Retail TouchPoints

JULY 1, 2025

The baby registry used to be the cornerstone of preparing for parenthood. Expecting parents would walk into a store, scan a list of items, and then wait for friends and family to fulfill their needs at the baby shower. That model is fading fast. Today’s parents aren’t just checking boxes on a registry, they’re curating a constantly evolving collection of products, sourced through social media , peer advice and lived experience.

Fulfillment 147

Fulfillment Marketing Shopping Consumer 147

Inside Retail

JULY 1, 2025

Twenty-five years after entering the Japanese market, Amazon held its first ‘Delivering The Future’ event in Asia Pacific in Tokyo this week. At the event, the e-commerce giant revealed major milestones in line with its goal to be “Earth’s most customer-centric company”. These achievements reflect the broader challenges and opportunities facing retailers globally, including how to best use physical AI, create a culture of transparency with customers and upskill the workforce for tech

Fulfillment 130

Fulfillment Management ATS Marketing 130

Retail TouchPoints

JULY 1, 2025

Champs Sports has introduced its first two reimagined stores, designed to embody the brand’s “Sport For Life” platform. The stores, in Tampa, Fla. and Portland, Ore., feature high-impact visual displays, measuring tools with 3D scanning technology to help shoppers achieve a perfect fit, and dedicated Men’s and Women’s Run Club spaces to encourage connection and provide curated assortments of performance running products, with assortments tailored to serve the needs of local running communities.

Sporting Goods 147

Sporting Goods Accessories Apparel Location 147

Inside Retail

JULY 1, 2025

Mosaic Group will go into liquidation after entering voluntary administration last October. Creditors voted to liquidate the company in a meeting on July 1 after the administrators failed to receive a deed of company arrangement (DOCA) or find another proposal for the group. Mosaic has appointed its existing administrators, Vaughan Strawbridge and David McGrath, along with Kathryn Evans, Kate Warwick of FTI Consulting, as liquidators.

Apparel 235

Apparel Management ATS Accessories 235

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

Retail Gazette

JULY 1, 2025

UK consumers are set to spend nearly £100m as they gear up for England’s first match against France in the women’s Euros tournament. During the group stage of the women’s Euro tournament, retailers are forecast to see £271.4m spent in stores and online, according to the women’s UEFA Euro 2025 spending report by marketing service VoucherCodes.co.uk.

Consumer 69

Consumer Shopping Marketing 69

Inside Retail

JULY 1, 2025

Woolworths Group’s recent decision to shutter MyDeal could signal a broader shift away from standalone marketplaces in Australia, according to two retail industry experts. The move was confirmed in an ASX announcement on June 27, following a strategic review led by Woolworths Group’s CEO Amanda Bardwell. The company concluded that MyDeal lacked a clear pathway to profitability or adequate return on capital.

Fulfillment 162

Fulfillment Customer Experience Returns Marketing 162

Retail TouchPoints

JULY 1, 2025

Tween-favorite accessories retailer Claire’s is considering selling all or parts of its business, according to Bloomberg , which cited people familiar with the matter. The retailer, which sources much of its product from China, has been hit hard by the recent tariffs as well as mounting competition. The company has been primarily owned by Elliott Management and Monarch Alternative Capital since its bankruptcy in 2018.

Payment Services 113

Payment Services Wholesale Accessories Planning 113

Retail Bound

JULY 1, 2025

Introduction to Voice Shopping In a world where convenience and speed are king, voice shopping emerges as a game-changer. Imagine browsing and purchasing products without lifting a finger—simply talk to your device, and your shopping list is completed. This isn’t sci-fi; it’s the present and future of retail. Voice shopping allows consumers to use smart devices like Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant to make purchases through simple verbal commands.

Shopping 52

Shopping Customer Retention Consumer Target Market 52

Inside Retail

JULY 1, 2025

Hong Kong-listed multi-brand beauty retailer Sa Sa International Holdings has shuttered all of its remaining stores in Mainland China, drawing a line under a decade-long push into the world’s second-largest beauty market. Sa Sa International’s share price dropped 1.82 per cent to close at HK$0.54 last Wednesday after announcing the store closures.

Beauty and Health 130

Beauty and Health Net Profit Marketing Accounting 130

Retail Gazette

JULY 1, 2025

Amazon is set to have more robots than human workers in its warehouses for the first time as the business ramps up its use of automation and AI. The online giant now operates over 1 million robots globally — a fivefold increase since 2020 — including mechanical arms and wheeled transporters. This figure nears the total number of employees in its shipping warehouses , according to the Wall Street Journal.

