E-COMMERCE

Sopa Images/Getty Images

When TikTok Shop launched three years ago, it was initially known as a platform for deep discounts and emerging brand discovery—but its reputation is changing.

The social commerce platform has proven itself to be a major retail player, becoming the fourth-ranked US health and beauty e-commerce retailer, per NielsenIQ. It’s welcomed CPG giants like L’Oréal and PepsiCo, and now, TikTok Shop’s success is enticing other retailers to get in on the action.

Ulta Beauty, Sephora, and Best Buy all joined TikTok Shop this year, identifying the platform as an increasingly vital channel for reaching consumers by launching livestreams and sharing exclusive product drops and bundles.

Ajay Salpekar, GM of beauty and food and beverage at TikTok Shop, spoke to Retail Brew about retailers’ growing interest in the platform and how TikTok Shop’s original identity as a brand discovery platform is evolving.

Keep reading here.—EC

      

Sponsored By HUMAN Security

AI agents are already browsing, managing accounts, and checking out on behalf of shoppers. But at the same time, automated attacks are hitting many of the same digital surfaces.

HUMAN’s data found that retail and e-commerce account for more agentic AI traffic than any other industry. The challenge is that legitimate shopping assistants and malicious automations can look remarkably similar.

In the interactions HUMAN analyzed, just 0.5% separated benign automation from malicious automation. That means simple allow/block rules won’t provide adequate protection.

Retailers need to know which agents to welcome, which to verify, and which to stop. Read the report to learn how you can identify trusted agents, scraping, and fraud in the report.

STORES

Mario Tama/Getty Images

Would-be business partners Kroger and Albertsons both had a challenging week.

Facing lackluster results, Albertsons on Tuesday pulled its full-year guidance, with plans to conduct a business review and a full turnaround plan to be shared on its Q4 earnings call, CEO Susan Morris said on its Q2 earnings call. The grocer’s identical sales dropped 0.8% in the quarter, though e-commerce sales rose 11%.

Speaking on the earnings call, Meg Whitman, Albertsons’s new executive chair and former eBay and HP CEO, said, “Susan and I agree that everything should be on the table as we figure out how Albertsons should be structured to better compete in the years ahead.”

Keep reading here.—EC

      

Sponsored By WooCommerce

Shoppers won’t wait around. In a new study from WooCommerce and Stripe, 3 in 4 customers say they have abandoned a cart. 63% of them blame checkout and payment issues (think: failed transactions, too many steps, or missing payment methods). Read the full report for help closing these checkout gaps.

RETAIL

Jetcityimage/Getty Images

A trial pitting two grocery giants against each other is scheduled to begin today at Delaware Chancery Court. Albertsons is suing Kroger for $8 billion in damages following the breakdown of a $24.6 billion merger quashed by federal regulators. During the trial, Albertsons’s attorneys said they will try to prove that Kroger’s management and board “fell far short” of their promises to take any and all actions to obtain federal approval for the merger.

Here’s what else is going on in retail this week:

In promotions: Amazon is hosting its sixth annual Holiday Beauty Event, which begins today and runs through the end of the month. The company is offering 30% off across the beauty category, including in makeup, skin care, fragrance, wellness, and hair care. This is the second major sales event from Amazon this month, as the e-commerce giant leads the charge in what is shaping up to be a highly promotional holiday season.

Keep reading here.—AV

      

From Express Checkout

Now check this out. We’ve got a must-read newsletter for CPG and retail pros + curious consumers alike. Express Checkout just joined Morning Brew Inc. to bring you the latest trends, news, and insider perspectives on the world of consumer packaged goods, e-commerce, and more.

Subscribe to explore where your cart meets culture.

Level up your career with these resources from our sponsors!

swapping skus

Today’s top retail reads.

Cooking with gas: Total retail sales in the US rose 0.8% in September, but excluding gas and auto sales, that figure drops to only 0.2%, reflecting elevated gas prices. (Associated Press)

’Burb your enthusiasm: Why Hermès is expanding beyond typical luxury hubs into suburbs like Wilmette, Illinois. (the Wall Street Journal)

Pare Jordan: Nike is reducing the volume of Jordans it produces in hopes that scarcity will restore cachet and help turn around a slump for the Jordan brand. (Business of Fashion)

^{*A message from our sponsor.}