Wed.Oct 16, 2024

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Why Luxury Brands Should Consider Making Each Store Unique

Retail TouchPoints

For decades, the mantra of retail success has been scalability. A brand’s ability to replicate the same look, feel and customer experience in each and every physical location has been a prerequisite for expansion, brand-building and economies of scale. Rich Johnson, Odyssey Retail Advisors However, in the luxury retail sector, it’s advantageous to use the available space and the geographic location to create a unique design concept for each brick-and-mortar store, according to Rich Johnson, Prin

Jewelry 290
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Coffee Treat unveils franchise model, plans regional growth

Inside Retail

The Victorian hole-in-the-wall coffee shop Coffee Treat has launched into franchising, with plans to extend into country towns. Director Chelsea Hayward told Franchise Executives , “I’ve heard so many times people say they can’t get a decent coffee in the country. So by franchising, I aim to make it accessible to country people. They haven’t had a lot of variety in small country towns.

Planning 290
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Tesco secures landmark solar deal to power 144 stores

Retail Gazette

Tesco has signed a deal to acquire enough solar energy to power 144 of its large stores, purchasing almost two-thirds of the electricity generated by the Cleve Hill solar park in Kent. The £450m solar park, developed by Quinbrook Infrastructure Partners on farmland near Faversham, will provide Tesco with up to 10% of its UK electricity needs over the next 15 years, generating enough renewable energy to power the stores for a year.

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The AI Pricing Debate: Balancing Retail Innovation and Consumer Trust

Retail TouchPoints

Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming how retailers set prices, sparking public debate and drawing regulatory attention. The Federal Trade Commission’s recent announcement of an inquiry into “surveillance pricing”—the use of personal shopper data for individualized pricing—has intensified scrutiny of AI-driven pricing practices.

Consumer 306
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Smart Tools & Strong Teams: A People-First Approach to AI in Sales

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.

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Majority of Australians blame supermarkets for cost of living crisis

Inside Retail

A majority of Australians blame supermarkets, at least in part, for the rising cost of living in the country, a survey shows. The Australia Institute’s Carmichael Centre/Centre for Future Work surveyed 1014 participants and found that 83 per cent largely or somehow blame supermarkets for inflation. Meanwhile, 60 per cent nominated groceries as the most-noticed cost increase, compared to 21 per cent who nominated utilities.

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NRF Predicts up to 3.5% Increase in Holiday Spending Despite Economic Headwinds

Retail TouchPoints

The National Retail Federation predicts that this year’s holiday spending will increase by 2.5% to 3.5% over 2023 despite continued concern about a consumer pullback. This would equate to between $979.5 billion and $989 billion in total holiday spending from Nov. 1 to Dec. 31, compared to the $955.6 billion spent during the same period last year. Image courtesy NRF A number of factors have given analysts and retailers cause for concern about this year’s crucial holiday period, including a shopp

Finance 278

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How to Effectively Combine Price Intelligence and Customer Ratings for Better Pricing Decisions

Wiser

Technology has made today’s market hyper-competitive, and pricing decisions can make or break a business. Companies that excel in pricing typically harness the power of both price intelligence and price optimization, relying on data such as customer ratings and reviews. Price intelligence provides data-driven insights into competitor pricing and market trends, while customer feedback provides a deeper understanding of how customers perceive value and what they are willing to pay.

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PM reveals plans to ban ‘tricky tactics’. Online stores, gyms are top targets

Inside Retail

Businesses that use deceptive tactics, such as hidden fees and difficult-to-cancel subscriptions, are in the crosshairs of the Albanese Government’s latest consumer protection reforms. Aiming to ban unfair trading practices under Australian Consumer Law, the government hopes these changes will ease cost-of-living pressures and offer fairer treatment to consumers and suppliers alike.

Planning 263
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Shein adds more banks as it lines up London IPO

Retail Gazette

Shein has enlisted more banks to help it line up its potential initial public offering in London. Barclays Plc and UBS Group AG have been appointed as bookrunners for the upcoming flotation on the London Stock Exchange, Bloomberg reported. The fast fashion giant has been working with the likes of Goldman Sachs Group Inc, JPMorgan Chase & Co and Morgan Stanley on its preparations.

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Mint Velvet opens key regional store at centre:mk

Retail Focus

Mint Velvet , the British womenswear brand, renowned for its relaxed yet glamorous style has opened its new Boutique, and debut Milton Keynes location, within centre:mk’s premium Silbury Arcade, one of the top 10 retail destinations in the UK. Spanning 2,100 sq ft, the store offers Mint Velvet’s latest collection of womenswear footwear, and accessories.

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AI In The Aisles: The Executives Guide To Better In-Store Experiences

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.

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Expert view: e-tailer Lookfantastic surprises with low-tech approach at new concept store

Retail Times

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! Lookfantastic, a major player in beauty e-commerce, has taken a bold step into physical retail with the opening of its first permanent store in Altrincham. The store aims to offer a “customer-centric and experiential” shopping experience, building on the brand’s successful pop-up events in Manchester and London.

ATS 59
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Amazon reveals its first color Kindle e-reader after years of development

Inside Retail

Amazon on Wednesday announced its first color Kindle e-reader following years of effort to bring the more immersive device to market. The ‘Kindle Colorsoft’ carries a $280 price tag that compares with similar devices from other manufacturers available on Amazon in the range of $149 to $330. The Colorsoft relies on LEDs and other technologies to achieve the colour display, according to a company statement.

Shipping 130
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Panera Just Settled the First Charged Lemonade Lawsuit. Here’s What Happened

Retail Wire

Panera made a settlement offer to the first plaintiff, which was accepted.

