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Target Joins the Warning Parade

| Mike O'Brien

Target joined fellow retail bellwethers Walmart, Home Depot and Amazon in warning about softness in consumer demand for 2023 as it reported better-than-expected earnings and revenue for Q4, although the figures cleared a lower bar.

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5 Branding Truths That Never Go Out of Style

| Maureen Plowman

There are a few branding truths that never go out of style when building a new brand story. The identity of your company and the experience you are providing for your customers and potential customers have never been more important in today’s competitive markets. To help you succeed, here are the top 5 truths about branding.

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Amazon Expanding Same-Day Capabilities

| Mike O'Brien

Amazon is aggressively expanding same-day delivery capabilities after a major pullback in planned fulfillment facilities which overshot demand when the pandemic boom receded. Feeling the competitive heat, Amazon is redirecting its investments toward smaller hubs closer to customers, making fast delivery a higher priority in 2023.

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Livestream Shopping Enhanced by Newegg to Attract Creators

| Mike O'Brien

Newegg is adding enhancements to its livestream shopping program in an effort to attract more creators who can earn commissions by selling tech products on eight different social media channels plus its own website and app, using the company’s upgraded production studios in California for free.

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Compostable Apparel: A Conversation with Eric Liedtke of Unless Collective

| Mike O'Brien

Unless Collective, a Portland, OR startup creating plant- and mineral-based footwear and apparel, is one of a handful of companies making a difference by its conscious choice of materials and manufacturing. Co-Founder and CEO Eric Liedtke, a nearly 30-year veteran of Adidas, talks about the company’s vision in our MCM CommerceChat podcast.

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Moosejaw Being Acquired by Dick’s Sporting Goods

| Mike O'Brien

Moosejaw Mountaineering, the outdoor lifestyle retailer acquired by Walmart as it was building up its stable of digital native brands in the last decade, has now been purchased by Dick’s Sporting Goods, a more natural home for its products and audience as Dick’s looks to expand its vendor base.

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Branded Group Sued by Acquired Seller for Non-Payment

| Mike O'Brien

Branded Group, a New York-based acquirer of digitally native brands, is being sued by Austin Naturals, a company it purchased in 2021, whose principals allege they are due $1.25M million as part of their agreement. The deferred payment was contingent on Austin Naturals hitting a first-year EBITDA target, which it claims it did.

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Walmart Cautious in 2023 Outlook

| Mike O'Brien

Walmart reported ecommerce growth of 17% in Q4 to $80 billion, representing 13% of total sales, and beat expectations overall, but warned of a challenging climate for the rest of the year based on consumer sentiment and macro signals, sending uneasiness through the industry and the markets.

Subscription-Based Businesses: 5 Lessons for Marketers

| Theresa McEndree

By dialing up loyalty strategies, subscription-based businesses can foster strong customer bonds as they ride out unpredictable fluctuations, creating an infrastructure where commerce and loyalty converge. Here are 5 takeaways marketers can employ to drive retention and scale while creating powerful brand experiences that drive stickiness.

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ChatGPT, Generative AI and How They’re Impacting Retail

| Mike O'Brien

ChatGPT, the generative AI tool based on Microsoft-backed OpenAI technology, is creating media buzz on a new level, with its much-touted ability to create human-seeming language, content and interactions for just about any business or private context. It’s also causing major disruption in retail, even as ethical and legal issues arise.