Wed.Mar 08, 2023

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How Store Design Teams are Unlocking Tangible Value from AI Platforms

Retail TouchPoints

Editor’s note: This is the second article in our series on AI in Retail. Read the initial article, on consumer attitudes toward AI, here. If you’re pondering whether the rise of AI tools and platforms is driving the end of human store design teams, experts agree: you have no reason to panic. Make no mistake, platforms like ChatGPT , Midjourney , DALL e and Stable Diffusion are changing the store design process.

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Best Jumpers takes out MFF national designer award, pocketing $130,000

Inside Retail

Best Jumpers has won this year’s National Designer Award at the Paypal Melbourne Fashion Festival, taking home a prize pool of $130,000. The fashion program, now in its 27th year, awards and celebrates Australian fashion designers in their formative years of business — providing finalists opportunities through mentorship, networking and industry exposure.

Fashion 246
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Walmart Plans $1.5 Billion Investment in Mexico and Central America for 2023

Retail TouchPoints

Walmex , Walmart ’s Mexico and Central America business, is planning to spend nearly $1.5 billion in the region in 2023. The investment, which is up 27% from the amount spent in 2022, will primarily be used to remodel and maintain existing stores while opening new locations, along with improvements to supply chain and technology. Walmex plans to invest 45% of the funds to upgrade an unspecified number of existing stores.

Planning 285
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Urban Consumers, EuroShop 2023, and AI in Retail - Weekly Snacks #45

Tokinomo

Campaign Corner Refreshing kiss. Starry has an interesting new commercial. While seated courtside during an NBA game, Keke Palmer is offered a new lemon-lime soda called Starry by its mascots when she appears quite thirsty. As she sips the drink, the man she admires materializes, though he appears to be made of liquid. Despite this, he woos Keke by offering her a Starry rose to drink, and she is smitten with him.

Consumer 246
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A Roadmap For Modernization: How To Break Free From Your Monolith Before July 31, 2026

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.

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Best Buy and Atrium Health Partner to Provide Enhanced At-Home Hospital Care

Retail TouchPoints

Best Buy Health will work with Atrium Health to develop new hospital-at-home offerings, helping enable providers to deliver high-quality care while reducing emotional and financial burdens on patients and caregivers. Atrium Health already has a strong position in telemedicine and a well-established hospital-at-home program, combined with a patient population of nearly 3 million people.

ATS 279
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Four ways to support your team for better mental health 

Inside Retail

You’re probably aware of the critical role you have in the operations of your company, as a leader. But, do you know the impact you have on the mental health of your team? Recent research by The Workforce Institute at UKG , indicates that 69 per cent of people think their manager has more impact on their mental health than their therapist or doctor, and a similar impact on their partner.

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The North Face introduces NFTs with McCann Shanghai 

Inside Retail

The North Face has joined hands with creative agency McCann Shanghai to launch digital collectables on Tmall to capture young consumers. The outdoor apparel brand said the three NFTs were designed based on the relevant functions, history, weather and terrain conditions related to each product. As Chinese customers cannot purchase NFTs directly under local laws, the matching NFT will be assigned to customers when they buy a specific The North Face item.

Outdoor 244
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WHP Looks Beyond Toys ‘R’ Us with $375M Investment from Ares

Retail TouchPoints

Brand management firm WHP Global has received a $375 million equity investment from funds managed by the private equity group of Ares Management Corporation to fuel its next wave of brand acquisitions. The transaction values WHP at $1.6 billion. Founded in 2019 by retail industry veteran Yehuda Shmidman with funds managed by Oaktree Capital Management , WHP’s portfolio of brands now generates more than $6.5 billion in global retail sales across three verticals: Fashion, anchored by the Express

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Myer CEO John King reveals the reasons behind its record first half

Inside Retail

Myer CEO John King told Inside Retail that the pace of growth has slowed slightly since the first half, amid rising interest rates and cost of living pressures. But he believes that the company’s impressive sales growth is set to continue as it emphasises the initiatives that underline its ‘Customer First Plan.’ They include the refurbishment of its store network, the rollout of its national distribution centre , and the relaunch of Country Road Group in July this year.

