The Weekender news and trends

The PYMNTS Weekender: Tay Tay Mania Edition
The Weekender // October 04, 2025

Alert your bank app and open up your bracelet‑making kit: Taylor Swift is back to stress‑test the payments rails. With “The Life of a Showgirl” having landed Friday (Oct. 3), the Swift economy is spinning up a retail carnival: vinyl colorways, midnight big‑box runs, neighborhood listening parties...

Barbie Gets a Brain: OpenAI Partnership Puts Conversational AI in Mattel Toys
Artificial Intelligence // June 28, 2025

Hot Wheels and Barbie’s Dreamhouse just got a software update. 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...

Labubu Is Becoming Its Own Asset Class
Retail // June 21, 2025

If you’ve scrolled through Instagram lately or wandered the halls of Art Basel, you’ve likely spotted a wide-eyed, snaggle-toothed gremlin dangling from a Hermès Birkin or peeking out of a Balenciaga tote. Meet Labubu. Get the Full Story Complete the form to unlock this article...

Drones Take Flight — From Prime Air to Poolside Prosecco
The Weekender // June 07, 2025

If you thought the future of eCommerce delivery was all about electric vans and AI-powered routing, think again. The sky — quite literally — is the new frontier for last-mile logistics. Drones, once the stuff of sci-fi and military operations, are now delivering everything from chicken...