Despite Middle East Crisis, 7-Eleven on Track with 5,000th Store
Philippine Seven Corp., the exclusive 7‑Eleven licensee in the Philippines, is on track to open more than 500 new stores in 2026, positioning the chain to reach its 5,000‑store milestone by year‑end. The network grew to 4,491 locations at the close of 2025, with a net addition of 361 stores after opening 423 and closing 62. Expansion is accelerating outside Metro Manila, supported by a strategic market‑development plan and a robust pipeline of over 250 stores in development. The company also broadened its financial‑services footprint, installing cash‑recycler ATMs in 87% of outlets and appointing new senior leadership.
True Value Named Official ‘Sponsor of Grass’ in New Spring Campaign
True Value announced it is the official “Sponsor of Grass” for the spring season, launching a humor‑driven nationwide campaign to position the chain as a home‑and‑garden destination. The rollout features truck‑side billboards in Chicago, Instagram and Facebook lawn‑themed content, and...
How Grocers Can Embrace the ‘Promiscuous Shopper’
Grocery shoppers have abandoned single‑store loyalty, with only 1% sticking to one retailer and the average American visiting at least two stores weekly. Upside research shows over 90% of shoppers are “uncommitted,” chasing price above brand affinity. Victor Kimble of...
Retail Websites Among Worst Performers as Accessibility Declines Across the Web
The WebAIM Million 2026 report finds retail homepages are the least accessible sector, averaging 71 accessibility errors per page—27% more than the overall web average of 56.1 errors. Low‑contrast text, missing image alt text, unlabeled form inputs and empty links...
Replenit Raises $2.5M to Bring Real-Time AI Decision-Making to Retail
Replenit, an AI decision engine that converts customer signals into real‑time, individualized actions, closed a $2.5 million pre‑seed round co‑led by Movens Capital and Vastpoint. The Warsaw‑based startup adds a reasoning layer to existing retail data stacks, enabling brands to move...
Jigsaw Appoints New Retail Director to Drive Store Expansion
Jigsaw has appointed Chris Browne, former Global Retail Director at Ted Baker, as its new Retail Director to spearhead a next phase of store expansion. Browne brings three decades of experience, having grown Ted Baker’s footprint from eight to more than 500...
Agentic AI in Retail: Bridging the Gap Between Innovation and Consumer Trust
Agentic AI—autonomous systems that can reason and act without constant human oversight—is rapidly entering retail, highlighted at the NRF Big Show. A VoCoVo survey shows 43.6% of retailers plan AI deployments within a year, driven by goals like faster checkout...
'Extreme' Reveal: TDA Boulder Unboxes Orijen Freshprey
TDA Boulder launched Orijen Freshprey with "The World’s Most Extreme Unboxing," filming at 12,000 feet in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains. The campaign partners with outdoor creators Wander with Willow and showcases the product in a rugged, outdoor setting, diverging from...
2026 Leaders Interview – Paweł Zakielarz – Shopreturns
Shopreturns, founded by Paweł Zakielarz, provides a streamlined cross‑border return service for UK retailers selling into the EU, addressing the post‑Brexit landscape. The interview outlines how the removal of de‑minimis thresholds and the new €3 (≈$3.30) import fee have reshaped...
Expensive Tabs Shift to Mobile: Stripe
Stripe’s latest checkout report shows U.S. shoppers increasingly using mobile devices for higher‑priced purchases, with mobile share rising across every price tier over the past two years. Mobile transactions grew by 4.1 percentage points for purchases between $500 and $2,000,...
Shopify PCI Compliance: What the Platform Covers and What It Doesn’t
Shopify delivers a PCI‑compliant checkout and robust infrastructure security, earning its place as a default e‑commerce platform. However, its compliance certification only covers the payment page and the underlying hosting environment, not the scripts that run in a shopper’s browser....
140 New Store Openings Planned for Women’secret, Springfield, and Cortefiel
Spanish fashion group Tendam, owner of Women’secret, Springfield and Cortefiel, announced plans to open roughly 140 new stores in 2026—almost three times the pace of 2025. The retailer already runs more than 1,800 locations across 80 markets and will focus...
