Talk to any sneakerhead and they’ll tell you authenticity matters (and what they copped in the latest Jordan drop).

The practice of buying, trading, and reselling sneakers has become its own market, but the worst-case scenario for buyers is paying for something that’s not the real deal.

As we’ve previously covered, eBay historically was the place for consumers to buy and sell rare products and collectibles, but the company has faced increased competition from emerging online marketplaces like StockX and Grailed. Even Nike launched its own refurbished resale business in 2021.

It’s why eBay has gone all in to court the most dedicated sneakerheads, by building its authenticity guarantee program, which ensures that every transaction made on the site is vetted by experts before shipping off to a seller. And it’s a strategy the company will employ as it seeks to build out its streetwear offerings as well.

“This is a group that, without trust, you really can’t engage with them,” Garry Thaniel, global general manager of sneakers and streetwear at eBay, told Retail Brew. “They have to trust that products are real, [and] they know their products as well.”

Keep reading here.—JS

Remember when Dunkin’ was “Dunkin’ Donuts”? Even with a new identity, coffee lovers can still spot the beloved establishment from a mile away. From football teams to pancake mixes, a lot of household names have opted for new monikers over the past few years.

Whether branding has been tweaked or scrapped completely, learn why top companies have decided to change outdated or offensive logos and names. Also, find out how big names maintain brand recognition through visual design cues and placing value on a strong customer relationship. Read the story from Marketing Brew.

During the pandemic, Heather Kaminetsky was perusing e-commerce sites when she took note of German luxury e-commerce site MyTheresa and was impressed by its curation of luxury merchandise.

With over 300 high-end brands like Gucci and Loewe on its site, Kaminetsky’s impression was that it represented “true luxury,” she told Retail Brew. It was then that she decided to leverage her years of experience at startups and retailers, including Barney’s and Net-A-Porter, to bring MyTheresa to the US.

And after proposing the idea and having hours long conversations with the company’s CEO, she was brought on board as president of the company’s North American arm, and the site officially launched in the US in June 2021.

“The reason the US honestly was so important is because the opportunity was right in front of us,” she told Retail Brew. “We had the product, we have great service, but just nobody knows what MyTheresa is in the US, so we launched here.”

In November 2022, roughly 17 months after launching, gross merchandise revenue was up 21%, hitting 197.9 million euros (~$217.5 million) while gross profit margin rose from 49% to 49.9% as the US remained a key growth market for the company.

Keep reading here.—JS

We hope everyone had a good Earth Day weekend. Let’s close out the final week of April with a shortlist of happenings in the retail world.

In earnings: On Thursday, Amazon will host an earnings call just a couple weeks after CEO Andy Jassy penned his second annual shareholder letter highlighting the company's cost-cutting measures, including cutting 27,000 jobs.

• In the letter released April 13, Jassy noted that Amazon has faced one of the more challenging periods in the company’s history.

“While there were an unusual number of simultaneous challenges this past year, the reality is that if you operate in large, dynamic, global market segments with many capable and well-funded competitors (the conditions in which Amazon operates all of its businesses), conditions rarely stay stagnant for long,” Jassy wrote.

Tomorrow, McDonald’s will release its Q1 earnings before the market opens, and analysts expect the fast-food chain to build on its success. In Q4, McDonald’s saw increased traffic in the US, as consumers flocked away from full-service restaurants.

• The company also found success through its McRib “farewell tour” promotion.
• Internationally, McDonald’s same-store sales increased 12.6% YoY, with strong performances in Europe.

McDonald’s will also start selling cups of its Big Mac special sauce, or you can get it free with your McNuggets.

Other earnings this week include Coca-Cola (Monday), PepsiCo and Chipotle (Tuesday), eBay (Wednesday), and The Hershey Company, and Pinterest (Friday).

Keep reading here.—KM

Today’s top retail reads.

Search party: Why the Tupperware brand has been “struggling.” (CNN)

Mostly on the plain: A drought in Spain is causing record-high olive oil prices. (the Financial Times)

High premiums: Cannabis businesses have to pay extra 💲 for insurance. (Marketplace)

At the mall, it’s where band tees are the only tees. In Retail Brew, it’s where we invite readers to weigh in on a trending retail topic.

The New York Times recently reported that more restaurants and cafes are allowing dogs inside and featuring menu items just for them.

You tell us: What do you think about restaurants and cafes that allow dogs? Cast your vote here.

Circling back: Some delivery drivers for apps like DoorDash and Uber Eats report that while tips went up at the height of the pandemic, they’re now way down, and many are struggling to make a living with inflation. So last week, we asked how you have been tipping restaurant delivery drivers, and 37.6% of you told us that you never changed your tipping rate and have tipped about the same since before the pandemic to this day. Another 30.7% of you started tipping more generously at the height of the pandemic, but you’re not tipping as much now, while 17.8% started tipping more generously at the height of the pandemic and are still tipping at that rate now. Finally, 13.9% of you rarely or never use restaurant delivery, or didn’t know or weren’t sure.

Catch up on the Retail Brew stories you may have missed.

• CBA’s new CEO on CPG storytelling
• Fanatics and WWE expand retail partnership
• Snap wants to change the way we shop