Best Buy has partnered with DoorDash to offer delivery of its consumer electronics products in under one hour, on average. The retailer, which has been shifting its store fleet to feature more small-format and outlet stores, had partnered with DoorDash rival Instacart for on-demand deliveries in November 2020, a relationship that has continued. Like Instacart, DoorDash has been expanding its retailer relationships beyond food deliveries, adding Lush Cosmetics and Victoria’s Secret in March 2023 as well as Party City, followed by partnerships with Spirit Halloween, Petco and Staples. “We’re th ..read more

Image courtesy Walmart Walmart is tapping into one of Americans’ favorite holiday traditions — watching holiday rom-coms — for a new 23-part, serial ad campaign called Add to Heart that will be fully shoppable. Complete with romantic rendezvous in the Garden Center and dancing among the holiday décor, the shoppable commercial series will give rom-com fans all the spice and sweet intrigue they love, with a little shopping thrown into the mix. New York designer Jessica loses her luggage while returning to her hometown for the holidays. When she visits her local Walmart to restock, she bumps int ..read more

The White House has created a Council on Supply Chain Resilience that will include multiple Cabinet members and other top U.S. officials working to advance government-wide strategies for improving U.S. and international supply chains. This new group is one of many actions the Biden administration is taking to help smooth out current bottlenecks and future-proof U.S. manufacturing, logistics and transportation processes. Key elements include cross-governmental supply chain data-sharing capabilities, including: The Department of Commerce’s new Supply Chain Center, which will integrate industry ..read more

Grocery delivery service Instacart has teamed up with NBCUniversal’s streaming TV service Peacock to offer Peacock Premium to all Instacart+ members in the U.S. at no additional cost. Instacart+ members already receive unlimited free delivery on orders over $35 in as fast an hour, lower service fees, 5% credit back on eligible pickup orders and the ability to create shared family accounts for $99 per year or $9.99 per month. Now, they can also add free access to Peacock with just a few taps. “Instacart+ helps deliver all of the snacks and beverages a Peacock view ..read more

Malls were once the nucleus of “shopping culture.” They were core destinations for all things retail; where families spent hours on a free Saturday and where teens, hungry for independence, spent many Friday nights to build their social clout. But many shopping malls have endured an identity crisis. With the rise of ecommerce and the simultaneous “death of the mediocre middle,” many malls have become shells of their former selves — and some have become complete wastelands. However, that doesn’t mean consumers don’t want to go to malls. In fact, more than 40% of adults reported visiting a mal ..read more

The power of visual content has evolved from a nice-to-have supplement to a central force shaping how businesses engage with consumers. With platforms like Instagram and TikTok leading the way, it has become increasingly clear that the currency of our digital interactions is visual-centric. The ability to capture attention swiftly and convey complex messages at a glance is an invaluable asset amidst the relentless digital competition. Visual content, in its myriad forms, has emerged as the linchpin of successful marketing, playing a pivotal role in building brand identity, driving consumer en ..read more

When addressing concerns relating to homelessness, it’s generally considered critical that those engaging in these discussions take an approach rooted in empathy and understanding. After all, most of these individuals are regular citizens who have fallen on hard times — and with inflation recently reaching a historic 9.1%, it is not difficult to imagine why homelessness is becoming an epidemic that affects virtually every region in the United States. Areas with a high population density, often large cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco or New York City, have recently experienced an incre ..read more

Consumer spending on Cyber Monday surpassed initial projections to reach $12.4 billion — both a 9.6% year-over-year increase and the biggest online shopping day of all time, according to Adobe Analytics. Monday’s sales capped off a banner Cyber Week, which saw record spending every day from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday and brought in a total of $38 billion in sales overall (up 7.8% YoY). Amazon alone said it sold 1 billion products during its extended promotion period, which kicked off earlier than the traditional Cyber Week start of Thanksgiving Day, on Nov. 17.  A r ..read more

Fast fashion juggernaut Shein has confidentially filed to go public, multiple sources report. The IPO, which people familiar with the matter said could happen as early as 2024, has the potential to be one of the biggest in years, according to the Wall Street Journal. Rumors of an IPO for the discount app have swirled for over a year now as Shein has continued its meteoric rise in the U.S. and the world. The app first rose to prominence during the pandemic, as home-bound shoppers were drawn in by its vast range of value-priced, on-trend fashions. Then, earlier this year, Shein began to expand ..read more

Macy’s has named Sharon Otterman as its new Chief Marketing Officer (CMO), effective Dec. 11, 2023. Otterman, a 25-year marketing veteran who was most recently CMO at Caesars Entertainment, will report to Macy’s President and CEO-elect Tony Spring. Otterman will lead strategic marketing efforts at Macy’s, building awareness, engagement and loyalty among all customer segments via brand activation, campaign advertising and content planning, creative, visual merchandising, branded entertainment and media strategy. She also will be responsible for building on iconic Macy’s experiences such as the ..read more