The Week in Commerce Marketing — Retail, E-commerce and DTC: April 11, 2025 edition

Welcome to The Week in Commerce Marketing — Retail, E-commerce and DTC, a weekly roundup for marketers from Quad Insights.

Best Buy just announced the launch of a new program that allows influencers and creators to partner directly with the tech retailer. Designed to “help shoppers discover new technology and the amazing ways it can elevate their lives,” per a brand announcement, the Best Buy Creator program includes a new curated shopping experience called Best Buy storefronts. The shops enable creators and influencers to showcase the products featured in their content and earn a commission. Best Buy is launching the initiative with YouTube tech influencers Linus Sebastian, UrAvgConsumer (Judner Aura) and Jenna Ezarik, with plans to expand the program to include other creators over time.

Previously: “Best Buy positions itself as a discovery hub with its latest brand refresh,” from the July 26, 2024 edition of The Week in Retail.

More operations and innovations:

• “Retailers like Target and Nordstrom are rethinking their approach to small-format stores” (Modern Retail)
• “Variety Wholesalers to Reopen 219 Big Lots Stores by June” (Retail TouchPoints)
• “DTC footwear brand Vivaia opens first US store” (Retail Dive)
• “Wegmans updates mobile app, website for personalized shopping experience” (Drug Store News)
• “Etsy Revamps App Experience to Propel More Discovery, Inspiration” (Retail TouchPoints)
• “Direct-to-consumer men’s grooming retailer Harry’s Inc. rebrands” (Chain Store Age)
• “Amazon taps AI for automatic product recommendations” (CX Dive)
• ICYMI: “GoodRx Partners with Hy-Vee to Enhance Online Prescription Shopping” (Retail TouchPoints)
• ICYMI: “Amazon’s ‘Buy for Me’ AI will purchase stuff from third-party websites” (Engadget)
• ICYMI: “Ulta Beauty to pause Target shop-in-shop expansion this year” (Retail Brew)

As music festival season gets underway, PacSun is positioning itself as “the go-to brand for fashion, music and cultural relevance,” launching a pop-up for festivalgoers in the desert of Palm Springs April 10-12, per a brand announcement. Timed to Coachella’s first weekend (April 11-13), PacSun’s three-day Roadside Stand activation, promoted via a dedicated billboard, will offer visitors a curated experience that includes brand collaborations and exclusive merchandise, including festival-focused attire for men and women. In addition, PacSun is sponsoring and will have a presence at Neon Carnival — an invite-only, after-hours event known for drawing celebrities.

Previously: “PacSun launches limited-edition Mike Tyson collection and activation,” from the Nov. 15, 2024 edition of this column.

More brand activations and promotions:

• “Loft to Kick Off ‘Summer of Loft’ at Camp Poosh at Coachella” (Women’s Wear Daily)
• “FAO Schwarz Hosts Month-Long Unicorn Academy Take Over” (Licensing International)
• “Lidl Sets The Holiday Table With Easter Deals” (Store Brands)
• “Target serves up Easter meal at last year’s price” (Grocery Dive)
• “Affordable Easter Made Easy With Kroger’s $6 Meal per Person Deal” (RetailWire)

That’s the amount, in cash, that Prada Group has agreed to pay to acquire Versace from Capri Holdings — a deal expected to close by the end of the year — according to announcements from both brands on Thursday, Fashion Dive’s Laurel Deppen reports, noting that Versace “will maintain its creative and cultural identity” under the new ownership. (See more industry and marketing stats in the latest edition of The Weekly 10 from Quad Insights.)

More commerce insights:

• “Walmart’s New Gen AI Tool Cuts Lead Times on Fashion Items by 18 Weeks” (Sourcing Journal)
• “Costco reports strong March sales as e-commerce surges” (Chain Store Age)

Neiman Marcus and fragrance subscription service Scentbird just announced a partnership designed to make it easier for customers to discover new fragrances. Called Neiman’s Select, the new collaboration features 30 fragrances curated by the luxury retailer, including brands such as Montale, Fragrance du Bois and Mind Games. Scentbird subscribers can select fragrances they’d like to sample through Neiman’s Select, for which they’ll receive an 8 mL travel-size bottle in a complimentary fragrance case. Scentbird is also working with Neiman Marcus to drive use of Neiman’s Select through customer engagements and partnerships with influencers to “share how fragrance elevates their daily routines and reflects their unique identities,” per a Scentbird announcement.

Previously: “Neiman Marcus launches campaign starring Ayo Edebiri and Colman Doming,” from the Aug. 23, 2024 edition of this column.

See also: “MIND GAMES Unveils Exclusive In-Store Luxury Experience with Neiman Marcus” (License Global)

More brand collabs and partnerships:

• “Target beefs up online grocery offerings with ButcherBox partnership” (Grocery Dive)
• “Wrangler Drops ‘The Last of Us’ Apparel Collection Ahead of Season 2” (License Global)
• “Nicki Minaj and Løci Drop Second Limited-Edition Collection of Their Best-Selling Sneaker Line” (Footwear News)
• “Under Armour, Unless partner on plant-based sportswear collection” (Retail Dive)
• “WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries and Sephora Announce Multiyear Partnership Debuting With New Performance Center” (Women’s Wear Daily)
• “Levi’s and Denim Tears celebrate New Orleans Heritage” (Sourcing Journal)
• “St. Regis Hotels & Resorts Partners With Staud for Exclusive Resort Accessories Capsule” (Women’s Wear Daily)
• “Reiss, New York Botanical Garden Launch Fashion Collaboration” (License Global)
• ICYMI: “Reebok Basketball Signs WNBA Dallas Wings Star DiJonai Carrington” (Footwear News)

JCPenney just announced the launch of a brand-free ad campaign designed to transform the department store’s “image as a coupon destination to a must-shop fashion brand,” per a brand announcement. Beginning this week with ads in Times Square as well as in Simon and Brookfield malls across the country, and culminating in TV spots that begin airing on Saturday (April 12), the campaign features “eye-catching fashion and must-have products” designed to get people guessing, as the ads will all be unbranded. Only by scanning a QR code will consumers learn that JCPenney is behind the campaign. On Thursday, the department store also began teaming up with ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” to drop “Really Big Deals” on home, beauty, fashion and other products, which will continue every Thursday for seven weeks.

More brand campaigns:

• “ShopRite’s New Campaign Spotlights Local Owners and Shoppers” (RetailWire)
• “Target launches campaign highlighting spring merchandise” (Retail Dive)
• “Nordstrom to Showcase Tory Burch Sandal Offering in Latest Make Room for Shoes Campaign” (Footwear News)
• ICYMI: “In tandem with Ulta Beauty launch, Cécred invests in first brand campaign” (Glossy)