Retail News

With AI now becoming much more relevant in terms of product search and discovery in e-comm, it may now be considered an emerging front door to online retail. “Checkout may determine who owns the purchase long term, but discovery now determines who gets considered at all. While everyone debates checkout, AI is already taking hold of the most influential moment in the journey: the first question a shopper asks,” Forbes contributor Michelle Evans wrote (via Forbes).

New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani stated that NYC’s first city-run grocery store will be opening in East Harlem by the end of next year. “We’re going to make it easier for New Yorkers to put food on the table. At our stores, eggs will be cheaper. Bread will be cheaper,” he said at a recent rally (via Chain Store Age).

Walmart and Amazon snagged the top two spots on the National Retail Federation’s Top 50 Global Retailers list. “Walmart grew across all functions and international markets in 2025, reinforcing its position as the largest global retailer,” the NRF’s Dave Marcotte wrote (via NRF).

Roblox has announced two new age-based accounts to enhance protection of its youngest users, with Roblox Kids serving children ages 5 through 8 and Roblox Select serving children ages 9 through 15. “This update will bring age-checks, account-level defaults, content ratings, ongoing moderation, and expanded parental controls together into a unified framework for younger users,” Roblox wrote (via press room).

Kodak is seeing some positive results under the guidance of turnaround expert Jim Continenza as the company tries to execute a revitalization effort. Renewed interest in shooting on Kodak film, along with a broader nostalgia among younger consumers, is bolstering the company’s bottom line (via CNBC).

David’s Bridal has launched end-to-end purchasing capabilities through both ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot AI frameworks. “Consumers are moving from traditional search to AI-driven discovery at an extraordinary pace, and increasingly expect to complete their purchase in that same moment. By bringing our assortment directly into these ecosystems, we’re ensuring David’s is a driving force behind the next era of retail,” said CEO Kelly Cook (via Access Newswire).

Church’s and Texas Chicken will be making inroads into the Chinese market, slated to open a first restaurant in Shanghai this summer. There is a larger plan to open ~600 locations across China in the years to come, facilitated by a partnership with local operator Deke Shengtang (via Chain Store Age).

McDonald’s is beefing up the beverage options on its menu, with energy drinks and crafted sodas on the horizon. A Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer, a Dirty Dr Pepper and a Mango Pineapple Refresher are headed to restaurants in the coming weeks (via MSN).

Mattel is celebrating the 40th anniversary of its American Girl product line by reintroducing its Historical Characters. Some of the characters making a return include Addy Walker, Felicity Merriman, Josefina Montoya, Kirsten Larson, Kaya, Kit Kittredge, Molly McIntire and Samantha Parkington (via Forbes).

Foot traffic to American malls has increased in three distinct categories so far in 2026. Indoor malls saw visits improve by 2.2% during the first quarter, while open-air shopping centers saw traffic improve by 5.1%. Outlet malls saw the most modest growth in visits, up 1.4% (via The Anchor).