Upside Report Reveals A Growing Income Divide In Consumer Spending
Upside’s new report “The Income Divide,” based on more than 10 billion transactions and surveys of over 3,500 consumers, finds a sharp behavioral split at $75,000 household income. Households above that threshold are increasing spend and joining multiple loyalty programs, while those below are trimming essential purchases such as groceries and fuel. The divergence creates a promotional dilemma for retailers, as blanket offers either waste margin on affluent shoppers or fail to reach price‑sensitive consumers. Upside warns that more granular, data‑driven promotions are needed to serve both groups effectively.
Thailand Targets High E-Commerce Platform Fees
The Thai Commerce and Digital Economy and Society ministries are preparing talks with major e‑commerce platforms to lower the gross profit (GP) fees that merchants pay. Currently, fees average about 30%, which the government deems excessive, and officials suggest a...
Fortnum & Mason Launches Biscuitorium, a New Immersive Space Range
Fortnum & Mason unveiled the Biscuitorium, a 200 sqm immersive biscuit destination on the mezzanine of its Piccadilly flagship, opening on 14 May 2026. The space features an interactive Biscuit Library with 12 flavor profiles, a Made in Piccadilly counter showcasing handcrafted sandwich biscuits,...
Levi's Links up with Football Association to Create England Fanwear Ahead of World Cup
Levi’s has partnered with the English Football Association to launch a five‑piece denim fan collection ahead of the 2026 World Cup. The line features two jackets, red baggy shorts, a bandana and a tote, all styled in the Three Lions...
Retail AI Has a Data Problem: Here’s How to Fix It
Retailers’ experiments with AI‑driven checkout, such as Walmart’s ChatGPT pilot, revealed conversion rates three times lower than traditional web checkout, prompting OpenAI to retreat from instant checkout and refocus on product discovery. Analysts at Bain project the U.S. agentic commerce...
TATA Starbucks Banking on Product Portfolio Expansion, Opening of Different Store Formats to Boost Business
TATA Starbucks, the 50/50 joint venture between Starbucks and Tata Consumer Products, now operates 506 stores in 81 Indian cities and is accelerating expansion through new store formats. The chain opened its first Reserve rooftop café in Kolkata, a 3,600‑sq‑ft...
Bob’s Q1 Growth Defies Wider Sector Trends
Bob’s Discount Furniture reported an 8.5% rise in first‑quarter revenue to $578 million, helped by five new store openings and 1.2% comparable‑store growth. Net income, however, plunged 81% to $2.5 million as SG&A rose 9% and a $2 million advisory termination fee was...
Specialized Drops US Prices on Turbo Levo eMTBs in Permanent Shift
Specialized announced a permanent price reduction for its Turbo Levo electric mountain bikes across the United States and Canada, affecting most models including the newly released Turbo Levo EVO line. Discounts range from 7% to 27%, with the flagship S‑Works...
Nintendo Hiking Price for Switch 2 Consoles
Nintendo announced price hikes for its Switch 2 console, raising the Canadian retail price to $679.99 CAD (about $503 USD) and the Japanese price to 59,980 yen (≈$402 USD). The increases reflect soaring memory‑chip costs, exchange‑rate pressures and recent tariff hikes. Despite the higher price,...
Deals: Fitbit Air Pre-Order Offers, Pixel 10 Pro/XL up to $500 Off, Legion Go 2 Windows Handheld $482 Off, More
Best Buy is bundling a free Obsidian Google Active band with Fitbit Air pre‑orders, mirroring Amazon’s $35 credit. Google’s Pixel 10 lineup sees deep cuts, with the 256 GB Pixel 10 Pro XL open‑box priced at $701, nearly $500 off. Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S11 falls to $540...
Lee Jeans up for Sale in Surprise Kontoor Move
Kontoor Brands announced that it is putting its Lee denim label up for sale after designating the brand and its $195 million Q1 revenue as discontinued operations. The move follows strong buyer interest and is intended to free resources for Wrangler...
From Ad Exposure to In-Store Sales
PadSquad and Cuebiq have launched a partnership that ties digital ad exposure directly to physical store visits and, for the first time, transaction outcomes. The solution uses Cuebiq’s mobility intelligence and a dwell‑time filter to count only meaningful foot traffic,...