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Criteo Acquires Brandcrush to Create Holistic Retail Media Solution

Retail TouchPoints

Commerce media company Criteo has acquired Brandcrush , a platform that enables the buying and selling of retail media activations, including those in offline channels like stores. The combination of Brandcrush’s media buying capabilities with Criteo’s existing retail media solutions will create a “holistic omnichannel monetization solution,” according to Criteo.

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Humans + Agents = Rethinking Enterprise Commerce with AI

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

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Sephora UK Celebrates First Store Opening with Glamorous VIP Launch Event

Retail Focus

Sephora, the international beauty retailer, has marked its first physical store opening in the UK with a star-studded launch event. The event was held at the largest retail destination in Europe and attracted a host of VIP guests, including Gemma Collins, Ekin Su, Leomie Anderson, Louise Roe, and Bimini. The London store is set to become a “must-see” destination for beauty lovers, with an exciting program of activities hosted by local icons developed for its opening week.

ATS 147
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Four Ways Ecommerce Brands can Overcome the Overstock of Excess Inventory

Retail TouchPoints

After three years of supply chain logistics and shipping delays, retailers have too much inventory sitting on shelves, and consumer demand continues to be in flux as inflation maintains a strong grip on budgets everywhere. This means the way consumers shop has drastically changed as new financing options rise in popularity. Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL) vendors like Klarna and Afterpay are helping consumers ease the burden of inflation on their slimmed-down budgets.

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As buyers demand it, Bangladesh garment factories go green

Inside Retail

When Shefali Akter first sought a job at a garment factory near Bangladesh’s capital, the crowding, heavy workload and poor salary led the 19-year-old to resign after a year and return to her rural home in northern Bangladesh. But when she came back to the garment factory region west of Dhaka with her new husband a few years later, she found conditions at some factories had dramatically changed for the better.

Fashion 130
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Kohl’s Aims to Shrink Excess Inventory, Modernize Stores

Retail TouchPoints

Kohl’s has committed to shrinking its inventory after the amount of excess goods “got out of control” in 2022, according to CEO Tom Kingsbury on a call with investors. An emphasis on “inventory discipline” could help the retailer reverse its fortunes after net sales fell 7% and operating profit dropped more than 85% year-over-year in in Q4 2022, which ended Jan. 28, 2023.

Markdowns 259
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5 Tips for a Winning Category Management Strategy in 2025

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.

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How three retailers are cultivating success in the plant and garden sector

Inside Retail

The plant and garden industry is fertile soil at the moment, with households big and small looking to cultivate collections. Here, three Australian businesses discuss how they are tapping into the indoor-plant trend. The Jungle Collective Linda Vydra, co-owner The Jungle Collective. Image supplied Inside Retail : Tell me about The Jungle Collective – how did the business start and how has it grown over the years?

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Women return to work in significant numbers

Retail Wire

Women were disproportionality affected by job loss at the outset of the novel coronavirus pandemic. They have returned to the workforce at numbers that exceed men for four straight months.

Returns 130
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Myer’s profit doubles during first half

Inside Retail

Department store Myer has registered strong sales growth in its December half – and its profit is the highest since the first half of 2014. Audited results for the 26 weeks to January 28 show sales grew 24.2 per cent to $1.9 billion while tax-paid profit increased 101.4 per cent to $65 million. As customers returned to in-store shopping, online sales fell 9.8 per cent to $382.3 million, but they still contributed 20.3 per cent of overall sales.

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Doing the right thing comes with a cost for Adidas

Retail Wire

Adidas reported a loss of $763 million in the fourth quarter. The brand terminated its deal with Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, after the rapper expressed antisemitic beliefs in various forums. The sportswear brand is forecasting its first annual loss in 31 years.

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Cut Costs & Complexity: Smarter Fulfillment for Home, Furniture & DIY Brands

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.

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Zalora talks e-commerce growth drivers, consumer trends in new report

Inside Retail

Online shopping platform Zalora expects e-commerce to remain resilient despite the economic uncertainties facing businesses in Southeast Asia and an increasingly dimming global economy. According to the e-commerce company’s latest Trender report, emerging innovations like ‘shoppertainment’ and virtual retailing are enabling brands to further diversify their omni channel offerings and cater to modern consumers who expect more from online retail platforms.

