Inside Retail

JULY 2, 2025

This idea we have all heard time and time again that fashion retail is all about trend cycles and glossy campaigns is fading – and fast. If the latest BoF Insights and Amazon Fashion data from Europe’s five largest markets (EU5) tells us anything, it’s that our customers no longer want to be impressed, they want to be understood. In April 2025, 10,000 fashion shoppers from the EU5 were asked what “really” drives their decisions online.

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Retail TouchPoints

JULY 2, 2025

AI already has affected shopping habits for large numbers of consumers, and its ability to make hyper-personalized product recommendations — and also to find the best prices and deals — will continue to accelerate the technology’s use. According to Salesforce , during the 2025 holiday season AI will drive $260 billion in global online sales as well as $1.6 trillion in in-store sales.

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Consumer Promotions Shopping Planning 165

Inside Retail

JULY 2, 2025

As strenuous schedules, rising living costs and the trend of ‘poly-employment’ become entrenched realities, more retail workers are reporting stress, disengagement and emotional fatigue at the end of their shifts, and the industry is feeling the aftermath. A recent report by workforce management platform Deputy found that the emotional wellbeing of Australia’s shift workers is showing signs of strain, according to new data tracking post-shift sentiment.

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Retail Focus

JULY 2, 2025

Europe’s leading sofa retailer, Poltronesofà, is close to completing a £57 million transformation of 96 UK stores as the company offers UK customers an unmatched choice of ranges and fabrics and an enhanced in-store experience. The Poltronesofà group operates over 310 stores across Europe and is the market leader in both Italy and France, with a market presence in Belgium, Switzerland, Malta and Cyprus.

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Marketing Store Layout Customer Experience Returns 148

Speaker: Matt Sunshine, CEO at The Center for Sales Strategy

AI isn’t replacing salespeople—it’s empowering them. The most forward-thinking sales organizations are using AI to enhance human performance rather than eliminate it. From coaching and messaging to prospecting and pipeline accountability, artificial intelligence is giving managers and SDRs the new tools they need to work smarter, sell better, and close more.

Accounting

Inside Retail

JULY 2, 2025

Businesses misrepresenting themselves as Australian fashion retailers are defrauding Australian consumers, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission warns. The ACCC describes the scammers as so-called ‘ghost stores’, where operators falsely represent themselves as local Australian businesses that sell high-quality clothing and footwear and are imminently closing down.

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Retail TouchPoints

JULY 2, 2025

As private labels and store brands have evolved over the last decade, the stigma of the “cheap, alternative, knockoff” brand has worn away. Retailers have built bona fide brands, touching all categories of the store. But what is interesting of late is that private brands have seemingly climbed another rung on the ladder of credibility and are now sought-after brands that consumers trust.

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Beauty and Health Consumer Grocer Shipping 147

Retail TouchPoints

JULY 2, 2025

It used to be that if you had established a strong brand name, you could count on consumers’ trust. But years of inflated marketing claims and bad experiences have eroded trust in brands, leading to a trust deficit — and it’s growing. “We are living through a very interesting transformation — brand names alone no longer carry the trust,” said Kimberly Shenk, Co-founder and CEO of values-based shopping solution Novi Connect , on this week’s episode of the Retail Remix podcast. “ Today trust is ea

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Inside Retail

JULY 2, 2025

Australian retail sales surged 3.3 per cent year-over-year in May, according to Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data, reaching $37.3 billion. Cosmetics, sports and recreational goods saw the largest increase, up 4.78 per cent, followed by cafes, restaurants and takeaways, which rose 3.83 per cent year-on-year. According to the ABS , department store spending increased by 3.7 per cent, while spending on clothing, footwear, and accessories rose by 3.5 per cent.

