|
MAY 13, 2026 |
|
In this edition: |
| |
Was this email forwarded to you? Sign up here. | | | |
|
TOP STORY |
|
|
|
As retailers push into agentic commerce, success may hinge less on the technology itself and more on how quickly consumers are willing to change their habits. |
|
Take OpenAI’s short-lived Instant checkout experiment. It wasn’t really a failure of technology, but a “failure of sequence, and, more precisely, a failure to understand the difference between what technology can do and what consumers are ready for it to do,” said Andy Szanger, Director of Strategy at CDW, during a recent Retail Brew webinar. |
|
|
|
| | | |
|
IN THE NEWS |
|
Retail supply chains are under threat as the war in Iran continues. Conflict tied to the Iran war is the biggest stressor on global supply chains since the pandemic, according to two separate indexes. |
|
| |
Amazon unifies Alexa+ and Rufus under new ‘Alexa for Shopping’ brand. By unifying voice and web interfaces, Amazon is creating a single layer for product discovery and purchasing across devices with the experience available across the Amazon Shopping app, website, and Echo Show devices—with no Prime membership or Echo device required. |
|
| |
Gen Z fuels renewed growth in mall visits. Open-air shopping centers saw the largest increase, with visits rising 3.5% YoY, according to a report from Placer.ai. |
|
| | | |
|
EMARKETER SUMMIT |
|
|
|
|
|
Spring advertising forecasts from Sarah Marzano. AI sessions with Bayer, Mondelez, Seer Interactive, and Gist. Converged TV after the Upfronts with Hershey, Haleon, M+C Saatchi Performance, and Philo. Commerce media with Newell Brands, Horizon Commerce, Chobani, Ferrero, and PayPal Ads. Fireside chats with NBCUniversal and Digitas. |
|
Doors open Thursday at City Winery NYC. Every conversation moving 2026 ad dollars, one room. Qualified brands attend free. Agencies discounted. Register now. |
|
| | | |
|
ANALYSIS |
|
|
|
The Institute for Responsible Influence (IRI), a BBB National Programs subsidiary, is promoting business literacy in the creator economy. The organization just launched its Responsible Influence Certification Program, a 90-minute curriculum which teaches creators to build sponsored content in compliance with FTC guidelines, advertising standards, and counsels responsible use of AI tools. |
|
|
|
| | | |
|
PODCAST |
|
|
|
We discuss what makes buying furniture so complex from a customer perspective and which technologies are actually driving the category forward with Chief Marketing Officer at Furniture.com, Daniel Bennett. |
|
| |
| | | |
|
