Temu’s European expansion—and advertising blitz—is delivering substantial growth. Over 25% of the EU’s population—115.7 million people—made at least one purchase on Temu in the first six months of 2025, according to the company’s most recent transparency report. The challenging economic climate is a prime opportunity for Temu to extend its hold on European shoppers—but its ability to do so may soon be hampered by regulatory efforts to change its pricing and advertising tactics.

United Airlines is forecasting record-breaking Q4 profits as CEO Scott Kirby credits international travel and high-spending passengers for driving growth, with premium cabin and loyalty program revenues up 6% and 9% year over year. The optimism echoes Delta’s positive outlook, but the broader travel market shows strain: only 21% of US adults plan to travel this holiday season, according to Bankrate, down from 27% last year. As costs rise and options shrink, especially for younger travelers, the industry faces a widening divide—prospering at the top while losing price-sensitive consumers it can’t afford to ignore.

AI is rapidly becoming central to retail operations, with 45% of organizations using AI tools daily and nearly all planning to sustain or increase investments next year, according to an Amperity survey. While fears of mass job losses have yet to materialize, ongoing economic pressures—including weak consumer sentiment, rising inflation, and a softening labor market—are driving a surge in layoffs. As companies turn to AI to boost efficiency and manage costs, the challenge lies in balancing automation with the human expertise needed to navigate uncertain times.

Small business optimism dipped in September due to growing concerns about inflation, tariffs, and weakening consumer demand, according to the NFIB. This holiday season could be a make-or-break moment for many small businesses. Nearly all—93%—think that their sales during the period will be essential to their survival this year, according to an Intuit QuickBooks survey. That’s up 52% from last year, underscoring how tariffs and economic uncertainty are threatening small businesses’ ability to survive.

Dollar Tree projected earnings per share to grow up to 15% annually over the next three years, boosted by operational efficiencies and the absence of recent one-off costs. The retailer reaffirmed Q3 guidance for 3.8% comparable-store sales growth and expects a high-teens EPS increase in fiscal 2026. With more affluent shoppers trading down amid inflation, Dollar Tree’s recent Family Dollar divestiture sharpens its focus on the core brand. Its growth strategy emphasizes value, convenience, and an expanded price mix—but long-term success will hinge on elevating the in-store experience for higher-income customers.

Demand for Korean beauty products is soaring, helping buoy industry sales even as growth slows. US shoppers spent $2 billion on K-beauty products in the 12 months ended July, up 37% YoY, per Nielsen data shared with Business Insider. The Hallyu wave shows no signs of ebbing. Korea’s rising cultural influence is being felt on everything from films to music to food, with global spending on Korean cultural exports expected to nearly double by 2030.

Storm clouds are rolling in for several of the world’s largest economies. The US, China, and EU are all under pressure due to tariffs, depressed consumer confidence, and economic uncertainty. That is creating serious challenges for retailers, which are struggling to convince shoppers to open their wallets while facing diminishing margins.

Black Friday is set to dominate the 2025 holiday shopping season once again, with Bain forecasting that 55% of US consumers plan to shop the day after Thanksgiving, driving online sales up 5.2% to $12.04 billion. Despite economic uncertainty and waning consumer confidence, value-driven shoppers are expected to flock to early promotions extending into a “Cyber Dozen” period. Retailers like Amazon and Best Buy are likely to continue early deals, while strategic discounting around the Cyber Five will be critical as consumers tighten spending. Retailers' focus should be timing promotions for maximum impact amid cautious holiday sentiment.

Albertsons’ Q3 results reflected shoppers’ growing focus on value, with customers trading down to private labels, smaller packages, and coupons. The company beat top- and bottom-line expectations and raised its full-year outlook, crediting its multi-pronged value strategy that includes expanded store brands, smarter loyalty rewards, and improved app tools. CEO Susan Morris emphasized efforts to enhance ecommerce efficiency and personalization, while Albertsons announced $750 million in additional share buybacks. As consumers tighten budgets, the retailer’s emphasis on affordability, convenience, and digital engagement positions it well for steady growth and stronger customer loyalty.

LVMH unexpectedly returned to growth in Q3 following two quarters of contraction. The company's burst of momentum is a positive sign for the luxury industry, which has otherwise had a difficult year as consumers worldwide rethink spending amid considerable uncertainty. But to keep it going, LVMH will have to deliver freshness and creativity.

