Store associates at Kohl's retail locations in Leominster, Massachusetts; Washington, Missouri and Eau Claire, Wisconsin confirmed over the phone that those particular stores are no longer accepting Amazon returns.

Analysis

DTC Briefing: CPG brands face growing pressure to offer retailers constant newness amid rising costs

March 11, 2025

For better-for-you food and beverage brands, one of the most pressing issues cited at Expo West was the need to innovate, while also keeping price points accessible.

Modern Retail Index: Retailers are investing in AI applications and membership programs as consumers spend cautiously

February 24, 2025

This year's first installment of the Modern Retail Index ranks retailers based on their e-commerce experience strategies, including features like product reviews, ease of checkout and use of emerging technologies. The Index examines retailers within five cohorts — big box, dollar and off-price stores, drugstores, home goods, specialty retail — to understand which cohorts, and which retailers within those cohorts, are excelling at e-commerce and why.

Other news to know

  • Oracle has emerged as the frontrunner to help run TikTok as part of a deal orchestrated by Trump, per The Information
  • Major consumer packaged goods companies including PepsiCo and Conagra have asked the Trump administration for exemptions for tariffs on some imports, per Reuters
  • American Eagle issued weak guidance for the current quarter and year ahead, citing waning consumer spending. 
$1.6 billion
American Eagle's holiday-quarter revenue
Top Stories Mar 15

Cookware brands are acquiring customers with campaigns about quitting microplastics

March 14, 2025

Companies like Caraway are leaning into the concerns around microplastics in cookware with more marketing campaigns and customer education.

Marketplace Briefing: How Amazon sellers are optimizing for AI as the SEO playbook changes

March 13, 2025

As Amazon ramps up its focus on artificial intelligence-powered shopping, sellers on the company’s sprawling marketplace are exploring how best to optimize their content while navigating the uncertainties that come with emerging technology.

Research Briefing: AI’s retail role is booming

March 13, 2025

In this edition of the Modern Retail+ Research Briefing, we unpack insights from a recent report from vision AI platform Everseen about AI’s evolving role in retail operations and shopper interactions.  

How a surge in boycotts could upend the retail industry this year

March 13, 2025

More consumers are voting with their wallets this year, as boycotts against Target, Amazon and more are underway. It could add to a potent concoction of challenges for brands and retailers already on thin ice.

Limited Series
The Modern Retail Vanguard

In our annual series, the Modern Retail Vanguard, we’re highlighting 15 people who exemplify the skills needed to succeed in today’s retail environment across three categories: operations, marketing and technology. These are the people who, behind the scenes, helped companies grow amid an uncertain retail environment.

Podcasts

Technology

Best Buy warns of potential price hikes as executives say tariffs will ‘impact the whole industry’ 

March 04, 2025

In an earnings call with investors early Tuesday morning, Best Buy executives gave a detailed look at how they expect new tariffs from President Donald Trump enacted overnight will impact their business.

Marketplace Briefing: How creator-affiliate platform ShopMy is carving out a bigger share of the social shopping pie

February 27, 2025

Affiliate marketing is nothing new, but a rising startup in the space, ShopMy, is angling to be the go-to platform for brands and creators, when it comes to influencer monetization.

How AI-powered customer service preserves the human touch

March 10, 2025

Jennifer Baker, senior director of demand generation, Gladly Artificial intelligence is rapidly transforming customer service. By the end of this year, 80% of customer service and support operations will apply some form of generative AI to improve efficiency, enhance customer interactions and drive upsell opportunities. While AI presents immense potential, its success depends on thoughtful […]

Marketing

M.M.LaFleur bets on Substack as its next big marketing play amid branded newsletter boom

March 12, 2025

M.M.LaFleur is among the first to launch a branded Substack newsletter, moving away from a traditional blog to leverage Substack’s engagement tools and discovery features amid a growing trend of brand-led newsletters.

Best Buy plans to launch digital storefronts for influencers and content creators

March 11, 2025

Best Buy plans to launch a program allowing influencers and creators to build their own branded digital storefronts on the retailer’s website this spring, its CEO Corie Barry said on the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call last week.

Like Walmart, Best Buy is taking pages out of Amazon’s e-commerce playbook

March 06, 2025

Best Buy CEO Corie Barry said the company sees this year as a pivotal one for its advertising business, as well as a soon-to-launch U.S. marketplace.

Operations

How indie chocolate brands are navigating record-high cocoa prices

March 13, 2025

Cocoa bean prices have been at an all-time high in the past year, and chocolate makers have been forced to adapt by working more closely with suppliers and finding other operational efficiencies.

Ear piercing studio Rowan is on track to hit 100 stores in 2025

March 12, 2025

Ear piercing studio Rowan is ramping up its physical retail footprint to better cater to a growing range of customers, from young children and teenagers to people in their 70s and 80s.

Graphic on a green background of a phone-shaped POS device printing a receipt with a checkmark, symbolizing seamless in-store commerce solutions and successful transactions.

Why retailers are reevaluating their in-store commerce solutions

February 18, 2025

Brick-and-mortar retailers have historically relied on outdated technologies, while their e-commerce counterparts have adopted more modern solutions. In-store systems continue to be isolated from digital commerce solutions, likely contributing to only 6% of companies saying they deliver very consistent omnichannel purchasing experiences.  Current setups and solutions leave retailers disconnected and with a fragmented experience across […]