Retail news and trends

Retail Sales Hold Up as Walmart and Amazon Go Back to School

July 16, 2026
back to school shopping, retail, amazon, walmart
Retail Sales Shift to Essentials as Discretionary Spending Slows
Retail // July 16, 2026

In June, retail sales continued to grow, but the composition of that growth saw consumers making more deliberate choices about where their money goes. Households continued to spend where purchases were difficult to postpone, while many discretionary categories struggled to gain traction. For merchants, banks...

Uber Eats Expands Retail Delivery Push With GameStop and Foot Locker Partnerships
Delivery // July 16, 2026

Uber Eats has continued its expansion into deliveries of goods beyond meals by forming partnerships with gaming retailer GameStop and three footwear, apparel and accessories retail brands affiliated with Foot Locker. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited...

48% of Online Shoppers Now Use AI Before Buying
Artificial Intelligence // July 16, 2026

AI agents have moved from the wish list to the shopping cart. The next test is simple: Can merchants keep control when software starts acting like a customer? Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to...

AI Helps Food Brands Spot Viral Trends Before They Peak
Artificial Intelligence // July 15, 2026

When Dubai chocolate went viral on TikTok in 2024, several major confectionery brands didn’t launch competing versions until after the trend had already peaked. That lag from trend signal to store shelf is the central operational problem for large consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies in...

Interviews & Exclusives
Smarter Tokens Could Make AI Purchases Auditable

July 15, 2026
Watch more: Summer School | IXOPAY | Jill Willard Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required. yesSubscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today. By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to […]

FIS Sees $42 Billion Opportunity in Offers Consumers Never Receive

July 15, 2026
Watch more: Need to Know | FIS | Mladen Vladic Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content...

The Grocery Run No Longer Belongs to One Retailer

July 14, 2026
A weekly grocery run seems like the perfect opportunity to fill a shopping cart with everything else a household needs. New data suggests consumers increasingly see it differently. Get the...

The New Storefront Is the AI Conversation

July 09, 2026
Retail is getting a first-principles upgrade at the hands, or lack of them, of artificial intelligence. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited...

Quick Reads
Uber Eats Expands Retail Delivery Push With GameStop and Foot Locker Partnerships

July 16, 2026
Uber Eats has continued its expansion into deliveries of goods beyond meals by forming partnerships with gaming retailer GameStop and three footwear, apparel and accessories retail brands affiliated with Foot Locker. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins […]

Thredd and Visa Enable AI-Powered Card Payments for EU

July 15, 2026
Artificial intelligence-focused issuer-processing platform Thredd joined the Visa Agentic Ready program, according to a Wednesday (July 15) press release. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article...

Price Hikes Trigger Smartphone Sales Slump

July 13, 2026
Global smartphone sales dropped to their lowest second-quarter level in 13 years as manufacturers passed on to consumers the rising cost of memory components, Counterpoint Research said in a Monday...

PepsiCo Says Gas Prices Cutting Into US Consumer Food Spending

July 09, 2026
PepsiCo says high prices at the pump are keeping consumers from heading into the store to buy snacks. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article and...