Target's appointment of internal veteran Michael Fiddelke as its next CEO has sparked debate among investors and analysts about whether an insider can turn around the struggling retailer after nearly three years of disappointing performance.
Retail media networks rely on driving conversions—and Walmart is no exception. Its search results are saturated with ads, with 97% of queries serving at least one sponsored product, per Pentaleap data. But Walmart is also growing its upper-funnel capabilities, using its stores to do it despite physical retail’s traditional role as a bottom-of-the-funnel channel.
Nike and Under Armour are leaning on the star power of LeBron James and Steph Curry to restore flagging sales in China and stay culturally relevant. Their ongoing struggles in the region show that brands can no longer expect to coast on their reputations to win over global customers—especially now, as US trade policies sour relations with even its closest allies.
Temu’s US business is slowly recovering, despite tariff pressures and the end of de minimis. The ending of de minimis for all sellers—not just those based in China—coupled with higher tariff costs for virtually all retailers has enabled Temu to maintain its value proposition and appeal to bargain-hunting shoppers. That also applies to Shein, which is seeing shopping frequency, app downloads, site visits, and search interest above 2024 levels. The company’s recoveries show how important price is to US consumers—and how receptive they are to the stream of flash sales, discounts, and gamified rewards that Shein and Temu offer.
Peacock is striking partnerships to grow its audience: The streamer is now available via Walmart+, adding millions of potential viewers ahead of a crucial year.
New data shows Trump’s tariff-driven trade policies are disrupting global shipments and straining US manufacturers just as the holiday season approaches. Global postal traffic to the US plunged 81% after closure of the “de minimis” loophole, while China’s exports to the US fell 33% year over year. Despite promises of revitalizing US manufacturing, factory activity has contracted for six consecutive months and employment has slipped. With holiday sales growth now forecast at just 1.2% instead of 3.9%, retailers face weaker demand, higher costs, and limited product selection, signaling prolonged pressure on consumers and the broader economy.
Sam’s Club is targeting a major ecommerce expansion, aiming to grow digital sales from 18% to at least 40% of total revenues by leveraging Walmart’s supply chain and new digital tools. Recent updates include a redesigned website and app with flexible fulfillment options, larger media-rich product pages, and expanded club-fulfilled delivery. The retailer is testing larger fulfillment spaces and adding online experiences like pizza delivery to drive engagement. With 40% of members using Scan & Go, Sam’s Club is streamlining in-store trips while building a stronger digital ecosystem, boosting ad opportunities and positioning itself against Costco and other rivals.
Lululemon athetica warned the end of the de minimis exemption will be more damaging to its bottom line than tariffs alone. De minimis’ abrupt end is pressuring retailers’ supply chains and their operating models. In addition to tariff-proofing their manufacturing strategies, companies that relied on duty-free shipments to the US must now also invest in local fulfillment and face the full weight of tariff costs. While companies are looking to offset some of those expenses by reducing operating costs, most of the burden will ultimately be passed onto consumers—which could curb demand heading into the all-important holiday season.
PayPal will work with Nova Credit to broaden its underwriting process across its portfolio of consumer credit products, per a press release. PayPal’s current steps only broaden underwriting for US consumers. However, using Nova Credit internationally could open up even more lending opportunities in areas like Latin America and India, where there’s less access to traditional credit products.
Fiserv acquired CardFree, expanding Clover’s hospitality offerings for merchants, per a press release. The payoff from Fiserv’s recent acquisitions in Europe, like AIB Merchant Services, will take some time to materialize in earnings. If Fiserv can integrate CardFree’s offerings in Clover before it rolls out in Europe, it might get the momentum it needs to thwart more dismal investor reactions for a later earnings release.
American Express debuted a co-branded airport lounge at YUL Montréal-Trudeau in partnership with Aspire Executive Lounges, per a press release. All eyes are on Amex as the Platinum card refresh draws near. Amid a steady drip of card teases, it’s no surprise that international locations are getting extra love from the issuer: International consumer card volume increased 15% YoY per Q2 earnings, over double US card volume. Strengthening its rewards to align with international cardholders’ taste has huge return value for Amex.
