Retail News

U.S. summer shoppers appear poised to spend as things heat up, with more than half (52%) planning to increase their spend this summer, and a further 31% saying they will be spending the same. Only 17% of respondents to an Optimove survey signaled that they were trimming their spend in summer 2026 (more).

Retail rents ticked upward by 2.4% year-over-year during the first quarter of the year, per CBRE, with low construction rates bolstering the asking price. “Rent growth has been driven by low availability as a result of historically low construction completions, combined with positive net absorption for three consecutive quarters,” the report read (more).

Analysts appear to be largely confused by GameStop’s recent offer to acquire eBay in a deal worth nearly $56 billion. Criticism surrounds GameStop’s current market situation versus eBay’s, the financial uncertainty of the funding particulars, and whether or not a combined entity would expand eBay’s market (more).

Ford is pushing hard to deliver an EV truck which aims at a price point of $30,000 as Chinese competition mounts. The midsize electric pickup truck in question has a planned release in 2027, and boasts an anticipated range of about 300 miles (more).

Amazon has launched its own supply chain company, Amazon Supply Chain Services, which opens its full portfolio of freight, distribution, fulfillment, and shipping capabilities to any and all businesses. “With the launch of ASCS, we’re confident we can give any other business access to the same cost efficiency, reliability, and speed that we’ve built for Amazon customers,” said VP of ASCS Peter Larsen (more).

Best Buy beefed up the rewards attached to the upper two tiers of its loyalty program. My Best Buy Plus ($29.99 yearly) and My Best Buy Total ($199.99 annually) members now receive 1% back in rewards on each eligible purchase, and a more substantial 6% back if they use their My Best Buy credit card (more).

GameStop made an unsolicited, non-binding offer to acquire eBay for $125 per share in a half-cash, half-stock deal which would place eBay at a valuation of about $55.5 billion. That figure is well above the current $46 billion valuation of the platform (more).

McDonald’s will be removing self-serve beverage machines in its dining areas in favor of having staff members provide drinks through drive-thru windows, or over the counter, following orders. The news comes as many fast-food chains are placing more emphasis on delivery, drive-thru, and takeout service as the habit of dining in declines (more).

Amazon’s Audible, responsible for its vast array of audiobooks, has opened an experiential “bookless bookstore” on the Bowery in downtown Manhattan. “We developed Audible Story House by asking a simple question: what does a bookstore look like without any books,” said James Finn, Audible’s global head of brand and content marketing (more).

Walmart will be creating a dedicated “beauty expert” role in 425 of its U.S. locations by the end of 2026, included as part of the retailer’s larger Beauty 2.0 redesign. “Early results from the pilot show strong customer engagement, while also creating a new pipeline for associates to grow into leadership and merchandising roles,” a spokesperson said (more).