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Last updated: Thursday, 27 August 2026
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ReturnPro's Sender Shamiss: Retail's $890 Billion Returns Problem Has Become a Margin Opportunity
ReturnPro CEO and co-founder Sender Shamiss argues that retail's $890 billion returns problem is now a margin opportunity, spanning prevention, fraud detection, intelligent routing and recommerce.
Read moreFrom Products to Ecosystems: Nagarro's Vision for the AI-Powered Future of Retail
AI's biggest impact on retail may not come from chatbots or personalisation. Rahul Mahajan, Global CTO at Nagarro, argues the deeper opportunity lies in rebuilding how retailers forecast demand, interact with data and connect products with services.
Read moreFrasers, Tesco, Nike and FairPrice Reveal the New Battle for Retail Control
From Frasers Group's pursuit of Hugo Boss and Tesco's quick-commerce expansion to Nike's China recalibration and FairPrice's smart-store platform, five stories reveal that retail's next battle is about controlling the customer relationship.
Read moreGlobal Brands Need to Adapt Locally Without Losing What Makes Them Global
Katherine Melchior Ray explains why global brands like Louis Vuitton succeed by defining non-negotiable values while letting local teams innovate.
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Holland & Barrett Is Designing for the Attention Economy, Not Just the Shopping Trip
Holland & Barrett's Head of Store Design Richard Fisher argues physical retail now competes with Netflix and the Premier League for consumer attention, not just wallets. His answer is punk and showbiz: bold design that earns attention paired with commercial discipline, delivered through experience stores like Cardiff, around 80 Tesco concessions, a new Morrisons partnership and a rethink of how stores are measured.
From Shein's €3 Challenge to Fabletics' Global Push: Five Forces Reshaping International Retail
Europe's charge on low-value parcels is reshaping ultra-low-cost cross-border e-commerce, JD.com is proving marketplaces earn beyond merchandise, India's quick commerce is taking shopping missions from grocery incumbents, global shipping remains volatile ahead of peak trading, and Fabletics is tripling its international store footprint after passing $1 billion in net revenue.
NIFT Is Betting on 90-Minute Fashion Delivery as UK Retail Rethinks Convenience, Value and Resale
NIFT has opened a 12,000 sq ft logistics hub at Westfield London to offer brands 90-minute and same-day fashion delivery, as UK retail rethinks value, luxury consolidation and resale.
Stanley 1913's Next Era: From Heritage Thermos to Global Hydration Powerhouse
Stanley 1913 Chief Brand Officer Kate Ridley explains how the 1913 thermos brand turned a hydration phenomenon into cultural relevance, and why sport, digital commerce and authentic partnerships now define its next era.
Jabra Bets on Voice as the Gateway to AI for Retail's Frontline Workers
Jabra VP Andrew Doyle argues that voice is becoming the primary interface between retail frontline workers and AI agents, making headset audio quality, noise cancellation and interoperability decisive for whether retail AI delivers real productivity.
ReturnPro's Sender Shamiss: Retail's $890 Billion Returns Problem Has Become a Margin Opportunity
US merchandise returns reached roughly $890 billion in 2024, about 16.9% of retail sales. ReturnPro CEO Sender Shamiss argues retailers must prevent avoidable returns, detect fraud, route returned inventory intelligently and resell recovered products rather than losing value in the reverse supply chain.
From Products to Ecosystems: Nagarro's Vision for the AI-Powered Future of Retail
Nagarro's Rahul Mahajan argues AI's real retail impact is architectural: granular demand forecasting, conversational enterprise systems and agentic ecosystems that turn retailers into orchestrators of products and services.
Frasers, Tesco, Nike and FairPrice Reveal the New Battle for Retail Control
Global retailers are fighting for control of the customer relationship through acquisitions, distribution platforms, smart stores and cultural moments.
Global Brands Need to Adapt Locally Without Losing What Makes Them Global
Katherine Melchior Ray argues that global brands survive by drawing a clear line between what is sacred at headquarters and what can flex in local markets. Louis Vuitton's Japanese expansion shows how to protect identity while inviting local interpretation.
