EE Brings Experiential Store Format to London’s Oxford Street
EE opened an Experience Local store on London’s Oxford Street, marking the third experiential outlet the carrier has launched in the capital. The opening, celebrated by former Love Island star Luke Trotman, is part of a £3 million investment EE has made in brick‑and‑mortar retail over the past ten months. The store lets shoppers try the latest smart‑tech hands‑on and provides expert guidance from in‑store EE Guides. It also offers free 30‑minute online safety appointments for families, extending the brand’s service beyond its network customers.
Affirm’s Full-Stack Ambition Is Bigger than Consumer Finance Alone
Affirm kicked off 2026 with a flurry of strategic announcements, including a rent‑payment partnership with Esusu, a bank‑charter filing, and a debit‑card‑embedded BNPL solution via Fiserv. The firm also secured default checkout status with Bolt and integrated its BNPL service...
Abercrombie & Fitch Profit Drops Despite ‘Record’ Q4 Sales
Abercrombie & Fitch reported a 6% decline in operating income to £524 million for the year, even as net sales rose 6% to £3.95 billion. The fourth quarter delivered a record £1.25 billion in sales, up 5%, but operating income fell 8% to...
Beiersdorf’s Skin Age Clock Can Predict Biological Age – Now Researchers Wants to Find Out What Makes It Tick
Beiersdorf’s AI‑driven Skin Age Clock, patented in 2021, reads epigenetic markers to estimate the biological age of skin. The technology underpins the Epicelline ingredient, now featured in Nivea and Eucerin lines, which claims to reverse cellular aging. To refine the...
Black Rock Coffee Bar Sees a Path to 1,000 Shops
Black Rock Coffee Bar, a specialty coffee chain that went public in September 2025, announced a roadmap to expand from roughly 620 locations to 1,000 stores within three years. The IPO raised about $150 million, providing capital for accelerated franchising and...
Aerie, OFFLINE Drive Record Quarter for AEO’s Growth
American Eagle Outfitters reported a record fourth quarter for FY25, posting $1.8 bn in net revenue, a 10% year‑over‑year increase. Comparable sales rose 8%, driven by a 23% surge at Aerie and double‑digit gains at the OFFLINE brand, while the core...
Particular Audience Just Smashed Open the Blackbox of AI Search
Particular Audience unveiled Search Model A/B Testing, enabling retailers to directly compare AI relevance models that drive organic and sponsored search results. Building on its Adaptive Transformer Search (ATS) technology, which has cut zero-result queries to under 0.5%—far below the...
A Tale of 2 Mike’s: Jersey Mike’s Franchisee Adds Mike’s Red Tacos to Portfolio
Michael McGuire, who runs over 23 Jersey Mike’s Subs, is adding Mike’s Red Tacos to his 825 Ventures portfolio. The franchisee will open 15 birria‑focused locations, marking the first official franchise agreement for the San Diego‑born concept. Mike’s Red Tacos, a food‑truck‑to‑brick‑and‑mortar brand, has already secured more...
For Loyal Amazon Customers It’s No Longer Love but Intentional Reflex
GWI’s latest research shows Amazon has become the favorite retailer for 52% of U.S. consumers, shifting loyalty from an emotional choice to a reflexive habit. Shoppers value frictionless experiences, with 59% prioritizing quick, easy checkout and a third demanding next‑day...
AgentPass Rebrands as Paz.ai, the Agentic Commerce Platform for Retailers
AgentPass has rebranded to Paz.ai, positioning itself as the infrastructure layer that links retail product catalogs to conversational AI shopping agents such as ChatGPT, Google AI Mode, and Perplexity. The platform ingests feeds from Shopify, Adobe Commerce and Salesforce Commerce...
Starbucks-SuperYou Partnership Taps India’s ‘Permissible Indulgence’ Trend
Starbucks India has partnered with nutrition brand SuperYou to launch a protein‑enriched cold foam add‑on for its cold beverages, priced at ₹50. The offering is now available across more than 500 Starbucks locations nationwide, targeting the “permissible indulgence” trend where...
Vivobarefoot Unveils Sustainable Rewards Programme
Vivobarefoot launched VivoRewards, a sustainability‑focused loyalty scheme powered by Antavo’s AI Loyalty Cloud. Members earn 50‑200 points for actions ranging from profile completion and product reviews to shoe purchases, repairs, recycling, foot scans, and health courses. The program aims to...
