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Covering the latest news in the retail industry

  • August 19, 2025

    • Home Depot reported profit and sales growth metrics which fell short of Wall Street expectations. However, the retailer plans to open 13 stores this year, and reaffirmed its full-year guidance (via Chain Store Age).
    • Intel is receiving a $2 billion investment from Japan’s SoftBank. SoftBank will purchase shares of Intel for $23 per share, coinciding with news that the White House is mulling an investment in the chipmaker as well (via CNN Business).
    • Pop Mart indicated its profit had soared by almost 400% during the first half of 2025. The Chinese company, made famous over the viral popularity of its Labubu doll lineup, is struggling to contain a raft of fakes entering the market (via Reuters).
    • Best Buy launched its third-party marketplace on Aug. 19 in an attempt to deepen its inventory selection and halt sluggish sales (via CNBC).
    • Nvidia is reportedly working on a new AI chip, designed for sale in China, which is significantly more powerful than the H20 chips it is currently allowed to sell in that market (via TechCrunch).
    • Eight Sleep, a New York-based developer of smart sleep products, has raised $100 million in Series D funding. The company plans to launch retail stores sometime next year (via Axios).
    • Skims plans a push into Europe following the hire of former Michael Kors exec Robin Gendron, assuming the newly created role of president of EMEA. Stores are planned for London and Dubai (via Forbes).
    • Anheuser-Busch announced a $15 million investment in its U.S. brewery, as part of a broader $300 million investment package unveiled in May to create and maintain U.S. manufacturing jobs (via Reuters).
    • Starbucks is offering an across-the-board 2% wage increase for its salaried employees. Corporate staff, store managers, and manufacturing and distributions workers are among those entitled to the raise (via Chain Store Age).

  • August 18, 2025

    • U.S. consumer sentiment dipped slightly in August, falling by about 5% thus far. This represents the first time in four months that consumer sentiment has fallen in the United States (via University of Michigan).
    • Dick’s Sporting Goods announced the launch of an in-house film production capability. Cookie Jar & a Dream Studios will tell “powerful, human-centered stories through the lens of sport,” per the retailer (via Chain Store Age).
    • Made In cookware is expanding its reach via a partnership with Crate and Barrel. The move comes after a long credibility-building campaign leveraging pro chefs and social media content (via Forbes).
    • Tesla promises that its long-awaited Model Y L is “coming soon,” sharing a sneak peek at the six-seater on Chinese social media platform Weibo (via Reuters).
    • Instacart has initiated a ’90s-inspired promotion in conjunction with rock band Third Eye Blind. On Sept. 4, the band will play Terminal 5 in NYC, with the event venue and vendors on-hand being curated by Instacart (via Chain Store Age).
    • Walmart and Target engaged in significant front-loading to get ahead of tariffs, according to ImportGenius data. The front-loading of containers nearly doubled the growth of the pre-pandemic period (via CNBC).
    • Pawn shops are being targeted by parents as back-to-school shopping destinations. On a related note, pawn shops are seeing a surge of customers pawning gold as the precious metal hovers near all-time highs (via CNN Business).
    • Can-Am‘s latest ATV, the Outlander Electric, offers up to 47 horsepower and 53 lb-ft of torque. The equates to about 1,830 pounds of towing capacity, more than any existing all-terrain vehicle (via Engadget).
    • Ace Hardware has initiated its own retail media network (RMN). RedVest Media will be launched in partnership with Epsilon Retail Media (via Chain Store Age).

  • August 15, 2025

    • CEO confidence improved greatly during Q3, improving from a rating of 34 during the second quarter to near-neutral territory of 49 (out of 100), per The Conference Board data. Trade and tariff concerns eased, while geopolitical concerns and tech worries persisted (via Chain Store Age).
    • U.S. retail spending improved slightly in July, growing by 0.5% according to Commerce Department data. That figure fell short of June’s revised growth of 0.9%, but fell within analyst estimates (via CNN Business).
    • SHEIN saw its U.K. sales surge to $2.8 billion in 2024, a YoY improvement of 32.3%. The e-commerce business continues to eye a Hong Kong IPO (via Reuters).
    • U.S. jewelry sales are bolstering the broader global segment. Pandora and Richemont (owner of the Cartier brand) both suggested that strong U.S. sales had reinforced their bottom lines as international markets show relative softness (via CNBC).
    • Instacart has refreshed many elements of its Carrot Academy shopper learning platform. New features, nearly 40 new, optional lessons, and multimedia content have been incorporated into the app (via Chain Store Age).
    • Lowe’s has launched a skills academy for military members and spouses looking to transition into the trades. The Lowe’s Foundation and Hiring Our Heroes are supporting this initiative (via FOX Business).
    • Kodak suggested that reports surrounding its fiscal troubles are “misleading.” “Kodak has no plans to cease operations, go out of business, or file for bankruptcy protection,” the company stated (via Forbes).
    • U.S. consumers appear relatively unfazed by tariff pressures, per a Resonate report. A majority (62%) indicated that tariffs had not affected inventory of desired items, and nearly half (49%) said they were spending the same amount they had six months ago (via PR Newswire).
    • Beyond Yoga opened its tenth brick-and-mortar location, located in Skokie, Illinois, on Aug. 15. The athletic lifestyle brand, based in Los Angeles, continues to enjoy growth (via Chain Store Age).

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