One year into her tenure, Five Below CEO Winnie Park is reshaping the discount retailer’s customer focus, pricing strategy, and product mix—signaling a sharper, more disciplined growth playbook for 2026 and beyond.
At NRF 2026, executives from Mejuri, Beyond Yoga and Coterie explained how community-driven influencer strategies help brands cut through digital overload, spark organic virality, and future-proof marketing in an AI-saturated landscape.
Saks Global replaces CEO Marc Metrick with Executive Chairman Richard Baker amid mounting debt and bankruptcy speculation, highlighting deeper challenges in the post-merger luxury retail landscape.
Adobe Analytics forecasts a sharp rise in retail returns after the holidays, with January volumes up as much as 15%. The data reveals shifting consumer behavior, channel friction, and why returns remain one of retail’s most costly structural challenges.
Pat McGrath Labs is seeking a buyer as Hilco Global launches an auction process for the beauty brand’s assets. The move highlights shifting dynamics in prestige beauty, founder-led brands, and post-growth capital strategies.
A renewed clash between Lululemon founder Chip Wilson and the board highlights governance tensions, activist pressure, and strategic uncertainty as the company searches for its next CEO amid slowing North American growth.
The White House has postponed planned furniture tariff increases for one year, keeping the 25% duty in place as negotiations with key trading partners continue, offering temporary relief to furniture retailers facing cost pressure.
A new Liveops survey shows most shoppers interacted with AI customer service during the holidays. While automation delivered faster support, consumers still prefer human agents and want clearer disclosure of when AI is used.
Luxury menswear brand Paul Stuart has been acquired by Middle West Partners and Peerless Clothing, with former Bonobos CEO John Hutchison named CEO. The deal signals a strategic push to modernize heritage menswear while expanding global reach.
A new XCCommerce survey shows consumers increasingly use AI to find better deals, while discounts remain the strongest purchase trigger. The findings highlight why promotion execution, personalization, and data trust are becoming critical retail technologies.
Sears’ final stores may soon close as its real estate-driven turnaround collapses. A New York Times report details how Seritage, debt, and shifting retail dynamics sealed the fate of America’s once-dominant department store.
New Visa data reveals holiday retail spending rose 4.2% year over year, with physical stores capturing 73% of total spend. The findings highlight the resilience of brick-and-mortar retail, the continued rise of e-commerce, and AI’s growing influence on consumer behavior.