Mango Delivers €3.8bn in Sales with Plans to Grow UK Retail Network
Spanish fashion retailer Mango reported €3.8 billion in sales for 2025, a 13% increase over the prior year, and an EBITDA of €722 million. The company invested nearly €225 million in store expansion, technology, logistics and its new Mango Campus headquarters. In the...
Model Ashley Graham Joins Stuart Weitzman for ‘Concrete Paradise’
Stuart Weitzman has launched its Spring 2026 "Concrete Paradise" campaign, starring supermodel Ashley Graham. The black‑and‑white visuals, shot by Ned Rogers, place Graham in the historic Westsider Rare & Used Books shop on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The campaign highlights the Vinnie Sculptural heel collection and...
TRG Group Bets on Mall-Anchored Grocery Retail with Launch of OneMart in Greater Noida West
TRG Group has launched OneMart, a 20,000‑sq‑ft supermarket inside its TRG The Mall in Greater Noida West. The store carries more than 10,000 SKUs, spanning fresh produce, private‑label items and national brands, and offers home delivery, loyalty programmes, and express...
Strong Start to Year for Australian Retail Sales
Australian retail spending rose 5% year‑on‑year in January 2026, marking the strongest start to the year. Growth was led by cafes, restaurants and takeaway services, which posted an 8.7% increase, while other categories also posted double‑digit gains. Regional data shows...
Lidl GB Appoints Roberto Eretta as Chief Operating Officer
Lidl GB will appoint Roberto Eretta as chief operating officer, succeeding Maciej Tylkowski who moves to an international role this summer. Eretta, currently COO of Lidl Italy, has spent nearly two decades with the retailer, rising from area manager to...
Sallie Has An Ad Business And Meta Is Declining Credit Cards
Meta confirmed it will drop credit‑card payments for ads next month, moving advertisers to invoice‑only billing to curb fraud and the “cashback loophole.” At the same time, student‑loan giant Sallie introduced Backpack Media, a retail‑media network that sells ad inventory...
![[Interview] Navigating AI with Confidence: Sam Haslam Director at WTW Risk & Resilience Advisory](https://hixhlmpcokxhartfkpyi.supabase.co/storage/v1/object/public/images/thumbnails/0a1cb2ea6ddf028e51b36f6f4348d566.webp)
[Interview] Navigating AI with Confidence: Sam Haslam Director at WTW Risk & Resilience Advisory
Sam Haslam, director of Risk & Resilience Advisory at WTW, explains how retailers are moving beyond chatbots to practical AI applications such as visual try‑ons, predictive supply‑chain models, and AI‑driven product design. He warns that rapid adoption without robust governance...
Sephora Doubles Down on K-Beauty Hair Care
Sephora is deepening its K‑beauty hair‑care offering, now featuring 17 Korean brands after adding Dr. Groot and Unove. Dr. Groot will launch online on April 1 and in stores on May 15, while Unove debuted earlier with a seven‑SKU line priced $13‑$28. The retailer...
The Iconic Lifts Annual Earnings by over 70 per Cent
The Iconic posted a 71% jump in adjusted EBITDA to $45.7 million for FY25, while its net merchandise value rose 6% to $893 million. Gross margin expanded by two points to 49%, reflecting stronger marketplace and platform services. Active customers increased 4%...
STIHL Launches B2B Marketplace Using Mirakl
STIHL Inc. has introduced a dealer‑fulfilled B2B ecommerce marketplace built on Mirakl’s platform, letting customers browse and purchase chainsaws, trimmers and other equipment online. Orders are shipped from the company’s network of more than 10,000 authorized U.S. dealers, with pickup...
Grove Collaborative Holdings Inc (GROV) Q4 2025 Earnings Call Transcript
Grove Collaborative reported Q3 2025 revenue of $43.7 million, a 9.4% year‑over‑year decline—the smallest drop since 2021, while active customers fell 7% to 660,000 and orders slipped 12.5%. Adjusted EBITDA was a negative $1.2 million, but management expects a positive...
Costco Wholesale Corp (COST) Q2 2026 Earnings Call Transcript
AutoZone reported Q2 2026 total sales of $4.3 billion, up 8.1% year‑over‑year, while EPS fell 2.3% to $27.63 after a $59 million non‑cash LIFO charge. Excluding the LIFO impact, EPS would have risen 7.1% and gross margin would have improved. Domestic same‑store...
