Retail is changing faster than ever, and the latest Retail Innovations 2026 report from McMillanDoolittle and the Ebeltoft Group identifies where the industry is headed next. In a conversation with Scott Benedict on The Digital Front Door, McMillanDoolittle’s Mara Devitt explains that today’s most innovative…
Party City and Staples announced a partnership this week that will bring Party City balloons, décor, and party supplies into more than 700 Staples stores and onto Staples.com by year-end. The assortment includes balloons, décor, tableware, gift bags, costume accessories, and favors, while Staples adds…
Walmart has been rewriting the economics of its business. In Q4 FY2026, Walmart disclosed that advertising and membership income together accounted for roughly one‑third of operating profit, a striking figure for a company historically defined by low‑margin retail. Walmart’s global advertising business generated nearly $6.4…
Earlier this week, CVS opened a pharmacy-only store in Chicago at 2628 West Pershing Road, the first of nearly 20 such locations the company plans to roll out across the U.S. this year. The pharmacy-only stores average around 3,000 square feet, which is considerably smaller…
Retail and restaurant leaders spent the past several years navigating a brutal cost environment. Labor costs have risen. Food costs—particularly beef—have been volatile and elevated. Many operators have struggled to maintain margins while keeping traffic stable. Yet one brand has continued to outperform: Texas Roadhouse. The…
Announcing the release of our Direct-to-Consumer Global Research Study Download your copy of the research to explore the full report and underlying data. Our latest global publication, developed in collaboration with our international Ebeltoft Group alliance, examines how traditional and DTC brands have embraced direct-to-consumer…
Natural and organic grocery is entering a new growth cycle, marked by specialty players pushing into new geographies, premium grocers expanding into urban markets, and big-box retailers treating wellness as a core platform rather than a niche aisle. In 2025, fresh-format grocers posted the strongest…
Across Asia, retailers are redesigning stores from the ground up, rethinking how people shop, how employees work, and what a physical store is meant to be. From Singapore to Seoul, the store is no longer just a place to buy things. It is becoming a…
Across categories and geographies, leading brands are transforming physical spaces into dynamic environments that spark emotion, build community, and reignite the unique power of brick-and-mortar. Retail Innovations 2026 illustrates 16 brands and retailers prioritizing experience and competing on reasons to visit. For this week’s #ThemeThursday…
For our second Retail Innovations trend of 2026, we are exploring Easy Journeys, effortless shopping experiences. “Easy” used to mean convenient. Today, it means intuitive, confidence-building, and frictionless at every touchpoint. Download your free copy of Retail Innovations Modern shoppers compare every experience to the…