NVIDIA's Vision for AI in Retail: Shopping Assistants, Digital Twins and the Rise of Physical AI
NVIDIA's Azita Martin argues retail AI has moved from pilots to deployment, with conversational shopping assistants, Omniverse digital twins of stores and distribution centres, and physical AI that perceives and acts in the real world.
Five APAC Retail Trends Shaping Global Retail
On 5 Things Friday APAC, Alex Rezvan, Ryf Quail of NRF APAC and Ewan Ang discussed retail crime in Australia, China's membership economy, Vietnam's mobile-first commerce, functional food in Malaysia and the localisation of Korean cuisine, with adaptability the common thread.
Europe Must Close Its AI Gap, Says NRF Europe Director
NRF Retail's Big Show Europe Show Director Annabelle Serres says GDPR and the EU AI Act slow European AI adoption while Asia Pacific retailers move faster, and urges the industry to shift from AI discussion to execution ahead of the Paris event in September.
Editor's Picks
Frasers, Tesco, Nike and FairPrice Reveal the New Battle for Retail Control
Agentic Commerce Is No Longer a Pilot. Shopify, NVIDIA and Google Cloud Explain What Comes Next
Shoptalk Europe 2026: Zalando, Estée Lauder and John Lewis
Department Store
More Department Store
Ingka Centres: "We Are a Meeting Place, Not a Shopping Centre"
At Shoptalk Europe 2026, Ingka Centres' Kajsa Gihan argued the future of physical retail is not shopping - it is meeting places people actively choose to spend time in, backed by 37 locations, 320 million annual visitors and a China rollout that drew 24 million visits.
Why 5 Million People Still Visit SM Supermalls Every Day Despite the Rise of E-commerce
SM Supermalls draws about 5 million shoppers a day across 90 Philippine and 10 Chinese malls. President Steven Tan credits customer-first innovation, community-focused design and inclusivity for double-digit 2025 growth despite e-commerce headwinds.
Peter Ruis: John Lewis Is Betting on AI, Resale and Expert Service
Speaking on the Headliner Stage at Shoptalk Europe 2026 in Barcelona, John Lewis Managing Director Peter Ruis said the biggest threat to the retailer is no longer another department store. Instead it is competing with specialist brands, social platforms, AI search engines, marketplaces and technology giants, and is responding with AI-led discovery paired with human product expertise across stores, web and contact centres.
Frasers Group & Microsoft Tackle AI-Native Retail
Retailers must adapt to AI-native shoppers now, as conversational AI will drive trillions in commerce by 2030, necessitating richer data and strategic partnerships for product visibility.
How Macy’s is Reinventing Private Brands
Under CEO Tony Spring, Macy's is reinventing its 25+ private brands, launching three new lines like 'On 34th' and 'Mode of One' to boost differentiation and capture evolving consumer trends.
Global Expansion Strategies of Valentino and Victoria's Secrets
Valentino and Victoria's Secret drive global expansion by tailoring strategies to regional differences, leveraging diverse business models, and achieving significant digital commerce success, such as Victoria's Secret moving 100,000 bras via livestream in China.
Chalhoub, Holland & Barrett Ace Omnichannel at Shoptalk
Chalhoub Group, Holland & Barrett, and Camper presented unified omnichannel strategies at Shoptalk Europe 2024, emphasizing data, technology, and cultural transformation to enhance customer experience.
Galeries Lafayette CEO Redefines Luxury Department Stores
Galeries Lafayette CEO Nicolas Houzé and Harrods MD Michael Ward are driving a department store renaissance by shifting to experiential luxury, blending digital and physical retail, and engaging diverse customer segments.
Electronics
More Electronics
Alex Baldock on Currys, AI and Retail's Industrial Revolution
Alex Baldock, then Currys CEO and now incoming Boots CEO, frames AI as a steam-power-scale shift and explains how 'home of AI' shows up in colleague tools, SMB services and a 75% UK market share in AI laptops.
