“Code Red”: Sam Altman Orders Overhaul of ChatGPT as AI Competition Heats Up
OpenAI has declared a “code red” to prioritize major improvements to ChatGPT’s speed, reliability, and personalization, pausing other projects as competition intensifies.
Staff Report
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.
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Walmart’s Holiday Tech Push Drives Sales Lift
Walmart’s updated app, AI assistants, and smart in‑store tools helped boost customer spend by ~25% this holiday season — highlighting the power of digital hospitality for mass‑market retail.
AI Tools Power a Surge: Nearly $12 B in U.S. Black Friday Online Sales
AI-powered shopping tools helped drive record U.S. Black Friday online sales — nearly $12 billion — as shoppers turned to chatbots and recommendation engines for faster, smarter holiday purchasing.
Chick‑fil‑A to Build $150M Distribution Hub in Florida to Support 170‑Plus Restaurants
Chick‑fil‑A Supply is building a new $150 million distribution center in Winter Haven, Florida — a 244,000 sq ft facility set to create 180+ jobs and support around 170 restaurants across the state by 2027.
Amazon Tests 30-Minute Delivery for Essentials
Amazon is piloting 30-minute delivery for groceries and household items in Seattle and Philadelphia, signaling a new standard in ultra-fast fulfillment.
BNSF & CSX Launch Faster Coast‑to‑Coast Intermodal Lanes in Major Rail Push
BNSF and CSX unveil new intermodal lanes cutting coast‑to‑coast transit times by up to 52 hours, offering shippers faster, more flexible and sustainable freight alternatives to trucking.
Macy’s Raises Earnings, Signals Confidence in 2025 Holiday Season
Macy’s delivered a surprise Q3 profit and raised full-year earnings and sales guidance, reflecting renewed confidence as the retailer heads into the critical 2025 holiday season.
Holiday Weekend Draws Record 203 M Shoppers; Signals Strong Retail Momentum
A record 203 million Americans shopped between Thanksgiving and Cyber Monday — buoyed by a 9% rise in online purchases and a 3% increase in store visits — setting the foundation for what could become the first U.S. $1 trillion holiday retail season.
Mastering Digital Hospitality for Customer Engagement
Digital hospitality creates seamless, personalized experiences across platforms—boosting customer satisfaction, loyalty, and business growth in today’s experience-first economy.
Regenerative Agriculture: Farming for Profit and Planet
Regenerative agriculture offers a profitable path to sustainability by restoring soil health, boosting yields, and meeting rising consumer demand for eco-conscious products.
Startups Driving the Future of Omnichannel Retail
Startups like PredictSpring, NewStore, and Fluent Commerce are redefining omnichannel retail by delivering innovative, tech-driven solutions that help brands integrate digital and physical shopping experiences seamlessly.
Why Conversion Rate Optimization Matters for E‑Commerce Growth
Conversion Rate Optimization (CRO) turns existing website traffic into profit by improving user experience, reducing friction, and systematically converting more visitors into customers.
Costco Sues U.S. Government to Secure Tariff Refunds
Costco has filed suit to safeguard its right to tariff refunds, challenging sweeping IEEPA‑based trade duties and underscoring risks to global supply‑chain sourcing and retail pricing.
Supplier Emissions Take Center Stage: Why 2026 Could Be a Turning Point for Corporate Supply Chain Climate Action
With supply‑chain emissions often representing the largest share of a company’s carbon footprint, 2026 is shaping up as a turning point — forcing brands to build supplier‑level emission transparency into procurement, sourcing, and climate strategy.
Black Friday 2025 Shows Modest Growth, But E‑Commerce Still Leads
Black Friday 2025 posted a 4.1% rise in overall U.S. retail sales — led by a 10.4% surge in e‑commerce — highlighting consumers’ growing preference for digital shopping even as holiday budgets tighten.
10 Roads Express Shutdown Throws USPS Supply Chain Into Disarray
The shutdown and layoffs at 10 Roads Express are disrupting mail and parcel delivery and exposing cracks in the U.S. logistics network, with ripple effects for retailers dependent on reliable fulfilment.