Consumer 130
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Walmart expects ad and B2B service sales to lessen dependence on retail

Retail Wire

Walmart CFO John David Rainey said that the vast majority of its sales and profits are generated by its store and e-commerce operations. Mr. Rainey expects that ad and B2B service sales will account for a growing percentage of total earnings within five years.

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Disciplined inventory management helped Macy’s weather tough 2022

Retail Dive

The retailer has relied on data and analytics to forecast demand and make decisions around purchasing and pricing.

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Hershey debuts plant-based chocolates

Retail Wire

Reese’s new plant-based peanut butter cups and a new vegan Hershey bar with almonds and sea salt are made with oats instead of milk. “As the vegan chocolate space gets more crowded, claims beyond plant-based may be necessary,” said Kelsey Olsen, consumer insights analyst for Mintel. “While many plant-based items previously launched have been dark chocolate varieties, brands should explore the areas of plant-based milk chocolate and white chocolate.

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What Your Financial Statements Are Telling You—And How to Listen!

Speaker: David Worrell, CFO, Author & Speaker

Your financial statements hold powerful insights—but are you truly paying attention? Many finance professionals focus on the income statement while overlooking key signals hidden in the balance sheet and cash flow statement. Understanding these numbers can unlock smarter decision-making, uncover risks, and drive long-term success. Join David Worrell, accomplished CFO, finance expert, and author, for an engaging, nontraditional take on reading financial statements.

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Adidas projects first annual loss in 3 decades as it shakes up management team

Retail Dive

The impact of its terminated Yeezy partnership is biting into profitability and revenue.

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Private sector added 242,000 jobs in February

Retail Wire

ADP says private sector employers added 242,000 jobs in February, well above the 205,000 expected by economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal. Annual pay is up 7.2 percent, according to the payroll services firm.

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DXL unveils ‘Wear What You Want’ brand positioning

Retail Dive

The retailer wants big-and-tall consumers, which tend to be ignored by the apparel industry, to have more shopping options.

Apparel 111
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Unions support four-day workweek legislation

Retail Wire

Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) has reintroduced a bill in the House of Representatives to make a 32-hour workweek the federal standard. Mr. Takano’s legislation faces a tough time getting a floor vote in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives. The bill has the support of 4 Day Week Global, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), Service Employees International Union and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union.

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State of AI in Sales & Marketing 2025

AI adoption is reshaping sales and marketing. But is it delivering real results? We surveyed 1,000+ GTM professionals to find out. The data is clear: AI users report 47% higher productivity and an average of 12 hours saved per week. But leaders say mainstream AI tools still fall short on accuracy and business impact. Download the full report today to see how AI is being used — and where go-to-market professionals think there are gaps and opportunities.

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Nike taps new head of women’s, DEI

Retail Dive

Changes on the DTC side of the business will help support its digital-led strategy, the company said.

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Starbucks’ Schultz agrees to testify to avoid Senate subpeona

Retail Wire

Starbucks interim CEO Howard Schultz agreed to testify before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee as part of its investigations into the coffee giant’s labor practices and its treatment of employees engaged in union organizing activity.

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Stitch Fix CFO to exit as declines persist

Retail Dive

Dan Jedda, who came from Amazon about two years ago, in May will become chief financial officer at Roku, as the box e-retailer continues its CEO search.

ATS 105
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Bed Bath & Beyond raises $135 million in stock sale

Retail Wire

Bed Bath & Beyond said it raised $135 million in an equity offering focused on providing funds to rebuild its business. The retailer said it has raised $360 million out of the $1 billion it plans to raise as part of its comeback plan.

Planning 100
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SEO vs. PPC: Which Strategy Is Best for Your Business?

When it comes to driving traffic and growing your online presence, businesses often ask: SEO or PPC—what’s the better choice? This guide breaks down the key differences between search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, highlighting their pros, cons, and best use cases. Whether you’re looking for long-term organic growth or immediate visibility through paid ads, we’ll help you determine which strategy—or combination of both—is right for your business.