockpiles Dwindle
Amazon chief Andy Jassy told CNBC that the retailer’s early‑year inventory buildup has run out, and tariffs are now showing up in product prices. The comment comes as the U.S. government processes $166 billion in tariff refunds for companies while consumers...
Mamdani Plans to Open First City-Owned Grocery Store in East Harlem
Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced that New York City will build a city‑owned grocery store at La Marqueta in East Harlem, allocating roughly $30 million for the project. The store is the first of a promised network of five public supermarkets—one in...
Chipotle-Style Chain Shuts Restaurants, Exits Key Market
Mo' Bettahs, the Hawaiian fast‑casual chain known for plate lunches, announced the closure of all its Kansas City metro locations, effectively exiting a market it entered in 2022. The shutdown comes after the brand, now backed by private‑equity firms Trive...
Brick‑and‑mortar Bike Shops Aren't Practical in Digital Age
as a reseller and a cyclist - I have a few opinions on this. on one hand I'd love to have a little bike shop - but there's nothing practical about trying to do this. the high cost of running...
EXEC: Resale Activity Continues to Boom
ThredUp’s 2026 Resale Report shows the U.S. secondhand apparel market reached $56 billion in 2025 and is projected to hit $78.8 billion by 2030, outpacing traditional retail. Gen Z and Millennials will generate 64 percent of incremental resale spend, with Gen Z alone driving 40 percent...
Japan’s Wego Launches Harajuku‑Style Store in Taipei, Aims for 20 Outlets by 2030
Japanese label Wego is set to open its first Taiwan store in May at Eslite Spectrum Wuchang in Taipei’s Ximending district, marking the brand’s entry into the Taiwanese market. The company plans a flagship in central Taipei and a network...
Greylock Federal Credit Union Taps Veteran Banker Charles Robertson as Senior VP of Retail Services
Greylock Federal Credit Union announced Charles Robertson as senior vice president of retail services. The veteran banker will oversee the credit union’s 15‑branch network, contact center, digital platforms and growth initiatives, bringing more than 25 years of experience from his...
GLP‑1 Boom Fuels $1,000‑Monthly Spend, Boosting Gyms, Beauty and Grocery Sectors
Millions of Americans on GLP‑1 drugs such as Ozempic are spending up to $1,000 a month on ancillary costs, from personal trainers to premium groceries. The ripple effect is boosting revenue for fitness clubs, beauty retailers and food suppliers, creating...
Shake Shack Rolls Out Project Catalyst to Power AI‑Driven Loyalty and Unified Commerce
Shake Shack announced Project Catalyst, a technology overhaul that adds AI‑powered loyalty, unified commerce and edge‑based POS upgrades. Partnering with cloud‑native platform Qu, the chain aims to scale to 1,500 company‑operated restaurants while tightening direct guest relationships.
MTY Food Group Beats EPS but Misses Revenue, Shares Slip 0.8%
MTY Food Group reported adjusted earnings per share of $0.98, crushing the $0.795 consensus, yet revenue slipped 5% to $267.77 million, missing the $282 million whisper. The earnings beat failed to lift the stock, which closed down 0.79% at $40.41, as investors...
Andon Labs’ $100K AI‑Run Boutique Flops as Staff Miss First Shift
Andon Labs, a San Francisco‑based startup, gave its AI agent Luna a $100,000 budget to launch a brick‑and‑mortar boutique called Andon Market. Within a day of opening, the AI’s scheduling mishap left the store without any staff, exposing safety gaps...
Car‑Shopping Sites See EV Interest Surge After $4‑per‑Gallon Gas Shock
Cars.com and Edmunds disclosed a noticeable rise in electric‑vehicle (EV) interest after U.S. gasoline prices breached the $4‑per‑gallon threshold, a level the Wall Street Journal says triggers reconsideration of EVs. EV sales jumped 12% in the first quarter, while Chinese...
You Can Grab a Refurbished 2021 Kindle Paperwhite Starting at Just $49.99
The 2021 Kindle Paperwhite is now available refurbished on Woot, with prices as low as $49.99 for an 8GB, ad‑supported, scratch‑and‑dent unit. Non‑S&D models start at $69.99, while the refurbished Signature Edition with wireless charging is $99.99. All units include...
Retention, Not Acquisition, Drives Explosive Revenue Growth
Right now, this pattern is repeating itself in real time (D2C Wellness Brand) $1.2M/month… growth flat for the last 120 days “We’ve scaled… but now it just feels stuck” The issue wasn’t acquisition—it was weak retention economics We built LTV systems + repeat purchase...
10 Hidden Email Issues Plaguing Every E‑commerce Account
These 10 email problems show up in almost every ecom account we audit. Including the ones that look like they’re running fine. (bookmark this) https://t.co/TmpJZsENk4
U.S. Consumers Embrace Meat as Healthy, Boosting Retail Sales
A new industry survey finds 75% of U.S. shoppers now consider meat and poultry a healthy staple, up from 64% in 2020, fueling a surge in meat sales. The shift fuels optimism for retailers but sparks pushback from health experts...