Doing Business in Bentonville — Top Stories
Featured
What Retail Software Really Means for Modern Commerce
From CRM to vendor management, retail software has become the backbone of omnichannel operations, helping retailers manage inventory, personalize marketing, and optimize supplier performance.
What to Expect at Retail Innovation Week in Bentonville
Retail Innovation Week 2025 brings top founders, execs, and investors to Bentonville for keynotes, networking, and startup showcases, all in retail’s most dynamic hub.
Introducing: Scott's Thoughts
Sustainability at Retail 2.0: Commerce with Purpose
Sustainability at Retail 2.0 is here. From circular models and blockchain transparency to energy efficiency, retailers are proving that purpose and profit can coexist. Learn how consumer demand and innovation are reshaping the future of retail.
Latest News
Editors' Picks
Is the E-Commerce Revolution Over? Analysts Dispute Future Growth
Predictions for ecomm, brick and mortar vary
Ep. 115 - AI-Powered Ad Creation at Scale
AdFury.ai is transforming retail media with generative AI that creates high performing ads at scale. Built in the retail capital of the world, the platform streamlines creative production and delivers smarter, data driven advertising for brands and agencies.
Sustainability at Retail 2.0: Commerce with Purpose
Sustainability at Retail 2.0 is here. From circular models and blockchain transparency to energy efficiency, retailers are proving that purpose and profit can coexist. Learn how consumer demand and innovation are reshaping the future of retail.
Ep. 114 - The Consumer Impact Summit: Conscious Buyers, Smarter Brands
Purpose driven commerce is reshaping retail as Gen Z and Gen Alpha demand sustainability, transparency, and impact. Bryan Welch shares insights on the Consumer Impact Summit and how authentic brand missions are shaping the future of business.
Ep. 113 - NWA as a Retail Powerhouse
Northwest Arkansas has become the retail value chain capital of the world, blending supply chain expertise, startups, and quality of life. Hear how innovation, collaboration, and culture drive growth and why the Embark Summit is the perfect entry point.
Ep. 115 - AI-Powered Ad Creation at Scale
AdFury.ai is transforming retail media with generative AI that creates high performing ads at scale. Built in the retail capital of the world, the platform streamlines creative production and delivers smarter, data driven advertising for brands and agencies.
Ep. 114 - The Consumer Impact Summit: Conscious Buyers, Smarter Brands
Purpose driven commerce is reshaping retail as Gen Z and Gen Alpha demand sustainability, transparency, and impact. Bryan Welch shares insights on the Consumer Impact Summit and how authentic brand missions are shaping the future of business.
Ep. 113 - NWA as a Retail Powerhouse
Northwest Arkansas has become the retail value chain capital of the world, blending supply chain expertise, startups, and quality of life. Hear how innovation, collaboration, and culture drive growth and why the Embark Summit is the perfect entry point.
Ep. 112 - Leadership That Executes with Steve Graves
Leadership is more than facilitation or inspiration. Steve Graves shares three powerful principles that separate true leaders from managers, from making tough calls to driving execution and accountability. Tune in for timeless lessons to strengthen your leadership.
Agentic Commerce Goes Mainstream: A Retail Transformation
This week, agentic commerce—where autonomous AI agents shop on consumers’ behalf, leaped into the mainstream, with major publications and legacy platforms embracing the concept and signaling a fundamental shift in ecommerce.
Retail Startups Powered by Y Combinator in 2025
Y Combinator’s 2025 retail cohort features startups like Two Tap, Aleph, and SureBright, pioneering innovations in seamless checkout, marketplace scaling, and AI-powered warranties that are redefining modern commerce.
Smarter AI, Stronger Experiences: Rethinking Omnichannel Retail Strategy
Grant Thornton outlines how retailers can unlock AI’s true potential by aligning intent, timing, and transparency across the omnichannel journey.
Ep. 115 - AI-Powered Ad Creation at Scale
AdFury.ai is transforming retail media with generative AI that creates high performing ads at scale. Built in the retail capital of the world, the platform streamlines creative production and delivers smarter, data driven advertising for brands and agencies.
Evolution of Retail Outlet Distribution Shaped by Policy and Population
A new study finds that the distribution of retail outlets is strongly influenced by residential patterns, government policies, and shifting consumer demand, reshaping how cities grow and how people shop.
Warby Parker Partners with College Football Star Arch Manning for Three-Year Deal
Warby Parker has signed a three-year partnership with Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning, blending marketing campaigns with community initiatives like the Pupils Project to spotlight both eyewear and social impact.