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Retail TouchPoints

JULY 2, 2025

Sometimes a store is just a store…and sometimes it’s a lot more. MAC Cosmetics ’ newly redesigned flagship at the Deji Plaza luxury shopping center in Nanjing, China definitely falls into the latter category. Reopened just in time to celebrate the 20 th anniversary of the brand’s entrance into China, the store now features a visually stunning, futuristic design meant not just to stop shoppers in their tracks (although it will certainly do that), but also to reflect the evolution of the brand and

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Consumer Marketing Fashion ATS 127

Inside Retail

JULY 2, 2025

Over the better part of a decade, Alceon Group and Alquemie Group, two private-equity companies connected by a historical ownership structure and shared leadership, invested millions into buying high-profile retail chains. Today, the value of many of those businesses is considerably less. Left behind is a string of companies in administration and a raft of creditors owed upwards of $361 million.

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Fashion Apparel Planning Returns 179

Speaker: Steve Worthy, MBA

The rapid rise of AI-powered displays, touchless technology, and sensory marketing is reshaping the future of in-store engagement. Yet for many retail executives, the real challenge is not identifying new tools - it is knowing which signals to trust, which inputs to prioritize, and how to architect decisions that elevate in-store leadership rather than dilute it.

Marketing

Retail TouchPoints

JULY 2, 2025

Website building platform Wix has teamed up with B2B marketplace Alibaba.com to enable merchants using Wix to easily expand their wholesale capabilities, while also allowing Alibaba merchants to quickly establish new DTC or B2B ecommerce storefronts with Wix. “At Wix, we’re focused on giving every business, from solo entrepreneurs to established brands, the tools to grow and scale globally,” said Nir Zohar, President of Wix in a statement.

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Inside Retail

JULY 2, 2025

From high-end jewellers to the apparel and footwear brands dressing up the everyday consumer, these bricks-and-mortar shops are serving some of the best retail design in the US market this season. David Yurman Miami, Florida In May, the luxury American jewelry brand David Yurman opened its newest Miami flagship. Situated in the heat of Miami’s iconic Design District, the brand’s new boutique, which spans 4000 square feet, serves as a design playground for artists and jewelry devotees.

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Boutique Jewelry Fashion Location 130

Retail TouchPoints

JULY 2, 2025

Autonomous smart store chain VenHub is continuing its expansion across Southern California with a new store in Hollywood, Calif., just steps away from the Hollywood Bowl event venue. Each VenHub Smart Store is a fully autonomous unit that operates 24/7 with no on-site staff. The shopping experience and mobile-first checkout are powered by robotics and intelligent systems that help ensure speed, precision and security.

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Inside Retail

JULY 2, 2025

Argon & Co, a leading global management consultancy, is thrilled to announce its strategic partnership with Kaizen Institute, the renowned consulting company in operational excellence. This collaboration marks a significant step forward in providing unparalleled retail store optimisation expertise to the Australian and New Zealand markets, addressing a critical capability gap in sustainable productivity within the region’s retail sector.

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Customer Experience Management Marketing Planning 130

Speaker: Beth Sunshine, SVP, Up Your Culture

When culture isn’t consistently lived out across the organization, engagement suffers—and it often starts with a disconnect at the top. In this session, Beth Sunshine, SVP of Up Your Culture at The Center for Sales Strategy, will reveal how HR and executive leaders can close the gap between vision and execution by equipping frontline and mid-level managers to become culture carriers.

Management

Retail TouchPoints

JULY 2, 2025

Lululemon has filed a lawsuit against Costco alleging that the warehouse retailer sells low-cost athleisure apparel knockoffs that unlawfully trade on Lululemon’s reputation, goodwill and sweat equity, as well as infringing versions of its patents. The suit was filed last week in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, according to AP and numerous other media reports.