How Advertisers Can – And Cannot – Get In Front Of Chatbot Shoppers
Advertisers face a stark reality: there is no paid gateway to appear in most LLM‑driven shopping chats. Google’s AI Overview (AIO) ads are the sole open‑market option, automatically surfacing in search results without exclusion controls. ChatGPT’s ad pilot remains a...
Kiabi Is Now Launching in Switzerland
French discount fashion retailer Kiabi is entering the Swiss market with two flagship stores opening on April 24, 2024, in Neuchâtel’s Marin Centre and Fribourg Sud. Both locations, operated by Migros and Coop respectively, will offer the full Kiabi range, Click & Collect,...
Maisons Du Monde Launches New Concept in Spain as Financial Pressure Mounts
French furniture retailer Maisons du Monde is rolling out a new experiential store concept in Madrid, marking the first of several renovations across Spain. The redesign focuses on immersive, tactile displays to inspire shoppers and create a welcoming atmosphere. At...
EBay Taps Fashion Influencers to Stock NYC Pop-Up Market
eBay is launching a three‑day pop‑up called “The NYC Edit Market” in SoHo from April 17‑19, showcasing pre‑loved items curated by ten local fashion influencers. The event blends physical retail with eBay’s digital platform, allowing visitors to list items on‑site...
Aldi Invested £122 Million in Price Cuts in First Three Months of 2026
Aldi disclosed that it has spent about $155 million (£122 million) on price reductions during the first quarter of 2026, affecting roughly 500 SKUs across fresh, frozen, pantry, household and personal‑care categories. Notable cuts include crème fraîche (now 75p), British pork shoulder...
Popeyes Bites Into Anime Fandom with ‘One Piece’ Collaboration
Popeyes announced its first anime partnership, teaming with Toei Animation’s One Piece. The collaboration launches a limited‑time menu named after the Straw Hat crew, exclusive bento‑box packaging and merchandise available in select U.S. markets. The move targets Gen Z, leveraging the...
US: Former Mushroom Kit Specialist Celebrates Expansion
Back to the Roots announced a Spring 2026 expansion with Target, extending its organic gardening line across more than 1,800 Target stores and online. The partnership, now in its ninth year, has grown from a single mushroom kit to a full...
Coop Danmark A/S: Recovery in FY 2025
Coop Danmark A/S announced a turnaround for FY 2025, projecting EBITDA of DKK 313 million (≈$45 million) versus a loss of DKK 37 million (≈$5 million) a year earlier. The Danish retailer’s improved earnings signal a path to profitability in 2026, while peers across Europe show mixed...
The Cotswold Company’s Store Development Director on How Its Showrooms Are Evolving over Time
The Cotswold Company, a digitally‑led furniture retailer, opened its first London showroom in Kingston upon Thames, its inaugural 2026 store. The brand also announced a 16th location at Redbrick in West Yorkshire, aimed at bolstering its presence in the North...
OurCoop Invests £9.3 Million in New Stores to Support Local Communities
OurCoop has invested roughly £9.3 million (about $11.8 million) to open four new FoodCoop stores in Leicestershire, Buckinghamshire, Gloucestershire and Merseyside, plus two Co‑op Travel branches in Lichfield and Cheltenham. The stores feature sustainability upgrades such as solar panels, EV chargers and...
Carrefour Offloads Dozens of Hypermarkets and Supermarkets in France
Carrefour will hand over at least eight hypermarkets and 36 supermarkets in France to independent operators this year, using a location‑gérance model that retains ownership of assets while outsourcing day‑to‑day management. This is the ninth wave of privatizations since CEO...
How Shipway Is Rewriting the Economics of D2C Shipping
Shipway, the AI‑driven logistics platform owned by Unicommerce, has reached a Rs 100 crore annualised run‑rate and breakeven adjusted EBITDA after crossing 1 million monthly shipments. Its ShipSense AI engine evaluates warehouse proximity, courier performance, payment mode and return patterns in real time...
Nike Is Back In SoHo With A New Flagship Store
Nike is reopening a flagship store in New York’s SoHo district at 611 Broadway, with a grand opening slated for April 16, 2026. The new location replaces the original 529 Broadway store, which closed in January after IKEA purchased the...
