Nearly all generations, income groups plan to pull back on holiday spend

Only Gen X plans to increase spending slightly, as consumers search for deals and trade down on brands and retailers, per a Deloitte report. 

‘We’re certainly not fast fashion’: A.k.a. Brands CEO

Princess Polly and Culture Kings chief Ciaran Long talks about delivering on-trend fashion and the conglomerate’s strategy on opening stores.

Will shoppers turn to secondhand for value this holiday?

A new report from ThredUp and GlobalData found that consumers could use about 40% of holiday budgets on secondhand gifts.

J.C. Penney slows declines in Q2, swings to profit

The struggling department store said it was able to mitigate higher distribution costs and tariffs through better markdown management.

What’s keeping Best Buy’s CEO up at night?

A growing consumer income divide is on Corie Barry’s mind, the executive told an audience at the Fortune Most Powerful Women summit.

Lovesac sees ‘strong progress’ from 4-step tariff plan

The furniture retailer’s strategy includes price hikes, supplier negotiations and diversifying its sourcing footprint beyond China.

Saks Global Q2 revenue slumps, loss widens amid inventory woes

Some vendors are still owed money, and a number have stopped shipping to the luxury retailer, a scenario analysts have warned about for months.

REI to close 3 stores in 2026

A location in Paramus, New Jersey, will shutter in Q1, while stores in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood and Boston will close in late 2026.

Amazon to hire 250K holiday workers for third consecutive year

The e-commerce giant aims to hire a quarter of a million seasonal, full- and part-time employees across its fulfillment and transportation network.

Why Target is embracing social-first marketing for its Woolrich collab

A campaign promoting the design partnership shifts from studio-shot imagery to lifestyle-oriented visuals and storytelling driven by influencers.

Ulta appoints new CFO

Christopher DelOrefice will take on the role in December, allowing interim CFO Chris Lialios to return to being senior vice president and controller.

Google expands virtual try-on to shoes

The company is also broadening access to its try-on technology, with plans to debut it in Australia, Canada and Japan.

Ralph Lauren elevates AI to the C-suite

Naveen Seshadri, the retailer’s global chief digital officer, took on an expanded role this month. 

CVS closes deal for 63 Rite Aid stores

The drugstore retailer will also bring on more than 3,500 employees from the rival chain and make “targeted investments” in its own stores.

Ross rounds out store openings for the year with 40 new locations

The discount retailer is barreling toward its overall goal of 2,900 Ross Dress for Less and 700 DD’s Discounts locations.

How Madison Reed rolled out agentic AI to support, not replace, people

The hair care company has focused on automating high-volume, low-friction tasks like membership management to free up stylists for more important work.

Walmart, OpenAI partner for purchases in ChatGPT

As part of a larger partnership, the mass retailer will be available through the AI chatbot’s new Instant Checkout feature.

Ulta Beauty’s marketplace launches

UB Marketplace, which is open to brands by invitation only, is introducing over 100 new brands to start and will scale quickly over the next year or so.

Weak consumer sentiment persists amid job anxiety

“We need to be prepared for the possibility that the softening in the labor market will become something worse,” Federal Reserve Governor Michael Barr said.

Kohl’s categorizes gift lists by budget to highlight value

Gift ideas curated by price are part of the department store’s broader holiday plans, which also include expanding its assortment.

Smaller retailers face their toughest holiday season in years

Tariffs and economic uncertainty are complicating an already fraught time. The key is to prioritize and lean into what larger chains can’t offer.

Levi’s says it could double its US store count

The company runs nearly 460 Levi’s locations in the Americas and will soon run 14 Beyond Yoga stores.

Designer Brands CFO to exit

Jared Poff will depart after a decade with the shoe company, leaving it to search for a successor and tap an interim principal financial officer.

The Weekly Closeout: Adidas bets on safety footwear, Helen of Troy swings to a loss

The athletics company partnered with Glo Brands BV, while the OXO and Hydro Flask parent company posted a Q2 loss exceeding $308 million.

Lowe’s closes on deal to acquire Foundation Building Materials

The deal better positions the home improvement retailer with its professional customers.