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Apparel ATS Customer Experience Consumer 147

Retail Focus

JULY 2, 2025

St James Quarter has announced that Nespresso, the global coffee brand, is set to open its only Edinburgh boutique at the leading destination, introducing its latest experiential retail concept. The 1,173 sq ft Nespresso will join Level 3’s line-up of aspirational brands, further bolstering the Quarter’s premium offer. The St James Quarter Nespresso will deliver a fresh experience and be a continuation of the brand’s new boutique concept, designed to foster meaningful connections and elevated co

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Boutique ATS Accessories Marketing 148

Inside Retail

JULY 2, 2025

Luxury menswear retailer Harrolds has made its return this month with the opening of a new flagship store at Westfield Sydney. Now operating independently from its previous ownership, “Harrolds 2.0” is led by directors Zia Khorram, Gino Pagano, and Arasch Enayat, who bring various experiences across fashion, retail operations, and brand strategy.

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Returns Fashion Management Marketing 130

Retail TouchPoints

JULY 2, 2025

As part of a U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) order requiring divestiture to preserve competition, Alimentation Couche-Tard (ACT) — the Canada-based c-store giant that has been trying to purchase 7-11 ’s parent company since September 2024 — has sold 35 retail fuel and convenience locations in Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania to Majors Management. Negotiations between ACT and Japan-based 7-11 owner Seven & i Holdings are currently covered by non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) that the compani

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Management Location Store Operations 147

Speaker: Jason Cottrell and Gireesh Sahukar

Retailers know the clock is ticking–legacy SAP Commerce support ends in 2026. Legacy platforms are becoming a liability burdened by complexity, rigidity, and mounting operational costs. But modernization isn’t just about swapping out systems, it’s about preparing for a future shaped by real-time interactions, AI powered buying assistants, and flexible commerce architecture.

Planning

Inside Retail

JULY 2, 2025

Sports footwear and apparel brand Asics has unveiled its first stand-alone store in South Australia at Adelaide’s Harbour Town Premium Outlets. Asics ’ high-performance sports gear will be retailed at outlet prices at the centre, which saw a 17 per cent increase in visitation in May, driven by its retail mix, tourists and its recently opened Harbour Town Eats development.

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Small Biz Trends

JULY 2, 2025

Sponsored Post Key Takeaways Customer Retention Is Key: Maintaining current customers is more cost-effective than acquiring new ones, leading to improved sales and profitability. Personalization Matters: Tailoring customer interactions and communications enhances their experience and satisfaction, significantly boosting retention rates. Implement Loyalty Programs: Reward systems not only incentivize repeat purchases but also strengthen customer loyalty and lifetime value.

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Customer Retention Customer Experience Returns Marketing 88

Inside Retail

JULY 2, 2025

Athleisure brand Lululemon has filed a lawsuit against Costco, alleging that the warehouse club chain sold lower-priced duplicates of its products. Lululemon claims Costco sold unauthorised and unlicensed apparel that uses knockoff, infringing versions of its patents, ABC News reported. The complaint highlights that Costco’s private label Kirkland Signature offers products that copy Lululemon’s popular designs such as Scuba hoodies, Define jackets, and ABC pants.

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Apparel Consumer 130

Retail Focus

JULY 2, 2025

Railpen, manager of the £34bn railways pension scheme in the UK, has completed the first phase of the complete transformation of its 295,000 sq ft (NIA) Multistory office in Birmingham. Railpen has combined two existing buildings to create a significant new best-in-class office in the centre of the UK’s second city. The first phase of Multistory comprises 27,000 sq ft of retail and leisure space on the ground and lower floors, with CBRE and Creative Retail appointed as leasing agents.

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Outdoor Management Location ATS 148

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AI agents already analyze trends, draft content, and trigger actions across leading commerce platforms. Yet most organizations still rely on workflows built for human‑only teams, losing speed, margin, and customer loyalty. Humans + Agents: Rethinking Enterprise Commerce in the Age of AI Collaboration shows how to close that gap. In one concise read you’ll see where agent gains surface first, how early adopters prove ROI, and which lean controls keep innovation moving without risking data or bran

Inside Retail

JULY 2, 2025

Creed x Simon Beck – An industry-first fragrance: Silver Mountain Water The Kering-owned perfume house, Creed, has collaborated with snow artist Simon Beck to launch an industry-first fragrance – Silver Mountain Water. To bring the Paris-based brand Creed’s heritage to his snow artwork in Xilingol, a landscape in Northern China, Beck etched the brand’s logo onto the snowy bed with geometric precision, drawing inspiration from wearing the scent.