Retail Sales Grow as Consumer Expectations Plunge
Indonesia's retail sales index rose to 254.2 points in March, the highest in two years, driven by strong Ramadan and Idul Fitri spending. The index jumped 9.3% month‑over‑month and 2.4% year‑on‑year. Growth was led by spare parts and accessories, cultural and...
Newcastle eBay Business Roadshow 12th May
eBay is hosting its Business Roadshow in Newcastle on May 12, 2026, the third stop of its UK tour. The half‑day event at Northumbria University offers hands‑on workshops, one‑on‑one seller clinics, and networking with eBay experts and local entrepreneurs. Attendees...
The Language of Dupes: When Comparisons Become Deceptive
Dupe culture, propelled by Gen Z and Instagram, offers affordable look‑alikes that mimic luxury aesthetics, with platforms like Dupeshop using AI to match alternatives to buyer personality. The trend has moved beyond simple copycat products to a legal battleground where brands...
Forget the MacBook Neo — This Record-Low Price on the New MacBook Air 13 M5 Could Be the Better Value...
Apple’s latest MacBook Air 13‑inch with the M5 chip has dropped to $949 on Amazon, a $150 cut from its $1,099 launch price. The discount brings the premium Air closer to the budget‑oriented MacBook Neo, which starts at $599, while...
Learn From Retail Media Leaders at Retail MediaX
Retail MediaX Europe 2026 convenes on May 14 in London, bringing together leading retailers, brands, agencies, and technology partners. The agenda features a keynote panel with Criteo’s Andy Stephen, Zalando’s Joanna Rogers, and Google’s Roxanne van Duijn, followed by three...
The SB Podcast: Why Distribution Needs a Shake-Up
Eoin Bara, founder of Tipple, argues that spirits brands must generate demand before chasing distribution. After burning out selling his own Mór Irish Gin, he created Tipple, a digital platform that lets brands sell directly to consumers and businesses while...
TemperPack Launches New Mailer to Replace Boxes for E-Commerce Shippers
TemperPack unveiled a recyclable padded mailer that replaces traditional cardboard boxes for e‑commerce shipments. The mailer uses proprietary WaveKraft® paper‑based material, delivering 50‑80% better cushioning than plastic or standard padded mailers. Its gusseted design opens wide, speeds packing, and meets...
Wayfair Launches Paid Loyalty Programme for UK Shoppers
Wayfair has introduced Wayfair Rewards, a paid loyalty scheme for UK shoppers, charging an annual £20 fee (about $25). Members receive a 5% cash‑back rebate on every purchase, free standard delivery regardless of order size, and perks such as a...
Quiz Launches ‘Everything Must Go’ Sale as Administration Fallout Deepens
Quiz, the UK high‑street fashion chain, has launched an "everything must go" clearance across its 40 stores, slashing prices up to 80% on dresses and 60% on footwear. The sale follows its February appointment of Interpath as administrator after weak...
Kayali’s Mona Kattan on Building a Fragrance Empire that Taps Into the ‘Personal’
Kayali, founded in 2018 by Mona Kattan, has evolved from a Huda Beauty offshoot into a standalone fragrance brand backed by private‑equity firm General Atlantic. The company’s "fragrance wardrobe" strategy encourages consumers to layer scents, resulting in some of the...
Huda Beauty Taps Into Y2K Café Culture for US Pop-Up Celebrating New Collection
Huda Beauty is launching its Strawberry Latte Collection with a one‑day takeover of three Fellini Café locations in New York City on April 18. Customers who purchase Huda products at Sephora receive a free strawberry latte, while surprise gifting and shareable...
Report: Luxury Sales Dropped 30-50% in March at Mall of the Emirates
Luxury sales at Dubai’s Mall of the Emirates plunged between 30% and 50% in March, the steepest decline since the mall opened. The drop aligns with heightened regional conflict, reduced tourist arrivals, and softer consumer confidence across the Gulf. Analysts...