SharkNinja, Currys, and DoorDash Show How AI Is Becoming Retail's Operating System
SharkNinja, Currys, and DoorDash are moving AI from experimentation to execution - embedding it into product development, operations, logistics, and search as a quiet but powerful force reshaping how retail works.
Best Buy's Supply Chain Transformation: Data, Culture and AI at Scale
Best Buy, a $42 billion electronics retailer, transformed its supply chain by leveraging a digital twin and "adolescent AI" to reduce costs and deliver 60% of online orders within one day.
How SharkNinja Is Winning the Small Appliance Market Through Relentless Innovation
SharkNinja achieved a 21% CAGR over 17 years in the 1% annual growth small appliance market by driving innovation from unmet consumer needs, rigorous testing, and a viral product development framework.
How Amazon is Now in the Sustainable Retail Game
Amazon opened its first physical "Second Chance Store" in London, selling returned and open-box items at up to 50% discount, aligning with growing consumer demand for sustainable and cost-effective shopping.
Frasers Group Widens Retail Holdings with Stakes in Currys and Boohoo
Frasers Group expanded its retail portfolio with an 8.9% stake in Currys and a 5% stake in Boohoo, reinforcing its strategy of growth through strategic investments.
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Fashion
More Fashion
Pentland Brands Says Retail AI Success Depends on Business Value, Not Hype
Pentland Brands VP Ana Machado da Silva and Shopify Field CTO Peyman Naeini told Shoptalk Europe 2026 that retail AI wins come from ROI discipline, strong data foundations and enterprise-wide adoption, not tool count.
Why Christian Louboutin's CEO Hired Jaden Smith as Men's Creative Director
Christian Louboutin CEO Alexis Mourot told Shoptalk that radical innovation has to come from outside the house, which is why he hired Jaden Smith as the Maison's first Men's Creative Director. He explained how the Miss Z Pump became the brand's number one bestseller within a year, introduced the Everlasting Red sole, and detailed the five filters (joy, audacity, Parisian identity, authenticity and timelessness, partnership and craftsmanship) that decide every collaboration Christian Louboutin says yes or no to.
Zalando Co-CEO David Schröder: AI Is Rewriting Fashion Retail
Zalando co-CEO David Schröder says AI is already transforming fashion retail at scale, with 90% AI-generated Concept Store content, a 10% drop in returns from AI size recommendations, and 10 million users on its AI shopping assistant. He warns Europe risks ceding commerce infrastructure unless it fixes scaling, growth capital, and single-market conditions for technology companies.
UNIQLO's Clare Waight Keller on Fabric, Fit and the Future of Fashion
UNIQLO Creative Director Clare Waight Keller outlined a fabric-led, inclusive fashion philosophy now driving the Japanese retailer's global momentum, with half-year revenue up nearly 15 percent and net profit up nearly 20 percent.
Daniel Herrmann's Playbook for Building COS Into a Global Fashion Force
COS Managing Director Daniel Herrmann states that COS has achieved global fashion prominence through consistent execution and a clear strategy focused on disciplined product, robust brand positioning, and significant investment in both physical and digital customer experiences.
Marine Layer's Patch Bar Shows Why Customisation Is Becoming Core to Modern Retail
Marine Layer successfully piloted a "Patch Bar" experience in NYC, making customisation the core offering, which generated personalized products and highlighted a future retail model focused on co-creation.
Brighten Your Winter Days with a Journey to FARM Rio: A Luxury Women's Wear Experience
FARM Rio, a Certified B Corp, expanded its Brazilian-inspired luxury women's wear globally with flagship stores in major fashion capitals, planting over 1 million trees through its partnership with One Tree Planted.
PANGAIA: Pioneering Earth-Positive Fashion Through Science and Purpose
PANGAIA, a collective of scientists, technologists, and designers, is redefining sustainable fashion through an "earth-positive" business model aimed at generating environmental net-positives.
Grocery
More Grocery
BM Is Rebuilding the Spanish Supermarket Shoppers Thought Lost
At its La Finca flagship in Madrid, BM combines the craft of a traditional Spanish market with modern retail technology, deep assortments, specialist fresh food counters and measured local sourcing to build a supermarket experience shoppers thought had disappeared.