The US economy is showing signs of strain just as retailers prepare for the holiday season, with weak job growth, rising unemployment, and soft consumer sentiment adding to inflation and tariff pressures. August saw only 22,000 new jobs created, while job cuts rose and openings fell to a two-year low, underscoring a fragile labor market. Consumers remain pessimistic, tightening their spending plans despite potential Fed rate cuts. Our outlook is cautious: holiday retail sales are projected to grow just 1.2%, forcing retailers to lean heavily on promotions and loyalty-driven discounts to capture demand without eroding margins.
The news: Zip partnered with Nift to bring AI-powered “thank-you” gifts to its checkout flow, per company announcements. The integration brands send Zip users tailored offers after making a purchase, aiming to strengthen loyalty while creating new ad inventory. Our take: Zip’s tie-up with Nift illustrates how fintechs are positioning themselves not only as payment providers but also as media channels. The average BNPL users will spend more than $1,600 a year by 2029, per our forecast. As spend per user climbs, Nift’s native, post-checkout placements with conversion rates up to 10% will be especially appealing to both Zip and brands.
Value-focused grocers are aggressively expanding as cost-conscious consumers seek affordable options, with Aldi set to open 225 US stores in 2025, Trader Joe’s adding 41, and Lidl continuing steady growth in key metro areas. Inflation pressures and lingering COVID-era costs are fueling a surge in private-label demand, which grew 4.4% year over year compared with 1.1% for national brands. These chains’ differentiated private-label strategies are driving above-average foot traffic, underscoring their appeal. The takeaway for competitors is clear: prioritize value while building unique private-label lines that strengthen margins and deepen customer loyalty.
Despite persistent inequities in the US healthcare system, Black, Hispanic, and Asian consumers are more positive about health and wellness. They actively look for and buy healthcare products and information online. To effectively reach Black, Hispanic, and Asian consumers, marketers should consider the following: Reflect their positive outlook on health and wellness. Be specific about how your brand can help. Use digital channels and social media to create engaging, educational videos. Partner with health influencers to connect with these younger, culturally aware audiences.
For podcasts that run under 15 minutes, an average of 21.8% of the play time is ads, according to an August 2025 report from Magellan AI.
The news: Visa will give developers new tools to adapt to the rise of agentic commerce on its platforms, per PYMNTS. But risks abound—uneven usability, haphazard standardization across issuers and merchants, and trepidation from consumers about using the tech: Just 30% of US consumers say they trust AI to make purchases for them, per Kantar. It is unlikely that customers will rapidly feel that using an online agent is as safe as placing an order themselves—and every mistake felt by merchants, consumers, and issuers on the agentic rollout will reinforce those opinions.
The news: PayPal and Venmo users can receive early access to Perplexity’s new browser, Comet, with a free 12-month trial of Perplexity Pro. Our take: Big Tech is betting that agentic commerce is the future of shopping, but consumers aren’t on board yet: Nearly 70% of US adults are not interested in AI-powered shopping assistants, per a September 2024 EMARKETER and CivicScience survey. While jostling for future positioning in the market, PayPal, Venmo, and Perplexity need to convince consumers that agentic commerce is a desirable payment option, lest they repeat a metaverse investment flop.
The news: Stripe asked the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to preserve fee-free open banking as the agency revises Rule 1033. Our take: For now, Section 1033 will remain in place. But as rulemaking proceeds, Stripe’s appeal to the CFPB may fall on deaf ears. The new rule will likely be a defanged version of its predecessor. We expect more firms will pursue Coinbase’s route—carving out individual deals with JPMorgan—or close up shop like Visa.
The trend: In the wake of the US closing the de minimis loophole, several large Chinese ecommerce and logistics firms have been investing in European warehouses to offset US losses, per Bloomberg. Our take: The days of rapid growth for Chinese ecommerce companies may be over. Europe might soften the blow from US losses, but it is unlikely to replace them—especially given the weak economic outlooks in France and Germany.