Speaking with EMARKETER at Web Summit, Vast chief astronaut and former NASA commander Drew Feustel described how the company’s Haven 1 station is designed to shift low Earth orbit from a research environment to a commercial manufacturing platform. Building on decades of ISS science, Vast aims to serve industries like biotech, pharmaceuticals, and advanced materials that benefit from microgravity’s unique conditions. With the space economy expected to reach $1.8 trillion by 2035, Feustel says the next leap is scaling production—from artificial retinas to specialty crystals—into repeatable, revenue-generating processes. For brands and investors, orbit is becoming a legitimate industrial supply chain.
Bath & Body Works’ new CEO is overhauling the company’s strategy as it struggles to revive sales and win over younger consumers despite being a major player in the fast-growing fragrance space. CEO Daniel Heaf aims to fix a “slow and inefficient” organization with a four-part plan: refocusing on core categories, expanding ecommerce (including launching on Amazon in 2026), reclaiming cultural relevance through targeted promotions and influencer partnerships, and streamlining operations to unlock $250 million in savings.
Convenience stores are transforming into fast-casual dining destinations, increasingly competing with quick-service restaurants for shoppers seeking affordable, healthy meals. And while consumer perceptions of these stores continue to improve, concerns around food safety and hygiene remain potential barriers. To succeed, convenience chains can adopt strategies such as adding prep-time labels to grab-and-go items to underscore freshness and maintaining clearly visible cleanliness standards throughout the store.
Earlier this month, celebrity and influencer Shay Mitchell launched rini, a line of “clinically backed” and “scientifically proven” beauty face masks for kids. Although rini has attached itself to rising beauty trends, consumers and marketers across social platforms are criticising the way the brand is targeting an audience who might still be mastering their ABCs.
Kroger is overhauling its ecommerce strategy, closing three Ocado automated fulfillment centers after underperformance and leaning more on stores and third-party partners like Instacart, DoorDash, and Uber. Though initially costly, Kroger expects $400 million in ecommerce profit gains by 2026, helping fund price cuts and store improvements. The shift highlights the high cost of competing with Amazon and Walmart on delivery speed and the appeal of using delivery platforms' existing last-mile networks. The new model should cut costs, add flexibility, and support a stronger customer experience as online demand grows.
7-Eleven is making bold moves that contradict retail wisdom, expanding its footprint despite declining same-store sales and traffic. "It's not that they're opening a ton of new stores, it's just they're rejigging their footprint," said our analyst Blake Droesch on a recent episode of “Behind the Numbers.”
50.3% of US grocery shoppers say they'd use in-store digital tools if instant savings and coupons were exclusive to those tools, according to July 2025 data from Amazon Ads and EMARKETER.
From grocery aisles to gig apps, the biggest names in commerce are converging on the same conclusion: Grocery has grown into the ultimate testbed for convenience, loyalty, and AI-driven efficiency.
Quick commerce startup Gopuff raised $250 million at an $8.5 billion valuation—a significant downgrade from the $15 billion it commanded four years ago. Gopuff claims to be in the “strongest financial position in company history,” with record revenues and continued growth for its core businesses. To get to that point, the company has forged partnerships with companies like Amazon, Starbucks, and Disney, a strategy that has broadened its audience and the appeal of its advertising platform. However, consumers’ reluctance to use quick commerce platforms, coupled with competition from DoorDash and Uber, could hamper Gopuff’s growth prospects.
Airbnb and Instacart plan to launch a pilot program that would enable guests in select cities to order grocery delivery before and during their stays, per Bloomberg. The partnership is a win-win, offering Airbnb the chance to improve the guest experience, and giving Instacart an opportunity to expand its reach and boost ad revenues. As competition between delivery platforms heats up, deals like these are poised to become more common as companies look for new ways to win over customers.
"The magic where I see it is all that you have done through the year actually get puts into practice and see the result during the holiday season," said Minyi Su, marketing lead at Bluemercury, during a recent episode of "Behind the Numbers."
Foodmakers are relying on a combination of novelty, limited-edition releases, and pop culture tie-ins to keep shoppers interested in their wares. In recent weeks, Kraft released apple pie-flavored mac and cheese, Taco Bell introduced a Mountain Dew-flavored pie, and Hostess rolled out Wicked-themed cupcakes. Delivering a steady stream of fresh and unusual products is one way for food companies to keep private labels from further encroaching on their market share. It’s also an effective way to get the attention of younger consumers, whose desire for novelty and enthusiasm for limited-time offers helps spur impulse purchases.
Convenience continues to outweigh cost savings for many shoppers, driving strong growth across the grocery delivery market. Instacart led the sector in Q3 with a 14% increase in orders and a 10% rise in gross transaction value, while Uber and DoorDash also posted solid gains. As online grocery adoption accelerates, Instacart is doubling down on affordability through price parity and loyalty integrations to counter economic pressures. Convenience remains a powerful growth driver, but its durability will depend on how effectively delivery platforms balance ease with value as consumers grow more price-conscious.
Starbucks Workers United is planning an open-ended strike in more than 25 cities on November 13, aligning with Red Cup Day, one of the company’s busiest annual events. The move comes after months of stalled contract talks and the union’s rejection of Starbucks’ economic proposal earlier this year. With key issues like pay, hours, and staffing unresolved, the strike threatens to disrupt Starbucks’ lucrative holiday season, potentially affecting sales of gift cards, merchandise, and seasonal drinks amid ongoing pressure on consumer spending.
Cracks are beginning to appear in the previously resilient beauty category. Coty, e.l.f. Beauty, and L'Oréal all delivered quarterly performances below expectations as US demand softened. Beauty companies must ride out a number of headwinds, including tariffs, growing price sensitivities, changing category preferences, and a shift in where consumers choose to do their beauty shopping. Keeping ahead of those pressures will require flexibility, and an embrace of ecommerce platforms like Amazon and TikTok Shop.
Amazon has launched a new Whole Foods concept store in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, featuring a 10,000-square-foot micro-fulfillment center that stocks over 12,000 items from both Whole Foods and Amazon. Shoppers can order online for pickup or scan QR codes in-store to access Amazon’s broader catalog, blending organic groceries with mainstream brands. However, the two-checkout setup adds friction and limits scalability. Despite the new format, Amazon’s long-term focus seems to be on strengthening online grocery sales and expanding same-day delivery to 2,300 locations—positioning the doorstep, not the store, as the future of grocery shopping.
Instacart has launched a new suite of AI-powered tools aimed at helping grocers deliver more personalized and efficient shopping experiences both in-store and online. The rollout includes features like Cart Assistant for customized recommendations, Store View for real-time shelf monitoring, and Agentic Analytics for data-driven insights. Instacart’s bet is that the more it can use emerging technologies to simplify life for both grocery shoppers and retailers, the stickier its platform will become.
Uber is pursuing aggressive cross-platform integration to boost revenue, noting that customers who use both its mobility and delivery services spend three times more and stay longer. With only 20% of users currently overlapping, the company is pushing its Uber One membership and personalized offers to bridge the gap. Delivery growth remains strong, with bookings up 24% YoY, and Uber is expanding into grocery and retail through partnerships with major brands and new promotions like “Fresh Days.” Overall, Uber’s record trip volumes and strong earnings outlook highlight sustained demand for convenience and position the company for continued growth.
From Ulta Beauty’s new marketplace to Gap’s creator platform, here’s what the eight most interesting retailers from October have been up to, as ranked on our “Behind the Numbers” podcast.