Retail & Ecommerce

Amazon flexes its market power with seller surcharges, anti-union stance: Despite rapid growth during the pandemic, the ecommerce giant is passing fuel and inflation costs onto its sellers while resisting calls to improve working conditions.

Junior Scott Pence, CMO of Peace Out Skincare, talked with Insider Intelligence about the marketing opportunities within TikTok.

The apparel resale market heats up: We expect annual average sales per buyer via online fashion resale marketplaces will more than double between 2021 and 2025.

Consumers demand sustainability from brands: A new campaign by Anheuser-Busch InBev—and a new feature by Yelp—hope to tap into that trend.

Zara’s massive new Madrid storefront leverages digital-led and immersive shopping experiences: The fast-fashion retailer debuts its largest location to date, merging elements of physical and digital to set the tone for the future of stores.

Open banking eliminates many of A2A payments’ pain points, making them an even more attractive option for merchants.

Investors continue to pour millions into ecommerce tech solutions: Salsify is the latest platform to reach a multi-billion dollar valuation as brands and retailers look for ways to improve their omnichannel capabilities.

Bed Bath & Beyond’s struggles put the success of its turnaround plan in doubt: The retailer blamed inventory issues and slowing consumer demand for its disappointing Q4 results.

Rent the Runway believes the conditions are ripe for growth: Inflation could drive more consumers to rent, rather than buy, as people return to spending on experiences.

Rising prices drove retail sales to increase 0.5% in March: Despite sharp price increases, consumer sentiment hit a three-month high in early April due to strong job and wage numbers.

Brooklinen and Parachute push to gain market share: The two D2C home goods brands are opening stores and expanding into new channels to drive sales growth.

Restaurants are experimenting with robots, but customers aren’t enthused: Labor crunches and high costs are pushing fast-food chains like Chipotle and Panera Bread to adopt automation front and back of house.

Panera’s new AI uses sensors, algorithms, and analytics to ensure coffee is optimally brewed: Restaurants are leaning into AI and automation, but will long-term effects lead to reduced hospitality and fewer customers?

The card lets customers earn unlimited 2% cash back and may signal a broader move into general-purpose cards.