Retail sales rose 0.4% in September, better than expected at CNBC. “Excluding autos, sales accelerated 0.5%, better than the forecast for just a 0.1% rise. The numbers are adjusted for seasonal factors but not inflation, which rose 0.2% on the month as measured by the consumer price index.” Read more

 

Walmart’s CTO places bigger bets on generative AI as customer shopping habits evolve at Fortune/Yahoo. “The search bar is no longer the way to shop,” says Vasudev. That’s led Walmart to pivot by announcing this month that it’s starting to use predictive models and generative AI to offer a personalized version of walmart.com for every American shopper. The feature will fully roll out by the end of next year. “The way we’re thinking about applying AI and generative AI is to offer highly curated experiences and content,” says Vasudev.” Read more

 

The Old-School Spy Tactics Helping to Set Your Grocery Prices at WSJ. “It is common to send an employee across the street to a competitor three times a week to check prices on about 30 items. Neighboring stores might even recognize the rival price checker, but won’t stop them or throw them out because it is so common, McCann said. “If you kick them out, they’ll kick you out,” he said.” WSJ subs.

 

U.S. ecommerce sales for the first two weeks of October were up 3% over a year ago at Signifyd. “Grocery and apparel led the way, and electronics saw a notable decline in year-over-year sales. Discount use in early October was up by 22% over last year…” Press release

 

Best Buy hoping supersize TVs will get more holiday shoppers to splurge on electronics at Minnesota Star Tribune. “As prices fall and options grow, more Americans are gravitating toward XXL TVs, which have screens larger than 97″…So far this year, sales of XXL TVs have jumped nearly 900% while prices have dropped in half, according to Circana. On average, an XXL screen now costs about $3,100; Best Buy has one on sale for $2,000.” Read more

 

Ulta Beauty plans to open 200 net new stores over the next three years Press release

 

Kids are sucking down baby food pouches at record rates. ‘We’re going to pay for it,’ experts say at LA Times/Yahoo. “Pouches are highly processed foods,” said Dr. Steven Abrams, a professor of pediatrics at the University of Texas at Austin Dell Medical School. “They certainly serve as a quick snack, but we need to make sure that pouches don’t make up too much of a toddler’s diet. We want kids to learn to chew and eat foods like meat, and fruits and vegetables that are not processed.” Read more

 

NRF: Holiday spending is expected to grow between 2.5% and 3.5% Press release

 

Bed Bath & Beyond brand will be available at Container Store locations at Fox Business. “Beyond Inc., which owns brands including Bed Bath & Beyond, Overstock and Zulily, said it’s investing $40 million in the Container Store Group.” Read more

 

‘Danger’ to children: Amazon among online marketplaces selling unsafe toys in Europe at CNN

 

Additive in oat and almond milk linked to colon cancer – and why dairy is popular again at Daily Mail