Brands are chasing Coachella audiences beyond festival gates with roadside pop-ups and festival-themed collabs.

Tariffs

Why Dame is refunding $10,000 in tariff surcharges to customers

March 03, 2026

Dame is refunding customers who paid its “Trump Tariff Surcharge” last year, becoming one of the first brands to proactively return money tied to President Donald Trump’s now-invalidated tariffs.

Marketplace Briefing: Online merchants aren’t lowering prices despite Supreme Court ruling

February 26, 2026

Many Amazon sellers and online brands say they won’t cut prices despite the Supreme Court ruling that struck down Trump’s tariffs.

Other news to know

Top Stories Apr 10

A group of seven-figure Amazon sellers is planning a one-day ad boycott as payment changes squeeze cash flow

April 09, 2026

Some sellers are calling for a one-day boycott of the company’s advertising platform next week, urging merchants to turn off their ads on April 15 to protest a new payment policy they say will strain their cash flow.

A timeline of what led up to Grüns being acquired by Unilever

April 09, 2026

Even compared to other startups in the red-hot supplement space, Grüns has had a meteoric rise, announcing on Thursday that it is being acquired by Unilever less than three years after its products hit the market. Here's a timeline of what led up to the acquisition.

What Amazon CEO Andy Jassy’s annual letter to shareholders didn’t say

April 09, 2026

One major part of Amazon’s business was largely absent from its annual letter to shareholders: the millions of sellers who power its marketplace.

Marketplace Briefing: Amazon sellers face cash crunch as fees, policy changes spur order delays, price hikes and supplier renegotiations

April 09, 2026

Amazon merchants are bracing for more cash flow troubles and margin pressure this year thanks to a bevy of new fees and policy changes. 

Tariffs

Why Dame is refunding $10,000 in tariff surcharges to customers

March 03, 2026

Dame is refunding customers who paid its “Trump Tariff Surcharge” last year, becoming one of the first brands to proactively return money tied to President Donald Trump’s now-invalidated tariffs.

Marketplace Briefing: Online merchants aren’t lowering prices despite Supreme Court ruling

February 26, 2026

Many Amazon sellers and online brands say they won’t cut prices despite the Supreme Court ruling that struck down Trump’s tariffs.

Red and black sneaker on a black hightop on an orange background

Footwear brands navigate uncertainty after latest tariffs flip-flop

February 25, 2026

Shoe brands, which are out billions of dollars from U.S.-imposed duties, are trying to find their footing after recent tariffs whiplash.

Shoptalk

Coach won over Gen Z in North America. Now it’s stepping up its focus abroad

March 31, 2026

After seeing success with its Gen Z strategy in North America, Coach is now scaling that approach internationally.

E.l.f. Beauty’s chief digital officer shares her strategy for the AI era

March 30, 2026

In an interview with Modern Retail, E.l.f. Beauty’s chief digital officer, Ekta Chopra, shared the four pillars that guide the beauty brand’s approach to AI implementation.

Lowe’s wants to roll out personalized website to all customers by end of 2026

March 27, 2026

The humble e-commerce site is getting a major upgrade at Lowe’s. The company is expanding a feature that uses customer data to personalize its website and, essentially, hopes that all customers will have a personalized website by the end of 2026.

Podcasts

Technology

Kroger brings its near-expired food to Flashfood app in 100-plus stores

April 08, 2026

Kroger has partnered up with a fast-growing mobile app to turn what would have been food waste into an extra bit of profit.

Retailers are bringing AI into stores in more ways

April 07, 2026

The application of artificial intelligence as a customer-facing element of physical stores is far from one-size-fits-all. AI use cases for in-store shopping, in discovery, research and checkout, still vary as brands are trying to figure out what consumers want from AI.

How retailers can address the Black Friday trust crisis one shopper at a time

November 26, 2025

John Shapiro, Chief Product and Technology Officer, Lightspeed Commerce From November to the start of the new year, this season marks one of the busiest times for retailers around the globe — and one they prepare for months in advance. According to the National Retail Federation, 91% of consumers plan to celebrate the winter holidays, […]

Marketing

Ipsy is now the official beauty partner of the Las Vegas Aces as WNBA brand deals continue to rise

April 09, 2026

On Wednesday, Ipsy announced a new partnership with the WNBA as the official beauty partner of the Las Vegas Aces. The news comes as sponsorship and marketing investments in women’s sports continue to rise.

Google says its AI-powered ads help some brands lift online sales by 80%

April 07, 2026

Google says its AI-powered ad tools are delivering measurable results for some brands as the world’s largest seller of ads experiments with new ad formats, shopping integrations and AI-powered tools.

The RealReal CMO Samantha McCandless on resale math, vintage Bulgari and her go-to sneakers

April 06, 2026

In the latest installment of “What’s in Your Cart,” The RealReal’s Chief Merchandising Officer, Samantha McCandless, shares her personal shopping habits with Modern Retail, including her resale shopping strategy.

Operations

Michaels partners with Jonathan Adler to give its home decor section an upgrade

April 09, 2026

Arts and crafts retailer Michaels is rolling out a new collection with designer Jonathan Adler as it leans into DIY decor trends that it hopes will resonate with the “maximalist” Michaels customer.

Ergobaby is revamping its website and packaging to better resonate with young parents

April 08, 2026

Ergobaby, which makes ergonomic baby carriers, is embarking on a brand refresh as it courts Gen Z and millennial parents.

From Prime Day and Black Friday to surprise spikes: Why retailers are rethinking peak sales readiness

February 19, 2026

“Peak sales event” is still a common phrase in retail, and the big calendar moments like holidays and Amazon’s Prime Day absolutely matter. But treating peaks as isolated, predictable windows is outdated. Today, demand can surge at any time. A viral TikTok, a surprise influencer drop or a flash sale on a random Tuesday in […]