From Oasis to Omnichannel: Retail Insights Behind Culture, Sport, and Travel
Music, sports, and travel news may seem far from retail, but each reflects broader lessons in consumer culture, youth marketing, and trade show experiences that matter for the omnichannel ecosystem anchored in Bentonville.
Leading Transformative Initiatives in Global Organizations
Large-scale transformations are more than operational shifts—they redefine company identities. Alejandro Reyes offers lessons from decades of leadership experience on how organizations can navigate the complexity of change.
What Retail Software Really Means for Modern Commerce
From CRM to vendor management, retail software has become the backbone of omnichannel operations, helping retailers manage inventory, personalize marketing, and optimize supplier performance.
From Oasis to Omnichannel: Retail Insights Behind Culture, Sport, and Travel
Music, sports, and travel news may seem far from retail, but each reflects broader lessons in consumer culture, youth marketing, and trade show experiences that matter for the omnichannel ecosystem anchored in Bentonville.
Leading Transformative Initiatives in Global Organizations
Large-scale transformations are more than operational shifts—they redefine company identities. Alejandro Reyes offers lessons from decades of leadership experience on how organizations can navigate the complexity of change.
Barnes & Noble College and GameSquare Ignite Collegiate Esports Across 1,100 Campuses
Barnes & Noble College and GameSquare are launching a national esports initiative across 1,100 campus bookstores, engaging 6 million students with competitions and community-driven gaming experiences.
Evolution of Retail Outlet Distribution Shaped by Policy and Population
A new study finds that the distribution of retail outlets is strongly influenced by residential patterns, government policies, and shifting consumer demand, reshaping how cities grow and how people shop.
ICE Raids Trigger Massive Shockwaves in U.S. Produce Supply
ICE raids in California’s key produce region have caused labor shortages, crop losses, and produce price spikes, posing fresh challenges for the U.S. grocery supply chain.
The “Made in USA” Marketing Strategy: A Comprehensive Overview
U.S.-based brands often rely on global supply chains for essential components
Walmart International: More Than Just Revenue Streams
International operations serve as living laboratories
Walmart Sales Grow Despite Tariff and Cost Challenges
Walmart posted 4.6% U.S. sales growth last quarter, outpacing rivals even as tariffs and operating costs pressured margins.
Goldman Sachs Puts Walmart on Conviction Buy List
Goldman Sachs named Walmart to its Conviction List, highlighting the retailer’s strength in value pricing, e-commerce, and resilience against tariff pressures.
Bentonville Real Estate: Walmart’s Vendors Fuel Regional Expansion
As Walmart’s expanding campus and vendor network reshape Bentonville, soaring housing demand meets affordability challenges and urban development efforts.
Grocery Retail Reinvents Itself Through Automation and Omnichannel
Automation, omnichannel strategies, and retail media are reshaping grocery retail, offering long-term growth potential in food and logistics.
Five Pillars to Strengthen Omnichannel Retail
EY highlights five key strategies - insights, inventory, distribution, logistics, and real estate - that retailers must integrate to build resilient and customer-centric omnichannel operations.
Columbia Sportswear Navigates Tariff Turmoil with Global Expansion Strategy
Amid tariff pressures and cautious U.S. demand, Columbia Sportswear is leaning into international momentum, driven by robust growth in markets like EMEA and Asia, and unveiling a bold U.S. refresh under its ACCELERATE strategy to revitalize its brand.
Warby Parker Partners with College Football Star Arch Manning for Three-Year Deal
Warby Parker has signed a three-year partnership with Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning, blending marketing campaigns with community initiatives like the Pupils Project to spotlight both eyewear and social impact.
Leading Transformative Initiatives in Global Organizations
Large-scale transformations are more than operational shifts—they redefine company identities. Alejandro Reyes offers lessons from decades of leadership experience on how organizations can navigate the complexity of change.
Columbia Sportswear Navigates Tariff Turmoil with Global Expansion Strategy
Amid tariff pressures and cautious U.S. demand, Columbia Sportswear is leaning into international momentum, driven by robust growth in markets like EMEA and Asia, and unveiling a bold U.S. refresh under its ACCELERATE strategy to revitalize its brand.
Warby Parker Partners with College Football Star Arch Manning for Three-Year Deal
Warby Parker has signed a three-year partnership with Texas Longhorns quarterback Arch Manning, blending marketing campaigns with community initiatives like the Pupils Project to spotlight both eyewear and social impact.
From Oasis to Omnichannel: Retail Insights Behind Culture, Sport, and Travel
Music, sports, and travel news may seem far from retail, but each reflects broader lessons in consumer culture, youth marketing, and trade show experiences that matter for the omnichannel ecosystem anchored in Bentonville.
