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.

Walmart raised its full-year outlook again as its strong value proposition and fast-growing ad business drive broader consumer spending. It now expects net sales growth of between 4.8% and 5.1% this year, and EPS between $2.58 and $2.63. Q3 comps rose 4.5% YoY, with higher traffic and ticket size, and gains were strongest among higher-income shoppers. US ecommerce sales jumped 28%, supported by faster delivery, rising Walmart+ signups, and 33% growth in US ad sales (excluding Vizio). Walmart is also expanding to emerging channels, including ChatGPT. Its focus on value, convenience, and tech has strengthened its position, helping it compete with Amazon and capture more holiday and online spending.

Global personal luxury goods spending is expected to return to growth in 2026, rising 3% to 5% after two difficult years, according to a report by Bain and Altagamma. Recovery is being driven by affluent shoppers, who will account for nearly half of global luxury spending this year; a wave of new creative directors reviving brands like Gucci and Chanel; and Gen Z’s demand for accessible luxury. After a tepid year, 2026 should bring a rebound, but brands will need creative, compelling designs to justify premium prices.

Perplexity is relaunching its agentic shopping product for all users next week, just in time for Black Friday, with PayPal as its key partner. The upgraded tool improves shopping intent detection and personalization using users’ past search data, while PayPal merchants will handle transactions and customer service directly. The move intensifies competition with OpenAI, Amazon, and Google, all racing to dominate AI-powered shopping ahead of the holidays. While sales from these tools are expected to remain modest, they offer brands a valuable testing ground for future ecommerce growth driven by generative AI.

TJX is confident its value proposition will resonate with shoppers this holiday season. Q4 is already “off to a strong start,” CEO Ernie Herrman said, following a better-than-expected Q3. As TJX and other retailers have repeatedly pointed out this year, off-price is one of the few retail sectors that thrives in times of uncertainty. Few retailers can compete with TJX’s value proposition—particularly its range of good-better-best merchandise, which appeals to shoppers of all budgets—and its treasure hunt experience. TJX’s continued momentum shows that retailers that can offer a compelling combination of value and fun stand to outperform this holiday season.

Target will spend $5 billion next year to upgrade stores, merchandise, and digital capabilities as it works to return to growth. Net sales fell 1.5% YoY in Q3, and traffic declined 2.7%, underscoring its exposure to weakening discretionary spending. With shoppers prioritizing value, Target has struggled to deliver enough newness. To get back on track, CEO Michael Fiddelke is focusing on restoring merchandising authority, enhancing the omnichannel experience, and investing in technology. The retailer is using AI to surface trends faster and integrating with ChatGPT to enable conversational shopping. Target’s ability to dig itself out of its current hole will largely depend on how quickly it can fix its merchandising problem and improve the in-store experience.

The US housing market remains frozen as affordability challenges, elevated rates, and tariffs choke activity, leaving prices nearly flat YoY and 75% of top markets overvalued. The slowdown has hurt major home-improvement chains—Home Depot and Lowe’s both trimmed guidance as big-ticket projects and financed spending weaken. Yet higher-end and digitally savvy retailers like Wayfair and Williams-Sonoma have held up better, with AI-driven personalization and affluent customer bases helping offset broader softness. The split underscores a K-shaped retail economy unlikely to rebalance until affordability and buyer confidence improve.

Albertsons Media Collective and NBCUniversal introduced a closed-loop measurement capability that promises to give advertisers better insight into CTV ad performance. While the partnership benefits both companies, there’s arguably more at stake for Albertsons. Like the vast majority of retail media networks, it is looking for ways to keep its ad business competitive as the majority of dollars flow to Amazon and Walmart. Albertsons aims to stay competitive by leaning into fast-growing CTV, strengthening its loyalty program, and leveraging its store footprint for in-store activations.

Home Depot’s Q3 results highlight a difficult operating environment as a stalled housing market, muted storm-related demand, and higher living costs limited shopper activity, leading to soft comparable sales and another earnings miss. While revenues slightly exceeded expectations, adjusted EPS declined and the retailer lowered its full-year outlook. The results point to broad, persistent headwinds—ranging from sluggish housing activity to tariff-driven cost pressures—that are expected to keep any recovery gradual and uneven even with added revenue contributions from the GMS acquisition.

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.