Eye on POS: Square Counts 140 ISO Partners; Toast Locations Increase 22%
Square, Block Inc.’s payments arm, reported a 13% rise in first‑quarter payment volume and highlighted partnerships with more than 140 independent sales organizations (ISOs), delivering a 200% quarter‑over‑quarter surge in new sellers. Overall gross payment volume grew 8.2%, while Cash...
Is AI Going To Take Retail Jobs? Maybe, But Not The Ones You Expect
Andon Labs launched Andon Market, an experimental retail store run by an AI chatbot named Luna. Luna immediately hired human staff to handle customer interaction, positioning the AI as a manager rather than a floor worker. The experiment highlights a...
Next Is Raising Prices Due to the War in the Middle East
British retailer Next will raise prices up to 8% in non‑European markets starting in May as the Middle‑East war drives higher costs. The conflict adds roughly £47 million ($60 million) in extra expenses this year, far above the earlier £15 million estimate. Fuel...
Another Belgian Intermarché Is Closing Its Doors
Intermarché’s Monceau‑sur‑Sambre supermarket, a former Mestdagh store operating temporarily, is set to close after failing to secure a buyer. The closure adds to a wave of about a dozen Belgian outlets in similar limbo, with several Musketiers stores already filing...
Fulfilmentcrowd: ‘Stock Localization to Become More Important’
Fulfilmentcrowd, a logistics provider for online retailers, is urging a shift from single‑warehouse models to distributed, in‑country stock networks as order volumes and cross‑border sales rise. The company runs 16 fulfilment centres worldwide, serving more than 250 brands, and uses...
Apple Adds Verification Checks to Education Store After MacBook Neo Discount Surge
Apple is tightening its Education Store by requiring academic‑status verification for purchases in the United States, Australia, Canada, Chile and Hong Kong, using UNiDAYS as the vetting partner. The move follows criticism that the $499 education price for the newly launched...
Levanta Makes the Case That Creator Channels Belong Alongside Every Amazon Ad Budget
Levanta, the Seattle‑based affiliate and creator platform, announced the acquisition of Perch+, an early Amazon‑focused affiliate network. The deal brings hundreds of brands and publishers into Levanta’s marketplace, consolidating two of the longest‑standing players in the Amazon affiliate space. Levanta...
How Social Commerce Summit Aims to End the Silo Problem That Has Cost Brands Real Money
The Social Commerce Summit convenes May 14‑15, 2026 at Westdrift Manhattan Beach, offering an invitation‑only, complimentary forum for senior brand operators, platform leaders, and investors. Organized by Social Commerce News, the event is deliberately neutral, avoiding agency or platform sponsorship,...
Wendy’s Bets Order Accuracy and Clean Stores Will Revive Sales
Wendy’s reported a 7.8% same‑store sales decline in Q1, marking the fifth consecutive quarter of drops. The chain is accelerating Project Fresh by expanding menu‑item label printers to over 85% of locations and launching a “White Glove” cleanliness program, which...
River Island Is Now Available on M&S's Marketplace
River Island has launched on Marks & Spencer’s online marketplace, joining more than 100 fashion labels on the platform. The move aligns with M&S’s 2026 plan to boost e‑fashion sales to half of its total fashion turnover, up from the...
Pharmacy Chain Medi-Market Sets Its Sights on the Netherlands: Second Store in The Hague
Belgian drugstore chain Medi-Market is accelerating its Dutch expansion, opening a second store in The Hague after a pilot location in Maastricht. The company aims to operate 80 outlets across the Netherlands within five years, positioning itself against entrenched pharmacy...
Duluth Trading Launches Cheeky Underwear Marketing Campaign
Duluth Trading Company unveiled a cheeky underwear campaign featuring its new mascot, Max Gluteus, timed with March Madness. The initiative leveraged humor to position low‑priced underwear as a gateway product, driving first‑time purchases and long‑term loyalty. On Meta the campaign...
Valve's Steam Controller Reservation System May Give You Steam Deck Flashbacks
Valve is launching a reservation queue for the Steam Controller on May 8 at 6 pm UK time, letting existing Steam users sign up to buy the device as stock arrives. The system mirrors the 2022 Steam Deck launch, offering a first‑come‑first‑served...
