Temu bets low prices will be enough to attract shoppers: But the Pinduoduo-owned platform will have to improve the customer experience to turn initial interest into lasting gains

The rumors of rapid grocery’s demise are exaggerated—but not by much: While startups struggle to make the model profitable, Uber Eats and DoorDash see an opportunity.

Instacart puts its IPO plans on ice: With Wall Street looking for safe bets and consumers adjusting their shopping habits, there’s little appetite for an Instacart IPO right now.

The FTC and Amazon agree fake reviews are bad: The government agency and the retailer are taking two different routes to combat the growing fake review industry.

Persistent inflation is weighing on foot traffic: Yet many brands continue to see strong growth thanks to their ability to deliver value and a great customer experience.

DoorDash’s latest ad moves are designed with CPGs in mind: The delivery platform launched several new tools to make it easier for brands to build, manage, and measure campaigns.

Shein embraces resale: But allowing US shoppers to buy and sell previously owned items will do little to counter serious critiques of the company’s labor practices and environmental policies.

Lowe’s teams up with Yahoo to enhance retail media network: The partnership lets advertisers run off-site omnichannel campaigns and improves measurement and attribution.

Inflation drives high-income consumers to trade down—and up: Affluent shoppers are spending more at Walmart and Aldi, but a strong dollar is keeping luxury demand robust.

Consumers kept pace with inflation in September: But there are signs that they may not be able to do so much longer.

Starbucks and Delta team up on loyalty: Starbucks customers can now earn Delta miles as both companies look to broaden the reach and stickiness of their rewards programs.

Kroger and Albertsons look to merge: A deal would create a supermarket giant that would be better able to compete against Walmart.

A proposed rule would make it easier to reclassify gig workers as employees: That could have severe repercussions for DoorDash, Amazon, Uber, and countless others that rely on the gig economy.

TikTok bets on social commerce to deliver significant revenues: The platform is reportedly planning to build its own network of fulfillment centers.

Advertisers saw higher ROAS from Walmart than Amazon in Q2: But the ecommerce giant continues to attract the lion’s share of retail media spend.

Amazon’s Early Access Sale is primed for success: The event is expected to attract more shoppers—and spending—than ever before, despite competing sales from Target and Walmart.

Digitally native D2C brands’ ecommerce growth is decelerating: That’s forcing these retailers to adopt new strategies such as opening stores and selling wholesale.

Supply chains snafus are easing, but retailers aren’t out of the woods yet: More investment in supply chain management and automation is needed to futureproof operations as climate change disrupts logistics networks.

Naver sets its sights on the US with Poshmark acquisition: The South Korean tech giant plans to use its resources and ecommerce capabilities to create a “socially responsible and sustainable shopping experience.”

Retailers are realizing their stores are monetizable media assets: In-store digital media can help brands reach and influence consumers at scale in brand-safe, contextually relevant environments.