The Week in Commerce Marketing — Retail, E-commerce and DTC: January 17, 2025 edition

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

Walmart just officially unveiled a brand refresh designed to reflect its “evolution as a people-led, tech-powered omnichannel retailer,” per a brand announcement. The new visual identity includes “more vibrant yellows and blues (technically True Blue and Spark Yellow), a bigger emphasis on the sunburst-like ‘spark’ icon Walmart implemented in 2008” and updated typography that’s “a custom design based on the font Antique Olive that Walmart is calling Everyday Sans,” Retail Dive’s Peter Adams reports. Walmart quietly rolled out the new look last October at its test store location in Springdale, Arkansas; it’s slated to spread to the brand’s website and app this month, followed by other brick-and-mortar locations across the country over time.

Previously:

• “Walmart dominates private-label brands, study shows,” from the Aug. 16 edition of this column.
• “Walmart launches ‘advertainment’ series parodying hit shows in early holiday push,” from the Nov. 1 edition of this column.

See also: “Walmart expands Zepeto metaverse collaboration to include e-commerce” (Chain Store Age)

Amazon just announced that on Jan. 31 it will end its “Try Before You Buy” feature, which allows Amazon Prime members to try on select apparel, shoes and accessories at home prior to making a purchase, Wyatte Grantham-Philips of The Associated Press reports. An Amazon spokesperson cited the increasing number of people utilizing the retailer’s other tools, including virtual try-on and personalized size recommendations, as reasons for the phase-out.

Previously: “Amazon debuts ‘Amazon Haul’ shopping experience featuring products $20 and under,” from the Nov. 15 edition of this column.

More retail and e-commerce news:

• “Inside Fabletics’ plan to become a $1 billion brand in 2 years” (Glossy)
• “First Look: Camp L.L. Bean store opens in Maine” (Chain Store Age)
• “DoorDash Brings Portable Benefits Savings Pilot Program to Georgia” (Progressive Grocer)
• “Sephora to redesign entire North American store fleet” (Retail Dive)
• “Instacart strikes deals to bring smart carts to independent grocers” (Grocery Dive)
• “Buckle Adopts Aptos ONE POS to Bring Unified Commerce to 440+ Stores” (Retail TouchPoints)
• “Duluth Trading Co. fills digital orders from stores” (Chain Store Age)
• “Google, Microsoft Woo Retailers With AI Agents” (MediaPost)

That’s the share of adult Gen Z shoppers (those 18 to 27 years old) who said they shop in-store at least once a week, according to a survey from payment technology company Adyen, per Chain Store Age. (See more industry and marketing stats in the most recent edition of The Weekly 10 from Quad Insights.)

More commerce insights:

• “US Fashion Retailers Added 23K Jobs in December” (Footwear News)
• “Aldi Survey Finds 25% Of Americans Shop The Grocer” (Store Brands)
• “Apparel, accessories and footwear spending fell 3% in 2024: report” (Fashion Dive)
• “Online grocery sales see 19% YOY growth spurt in December” (Supermarket News)
• “New Balance clocks $7.8 billion in sales with strong holiday season” (Retail Brew)
• “Meat, Berries and Prepared Foods Among 2024 Grocery Standouts” (Progressive Grocer)
• “New SAP Emarsys Report: 83% of Consumers Feel Brands Don’t Value Their Loyalty” (Women’s Wear Daily)
• “China Exports Skyrocket 10.7% in December as Trump Tariffs Near” (Sourcing Journal)
• “Luxury market growth will be minimal until at least 2027: report” (Fashion Drive)
• “Private Label Sales Rose 3.9% in 2024 to $271 Billion” (Licensing International)

Le Creuset just launched a new Valentine’s Day–inspired collection “ideal for lovers of charming kitchen accessories or those who want to add an endearing touch to a Valentine’s Day dinner,” Trend Hunter’s Kanesa D reports. The collection features heart-shaped cookware, bakeware and kitchen accessories — from skillets to salt and pepper shakers — Better Homes & Gardens’ Alicia Geigel notes. Le Creuset’s Valentine’s Day Collection is available at Lecreuset.com, with pieces starting at $15.

More product launches:

• “Crocs Launches its Red and Pink-Themed Valentine’s Collection” (Trend Hunter)
• “Anthropologie Introduces Celadine, a New Exclusive Resortwear Brand, With Partnerships and Pop-up Events” (Women’s Wear Daily)
• “Estée Lauder Introduces ‘In Great Taste’ Collection with Ladurée” (Happi)
• “Spanx adds new activewear collection” (Fashion Dive)

In an unusual brand collaboration, Coach has partnered with content distribution and animation studio King Features to release a collection inspired by cartoon character Popeye the Sailor in celebration of his 95th birthday, License Global reports. Popeye x Coach features a variety of items — from t-shirts to sweaters to handbags — “featuring early black-and-white illustrations of the spinach-loving Sailor Man,” License Global notes. The collection is available for purchase online at Coach.com.

More from Quad: “10 surprising brand collaborations — from the amusing to the absurd”

More brand collabs and partnerships:

• “Justice Launches Candy-Inspired Fashion Line with Ring Pop and Bazooka” (License Global)
• “Ground Up x Kids Foot Locker Debut Hello Kitty High-Top Sneakers” (Trend Hunter)
• “Kith Announces Its First-Ever Partnership With the New York Rangers” (Footwear News)
• “Undercover nailed its latest collaboration with Levi’s” (Rivet)