After the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s tariffs, brands welcomed the relief but say ongoing trade uncertainty and unanswered questions about refunds are keeping business decisions on hold.

Tariffs

Brands celebrate tariff reprieve, but fresh uncertainty looms

February 24, 2026

After the Supreme Court struck down Trump’s tariffs, brands welcomed the relief but say ongoing trade uncertainty and unanswered questions about refunds are keeping business decisions on hold.

Modern Retail Podcast: An emergency tariffs episode

February 21, 2026

An emergency episode of the Modern Retail Podcast gets into what could happen next after a 6-3 Supreme Court decision striking down President Donald Trump's global tariffs.

Other news to know

Top Stories Feb 24

Hims alums launch fiber-boosted sweetener brand Poca

February 24, 2026

Poca, a new coffee sweetener brand with a fiber boost, arrives on the scene as "fibermaxxing" takes over social media. But its founders say they're more focused on bringing back sweet treats moments in a healthier way.

Supreme Court strikes down Trump’s global tariffs

February 20, 2026

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Friday that President Donald Trump’s sweeping “Liberation Day” tariffs were issued unlawfully, dealing a major blow to his trade agenda and opening the door to legal battles over billions of dollars in duties already paid by U.S. importers.

Confessions of an ex-Saks employee caught in the fallout of the company’s bankruptcy filing

February 23, 2026

Modern Retail spoke with an anonymous former Saks Global employee, who is feeling the effects of the bankruptcy on a personal level.

The playbook for winning over price-conscious consumers

February 23, 2026

In 2026, brands are finding that deep discounts aren't the only way to win over price-conscious shoppers.

Tariffs

Modern Retail Podcast: An emergency tariffs episode

February 21, 2026

An emergency episode of the Modern Retail Podcast gets into what could happen next after a 6-3 Supreme Court decision striking down President Donald Trump’s global tariffs.

‘Quitting wasn’t an option’: How tariffs took an emotional and financial toll on founders in 2025

December 30, 2025

Many founders had to completely upend their business models in 2025 due to tariffs, resorting to production delays, raising prices and putting off hiring to save their businesses.

The winners and losers of tariffs

December 29, 2025

This year, tariffs kicked in at their highest rate since the Great Depression, completely upending the retail industry. In turn, Modern Retail rounded up the biggest winners and losers of all the changes in tariff policy this year.

Podcasts

Technology

Walmart says AI users build 35% bigger baskets than others

February 19, 2026

Walmart customers who use the company’s Sparky AI-powered shopping assistant have an order value that’s about 35% higher than those who don’t, newly appointed Walmart CEO John Furner said in the company’s fourth-quarter earnings call Thursday morning.

gray phone on a white and green background displaying a text conversation. One person texts "what's the status of my order?" and a robot replies with three dots, indicating they are typing back

Marketplace Briefing: Inside Marc Lore and Melissa Bridgeford’s AI shopping agent Wizard

February 19, 2026

Wizard has become the latest AI shopping agent to launch amid a surge of new tools promising to search, compare and check out on shoppers’ behalf.

Unpacked: Why brands and retailers like Sephora and Adidas are merging loyalty and promotions

January 29, 2026

Discover why retailers are adopting a unified incentives marketing strategy to cut discounting, strengthen loyalty and drive long-term growth.

Marketing

‘Comment sections are not customers’: American Eagle brings back Sydney Sweeney amid celebrity push

February 19, 2026

An in-depth look at how brands like American Eagle decide whether cultural backlash is noise or a business threat.

Macy’s is drawing on events like the Thanksgiving Day Parade to grow its creator program

February 18, 2026

After experimenting with creator storefronts and marketing in 2025, Macy’s is expanding its influencer program to include more in-person programming and campaigns tied to events like the Thanksgiving Day Parade.

How hair-care brand Jupiter turned product theft into a marketing campaign

February 18, 2026

Hair-care brand Jupiter, which specializes in dry scalp and dandruff products, fell victim to a truck burglary recently. Its founders decided to turn the incident into a marketing moment.

Operations

Brands Briefing: Teva’s athletes are testing products in extreme conditions, on all continents

February 24, 2026

Before Teva shoes hit shelves, they’re tested on mountains and trails across the world. Modern Retail got a closer look at Teva’s Bureau of Adventure program, now in its second year.

Once Upon a Farm’s IPO signals growing interest in better-for-you kids’ food

February 23, 2026

Emerging food and beverage brands say the Once Upon a Farm IPO shows that retailers’ and investors’ appetite for healthier products is here to stay.

The anatomy of perfect content: How marketers can reach consumers in the AI era

February 23, 2026

Angelique Miller, VP of E Studio, Expedia Group Advertising In today’s digital landscape, attention is the most valuable currency. Consumers are inundated with content across every channel and are moving more fluidly across platforms than ever before. With Statista reporting global e-commerce sales estimated to have surpassed $3.6 trillion in 2025, and AI playing an […]