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JANUARY 29, 2026 |
Today’s Retail Daily is sponsored by LinkedIn Ads. Find your audience by role, company, and beyond—and get more from every dollar spent. That’s the power of Linkedin Ads. |
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In this edition: |
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TOP STORY |
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After years of digital acceleration, US retailers are heading into 2026 facing a more complicated reality. Tariff-related cost pressures still exist, retail media is maturing from experimentation to discipline, and AI is moving from back-end efficiency to front-of-house influence. Across all three forces, one theme is emerging for retail leaders: The physical store is becoming more, not less, central to how retailers protect margins, influence decisions, and differentiate experiences. |
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IN THE NEWS |
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Starbucks looks to afternoons to unlock new traffic. Long reliant on habit-driven morning traffic, Starbucks believes stores can also become destinations for an afternoon “reset.” |
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Ebay joins Amazon in tightening control over AI shopping agents. Ebay updated its user agreement to ban unauthorized AI agents from making purchases on shoppers’ behalf. The change was first reported by Value Added Resource. |
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Shein can’t escape regulatory heat in US, Europe. Texas Governor Greg Abbott added Shein, along with Temu and Alibaba, to the list of prohibited technologies for state employees and devices, citing data privacy concerns. |
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Quince sees an opportunity in Canada despite political headwinds. Quince is making its first international expansion with the launch of a dedicated Canadian website that builds on what the company described as “strong early momentum” following a soft launch in November. |
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ANALYSIS |
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Job-hunting marketers face a shifting landscape made more complicated by escalating layoffs, AI's adoption, and the expectation for varied skill sets. |
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As many marketers have faced recent layoffs, new job openings have reduced. |
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This month, following Omnicon's $9 billion merger with Interpublic Group, the agency group announced upwards of 4,000 layoffs.
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Meanwhile, total active job listings in Q3 2025 for full-time, in-house positions dropped 5.2% quarter-over-quarter, according to the recent "US Marketing Jobs Report" from Taligence, while new listings declined 4.4%. At the quarter's end, it made for a YoY decrease of 1.3%. |
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QUIZ |
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After “physical health,” what is the next biggest motivation to exercise for US Gen Z consumers, according to a January CivicScience survey? |
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A) Physical appearance B) Competition C) Friendships and socializing D) Mental health |
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