This Week in Retail #100

ChatGPT goes shopping, Nike teams with Skims, and retailers tighten their holiday playbooks

Hey Friends,

Happy October and we celebrate the big 100 today (we have had more than 100 editions of this publication, but since I started this naming convention we are at 100).

Here is what we are covering today…….OpenAI is bringing commerce directly into ChatGPT with a new Instant Checkout feature, while retailers enter the 2025 holiday season with the leanest seasonal hiring plans since 2009. We take a look at the highly anticipated Nike x Skims debut and its mixed reception, as well as New York City’s running boom that has grown into a billion-dollar business. On the strategy side, Genesco is reorganizing its footwear brands under a new global retail group, and Target is rolling out industry-first accessible self-checkout technology. Finally, Stanley is doubling down on sustainability with a take-back program designed to extend product life and strengthen customer loyalty.

Let’s get into it……