Shipping 71

Shipping 71

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

VMS

JULY 1, 2025

Champs Sports (New York), has unveiled its reimagined retail concept at renovated stores in the Brandon Exchange mall in Tampa and the Washington Square mall in Portland, Ore. The redesigned stores reflect Champs Sports’ commitment to blending sport and everyday life to deliver a redefined retail experience, the company said in a news release. “At its core, Champs Sports focuses on serving sport-style enthusiasts with head-to-toe assortments,” said Tony Aversa, SVP and General

Shopping 59

Shopping Location Management ATS 59

Retail Gazette

JULY 1, 2025

The John Lewis Partnership has enhanced its retail media offer by enabling brands to run advertising campaigns beyond its own websites, including on streaming services and popular consumer sites. Following the successful launch of its onsite retail media platform across JohnLewis.com and Waitrose.com in 2023, the retail giant has partnered with global data and technology firm Epsilon to extend its capabilities offsite.

Advertising 71

Advertising Customer Experience Consumer Planning 71

Inside Retail

JULY 1, 2025

The first group of retailers confirmed for ECQ Outlet, the third stage of its Eastern Creek Quarter (ECQ) precinct in Greater Western Sydney, has been revealed by Frasers Property Australia. The new outlet centre , scheduled to open next year, will be home to the largest Asics store in Australia. Other confirmed brands include Adidas, Fila, Puma, Calvin Klein, Tommy Hilfiger, Tarocash, Connor, Rockwear and Strand.

ATS 237

ATS Fashion Shopping 237

Retail Gazette

JULY 1, 2025

Retail Gazette teamed up with Yext to host senior retail leaders for an exclusive roundtable event (Chatham House Rules, naturally). On a sunny spring morning in central London, leaders candidly unpacked one of the most pressing questions facing the retail industry today: how do brands stay visible as search moves beyond Google into the AI era? Here’s what we learned about how AI tools and AI search are transforming their business practices and strategies for adapting to the future of search.

Customer Experience 59

Customer Experience Shopping ATS Marketing 59

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 Customer Experience

JULY 1, 2025

Retailers looking to drive more year-round sales and eliminate off-peak season lulls should look to their reward and loyalty programs to proactively engage shoppers in meaningful, strategic ways.

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Retail Gazette

JULY 1, 2025

Aldi is rolling out lighter wine bottles across its range as part of its ongoing efforts to cut unnecessary packaging and reduce its environmental footprint. Working with wine suppliers and bottling partner Greencroft, the discounter has introduced 300g bottles for 20 million still wines this year — down from an average of 409g. The supermarket said the change brings the average weight across its still wine range to 371g, with more products expected to follow later this year.

Supermarket 59

Supermarket Marketing 59

Retail TouchPoints

JULY 1, 2025

Everyone over the age of two has put on their shoes thousands of times, but hands-free shoe retailer Kizik insists that putting on its shoes is a distinctly memorable experience — what Chief Marketing Officer Elizabeth Drori calls an “a-ha” moment. “Our product is so experiential,” said Drori in an interview with Retail TouchPoints. “ You step in, they pop on, it makes a noise — you don’t really understand it until you try it.

Wholesale 147

Wholesale Location Consumer Marketing 147

365 Retail

JULY 1, 2025

Performance footwear brand Saucony has opened its pioneer store in Covent Garden at 4 James Street, marking a major step in the brand’s UK retail presence. The launch strengthens the area’s line-up of premium names and positions James Street as a destination for high-end activewear and footwear labels. The 3,695 sq ft store spans two floors and offers an immersive experience tailored to runners, sneaker fans and creatives alike.

Apparel 65

Apparel Management Location ATS 65

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

Retail Gazette

JULY 1, 2025

M&S expects to fully recover from April’s cyberattack by August, chief executive Stuart Machin has confirmed. Speaking at the retailer’s annual general meeting, Machin told shareholders that online services are expected to be fully restored within weeks, with other affected systems also due to return. “I’m really hoping by August, the majority of this is behind us, and customers will see the full M&S,” he said, as reported by Reuters.

Returns 52

Returns Payment Services Fashion Accounting 52

Retail Assist

JULY 1, 2025

According to a 2025 IT Trends report, 44% of IT teams are now spending more time managing employee devices and access issues than ever before. Meanwhile, Gartner estimates that over 40% of enterprise systems are now beyond end of life or support, contributing to rising inefficiencies, increased security risks and IT frustration. In retail and hospitality, where speed and service are everything, outdated or poorly managed end-user computing setups can quietly but consistently drag down performanc

Management 52

Management Location Planning Shopping 52

Retail TouchPoints

JULY 1, 2025

Miss A , a value-priced beauty retailer with 65 stores, plans to boost its store count to 100 locations by Q1 2026. The brand has recently opened stores in key markets, including Atlanta, Indianapolis and Chicago, and projects that it will operate a total of 90 stores by the end of 2025. Miss A offers more than 15,000 beauty and lifestyle products, with most priced under $2 , and it encourages a “treasure hunt” mentality by refreshing its inventory every few weeks.