Ulta Beauty’s invite-only UB Marketplace is now open to shoppers on the retailer’s website and app. The offering will enable the retailer to offer shoppers a broader, more compelling array of products, particularly in emerging segments like fragrance, men's grooming, and K-beauty.

Walmart Inc. announced a partnership with OpenAI to enable Walmart and Sam’s Club customers to make purchases within ChatGPT using the latter’s Instant Commerce feature. Even if agentic commerce’s adoption is gradual, early movers like Walmart will have the outsize advantage. Being discoverable in channels where users conduct product and pricing research could help retailers reinforce their value proposition and stay top-of-mind with prospective customers as this commerce scales up.

Domino’s delivered its strongest US same-store sales growth since early 2024, with Q3 sales up 5.2% YoY, driven by its $9.99 “Best Deal Ever” promotion, new menu items, and expanded reach through aggregator platforms like DoorDash. Revenues climbed 6.2% to $1.15 billion, beating expectations, while EPS dipped 2.6% to $4.08. Despite reaffirming its outlook, Domino’s cautioned that macroeconomic headwinds are intensifying. The brand’s fresh marketing push and aggregator expansion signal long-term growth potential, though sustained success hinges on converting new digital customers into loyal repeat buyers.

Amazon will hire 250,000 workers this holiday season, the same number it brought on each of the past two years. The retailer could account for more than half of all seasonal hires in the last three months of the year, as other companies pare back hiring plans in the face of considerable uncertainty. Amazon’s consistent hiring plans illustrate its (relative) optimism heading into what could be a difficult season.

More than a quarter (28%) of consumers plan to spend more on Halloween items like candy, décor, and costumes this year, up from 23% in 2024, per CivicScience. While some of that uptick reflects growing enthusiasm, higher prices—driven by tariffs and other factors, such as rising cocoa costs—are also likely a factor. Halloween shoppers are proving you can have your candy and save, too. Even when they’re eager to splurge on sweets and costumes, they’re still looking for a good deal. The retailers that win this season will be the ones that offer value-driven promotions, making it easy to indulge without overspending.

TikTok Shop’s efforts to promote livestream shopping on its platform are beginning to deliver results for QVC, Pop Mart, Pacsun, Crocs, and others. Live shopping continues to gain momentum, but the format is likely to remain a small share of social commerce sales for the foreseeable future. The expense and effort required to put on livestreams means that, for now, they are most effective as tools to boost awareness and build community, rather than as an outright sales driver. Brands that start incorporating livestreaming in their commerce plans will be poised to benefit as the format matures.

With most official data still paused, private sources like ADP, Carlyle, and the NRF are shaping the economic picture ahead of the holidays—and it’s showing signs of strain. Retail sales rose 5.4% YoY in September but slipped month to month, while high earners kept spending as middle- and low-income households pulled back. Hiring has weakened, confidence remains muted, and Moody’s Analytics warns that nearly half of US states face recession risk. The evidence points to a slowing consumer sector and a holiday season defined by cautious spending and heightened competition.

India is piloting a program to allow consumers to shop and pay for products directly through AI chatbots using United Payments Interface (UPI), per TechCrunch. OpenAI’s ChatGPT is the first chatbot to join the pilot, with integrations for Google Gemini and Anthropic’s Claude to follow shortly. The agentic commerce pilot in India could inform companies’ shopping initiatives in the US, though the two markets differ significantly in how consumers use AI.

Shein’s US sales fell 8% YoY in September, marking its second-worst month in three years and underscoring the impact of the Trump administration’s decision to end the de minimis trade loophole for Chinese shipments. The policy shift, which ended tariff-free imports under $800, stripped away a key cost advantage that had powered Shein’s $18 billion in sales last year. In response, the retailer has raised prices, refocused on Europe, and launched its Xcelerator program to attract brands. The company’s future now depends on evolving beyond its low-cost model as trade rules tighten.

This year’s Singles’ Day sales period will be the longest yet as Chinese companies look to maximize revenues. JD.com, Xiaohongshu, and ByteDance's Douyin are among those hoping to get a head start over sale originator, Alibaba. Whether this year’s Singles’ Day turns into a price war depends on how strictly Beijing chooses to stem “disorderly” competition in the retail sector. While the government is unlikely to apply new competition guidelines too strictly this Singles Day, given the event’s importance to businesses and its role as a barometer of consumer confidence, the rules will inform how Alibaba, JD.com, and their peers approach pricing in the future.