It’s been another week with far more retail news than there is time in the day. Below, we break down some things you may have missed during the week and what we’re still thinking about. 

From Twix trying to make “Hallowmas” happen to Mattel and Hasbro joining forces over KPop Demon Hunters, here’s our closeout for the week.

What you may have missed

One Jeanswear Group names CEO

One Jeanswear Group announced the appointment of Chris Waldeck as chief executive officer, according to a Monday press release. Waldeck, who most recently was the president and co-chief operating officer of Kontoor Brands, has been in the role since Oct. 6. Waldeck has also held senior roles at Adidas Group, including at Reebok North America. 

“Chris is an exceptional leader with a proven track record of building brands, driving operational excellence, and navigating global markets,” Morris Tbeile, chairman and CEO of parent company Premier Brands Group Holdings, said in a statement. “His expertise in both product and marketing, coupled with his international experience, makes him uniquely positioned to guide One Jeanswear Group into its next phase of growth.” 

One Jeanswer Group’s owned brands include Gloria Vanderbilt and Vintage America, while its licensed brands include Jessica Simpson, Lucky Brands and Nine West, among others. 

Demon hunters bring companies together

In what they are deeming an "unprecedented" partnership, Netflix announced that Mattel and Hasbro are joining forces to be co-master toy licensees for KPop Demon Hunters products. The partnership will launch toys, collectibles, games and more. 

The “KPop Demon Hunters” movie is the most popular film of all time on the streaming platform, and the movie’s soundtrack has become the #1 album on Billboard’s 200 Albums chart. 

“KPop Demon Hunters unleashed a global fan frenzy — we’re talking dancing, singing, and more screaming than anyone was emotionally prepared for,” Marian Lee, chief marketing officer at Netflix, said in a statement. “Netflix, Mattel and Hasbro joining forces on this first-of-its-kind collaboration means fans can finally get their hands on the best dolls, games, and merchandise they’ve been not-so-subtly demanding on every social platform known to humanity.”

Products will begin to be distributed in 2026. 

Retail therapy

Twix wishes consumers a Merry Halloween

Candy bar brand Twix is combining two holidays in one sweet package. The brand on Wednesday announced it is releasing limited-edition “Hallowmas” packs, which contain “Ghoulish Green” and snowman Twix bars.

"We're excited to have fans help us give Hallowmas a 'moment' celebrating both of their favorite holidays at once, which only Twix, the brand of two, can deliver on,” Tim LeBel, president of sales and chief Halloween officer at Mars Wrigley North America, said in a statement.

The products, which start at $2, were released on Wednesday, but have since sold out on Twix’s website. A second drop will land on Oct. 29, per the company.

Coinciding with the product release, the brand is hosting a New York City pop-up event from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1 featuring “Zombie Claus.”

What we’re still thinking about

$0.08

That’s how much Amazon will hike its fulfillment fees, on average, for third-party sellers beginning Jan. 15.

The actual fee increases will vary by product price and size: For example, a small item priced between $10 and $50 will see a $0.25 fee increase, while a large item priced above $50 will experience a $0.31 increase. Large items below $10 will not see a fee increase.

“We have been working hard to drive innovation and efficiencies that keep costs down, which helps keep fee increases low for you,” Amazon wrote in a post last week. “Our fee changes are significantly less than inflation and less than the 3.9%-5.9% annual cost increases from other major US carriers during the last two years.”

The company is also adding more granularity to its pricing structure for inbound placement fees “so we can offer lower fees where our costs are lower, and higher fees where we provide enhanced services or additional value that come at a higher cost,” Amazon said.

What we’re watching

Some retailers cite AI ethics concerns as more companies call out risks

Retailers are among the nearly three-quarters of S&P 500 companies disclosing at least one material AI-related risk in their annual reports this year, up from 12% two years ago, as found by The Conference Board and data-mining firm Esgauge. Their research revealed worries about how AI could impact reputation, security and compliance, according to a statement from Andrew Jones, principal researcher at The Conference Board. 

Walmart, Amazon, Target, Nike, Best Buy, Dollar Tree, Dollar General, TJX Cos., Costco and Macy’s are among the major, publicly held retailers listing artificial intelligence-related matters under their litanies of risk factors. Of them, Target, Dollar General and Macy’s called out ethical concerns related to the emerging tech. 

Target states that “generative artificial intelligence presents emerging ethical issues and could negatively impact our guests and team members.” Macy’s has a section devoted to how “AI creates business, legal and ethical challenges.” And Dollar General has a committee that oversees “various artificial intelligence considerations, including those related to risk management, governance and ethics, and workforce and culture.”