Wholesale 147

Wholesale Location Planning Marketing 147

Retail Gazette

JULY 1, 2025

Sainsbury’s chief executive Simon Roberts has urged the government to be cautious about further tax increases, warning of the “high impact” of recent national insurance changes on retailers and jobs. It comes as the grocer recorded its strongest sales growth in almost a year, helped by strong demand at Argos and a warm weather boost to summer fashion and seasonal categories like fans and paddling pools.

Grocer 85

Grocer Fashion Customer Experience Marketing 85

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Retail TouchPoints

JULY 1, 2025

Sephora is hoping to flip the script this Prime Day , from frantic online buying to being chauffeured to a brick-and-mortar store. From July 7-10, the beauty retailer is offering Lyft ride credits of up to $20 to shoppers in New York City, LA, San Francisco, Chicago and Seattle so that they can be “Delivered to Beauty” at Sephora stores. The goal is to help beauty fans connect with real live beauty experts during a period when they are being “bombarded with endless product offers and speedy ship

Shipping 147

Shipping Promotions Shopping Marketing 147

Retail Focus

JULY 1, 2025

The e-commerce sector has been one of the fastest-evolving digital spaces of the past two decades. While traditional online retail, fashion and electronics have dominated much of the conversation, a quiet but powerful force has emerged: online casinos. With increasing digitisation, payment innovation and behavioural data use, online gambling platforms are reshaping not just how people spend but how platforms operate, market and scale.

Payment Services 130

Payment Services Checkout Advertising Marketing 130

Shopping Center

JULY 1, 2025

Miami — Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group has acquired the remaining interest of the retail and parking component at Brickell City Centre, a 5.4 million-square-foot mixed-use development in downtown Miami. Swire… The post Simon Acquires Majority Interest of Shops at Brickell City Centre in Downtown Miami for $512 Million appeared first on Shopping Center Business.

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Shopping ATS 52

Retail Times

JULY 1, 2025

Retail Times publishes international & UK retail news covering products, data, tech, packaging, people, research, comment and more besides! The John Lewis Partnership has advanced its retail media offer, with partner brands now able to access offsite media capabilities. As a result, brands will be able to easily activate advertising campaigns across a range of external channels – all powered by first-party data.

Advertising 52

Advertising 52

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Management

Retail TouchPoints

JULY 1, 2025

Saks Global , parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman , has secured $600 million in committed financing from a majority of its existing bondholders. The exchange transaction includes a $400 million First-In, Last-Out (FILO) asset-based credit facility, with $300 million funded today and an additional $100 million upon completion of the bond exchange.

Finance 147

Finance Planning 147

Retail Gazette

JULY 1, 2025

Greggs expects its full-year operating profit to be “modestly” below 2024 levels, as scorching temperatures in June dented sales momentum despite strong first-half growth. The bakery chain reported total sales up 6.9% to £1.03bn for the 26 weeks to 28 June, with like-for-like sales rising 2.6%. However, growth slowed sharply in June as the UK experienced one of its hottest Junes on record, reducing footfall even as demand for cold drinks increased.

Planning 59

Planning Shopping 59

Small Biz Trends

JULY 1, 2025

Key Takeaways Empower Employees as Advocates: Encourage your employees to share their authentic experiences to enhance brand visibility and foster genuine connections with your audience. Increase Brand Awareness: Employee advocacy can amplify your company’s message significantly, achieving up to 561% more exposure compared to branded channels alone.

Employee Engagement 71

Employee Engagement Management Marketing Promotions 71

Inside Retail

JULY 1, 2025

Japanese retailer Uniqlo’s first South Australian store, located in Rundle Mall, is to be redeveloped and expanded to include Uniqlo’s LifeWear by October. The expansion will add a second floor above the existing store and will offer the LifeWear line’s high-quality and functional apparel for men, women, kids and babies. “We are delighted to announce the expansion of our Rundle Mall store with an additional shopping floor being added to the store layout,” said Fuminori Adachi, CEO of Uniqlo Aus

Store Layout 130

Store Layout Apparel Location Shopping 130

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Fulfillment