Barnes & Noble College and GameSquare Ignite Collegiate Esports Across 1,100 Campuses
Barnes & Noble College and GameSquare are launching a national esports initiative across 1,100 campus bookstores, engaging 6 million students with competitions and community-driven gaming experiences.
Top Grocery Trends Shaping Omnichannel in 2025
From real-time stock visibility to social commerce and AI personalization, grocery retailers are embracing omnichannel innovations that enhance convenience, boost conversions, and reshape shopping habits in 2025.
IKEA and Best Buy Team Up: Home Furnishings Meet Electronics in New Pilot Program
IKEA and Best Buy are testing a first-of-its-kind U.S. partnership, bringing IKEA’s home planning services and furniture into 10 Best Buy stores across Florida and Texas, blending design and technology to streamline home improvement projects.
Walmart Expands Grocery Discount for U.S. Employees
Walmart has widened its grocery discount benefit to cover nearly all food items, aiming to ease financial strain for its 1.6 million U.S. workers.
BOPIS: Why Shoppers Can't Get Enough of Buy Online, Pick Up In-Store
By saving time, cutting costs, and offering sensory engagement, BOPIS has become a preferred shopping method, and retailers are evolving it further with curbside pickup, smart lockers, and AI-driven efficiency.
Retail Startups Powered by Y Combinator in 2025
Y Combinator’s 2025 retail cohort features startups like Two Tap, Aleph, and SureBright, pioneering innovations in seamless checkout, marketplace scaling, and AI-powered warranties that are redefining modern commerce.
AdFury.ai: Scaling Retail Media Ads with Generative AI
Combining deep industry experience with AI-driven creativity, AdFury.ai streamlines retail media advertising, saving time, ensuring brand consistency, and boosting performance for brands on platforms like Walmart Connect.
Ep. 115 - AI-Powered Ad Creation at Scale
AdFury.ai is transforming retail media with generative AI that creates high performing ads at scale. Built in the retail capital of the world, the platform streamlines creative production and delivers smarter, data driven advertising for brands and agencies.
AI and Omnichannel Commerce Shape the Future of Indian Retail
India’s retail sector is embracing AI and omnichannel models as core strategies, a central theme at the upcoming ET Soonicorns Summit 2025.
What Retail Software Really Means for Modern Commerce
From CRM to vendor management, retail software has become the backbone of omnichannel operations, helping retailers manage inventory, personalize marketing, and optimize supplier performance.
Top Grocery Trends Shaping Omnichannel in 2025
From real-time stock visibility to social commerce and AI personalization, grocery retailers are embracing omnichannel innovations that enhance convenience, boost conversions, and reshape shopping habits in 2025.
Five Pillars to Strengthen Omnichannel Retail
EY highlights five key strategies - insights, inventory, distribution, logistics, and real estate - that retailers must integrate to build resilient and customer-centric omnichannel operations.
Evolution of Retail Outlet Distribution Shaped by Policy and Population
A new study finds that the distribution of retail outlets is strongly influenced by residential patterns, government policies, and shifting consumer demand, reshaping how cities grow and how people shop.
Beyond the Buzzword: Unpacking Fashion's Sustainability Claims
While many brands market themselves as sustainable, hidden practices like destroying unsold clothing reveal a harsher reality.
Top Green Companies Prove Sustainability Can Drive Profitability
The top 17 green companies are merging sustainability with innovation to create profitable, climate-resilient operations and supply chains.
Sustainability at Retail 2.0: Commerce with Purpose
Sustainability at Retail 2.0 is here. From circular models and blockchain transparency to energy efficiency, retailers are proving that purpose and profit can coexist. Learn how consumer demand and innovation are reshaping the future of retail.
Malls Embrace Omnichannel and Sustainability in 2025
Malls in 2025 are leveraging omnichannel tools and sustainability strategies to stay relevant and attract modern shoppers.
What Retail Software Really Means for Modern Commerce
From CRM to vendor management, retail software has become the backbone of omnichannel operations, helping retailers manage inventory, personalize marketing, and optimize supplier performance.
Agentic Commerce Goes Mainstream: A Retail Transformation
This week, agentic commerce—where autonomous AI agents shop on consumers’ behalf, leaped into the mainstream, with major publications and legacy platforms embracing the concept and signaling a fundamental shift in ecommerce.
Top Grocery Trends Shaping Omnichannel in 2025
From real-time stock visibility to social commerce and AI personalization, grocery retailers are embracing omnichannel innovations that enhance convenience, boost conversions, and reshape shopping habits in 2025.
Five Pillars to Strengthen Omnichannel Retail
EY highlights five key strategies - insights, inventory, distribution, logistics, and real estate - that retailers must integrate to build resilient and customer-centric omnichannel operations.