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Save A Lot Creates Test-and-Learn Colorado Supermarket Catering to Hispanic Shoppers

Retail TouchPoints

Save A Lot has partnered with Leevers Supermarkets to launch Ahorra Mucho , a new discount grocery store and innovation center in Aurora, Colo. that will feature unique Hispanic product assortments — part of the store’s mission of testing how new products and shoppers could strengthen shopper loyalty among this consumer set. The Ahorra Mucho (which translates directly to “Save A Lot”) store will have specialized features such as a full-service, centrally located meat counter, a cornerstone of Hi

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New Research-Backed Strategies to Empower Managers as Culture & Engagement Leaders

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.

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Disney Criticized for Extreme Food Prices at New Cake Shop

Retail Wire

Disney's new Cake Bake Shop posted its menu and fans are upset over the prices.

Shopping 264
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Beyond Kicks Off Container Store Partnership with $40 Million Investment

Retail TouchPoints

Beyond and The Container Store are embarking on a new strategic partnership that will leverage the latter’s brick-and-mortar footprint with Beyond’s data platform, customer analytics, loyalty and payment programs. As part of the deal, Beyond will invest $40 million in The Container Store through a preferred equity transaction, subject to certain terms and conditions.

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Many Americans Expect To Miss Credit Card Payments in the Coming Months

Retail Wire

Americans are almost as worried about missing a credit card payment as they were in 2020.

Finance 263
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Ulta Lays Out Aggressive Store Expansion Plan to Reach Target of 1,800 Locations

Retail TouchPoints

Ulta Beauty has outlined a new set of strategic priorities to drive its growth and announced new long-term financial targets that include an acceleration of new store openings. With a target of 1,800+ total locations, the beauty retailer plans to open 200 net-new stores over the next three years. “Ulta Beauty is a leader in a growing category with a proven model and substantial financial strength to invest and power our long-term growth,” said Dave Kimbell, CEO of Ulta Beauty in a statement.

Location 263
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Breaking The Commerce Bottleneck: Your SAP Exit Plan Starts Now

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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Walmart Introduces ‘Wicked’ Mystery Color Mac and Cheese

Retail Wire

The "Wicked" product features either pink or green cheese when water is added.

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4 Reasons to Invest in Custom Retail Lighting Schemes

Retail TouchPoints

While spatial planning is widely recognized as a key tool in shaping consumer behavior in brick-and-mortar environments, one crucial yet frequently overlooked aspect of retail design is lighting. As lighting designers and manufacturers, we at Juniper hold that lighting is often the missing link in creating a hospitable retail experience that keeps consumers engaged in physical spaces.

Consumer 259
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Pizza Hut Introduces the ‘Personal Pan Pizza Hut’ Restaurant Concept

Retail Wire

Pizza Hut is stepping up its personal pan pizza game.

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Hot property: What’s driving Aeon Mall’s record-high results

Inside Retail

In Japan, the summers are usually fairly temperate, but when the country got a real doozy of a hot one this year, its malls became part of the government’s relief operation. Aeon Mall , Japan’s biggest mall operator, offered up its 92 properties as heat evacuation sites. It benefited commercially as a result. On October 8, the company reported that for the six months ending August 31, its operating revenue reached a record high of 222.2 billion yen (US$1.5 billion), representing an increase of 5

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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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Taco Bell and Big Chicken Are Introducing New Chicken Items for NFL Season

Retail Wire

For the football season, chicken has become a popular and favorite choice for game-day menus both at home and in restaurants.

ATS 244
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The grey market isn’t a black-and-white issue. Here’s why

Inside Retail

Over the years, I’ve heard ‘grey market’ tossed around a lot in the beauty industry. Brands and retailers talk about it all the time, (I do), but how much do we actually understand? After chatting with some beauty insiders, I realised the grey market is still a grey area. So, I decided to get to the black-and-white of it. Here’s what you should know.

Marketing 130
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Pepsi and Baskin-Robbins Mark 150th Anniversary of Ice Cream Float With Giveaway

Retail Wire

To commemorate the 150th anniversary of the ice cream float, Pepsi and Baskin-Robbins have joined forces to give one winner the chance to enjoy a free ice cream float a week for an entire year.

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Rent the Runway, Glossier, Farm Rio talk brand growth at Shoptalk Fall day one

Inside Retail

“Mission: possible” was the pervading message on day one of the Shoptalk Fall industry event in Chicago. Running from October 16-18, the conference has attracted big names in retail, including Jennifer Hyman, co-founder and CEO of Rent the Runway, Kyle Leahy, CEO of Glossier , Daniel Martinez, global retail director of Farm Rio, and Kiera Gannan, SVP and global GM of Ralph Lauren Brands.

ATS 130
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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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Chipotle Has Invested in an AI Supply Chain and Mediterranean Restaurant

Retail Wire

Chipotle Mexican Grill has expanded its investment strategy by committing funds to Lumachain, an AI supply chain platform, and Brassica, a Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant.

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New Zealand’s pre-loved fashion platform Designer Wardrobe enters Australia

Inside Retail

Kiwi online fashion platform Designer Wardrobe has launched in Australia, committing to supporting Australians in addressing fashion waste in landfills. Australians can access hundreds of thousands of listings across Australia and New Zealand, with the average customer saving 60 per cent off the RRP of brands such as Zimmerman, Rebecca Vallance, Levi’s, and Acne Studios.

Fashion 130
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Delta Air Lines Suspends Meal Service on 200 Flights, Citing ‘Food Safety’ Reasons

Retail Wire

Delta Air Lines said that there was an issue with the caterer.

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CX executive roundtable highlights CX innovations, future trends at ICX Summit

Retail Customer Experience

At this year's ICX Summit, hosted in Charlotte, North Carolina by Networld Media Group, a roundtable discussion featuring industry leaders in customer experience revealed insights into the challenges and innovations shaping the future of the field.

ATS 124
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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.