Global ecommerce is tightening as major markets close de minimis loopholes and China increases tax scrutiny, putting fresh pressure on platforms like PDD and its international arm Temu. Nearly 1 in 5 US consumers say shifting trade policies may discourage them from buying internationally, adding to the company’s challenges amid uneven spending in China. PDD delivered mixed Q3 results, with earnings beating expectations but revenue slightly missing. The overall picture suggests the company must transition from relying on duty-free advantages to strengthening marketplace fundamentals, even as improving user trends signal early signs of resilience

Amazon has partnered with Ford to list certified pre-owned “Blue Advantage” vehicles on its Amazon Autos platform, allowing shoppers within 75 miles of participating dealers to browse inventory, arrange financing, and complete most paperwork online. The move adds momentum to Amazon’s push into the automotive space following its deal with Hyundai and aligns with its marketplace strategy of scaling without owning inventory. Despite a softening used-car market, the collaboration could strengthen Amazon’s foothold in auto ecommerce, helping it compete with Carvana and CarMax by offering convenience and dealer-backed credibility.

Google is expanding its AI-powered travel planning and booking tools, introducing Canvas itineraries and broader agentic booking features directly within AI Mode in Search. The update brings real-time flight and hotel data, personalized recommendations, and streamlined reservations across major platforms, with full flight and hotel bookings coming soon. Google is also rolling out its Flight Deals tool globally. The shift toward surfacing these capabilities in Search should boost adoption and intensify pressure on travel companies that lag in AI-driven decision-making.

Starbucks unveiled a new holiday drink available exclusively at Target stores. The release of the limited-edition Frozen Peppermint Hot Chocolate marks the first time the two companies have collaborated on a holiday drink. While the holiday exclusive won’t address their deeper challenges, it’s the right note to hit at a time when shoppers need extra motivation to visit a Starbucks or Target store.

TikTok Shop is now almost as large as eBay, according to EchoTik. The marketplace’s global gross merchandise value (GMV) hit $19 billion in Q3, not far off eBay’s $20.1 billion. Between $4 billion and $4.6 billion of those sales took place in the US, up 125% QoQ, making it TikTok Shop’s largest single market. TikTok’s ability to blend shopping and entertainment is turning the platform into an ecommerce powerhouse. While price concerns and value are top of mind for consumers this holiday season, so too is the desire to shop for fun—an itch that TikTok Shop is perfectly placed to scratch.

Amazon quietly introduced agentic shopping capabilities to its Rufus chatbot last week. Customers can now ask Rufus to monitor products and make a purchase when an item reaches a target price or discount level. Amazon’s “Auto Buy” feature could make Rufus more useful for deal-seeking shoppers this holiday season—provided they know the option exists and trust the chatbot’s accuracy. Over the long term, adding more agentic features to Rufus—which has been used by 250 million active customers this year alone—could enable Amazon to satisfy shoppers’ desire for AI assistance without ceding ground to platforms like ChatGPT and Perplexity.

Richemont’s jewelry sales growth accelerated in the three months ended September 30, as global demand for Cartier watches and Van Cleef & Arpels necklaces held up despite what the company called “unprecedented headwinds.” Jewelry is proving to be one of the most resilient luxury categories, largely due to its durability. It goes out of fashion more slowly than most apparel and leather goods, and retains its value better, especially with gold prices soaring. Jewelry will be the fastest-growing personal luxury category in the US this year, according to our forecast, thanks to its stronger value proposition and the resilience of wealthy shoppers.

Chinese sellers are facing intensifying pressure as the EU fast-tracks the closure of its de minimis loophole amid a rapid rise in low-value parcel imports, complicating efforts by platforms like Shein and Temu already contending with poor reception, legal scrutiny, and safety violations in Europe. With Chinese regulators also tightening oversight by demanding detailed sales data, sellers built around rock-bottom pricing are encountering diminishing returns. The environment is pushing brands to pivot toward stronger compliance and higher product quality, a shift that mirrors the success of players like Anker and is becoming increasingly necessary as global rules harden.

Walmart and Target will both transition to new CEOs on February 1, but the circumstances behind the changes diverge sharply. Walmart is handing John Furner a business with strong momentum, expanding ecommerce capabilities, rising membership adoption, and continued innovation, including its partnership with OpenAI. Target, by contrast, is passing leadership to Michael Fiddelke as sales soften, traffic slows, and its digital efforts lag behind key rivals. The continuity approach aligns with Walmart’s stable trajectory, but Target’s persistent challenges suggest it would benefit from broader strategic shifts to regain competitiveness.