Farfetch and Neiman Marcus join forces to update luxury retail for the ecommerce age: The fashion platform will invest up to $200 million in the retailer, with the latter using Farfetch’s ecommerce tools to power digital channels.

European consumers are changing their buying habits vis-à-vis inflation: The war in Ukraine is impacting economic conditions in numerous European markets, driving up prices to near-record levels and reversing recent gains in consumer confidence.

Amazon workers vote to unionize as labor activism remains potent: A historic victory in New York could forever change Amazon’s relationship with its workers.

Chinese fast-fashion retailer Shein seeks a $100 billion valuation: That’s more than the combined worth of H&M and Zara, despite Shein selling exclusively online.

High prices are taking their toll on people’s desire to shop: Consumer spending in the US increased slightly in February, but consumer sentiment remains depressed.

Delivery apps race to sign up retailers to their platforms: DoorDash, Uber Eats, and Gopuff each inked new deals to grow their retailer network and bring fast delivery to more customers.

Grocers fine-tune their retail media networks to attract CPG dollars: Kroger and Walmart’s new features aim to improve advertisers’ experiences and results, but they may fall short of expectations.

Apple joins other retailers looking for ways to maximize recurring revenue: A hardware subscription program could help the tech giant make up for softening consumer demand and build deeper relationships with consumers.

Younger consumers turn to social media to inform their purchases: 45% of Gen Z shoppers use Instagram for product research, 1.5x more than look to Facebook and TikTok.

A changing grocery delivery landscape forces Instacart to diversify: The delivery company launches a suite of retailer-focused tech solutions as rivals encroach on its turf.

Restaurants scramble to roll out loyalty programs: Hardee’s, IHOP, and Carl’s Jr. are the latest chains to leverage loyalty to offer personalized experiences and deepen relationships with consumers.

Clashes between retailers and activist investors are heating up: Kohls, Macy’s, and grocer SpartanNash are some of the companies pushing back against investor demands.

Retailers need to take note of consumers’ shifting shopping behaviors: Rising inflation and supply chain shortages have driven consumers to adjust where and how they spend their money.

Digital-native retailers struggle to turn a profit: Rockets of Awesome and Warby Parker demonstrate the challenges upstarts face when they attempt to pivot from fast-paced growth to profitability.

Retailers take last-mile fulfillment into their own hands: Companies like Costco and Amazon are building their own logistics networks, to the detriment of FedEx and UPS.

Consumer trust in eco-friendly claims is wavering: That’s driving large retailers such as Amazon, Target, and Starbucks to find new ways to demonstrate the effectiveness of their efforts.

Beijing’s zero-COVID policy wreaks havoc on the global supply chain: Lockdowns in Shenzhen and Dongguan make it harder and more expensive for retailers like Amazon and Walmart to deliver goods to overseas shoppers.

Despite a number of economic challenges, retail spending is expected to remain strong: Retail sales growth slowed in February but strong job and wage increases and declining unemployment provide reasons for optimism.

Off-price retailers have an opportunity to attract customers: US consumers’ confidence slipped in February, driving shoppers to focus on value.

Twitter expands social commerce offerings to catch up with competitors: The social media platform won’t be a shopping destination anytime soon, but that won’t stop it from experimenting.