After employees exposed cracks in their partnership earlier this year, Target and Ulta Beauty are officially pulling the plug on their shop-in-shop deal.

The two retailers announced today they’ve “mutually agreed” to end the partnership when their current agreement expires in August 2026, but will continue operating online and in stores until then.

Rick Gomez, Target’s EVP and chief commercial officer, said in a statement that the retailer is “proud of our shared success” with Ulta, and that it “remains committed to offering the beauty experience consumers have come to expect from Target.”

The partnership’s end comes after Ulta’s president and CEO, Kecia Steelman, said at a conference in April that the two would “pause” the shop-in-shops’ expansion, looking to “leverage the learnings” and create “even greater value” for the partnership.

Weeks before that announcement, Target employees had taken to Reddit to share red flags with the tie-up—pointing to shoplifting, understaffing, foot traffic cannibalization, and an underwhelming customer experience.

Keep reading here.—EC

Instacart has appointed Etsy CEO Josh Silverman to its board of directors, the grocery delivery platform announced on Friday. Silverman, who has led Etsy since 2017, brings vast experience in e-commerce, marketplace dynamics, and consumer behavior—areas increasingly relevant to Instacart’s evolution from a delivery service to a broader retail tech platform.

“Josh is a proven marketplace innovator with a track record of scaling consumer platforms such as Etsy, Skype, and Evite,” said Instacart CEO Chris Rogers in a press statement. “His deep understanding of consumer technology, passion for empowering independent entrepreneurs, and commitment to sustainable growth make him an invaluable asset.”

In a statement, Silverman said he was honored to join Instacart at such a “pivotal moment” for the company.

Keep reading here.—VC

Amazon announced it will expand its free same-day grocery delivery service for Prime members from about 1,000 locales in the US today to more than 2,300 by the end of 2025. The service will require Prime membership and a minimum order of $25 for free delivery.

You tell us: If you’re a Prime member whose local market doesn’t have free same-day grocery delivery yet, will you try it if it becomes available where you live? Cast your vote here.

Circling back: Last time, we asked if you thought American Eagle’s campaign featuring Sydney Sweeney, which some have criticized for allegedly having eugenic undertones and being hypersexualized, would help or hurt the retailer’s revenue in the coming months. Nearly 3 out of 4 (74.1%) of you responded the campaign will boost American Eagle’s revenue, while 13.1% responded that it would decrease its revenue and 12.7% thought it would have no impact on revenue.—AAN