Walmart rolls out same-day delivery for Rx, general items: The new service threatens struggling retail pharmacy chains, but we think Walmart’s main motivation is to capture customers for its membership program.

Amazon rolls out Supply Chain by Amazon solution to all sellers: The fully managed, end-to-end service enables merchants to get items to shoppers faster and more efficiently—while giving the retailer an opportunity to take a bigger cut of sales.

Both retailers used generative AI to improve employee productivity in Q2—Walmart leveraged the tech to improve its product catalog and Target used it to enhance in-store employee tools. Target’s curbside pickup service helped it grow digital comparable sales 8.7% YoY, while Walmart’s marketplace and sales of GLP-1 drugs contributed to its 4.2% comp sales growth YoY.

Amazon misses sales expectations as shoppers trade down to cheaper products: The retailer is trying to win over price-conscious customers with more sales events and a soon-to-be-launched budget marketplace.

Shein, Amazon shift tactics to keep each other—and Temu—at bay: Shein is offering its supply chain services to brands, while Amazon is leaning into its delivery capabilities and customer service.

Target announced it will launch a paid membership program April 7, following Amazon and Walmart’s lead.The move comes asTarget struggles to keep up with competitors.

Shoppers made a record number of Amazon purchases this holiday season: Strong consumer spending coupled with momentum in its ad business helped propel Amazon’s earnings well past expectations.

Large retailers are in a prime position for the final holiday push: Amazon, Target, and Walmart are poised to leverage their infrastructures to capture an outsize share of spend and retail media dollars.

Walmart’s grocery, ecommerce business powered it through another solid quarter: The retailer’s emphasis on value and convenience are helping it win market share, even as shoppers exhibit more signs of price sensitivity.

Prime Big Deal Days exceeded Amazon’s expectations: While shoppers focused on cheaper essentials, the retailer showcased its supply chain capabilities.

Amazon wants to compete with FedEx and UPS: The retailer relaunched its Amazon Shipping service, which delivers products sold on Amazon's marketplace, sellers’ own websites, and other sites and marketplaces.

Amazon’s cost-cutting initiatives are beginning to pay off: The company’s North America business returned to profitability in Q2, buoyed by advertising and improvements in fulfillment.

Faster is better when it comes to ecommerce delivery times: Amazon and Walmart leverage automation, limiting the distance items travel to quickly get online orders to shoppers’ doors.

Embracing mobile gives consumers access to a branded experience both online and in-store, while in-store technologies bring the digital world into the physical. To cater to shoppers no matter where or how they shop, brands should also make sure they’re balancing in-store and online rewards as well as D2C and wholesale commerce.

What retailers need to know about the new wave of delivery apps and quick-commerce startups.

Amazon lets shoppers get products delivered from nearby stores: The new program offers another benefit to Prime members at the same time it weaves other retailers into the Amazon ecosystem.

On today's episode, we discuss why retailers and consumers are (and why they're not) excited about livestream shopping in the US. For "In Other News," we talk about when same-day delivery will be the norm and what to expect from direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands in 2022. Tune in to the discussion with our analyst Sky Canaves.

Retailers invest in last-mile fulfillment as shoppers clamor for convenience: Growing ecommerce business has led companies to revamp their brick-and-mortar footprints and adopt autonomous delivery methods.

Walmart’s GoLocal delivery service will need smaller customers to be sustainable: The Home Depot is a good start, but it’s big enough that it’s likely to take delivery in-house in the near future.

For digital sales, delivery might not seem as important as a product itself, but many shoppers judge a retailer on its last-mile capabilities. Loyalty can be made or broken based on cost, speed and accuracy of shipping.