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

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 08

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.

Brands Briefing: Canadian furniture brand Cozey is opening more U.S. stores while ‘going after IKEA’

April 07, 2026

Canadian furniture brand Cozey is cozying up to more U.S. shoppers in its quest for global growth.

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.

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.

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

In 2026, AI talk at retail events shifts to proving real results, defining a true strategy

April 03, 2026

At this year’s Shoptalk Spring, it wasn’t enough for brands and retailers to talk about the ways that they think they will use AI. Now, the pressure is on for everyone to prove how they are using AI to increase output and drive sales.

Aldi taps Instacart to power its U.S. website

April 01, 2026

Aldi is the latest grocer to turn to Instacart to do the heavy lifting on its e-commerce website. Aldi U.S. just launched a new website and app powered by Instacart’s white-label e-commerce and fulfillment platform, Storefront Pro.

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 […]

Marketing

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.

April Fools’ Day gets real: Why some brands are choosing to release actual products on April 1

April 01, 2026

With so many fake products going around on social media on April Fools’ Day, some brands are trying to stand out with real product releases and giveaways.

Malibu taps creator Sabrina Brier for ‘Get Ready With Me’ campaign to promote new Pink spirit

March 31, 2026

For its new Malibu Pink spirit, rum brand Malibu tapped creator Sabrina Brier and fashion brand LoveShackFancy for a “get ready with me”-style campaign.

Operations

The Unilever-McCormick deal ushers in a new era for condiments

April 06, 2026

The merger between McCormick and the food division of Unilever highlights the never-ending demand for condiments and spices among Americans. Despite consolidation, the category is expected to continue seeing innovation from the food startup and private label players.

Amazon bar graph

Amazon to issue 3.5% surcharge on fulfillment services as fuel, logistics costs rise

April 02, 2026

Amazon will impose a 3.5% fuel and logistics surcharge on merchants’ fulfillment fees beginning April 17, as rising fuel costs tied to conflict in the Middle East pressure supply chains.

Moving deliberately rather than fast: How brands and retailers are achieving AI success

March 18, 2026

It’s easy enough to talk about how AI can benefit brand and retail operations, but the extent to which brand and retail organizations are ready to successfully utilize the technology is a different conversation entirely. And AI readiness looks different for every brand and retailer, depending on what data they have access to, what kind […]