STORES

Kat the Label/Phillip Reed

Australian lingerie brand Kat The Label is ready to make itself at home in the US. Founded by Kate Nixon almost a decade ago, the Melbourne-based intimates and bridal brand is gearing up to open its first permanent US store in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood later this month, marking a significant milestone in its international expansion.

And the timing isn’t coincidental. According to Anna Metcalfe, head of marketing and growth at Kat The Label, the brand’s US business is currently growing between 80% and 100% year over year, surpassing Australia to become its largest revenue-generating market.

“The US has been a really big focus for the brand over the past five or six years,” Metcalfe told Retail Brew. “We’ve seen a lot of success in the market, and New York in particular has been somewhere that we’ve always really tapped into because we’ve had a really strong customer base there.”

The upcoming location, near the corner of Spring and Lafayette Streets, follows several successful New York pop-ups and the opening of the brand’s flagship Australian boutique in Armadale, Victoria, last October.

Those activations offered the brand a compelling reason to invest in physical retail.

Keep reading here.—JS

      

Sponsored By Paradox, a Workday Company

JLL (Jones Lang LaSalle Inc.) manages over 112,000 employees globally, with roughly 55% working as specialized frontline staff in hard-to-fill trades like HVAC and boiler operations. Managing that highly distributed, scarce-talent workforce requires precise, differentiated strategies across the entire talent lifecycle.

The latest Bersin Report breaks down exactly how they manage to do so. By deploying Paradox’s conversational AI assistant, HireBuddy, JLL meets candidates directly via text message to automate interview scheduling, ensuring nearly 100% of their 1.5 million annual applicants receive a response.

Thanks to their AI deployment, JLL cut candidate screening time by 70%, increased recruiter capacity fivefold, and generated an estimated $12 million in savings.

Get the full report for all the details on how they reengineered their frontline employee experience.

TECH

Image courtesy of Walmart

Walmart is getting friendly with outside AI agents, but not without laying down some ground rules first. The company last week launched a series of new tools allowing customers to use the apps and agents they choose but with “with clear permissions, controls and protections built in,” per a news release from the company.

The announcement outlined new tools and policy changes, including Agent Profiles, the Walmart Agent Gateway, and updated terms for how AI agents can be used.

• Agent Profiles allows customers to create dedicated profiles for their AI shoppers, separating out their purchases and giving them the option to set spending limits.
• The Walmart Agent Gateway is a designated access point for AI agents the company said is faster and less error-prone than coming through a web browser designed for human beings.
• The new terms establish clear rules for what agents can do on behalf of customers, including requiring approval for all purchases and restrictions on access to customer payment information.

The retail giant has so far proven more open than rival Amazon to opening the door to outside AI platforms.

Keep reading here.—AV

      

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR & TRENDS

Getty Images

They say it’s the thought that counts when it comes to gift-giving. But for some shoppers this holiday season, it’s also the finances.

Invoice Home’s third annual Holiday Spending Survey found that more than 1 in 6 shoppers (16%) plan to “sacrifice” on essentials to be able to afford gifts this year (up from 11% in 2025).

Meanwhile, 20% plan to get a second job to pay for the holidays.

The younger populace is especially determined when it comes to spending on presents, with 24% of Gen Z admitting that purchasing gifts was more important to them than things like their credit card balance.

In fact, among the 2,000 US consumers surveyed, 30% said they’d borrow money from friends and family to afford the expenses, while 20% will head to the bank for a loan.

Keep reading here.—JS

      

Sponsored By WooCommerce

Evolving payment behaviors. Younger shoppers lead the shift toward alternative payment methods, including one-click checkout, digital wallets, BNPL, and local options. WooCommerce and Stripe’s new global payment study breaks down what next-generation shoppers will expect soon. Download the report for tips to future-proof your checkout.

swapping skus

Today’s top retail reads.

Metal heads: Tariffs are raising the cost of aluminum for US manufacturers. (the Wall Street Journal)

Fizzling: Coca-Cola hiked its earnings outlook for the year despite flat volumes in its home market of North America. (CNBC)

Fresh face: Brands turn to AI-generated fashion models, potentially posing an existential threat to the modeling industry. (Reuters)

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Jobs

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