How Ojamaker Is Powering Instant Online Stores in Africa with AI
African entrepreneurs face fragmented commerce built on Instagram, WhatsApp, and manual payments, limiting data ownership and scalability. Ojamaker, launched in November 2025, offers Africa’s first AI‑native e‑commerce ecosystem that creates fully functional storefronts in under five minutes. The platform embeds...
Easter Shift Skews April Retail Footfall, Bigger Picture Is Weak
April retail footfall in the UK rose 2% month‑on‑month, buoyed by good weather, bank holidays and events such as the London Marathon. However, year‑on‑year figures fell 1.9% overall, with high streets down 1.8% and shopping centres down 2.4%. BRC‑Sensormatic reported...
Metro Is Growing Amid Restructuring Challenges Thanks to Its Delivery Service
Metro’s wholesale division posted a 2.9% revenue increase to €16.1 billion (≈ $17.5 billion) in H1 2025/26, driven primarily by its delivery arm. At constant exchange rates growth rises to 3.5% as the weak Turkish lira drags reported figures. Adjusted EBITDA climbed from €468 million...
Omnichannel Grocery Fuels Shopper Choice – but Fragments Retailer Loyalty
Shoppers are increasingly distributing grocery purchases across digital and physical channels, eroding traditional retailer loyalty. Brands and grocers must adopt data‑driven stocking and omnichannel strategies to retain repeat trips in an attention‑fragmented market. Loyalty programs, targeted promotions, and consistent messaging...
PARTech Revenue up 19% and Other Digital Transactions News Briefs From 5/8/26
PAR Technology reported first‑quarter revenue of $124 million, a 19.3% year‑over‑year rise driven by a 15% jump in subscription services, while narrowing its loss to $16.2 million. Fiserv opened its first Clover manufacturing plant in Brazil, marking a foothold in the Americas....
Flowspace Launches Omnichannel Fulfillment Solution for Brands Scaling Across DTC, Retail and Wholesale Channels
Flowspace unveiled its B2B Retail Fulfillment Solution, an omnichannel platform that gives brands a single operational view across direct‑to‑consumer, retail and wholesale channels. The offering introduces Inventory Allocation Pools and Order Compliance Automation to prevent inventory mix‑ups and automate retailer‑specific...
Forget Product – Luxury Is Now About Privacy, Trust and Emotional Value
At Spear’s 500 Live, industry leaders argued that luxury is shedding its overt product focus in favor of "quiet luxury" built on privacy, trust and emotional connection. Panelists from Scott Dunn Private, Sevengage and AHD Consulting highlighted that ultra‑wealthy clients...
PURESEOUL Leicester Officially Opens Its Doors Today
PURESEOUL launched its first Leicester store in the UK, welcoming ticketed customers at 11 AM and opening to the public at noon. The opening is part of a broader 2026 expansion strategy that aims to add multiple UK locations. To drive...
From B2B to A2A: Alibaba.com Reimagines Global Trade with $1M+ AI-Powered Pitch Competition
Alibaba.com relaunched its CoCreate Pitch competition as an AI‑driven product innovation contest, offering a prize pool exceeding $1 million. The event introduces Accio Work, a plug‑and‑play AI agent that lets founders launch and scale businesses without code. Finals will be held in...
Editor’s Comment: How Are You Enticing Shoppers to Spend?
Drapers editor Jill Geoghegan warns that consumer confidence and store footfall are slipping as living costs surge amid the war in Iran. Shoppers are tightening belts on discretionary purchases, putting pressure on retailers to find new ways to motivate spending....
Coppa Cocktails Grows GTR Footprint
MG Destilerías' Coppa Cocktails, acquired in 2024, has rolled out canned ready‑to‑drink cocktails on four European airlines and in key Spanish and Turkish airports, expanding its global travel retail footprint. The brand offers 100ml and 200ml cans across 12 cocktail...
Jumia Leans on China Imports as Nigeria Becomes Top Market
Jumia is doubling down on Chinese-sourced inventory as it leans into Nigeria, now its biggest market, to hit profitability by the end of next year. International seller volume surged 87% year‑on‑year in Q1, led by China and Turkey, while revenue...
Mona Kattan’s Kayali Teams up with Calm to Make Wellbeing Tools More Accessible
Fragrance brand Kayali, founded by Mona Kattan, has partnered with mental‑health app Calm. For the month of May, every Kayali online purchase includes a unique code that unlocks three months of Calm Premium for free. The offer gives users full...
