Amazon has launched its low-cost shopping app, Amazon Bazaar, in 14 international markets including Argentina, Hong Kong, and Nigeria, expanding the reach of its Temu-style platform first introduced as Amazon Haul. Offering mostly sub-$10 items and interactive deals, Bazaar targets price-conscious shoppers across fashion and home goods. The move underscores Amazon’s strategy to capture growth in emerging markets while competing with Shein, Temu, and TikTok Shop. However, as nations tighten import rules and close tax loopholes, the company’s discount-driven model may face mounting logistical and regulatory challenges in sustaining profitability.
Affirm’s gross merchandise volume (GMV) increased 42% YoY to $10.8 billion during its fiscal Q1 2026 (ended September 30, 2025). Healthy performance across its POS integrations and its debit card is key to why we forecast Affirm will remain the dominant US BNPL player against its chief competitor, Klarna, by a margin of $4.7 billion in US volume. While Affirm notched its second quarter of profitability at $81 million in net income, it’s going to need to widen its margins to compete with the rewards PayPal can offer consumers, such as 5% cash back on Pay Monthly loans.
Block’s gross profit increased 18% YoY to $2.66 billion, per its Q3 2025 earnings release. Expanding buy now, pay later solutions can help payment platforms grow volume heading into the holiday season as consumers grapple with economic uncertainty and the pressure of gift buying. Providers who can leverage rewards like cash back and/or interest-free options serve to secure consumer loyalty during a time of economic stress.
Adyen launched two point-of-sale (POS) terminals ahead of the holiday season, per a press release.As SMBs approach the critical holiday season, POS providers need to offer value to court cash-strapped vendors, reminding them the importance of a reliable, durable terminal system. Add-ons like AI-powered software can help convince vendors the value of their hardware with high-powered tools to boost conversions and payment volume.
69% of US Democrats ages 65 and up trust mass media, compared with 17% of US Republicans in the same age group, according to a September Gallup survey conducted by ReconMR.
Only 30% of Gen Z adults plan to travel for the holidays in 2025, down from 44% in 2024, according to an October report from Bankrate and YouGov.
Target is overhauling its ecommerce fulfillment model by reducing the number of stores that handle online delivery orders to ease strain on operations and improve the in-store experience. After testing the approach in Chicago, it has expanded to 36 markets with more planned next year. The strategy helps cut transportation costs, reduce out-of-stocks, and raise customer satisfaction, while allowing longer next-day delivery windows. However, Target still trails Walmart and Amazon in delivery speed and coverage and faces ongoing challenges as shoppers increasingly focus on essential purchases.
U.S. Bank launched the Split World Mastercard, a credit card that puts every transaction on an installment plan, per a press release.U.S. Bank wants to capitalize on consumer demand for both card-linked installments and BNPL cards. It’s a play specifically for Gen Zers, who tend to gravitate toward installments. These younger consumers can also use the card as a credit-building tool, a sought-after feature. But the Split Card may be a tough sell to prospects.
Early holiday trends from Prime Big Deal Days reveal a more cautious, value-driven shopper, according to PMG’s analysis. Success this season will hinge on brands sustaining visibility and offering deals that feel genuinely worth it.
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.
Travel companies are cutting jobs to keep costs under control and adapt to softening US demand, part of a broader wave of layoffs. US employers set more than 153,000 job cuts in October, per Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Hotels and airlines have come under renewed pressure as demand moderates, costs remain elevated, and operational disruptions—including those tied to the current government shutdown—test their performance. The longer the shutdown lasts, the greater the risk of disruptions to holiday operations and travel. To stay resilient, companies can target international and more affluent consumers less affected by economic uncertainty, while cross-training airline and hotel staffers to beef up customer support.
In this podcast episode, we discuss what makes this season unique for the beauty category, what “creating magic” looks like during the holidays when every brand is fighting for attention, and how brands can build real loyalty when discounts dominate the conversation. Listen to the discussion with Vice President of Content and host, Suzy Davidkhanian, Principal Analyst, Sky Canaves, and Head of Marketing for Bluemercury, Minyi Su.
Pinterest reported Q3 2025 revenue of $1.1 billion, up 17% YoY and slightly ahead of forecasts, as global user growth and AI-driven ad features continue to lift engagement. Monthly active users climbed 12% to 600 million, with international markets up 16% and driving most of the gains. Yet softer Q4 guidance spooked investors, sending shares down 20%. CFO Julia Donnelly cited “moderating ad spend” among US retailers facing tariff pressures. Globally, Pinterest’s AI tools—visual search, generative creative, and shoppable feeds—are strengthening its position as the web’s most frictionless bridge between inspiration and purchase. Consistency remains Pinterest’s quiet advantage.
Amazon is suing Perplexity, seeking to stop its Comet agentic AI browser from shopping on users’ behalf. Amazon alleges that Comet violates its terms of service and degrades the Amazon shopping experience. Perplexity called Amazon's actions a "bully tactic" and argued the company should appreciate agentic AI’s ability to make shopping easier. Amazon’s suit against Perplexity could become an important test case that helps define the limits for agentic AI and the actions retailers can take to protect themselves—at least temporarily—from the intrusion of AI agents. However, it will not stop AI agents from gaining traction in ecommerce.
Consumers again demonstrated resilience in the New York Federal Reserve’s most recent Quarterly Report on Household Debt and Credit. For three years lenders have largely stayed on the sidelines when it came to extending credit to average consumers—the average Bank of America credit cardholder’s FICO score was 777 as of Q1 2025. Banks have already started to shift their lending behavior, but it may be too late.
Global scrutiny of Chinese-linked ecommerce platforms like Shein and Temu is intensifying as governments tighten oversight. France has threatened to suspend Shein’s marketplace over illegal listings, prompting investigations and a temporary sales halt, while Japan and the EU plan to scrap tax exemptions that have long benefited such importers. Similar moves in Brazil and South Africa highlight a growing global push to level the playing field for local retailers. Though consumers flock to Shein and Temu for low prices, regulators and competitors warn that the platforms’ dominance threatens fair competition and domestic industry resilience.
Several conservative Supreme Court justices voiced skepticism over President Donald Trump’s claim that emergency powers allow him to impose sweeping tariffs on countries like Canada, Mexico, and China. A ruling against Trump could reshape the already disrupted US retail sector, with nearly half of imports now under duties. Analysts warn that consumers are beginning to feel the strain, with inflation rising and spending slowing. While a legal setback may limit Trump’s options, his administration still has other trade tools available—ensuring that economic and policy uncertainty will continue well into next year.
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.
McDonald’s CEO Chris Kempczinski expects pressures on US consumers to remain “well into 2026,” he said on the company’s Q3 earnings call. The deepening cost of living crisis is especially painful for lower-income households, who are struggling to manage higher rents and childcare costs alongside a renewed spike in food prices. McDonald’s playbook for navigating those pressures is relevant to both fellow QSRs and the retail industry. By successfully combining value initiatives with marketing and product innovation, the company is gaining share with higher-income consumers and staying relevant with less affluent households.