Global insights on omnichannel retail and commerce from the Doing Business in Bentonville Staff Report Team—expert analysis and trends shaping Bentonville’s role in the future of business.
This week’s coverage spotlights sustainability’s evolution, Walmart’s resilience in the face of tariffs, and how omnichannel innovation is reshaping grocery, fashion, and home retail.
Spartan Capital expects the U.S. economy to expand at a moderate pace in 2025, with growth between 2.25%–2.50%, but persistent inflation, policy uncertainties, and global risks suggest a cautious but optimistic environment for investors.
From CRM to vendor management, retail software has become the backbone of omnichannel operations, helping retailers manage inventory, personalize marketing, and optimize supplier performance.
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.
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.
EY highlights five key strategies - insights, inventory, distribution, logistics, and real estate - that retailers must integrate to build resilient and customer-centric omnichannel operations.
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.
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Walmart posted 4.6% U.S. sales growth last quarter, outpacing rivals even as tariffs and operating costs pressured margins.