Target and OpenAI Reveal How Retail Will Shift From "Using AI" to "Running on AI" in 2026
Target and OpenAI confirm that in 2026, retail is transitioning from "using AI" to "running on AI," with Target deploying AI to enhance productivity for 18,000 team members and revolutionize customer and vendor experiences.
How FairPrice Group Is Redefining Grocery Retail With AI and Omnichannel Innovation
FairPrice Group, Singapore's largest grocer with nearly 60% market share, leverages AI and omnichannel strategies to enhance profitability and customer experience while upholding its social mission.
Ahold Delhaize: Adapting to New Consumer Demands with Value, Quality, and Convenience
Ahold Delhaize is strategically modernizing grocery operations by leveraging AI for dynamic pricing and personalization, aiming to grow private label penetration to 45% by 2028 to meet evolving consumer demands for value, quality, and convenience.
Albertsons Media Network: Transforming Shopper Connections
Albertsons Media Collective connects brands with over 100 million consumers across 2,000 stores, driving over 23% growth in digital sales through data-driven, personalized retail media.
How Kowalski's Markets Excels in Merchandising, Product, and Digital Checkouts
Kowalski's Markets, a Minneapolis-based grocery chain, excels in merchandising and offers digital checkouts, creating an elevated shopping experience that could be further enhanced by deeper digital integration.
Groceryshop 2024: Rocquan Lucas & Ben Miller on the Future of Grocery
Grocery industry leaders Rocquan Lucas and Ben Miller advise retailers to adapt the customer journey, leverage retail media for revenue, and integrate physical stores into e-commerce to thrive amidst evolving consumer behaviors.
Carrefour's Strategic Vision for Inclusivity and Diversity
Carrefour is deploying new inclusive shopping features, technology, and diverse product offerings, alongside strategic employee programs aiming for 15,000 disabled employees by 2026, setting a new industry standard.
More retail intelligence from the archive
A rotating selection of our deeper reporting - refreshed daily.
- Twilio at NRF APAC: Enhance Customer Engagement
- Transforming Fashion for the Digital Age
- Chalhoub, Holland & Barrett Ace Omnichannel at Shoptalk
- UNIQLO’s Digital Transformation Insights
- The Evolution of Retail: Insights from Steve Dennis at NRF Singapore
- How 7-Eleven’s CEO Is Leading the Way
- How WorkJam's CEO Is Transforming Retail Workforce Management (Podcast)
- ME+EM: Cultivating Customer Loyalty in E-Commerce
- Gen Z Attention: How Retail Can Conquer 47 Seconds
- Galeries Lafayette CEO Redefines Luxury Department Stores
- NRF APAC 2024: Nike, Domino's & Moët Visionaries
- Milani Cosmetics, A.K.A. Brands: Build Retail Communities
- AlixPartners' Matt Clark: Avoiding Disruption in 2024 Retail
- Carrefour's Strategic Vision for Inclusivity and Diversity
- Fabletics: Pioneering a Flexible Retail Model
- Myer's Strategic Revival: Pioneering Customer-Centric Retail Innovation
- The Secrets Behind Sephora´s Success
- Amazon´s Retail Media Journey: A Conversation with Colleen Aubrey
- WGSN: Tennis Revamps Fashion Trends
- Bridging the Digital and Physical Divide: Foot Locker's Innovative Retail Strategy
- How Can NRF APAC 2024 Fast-Track Your Retail Success?
- Maximizing Distinction: Co-op's Strategy for Standing Out in Retail
- Abercrombie's Remarkable Turnaround: From Retail No Go to Gen Z's Go-To Brand
- Enhancing Store Performance, Security, and Safety: A Shoptalk US 2024 Synopsis
- What Is Kohl's New Bold Strategy to Capture Market Share?
- Unveiling Macy's Inc.'s Future: Pioneering a Retail Renaissance
- P&G's Tide Pods: Master of Consumer Innovation
- Gallup: Navigating Retail's Future Workforce
- What Is Mattel´s Life After Barbie?
- McKinsey: Personalization Fuels Retail Loyalty