Grocery Outlet Closing 36 Stores
Discount grocer Grocery Outlet announced the closure of 36 underperforming stores, about 6% of its footprint, after reporting a $235 million operating loss and a $218 million net loss in Q4. The closures are concentrated on the East Coast, affecting roughly 30%...
WTCE Roundtable Explores Digital Path to Profitable Inflight Food Retail
Ahead of the 2026 World Travel Catering & Onboard Services Expo, a WTCE‑hosted virtual roundtable explored how airlines can turn inflight food and beverage (F&B) from a cost centre into a profitable, digitally enabled retail experience. Panelists highlighted a mindset...
Capri Flare Yoga Pants: Length and Fit Options for Petite to Tall
Capri flare yoga pants blend a cropped length with a subtle flare, offering a polished look while aiming to solve common leggings issues such as sliding waistbands, bouncing pockets, and awkward calf cuts. The article explains how fit elements—high waist,...
Walmart Will Continue Selling Macs After Proving Market for MacBook Neo
Walmart announced it will continue selling Apple Macs, adding the $599 MacBook Neo to its lineup. The retailer previously used the M1 MacBook Air as a low‑cost entry point, pricing it as low as $599 before inventory ran thin. The new...
What AI in the Back Office Really Means for Life on the Shop Floor
Retail back‑office AI is reshaping security by turning passive camera feeds into proactive threat detectors. Smart cameras now analyze video, audio and behavioral cues to spot loitering, aggression or concealed weapons, while instant alerts route incidents to on‑floor staff. Integrated...
Achieving Environmental Sustainability: A Strategic Roadmap for Modern Retailers
Retailers in 2026 are shifting sustainability from a marketing slogan to an operational imperative, integrating eco‑focused cleaning services, AI‑driven inventory management, and circular business models. Specialized cleaning firms now use biodegradable chemicals and LEED‑certified equipment, directly lowering store carbon footprints....
National Nutrition Month Spotlight: MIGHTYLICIOUS Makes Gluten-Free Living Delicious and Easy
MIGHTYLICIOUS Gluten Free, a woman‑owned brand, launched a line of award‑winning baking mixes and ready‑to‑eat cookies aimed at the 1.3 million Americans on gluten‑free diets. The products promise traditional texture and flavor while meeting vegan, vegetarian and kosher standards. Available in...
An Impulsive Plan for Greater Produce Sales
The FMI "Power of Produce 2026" report finds that 90 % of shoppers buy fruits or vegetables they hadn’t planned to purchase, with 48 % doing so frequently. Store‑provided recipes, cross‑merchandising and social‑media inspiration are identified as the strongest drivers of these impulse...
Target Begins Roll Out of Next-Day Delivery to 20 More Cities
Target Corp. announced it will extend its next‑day delivery service to 20 additional metropolitan areas, pushing the total number of cities offering the option to more than 50 and covering roughly 60% of the U.S. population. The rollout is part...
Authentic Brands to Use Seel’s Agentic AI for Post-Purchase Processes
Authentic Brands will integrate Seel’s agentic AI‑driven Worry‑Free Purchase platform to automate post‑purchase issues such as missing packages, claims and refunds. The solution will be deployed across its portfolio, which includes ten brands in Digital Commerce 360’s Top 1000 like Reebok,...
Sprouts Farmers Market Opens New Store in Clermont, Florida
Sprouts Farmers Market announced the opening of a new 30,000‑square‑foot store at 3420 S US Hwy 27 in Clermont, Florida, with a ribbon‑cutting ceremony on March 6. The grand‑opening weekend runs March 6‑8, featuring promotions such as 20 % off for new Sprouts Rewards...
Circana Launches Complete Why Analytics Platform for CPG Sales Performance
Circana unveiled Complete Why, an AI‑driven analytics platform for the consumer packaged goods sector, embedded in its Unify+ visualization suite. The tool models sales performance at store‑ and week‑level, evaluating up to 60 drivers such as price, promotions, distribution, competition,...
Sales at Record High, Americans View Meat as Part of a Healthy, Balanced Lifestyle
Meat sales in the United States hit a record $112 billion in 2025, up 2% in volume. Millennials and Gen Z drove two‑thirds of the unit growth, with many actively seeking more meat‑based meals. Over 98% of households buy meat, and 77%...
