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Covering the latest news in the retail industry

  • June 27, 2025

    • Nike expects tariffs to cost the company $1 billion, prompting it to shift production away from China, raise U.S. prices, and cut corporate costs amid slumping sales and its worst quarterly performance in over three years (via The Guardian).
    • U.S. inflation edged higher in May, with core prices up 2.7% year-over-year, while consumer spending and incomes declined (via AP News).
    • Michaels reported a 2.3% increase in same-store sales last quarter, attributing the gain partly to customers migrating from shuttered Party City and JOANN stores (via PYMNTS).
    • Apple has introduced a complex new fee structure for its App Store in Europe in an attempt to comply with the EU’s Digital Markets Act and avoid a €500 million fine (via CNBC).
    • Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg is aggressively ramping up AI investments and recruiting top talent after realizing Meta was falling behind in the race to develop advanced “superintelligence” systems (via The New York Times).
    • UK car production plunged to its lowest May level since 1949, down nearly a third year-over-year, as Trump-era U.S. tariffs halved exports and forced some manufacturers to halt shipments (via BBC).
    • Minnesota-based Legacy Toys has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after facing multiple financial setbacks, including tariffs that sharply raised import costs. The retailer plans to keep its remaining five stores open while it restructures (via The Minnesota Star Tribune).
    • JCPenney is seeing early signs of a turnaround following years of decline, driven by its bold “Yes, JCPenney” marketing campaign that has boosted brand interest, fashion sales, and store traffic (via Forbes).
    • Back-to-school shopping is seeing parents prioritize sales, early shopping, and AI tools to find deals as tariffs push prices higher, a PwC survey finds (via Retail Dive).
    • Luxury brands in China, facing a slowdown in consumer spending, are shifting from traditional retail to “experiential” flagship stores and cafes, like Louis Vuitton’s new ship-shaped Shanghai store (via Reuters).

  • June 26, 2025

    • Walmart is testing “dark stores” — fulfillment centers closed to the public — in Dallas and Bentonville to speed up online delivery and better compete with Amazon (via Bloomberg).
    • Xiaomi has unveiled its new YU7 electric SUV at a price lower than Tesla’s Model Y, intensifying China’s EV price war. The launch drew over 200,000 pre-orders within minutes (via CNBC).
    • Walgreens reported higher sales and narrower losses in its latest quarter, driven by improvements in its U.S. healthcare segment and cost-cutting efforts, as it prepares to go private following its $10 billion sale to Sycamore (via The Wall Street Journal).
    • The Trump Organization has removed “Made in the USA” claims from its new T1 smartphone amid skepticism about domestic manufacturing, replacing the phrasing with “American-Proud Design” (via CNBC).
    • H&M shares jumped as the retailer saw stronger June sales and signs of a summer rebound, even as it faces weak quarterly results and rising tariff costs. The company may raise prices to stay competitive against fast-fashion rivals (via CNBC).
    • Daydream, a new AI-powered fashion app launched by retail veteran Julie Bornstein, makes online shopping easier and more personal by acting like a chatty personal stylist. It uses products from 8,000 brands and is backed by $50 million in funding (via Fast Company).
    • Walmart is updating its image with a new $1 billion headquarters, tech features like drone delivery and AI shopping, and more luxury products. The company aims to attract top workers and focus on digital sales, which are now profitable (via The New York Times).
    • Amazon plans to invest £40 billion ($54 billion) in the U.K. over the next three years to build new warehouses, upgrade facilities, and create thousands of jobs, a move welcomed by the British government as part of its economic growth strategy (via CNBC).
    • Spirit Halloween is hiring 50,000 seasonal workers to staff over 1,500 store locations across the U.S. and Canada for the 2025 Halloween season (via Spirit Halloween).
    • IKEA is slashing restaurant prices by up to 50% and offering free kids’ meals to attract budget-conscious shoppers. The company is also expanding its product range for older consumers in China and planning 58 new store openings worldwide (via CNBC).

  • June 25, 2025

    • Target is testing a factory-direct shipping model similar to Temu and SHEIN, aiming to offer more low-cost goods and boost sales amid ongoing demand challenges. The initiative focuses on non-food items (via Bloomberg).
    • CVS faces multiple lawsuits from Louisiana for misusing customer data to send political texts and using its market power to raise drug prices and hurt independent pharmacies. The state wants penalties and refunds, but CVS denies any wrongdoing (via AP News).
    • McDonald’s and Krispy Kreme are ending their U.S. partnership by July, citing “unsustainable” costs tied to limited rollout and low demand (via New York Post).
    • FedEx beat earnings and revenue expectations for Q4 2025 and announced plans to cut an additional $1 billion in costs next fiscal year after meeting its $4 billion savings target (via CNBC).
    • Tesla’s car sales in Europe fell nearly 28% in May — its fifth straight monthly drop — as the company struggles with lasting brand damage tied to Elon Musk’s political ties (via New York Post).
    • ASOS is banning shoppers who make too many returns, sparking backlash from loyal customers who say they rely on ordering multiple sizes due to inconsistent fits (via BBC).
    • Microsoft is planning major Xbox layoffs next week as part of wider company cuts, linked to restructuring and slowing growth, while prepping for the next Xbox generation (via The Verge).
    • Amazon was ranked the worst UK grocery retailer for supplier relations for the second year in a row, despite some improvement. The results come as regulators investigate Amazon over potential violations related to delayed supplier payments (via Reuters).
    • Anthropic did not violate copyright law by using published books to train its chatbot, Claude, a federal judge ruled, but the company must face trial over allegations it downloaded pirated copies. The decision is a major win for AI firms while leaving open questions about how training data is obtained (via The Washington Post).
    • Hermès is raising the bar for luxury brand engagement with a free, sold-out immersive experience in NYC that gamifies its heritage and craftsmanship. The “Mystery at the Grooms” installation emphasizes emotion over transactions (via Forbes).

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