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Small Biz Trends

JULY 2, 2025

Key Takeaways Value of Artistry: Handmade items showcase unique craftsmanship, offering a level of individuality and personal connection that mass-produced goods cannot match. Cultural Heritage: Purchasing handmade products helps preserve traditional craftsmanship and cultural practices, allowing consumers to appreciate and support artistic legacies.

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Jewelry Promotions Consumer Marketing 89

Retail Gazette

JULY 2, 2025

M&S and Asda, alongside major food producers have criticised Labour’s new proposal forcing supermarkets to reduce calories in customers’ baskets or face fines. The plan, part of Labour’s forthcoming 10-year health strategy, aims to cut up to 100 calories from average shopping baskets. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said it would “make the healthy choice the easy choice” But industry leaders say the policy is rushed, adds costly red tape, and risks failing to tackle obesity.

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Planning Supermarket Shopping ATS 101

Small Biz Trends

JULY 2, 2025

As summer approaches, small business owners across the United States are gearing up for a season of potential increases in electricity costs. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA), average monthly residential electricity bills are anticipated to rise from $173 last summer to $178 this summer. With the potential for fluctuating temperatures and varying regional impacts, small businesses should take note of how these changes could affect their operations and budgets.

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Category Management is a cornerstone of a successful retail strategy. While it promotes collaboration between manufacturers and retailers to optimize category performance, challenges persist in its effective implementation due to hurdles in communication and collaboration across teams and partners, and more. In this guide, we outline five essential strategies for success in 2025 that will touch on all the essential pieces of a successful strategy and implementation.

Management

A1 Retail

JULY 2, 2025

Autumn Fair , the UK’s leading marketplace for home, gift, and fashion, has revealed its most ambitious and retailer-focused content programme to date. Practical, focused, and easy to consume, it’s been thoughtfully designed to fit around buyers and deliver maximum value in minimal time. Taking place at the NEC Birmingham from 7–10 September 2025, this year’s show recognises the pressures facing independent retailers, from rising costs and evolving customer behaviours to the demands of digital t

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Marketing Social Commerce Visual Merchandising Employee Engagement 86

Small Biz Trends

JULY 2, 2025

As the summer heat sets in, small business owners may feel the pressure of rising fuel prices alongside increasing consumer travel. A recent analysis from AAA Gas Prices reveals a slight uptick in the national average for regular gasoline, rising to $3.22 per gallon—two cents higher than last week, yet still 27 cents cheaper than a year ago. This fluctuation is critical for small business owners, particularly those with delivery services or mobile operations, as they navigate an evolving economi

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Planning Consumer Marketing Location 109

Wiser

JULY 2, 2025

In‑store execution can boost velocity or quietly leak profit. The average SKU loses 6% of weekly sales to something as simple as a missing facing or an abandoned promo tag. Most brands learn about the damage only after the sales report lands. Wiser’s Retail Intelligence platform cuts that lag to a single day by collecting structured shelf data plus photo evidence from thousands of in‑store mystery shoppers and turning it into actionable retail audit insights.

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Promotions Location Management Marketing 78

Small Biz Trends

JULY 2, 2025

As tax season approaches, small business owners are bracing for what is often a dizzying array of complexities that go far beyond the average taxpayer’s experience. While individuals may face a straightforward W-2 or 1099, small business owners grapple with a tangled web of quarterly estimates, payroll taxes, and an alphabet soup of tax forms.

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Late deliveries. Split shipments. Spiraling freight costs. For home, furniture, and DIY brands, fulfillment has never been more complex—or more critical. This report outlines how a smarter, AI-ready order management system (OMS) helps you reduce shipping costs, streamline project-based fulfillment, and ensure accurate inventory across every channel.

Fulfillment