Target is expanding next-day delivery service to 35 US markets by the end of next month as it prepares for the holidays and looks to better compete with Amazon and Walmart. Markets that will gain next-day delivery include San Diego; Orlando and Tampa, Florida; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Cleveland. In stepping up its next-day delivery, Target recognizes that the competitive stakes in retail are escalating. Its recent sales softness suggests it may be at risk of falling off shoppers’ radar as speed, selection, and convenience become critical retail differentiators.

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.

Trading card mania is proving to be a profitable tailwind for Target, eBay, and Walmart, as high-profile releases and collector enthusiasm drive spending. The market for toys is increasingly being driven by demand for collectibles like Labubus and trading cards. That demand is strongest among adults, who see these items both as fun indulgences and investment opportunities.

The Q2 performances of Amazon, Walmart, and Target illustrate the retailers’ diverging fortunes as shoppers reassess their spending priorities. While uncertainty is funneling more dollars toward Amazon and Walmart, customers are steering clear of Target—due both to a lackluster assortment and frustration over its diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) flip-flopping. Walmart and Amazon are pulling ahead as their relentless focus on value—in the form of speed, selection, and convenience—make them the first stop for shoppers buying everything from essentials like groceries to discretionary items like beauty and apparel. That leaves Target’s new CEO, Michael Fiddelke, with the unenviable task of having to turn the retailer around just as tariffs threaten its bottom line and undermine its core discretionary business.

Successful retail partnerships create value beyond what either brand could achieve alone. “One plus one makes three is the ideal situation, where both parties bring something to the table that the customer values and as a result, both businesses and brands benefit,” said Brian Berger, founder and CEO of Mack Weldon, on a recent episode of “Behind the Numbers.”

A leaked Adweek-reviewed file details how The Trade Desk partners with 49 retailers worldwide to sell ad placements built on shopper data. The document reveals steep markups and inconsistent rules: Albertsons charges up to 45% of media costs, Best Buy limits custom audiences, Costco sets $100K minimums, and Walmart imposes fees capped at $3.50 CPMs plus measurement charges. Other retailers add restrictions around ad categories or approvals. The leak highlights both the value and complexity of retail media as brands chase audience targeting tied directly to transactions. Transparency remains a challenge, with costs and conditions varying widely by partner.

Target’s protracted slump is hurting employee morale as workers worry the retailer is falling behind. Roughly half of respondents to a companywide survey don’t think Target is making necessary changes to compete effectively, The Wall Street Journal reported, while 40% said they lack confidence in the retailer’s future. After 10 quarters of flat or declining sales, Target is in dire need of a shakeup.

Target will no longer match prices at Amazon and Walmart, a move it claims will simplify its pricing policy, per a Bloomberg report. Strategically, this is another move that could backfire for Target, which is already having a hard time getting shoppers to its stores. It could widen the gulf that is emerging between the retailer and its mass-merchant rivals, who are increasingly using Target’s own tactics against it.

The news: Walmart introduced a private label for tweens, Weekend Academy, just in time for the back-to-school shopping season. Our take: As Target proved, retailers that use their private labels to deliver on-trend products at affordable prices can win big with shoppers. While Walmart hasn’t always been known as a destination for stylish products, its growing investments in its store brands could help it capitalize on Target’s fading “Tarzhay” magic and become a go-to for value- and design-conscious shoppers.

The tests: In an effort to regain momentum, Target is piloting several initiatives aimed at boosting sales and protecting its margins. Our take: Target isn’t standing still amid its challenges—but it isn’t clear if its latest moves will resonate with consumers. It’s encouraging to see Target establish an “acceleration office” to push innovation forward. But with consumer budgets under strain, finding the right formula won’t be easy—especially given the stiff competition it faces from Amazon, Walmart, and others.

Latin America’s ad market will surpass $40 billion this year as it continues to defy economic uncertainty. Rebounds in Argentina and Chile, along with double-digit growth in retail and social media spending, will fuel momentum. Here are the latest trends you need to know.

The news: Target is testing a factory-direct shipping model that would enable it to offer lower-cost products to customers, per Bloomberg. The model, which lets suppliers ship products directly to shoppers, closely resembles the strategy used by Temu and Shein to keep prices low. Our take: Unfortunately for Target, now is not the best time to increase its reliance on overseas suppliers. While the Temu-Shein model worked spectacularly well for several years, the conditions that fueled their growth—namely, the de minimis exemption and low tariffs—are no longer in place.

At Cannes Lions 2025, commerce media partnerships once again reigned supreme. Once the domain of digital shelf tactics and retail data, commerce media is now reshaping how brands show up across social platforms, connected TV (CTV), and in-store displays. This year’s festival offered a glimpse into a more integrated, AI-driven future—one where conversational ads, programmatic pipes, and real-world touchpoints blur the lines between media and purchase.

This Pride Month, many retailers are retreating from DEI commitments, facing backlash from consumers and political scrutiny. What began as pledges to support marginalized communities is now giving way to silence—leaving brands caught between public expectation and political pressure.

Retail media’s next phase will see billions of daily shopper signals paired with AI to fine-tune campaigns on the fly. Through consolidated buying, data collaboration, and transparent pricing, advertisers will have the ability to turn insights into measurement results.

US retail and ecommerce sales growth will take a hit in 2025 as unpredictable changes in tariff policies ripple through the economy, shaking consumer confidence.

In the first half of 2025, tariffs rattled retailers, consumer trust wavered in the face of muted DEI efforts, and fast-fashion platforms like Shein and Temu braced for policy whiplash. Meanwhile, private label products surged in popularity, and the retail world took a closer look at generative AI—not just for buzz, but for tangible impact across the shopper journey. Here are the top stories from H1 2025 and why they matter for the rest of the year.

Retailers want richer experiences that still respect guest trust. Katy Hershey, senior director, partner solutions group at Roundel shares how Target’s 165 million guest profiles and 15 years of retail media insight fuels its brand-safe omnichannel campaigns—and outlines what’s next: goal-based buying, AI-driven personalization, and broader reach via off-platform partnerships.

Retail and commerce media were huge topics at last year’s Cannes Lions festival, and this year, the festival is doubling down on the channel by introducing a new retail media sub-category in the Media Lions and Creative Commerce Lions awards. However, “the tone is definitely shifting” as the industry matures—and faces the threat of tariff-related impacts, according to our analyst, Sarah Marzano.