The EU’s regulatory environment will hinder investment in AI-generated ads and agentic commerce in 2026. But TikTok Shop’s expansion will be a catalyst for live commerce.

Weak consumer sentiment in Europe is hurting fast fashion sales, with both Primark and Zara owner Inditex reporting slowdowns. The challenging environment in Europe increasingly favors Shein and Temu, whose ability to undercut competitors on price and deliver a steady stream of trendy products positions them to take more fast fashion share. But as in the US, both companies could fall afoul of geopolitical tensions as European governments raise concerns about Chinese overcapacity—and President Trump pushes the EU to implement 100% tariffs on China imports.

Online fashion sales are stable and growing slowly, but they lag wider ecommerce. Consumers are concerned about sustainability, but price is a bigger priority.

Online fashion sales growth in France is stabilizing as global competitors capture market share and social platforms become more influential.

As the mall's place in consumers' lives changes, brands are left to focus on bringing people in through experiences and attractions, or on forging their identities outside of those retail spaces. "A lot of people are going to malls, but they're not necessarily going there to shop," said our analyst Rachel Wolff on a recent episode of "Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail." Instead, people are visiting malls for restaurants, to socialize, or for experiential attractions.

Inditex points to slower growth at start of the year: But Zara’s parent company remains confident about its ability to thrive in an uncertain environment.

US President Donald Trump’s shifting trade policies will have ramifications for US brands that do business with Latin America. This FAQ addresses the most pressing questions for companies as they navigate new tariffs, supply chain disruptions, and the potential rise of new competitors.

Regulation will disrupt some digital players, while retail media and genAI adoption will create opportunities across advertising and commerce.

Social commerce is gaining momentum in the UK—with sales set to double by 2028—as major brands join TikTok and as more people shop on social platforms.

Mango replaces some human models with genAI: The retailer is bullish on the technology’s ability to speed up content creation and reduce costs, despite some skepticism from consumers

On today's podcast episode, we discuss the many goals of ancillary services, how they drive foot traffic, and what retailers should be thinking about before introducing them. Listen to the conversation with our Senior Analyst Sara Lebow as she hosts Vice President of Content Suzy Davidkhanian and Senior Analyst Blake Droesch.

American Eagle sues Amazon for trademark infringement in fight against product dupes, knockoffs: The retailer accused the ecommerce giant of unauthorized use of its “Aerie” trademarks, which it said helped drive traffic and sales on the marketplace at American Eagle’s expense.

September was style month, with Walmart hitting New York Fashion Week, Levi’s launching an app for stylist recommendations, Old Navy going vintage, and more. See who else made our September unofficial most interesting retailers List.

On today's podcast episode, we discuss the unofficial list of the most interesting retailers for the month of September. Each month, our analysts Arielle Feger, Becky Schilling, and Sara Lebow (aka The Committee) put together a very unofficial list of the top eight retailers they're watching based on which are making the most interesting moves: Who's launching new initiatives? Which partnerships are moving the needle? Which standout marketing campaigns are being created? In this month's episode, Committee members Arielle Feger and Sara Lebow will defend their list against analysts Zak Stambor and Rachel Wolff, who will dispute the power rankings by attempting to move retailers up, down, on, or off the list.

Inditex bounces back after a rainy summer dented sales growth: The Zara parent reported a strong start to Q3 as shoppers responded positively to its product assortment.

Zara bets on live shopping following China success: The fast-fashion retailer is expanding its live commerce capabilities to the US, UK, and Europe.

Retailers with roots in China are still gaining share of ecommerce in Western Europe, despite concerns over their sustainability credentials.

Shein is moving ahead with its public debut, taking on some competitors (like Amazon and Temu) while teaming up with others (like Forever 21). Though a brick-and-mortar footprint doesn’t seem to be a part of Shein’s plan yet, it could take a cue from other fast-fashion brands, like H&M and Zara, and establish a physical presence to engage with offline shoppers.

The UK’s resale economy is thriving as shoppers look to save money and live more sustainably. Retailers and brands need to act—or risk losing out.

Target offers a year-long return policy for its private labels: That’s a very different approach from most retailers, which have made steps to clamp down on returns.