Spicules: The K-Beauty Skin Care Ingredient Primed to Break Through in 2026
Spicules, ultra‑fine needle‑shaped particles harvested from freshwater sponges, are emerging as the next K‑beauty breakthrough for 2026. Marketed as “liquid microneedling,” they form temporary micro‑channels in the epidermis, enhancing the delivery of co‑applied actives without invasive procedures. Korean brands are...
Retail Channels Remain Key as U.S. Supplements Market Grows
The U.S. dietary supplements market, valued at $68.74 billion in 2025, is projected to reach $131.08 billion by 2033, driven by an 8.5% CAGR. Vitamins continue to dominate, representing 28.1% of revenue, while immune‑health and specialty segments such as prenatal products also...
Aptar Beauty Launches NeoDropper Autoload, a Next-Generation Dropper with Automatic Filling and Precise Applicator
Aptar Beauty introduced NeoDropper Autoload, a next‑generation dropper for dermocosmetic and prestige skincare brands. The system combines a twist‑and‑push mechanism with an automatic refill applicator that delivers precise doses while preventing spills. Laboratory tests show microbial contamination four times lower...
Official Harry Potter Flagship Shop to Open on London’s Oxford Street
Warner Bros. Global Experiences announced a new Harry Potter flagship shop on Oxford Street, London. The 21,000‑square‑foot, two‑floor emporium will open in autumn 2026 at The Ribbon, 134‑140 Oxford Street. The store will feature immersive photo opportunities, interactive displays and...
Ahold Delhaize Transitions to Cage-Free Eggs in the US by 2032
Ahold Delhaize announced a new timeline to source 100% cage‑free eggs in the United States by 2032, after missing its original 2025 target. The retailer currently offers cage‑free eggs for roughly 75% of its private‑label range, leaving a quarter still sourced...
Kroger Hit with 2 Lawsuits over E-Commerce Role Classification
Kroger is confronting two newly filed class‑action lawsuits alleging it misclassified e‑commerce manager roles as exempt from overtime. The suits, filed by Morgan & Morgan in Colorado and Washington, claim the positions involve order‑fulfillment duties rather than supervisory functions, violating...
CCCA Seeks New Path to Passage
Senators Dick Durbin and Roger Marshall are seeking to attach their Credit Card Competition Act (CCCA) to the bipartisan 21st Century ROAD to Housing bill, hoping to secure a Senate vote. The CCCA would require banks to provide merchants with...
Pip Organic Becomes a Certified B Corporation (B Corp)
Pip Organic, a family‑owned kids fruit drink brand, achieved Certified B Corporation status in March 2026, joining over 2,500 UK businesses with the badge. The certification required a score of at least 80 points on B Lab’s rigorous B Impact...
Building a Foundation for Audience Monetization With First-Party Data
Retailers are shifting perception of first‑party data from cost to revenue asset. As third‑party identifiers disappear, brands are packaging privacy‑safe audience segments for partners, creating new monetization opportunities. Successful implementation requires a reliable identity layer, robust governance, cross‑functional ownership, and...
A Measure of Success: Independent Retailer Index Q4 2025
The North American Hardware and Paint Association’s Independent Retailer Index shows 57% of independent home‑improvement stores reported year‑over‑year sales growth in Q4 2025, a 29% increase from the previous quarter. Transaction counts remained flat, with only 32% seeing gains, while...
You Can’t Automate Trust: Why AI Still Needs Human Strategy in Marketing
Marketers are discovering that AI can automate data‑heavy tasks, but it cannot set strategy or build trust. The most successful teams pair AI’s speed with human judgment, using automation to execute a clear, human‑crafted vision. Without human direction, AI‑driven campaigns...
Amazon’s Disruption of Walmart Is a Slow Work in Progress
Amazon is rolling out a new supercenter model that doubles as a fulfillment hub, with the first site slated for Orland Park, Illinois in 2027. The hybrid design dedicates roughly half the space to warehousing and the rest to a traditional...
Privacy-First IOT: Why Retail and Public Spaces Are Moving Away From Camera-Based Analytics
Retailers and public‑space operators are abandoning camera‑based analytics in favor of radar‑based people counting solutions that respect privacy. Traditional video systems capture personally identifiable information, triggering GDPR obligations, costly consent processes, and public distrust. Radar sensors operating at 60 GHz millimetre‑wave...