Leen Bakker and Kwantum Promise to Keep Their Doors Open
Homefashion Group, the owner of Dutch home‑goods chains Le Bakker and Kwantum, told customers and staff that no additional store closures are planned for the near term. The reassurance follows a turbulent period that saw the Belgian arm of Le Bakker file...
Verizon Hospitality Leader Shares Insight on Eliminating Retail's Phantom Inventory
Verizon’s hospitality strategy leader Katie Riddle explains how phantom inventory—when system data shows stock that isn’t physically present—drives lost sales and erodes loyalty. She identifies legacy batch‑update systems and poor shelf monitoring as root causes. Riddle highlights computer‑vision cameras and...
Hershey Unifies Portfolio Under ONE Model
The Hershey Company unveiled "ONE Hershey," a unified U.S. commercial operating model that brings its Sweet, Salty and Protein brands under a single structure and centralizes global brand marketing. The change expands the responsibilities of senior leaders, giving them oversight...
Lowe’s Debuts Home Maintenance Subscription Program Powered by Store Associates
Lowe’s has launched HomeCare+, a nationwide home‑maintenance subscription powered by its red‑vest store associates. For $99 a year, members receive two visits covering up to seven services such as dryer‑vent cleaning and HVAC filter replacement. The program is exclusive to...
Focus on TikTok Affiliate Marketing
TikTok affiliate marketing leverages the Creator Marketplace to pair brands with vetted creators who promote products for a commission. The model emphasizes micro‑influencers and niche communities, where authentic recommendations outperform polished celebrity ads. By integrating affiliate links into TikTok Lives,...
AI Is Changing How Your Shoppers Feel About Your Brand
Retail shoppers are increasingly using large language models (LLMs) as the first point of product discovery, with eight in ten shoppers under 44 relying on AI before visiting a retailer’s site. The Rithum survey of 1,046 U.S. and U.K. shoppers...
RF vs RFID: Why Retailers Are Moving Beyond Traditional EAS
Retailers are augmenting legacy RF‑based Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS) with RFID tags that uniquely identify each item. While RF still triggers alarms at exits, RFID supplies item‑level data—SKU, value, time and location of a loss event. The hybrid approach lets...
‘We Stole Lululemon’s Designs and Made Them Less Terrible for the Environment’
Action Speaks Louder, a climate advocacy group, launched the “Mumumelon” stunt—a fake pop‑up store in London selling exact replicas of Lululemon’s hoodies and yoga pants made with renewable energy. The campaign highlights that Lululemon, which posted $11 billion in sales last...
Amazon Get Strict on Reference Pricing
Amazon announced stricter reference‑pricing rules that take effect on April 23, 2026 for Recommended Retail Price (RRP) and on May 18, 2026 for the “Was” price calculation. Sellers must now prove that the RRP matches a recent featured‑offer sale on...
Why 98% of Startups Fail? A BigBasket Competitor’s Journey From Early Traction to Shutdown
Sushant Junnarkar’s online‑grocery venture captured early traction in the 2010s, reaching 70‑80 orders a day and earning coverage in the Economic Times and Business World. The startup’s low‑inventory model faltered when well‑capitalised rivals like BigBasket entered, raising customer expectations and...
Aligning Manufacturing Support Services with Retail Supply Chain Operations
Retail supply chains have become far more complex as e‑commerce, omnichannel buying and globally distributed sourcing raise delivery expectations. This complexity creates gaps in order accuracy, inventory positioning and fulfillment speed when manufacturing and retail operate in silos. Integrating manufacturing...
Sharon Pais Takes over From Nandita Sinha at Myntra, Bets on M-Now for Growth
Flipkart‑owned Myntra appointed Sharon Pais as its new CEO, succeeding Nandita Sinha who will depart in the coming months. Pais, formerly head of Flipkart Fashion, said the company will keep its strategic focus on brand expansion and AI‑driven discovery while...
Indonesia's Kenangan Coffee Lands in Taiwan with First Outlet at Shin Kong Mitsukoshi
Indonesia’s fast‑growing coffee chain Kenangan Coffee opened its first Taiwan outlet in Taipei’s Shin Kong Mitsukoshi A11. The launch marks the latest step in a multi‑year international push that already includes Australia, India and other Southeast Asian markets. Kenangan now runs more...