FLANNELS to Launch “The House of Summer”; A Three-Week Mexican Inspired Womenswear Showcase at Oxford Street Flagship
FLANNELS is unveiling “The House of Summer,” a three‑week Mexican‑inspired womenswear pop‑up at its Oxford Street flagship from May 1 to May 23, 2026. The basement space will be transformed into a Tulum‑evoking resort environment showcasing a curated edit of 15 international brands,...
Henderson Technology Enhances EDGEPoS with Digital Media Screens, Upgraded ESELs and Time-Saving Automation
Henderson Technology has upgraded its EDGEPoS platform with Digital Media Screens, refreshed four‑colour ESEL templates, and an automated Date Checking tool. The LED screens let forecourt retailers schedule and change promotions instantly, while the new ESEL designs improve shelf‑edge visibility....
Paula's Choice Boosts India Presence with Tira Beauty Launch
Paula's Choice, the Seattle‑based skincare line owned by Unilever, is expanding its Indian footprint by launching on Reliance Retail’s omni‑channel platform Tira. The partnership gives the brand presence across both digital storefronts and select brick‑and‑mortar locations, debuting with three flagship...
OTB Group and Google Cloud Launch AI-Powered Hyper-Personalised Shopping Experiences
OTB Group, the owner of Diesel, Jil Sander, Maison Margiela, Marni and Viktor & Rolf, has teamed with Google Cloud to roll out an AI‑driven, hyper‑personalised shopping experience. The service uses Google Cloud’s Virtual Try‑On API, powered by Gemini Enterprise Agent Platform,...
Online Hustle Podcast: The Future of Live Selling and Scaling Retail Brands
The Online Hustle podcast episode with Avask explores e‑commerce’s journey from early eBay days to today’s live‑selling and AI‑driven retail. The hosts break down strategic decisions around inventory, marketplace focus, and international expansion, spotlighting eBay Live, TikTok, and Amazon’s fulfillment...
Lee Jeans Brand Is up for Sale
Kontoor Brands announced it will sell its Lee denim subsidiary, with negotiations already at an advanced stage and several parties showing interest. The move comes on the heels of a strong first‑quarter performance that boosted the company’s cash position. By...
The Snack Barometer: The Iran Conflict and the Limits of Consumer Resilience
Geopolitical tension from the Iran‑US‑Israel conflict is already inflating fuel prices, prompting food and beverage manufacturers to see early signs of consumer stress. Shoppers are swapping branded items for private‑label products, cutting discretionary snack purchases, and demanding more promotions as...
Mobility at the Forefront: How Mobile POS Is Redefining Specialty Retail
Mobile point‑of‑sale (POS) systems are rapidly reshaping specialty retail by allowing associates to complete transactions anywhere on the sales floor. A Toshiba × Retail Dive survey shows 67% of retailers have adopted mobile POS, bringing the average store to 3.04 checkout options....
Why Click and Collect Is Winning Australia’s Fuel Price Crunch
Rising fuel prices in Australia—now about US$1.65 per litre for petrol and US$2.00 for diesel—are forcing shoppers to treat trips to physical stores as a calculated expense. Coles Group saw its online share surge from 3% to roughly 14% in...
Brain Corp Reports Strong Results From AI-Powered Shelf-Scanning Robots at Czech Retailer Albert
Brain Corp announced that its AI‑powered shelf‑scanning robots delivered high‑90% accuracy for Albert, the Czech Ahold Delhaize retailer operating 350 stores. The robots outperformed the 90% accuracy benchmark and continued to improve as they learned from each scan. By automatically identifying...
How Merchant Choice Routing Can Boost a Retailer’s Bottom Line
Debit cards now represent over 75% of Australian card payments, making transaction‑cost efficiency a priority for retailers. Merchant Choice Routing (MCR), also called Least‑Cost Routing, lets merchants direct debit transactions to the cheaper network—typically the domestic eftpos system—without altering the...
How Can Beauty Brands Prepare for the Next Wave of Agentic Shopping?
A new Pattern Group report finds 59% of beauty brands are exploring AI‑powered search and shopping agents, yet only 27% feel fully prepared to make agents a primary discovery and purchase channel. Fiona Reid, Director of International Business at Pattern,...