If last year was the year of resale, then this year is the year of AI. Now, there’s a crossover.

EBay has released in beta a plug-in that, through generative AI, allows sellers to automatically generate text for their item descriptions based on product attributes, which helps cut down on the time and effort required to list items.

EBay is no stranger to using AI and deep learning models, but generative AI—the technology used in services like ChatGPT—is the next frontier for eBay, which aims to streamline the listing process for sellers, and the company in the future will integrate more applications to better curate niche products for its buyers.

“AI and deep learning has been infused throughout eBay. I think the difference in the last six months has been the dawn of the large language models that make this very conversational,” Eddie Garcia, eBay’s chief product officer, told Retail Brew. “The AI can create content, it can create images, it could write a description for the item. That’s the new innovation.”

How it works: A small percentage of eBay’s sellers can submit an image of a product with a brief description and with a click of a button, they can ask the AI to suggest a description of the product, which is actually one of the most difficult aspects of selling on eBay, Garcia said.

Keep reading here.—KM

There’s good reason for that. In-store kiosks are on the rise due to their low-cost ability to deliver an enhanced customer experience in both retail and restaurant settings. They’ve even inspired a few hilarious memes—the universal sign that you’ve really arrived.

The pandemic and ensuing labor crunch sped up the adoption of a lot of consumer-facing tech, and kiosks rest near the top of the list. So how do businesses use kiosks most effectively? Square is glad you asked:

• ordering and payment
• product info
• store wayfinding
• loyalty check-in

These are just a few of the ways retailers and restaurateurs use kiosks. And if you wanna tap into any of these customer experience enhancements, Square has the tips and tools to get you started.

After years of selling shapewear in the US, Kim Kardashian’s Skims is coming to the UK, starting with a pop-up shop at the Selfridges Corner Shop.

The space comes peppered with diving boards and palm tree structures and is designed in collaboration with French-Canadian creative director and designer Willo Perron. It marks the brand’s first European pop-up, which is open for visitors until July 8.

“I’m thrilled to open our first international pop-up experience at the iconic Selfridges Corner Shop,” Jens Grede, Skims co-founder and CEO, said in a statement. “We expect demand and buzz to be high as this is the first time Skims Swim will be available in retail outside of the US.”

The pop-up will also turn into a permanent shop-in-shop at Selfridges, after a redesign, another step in Skims’s plan to expand its physical footprint.

Keep reading here.—JS

After exiting Macy’s in 2021, Nike seemed to be on a path toward independence and pursuing a DTC-focused strategy. In 2022, the retailer also cut ties with DSW and other wholesale partners.

But in a surprising turn of events, Nike is trying to rebuild the wholesale bridges it burned, starting with DSW, where it will start reselling its shoes this October, in stores and online.

“They’ve been great partners and we’re excited to be able to offer that across stores and digital,” DSW parent company Designer Brands CEO Doug Howe said on a June 8 call with analysts. “We’ll thoughtfully, with their partnership, build that business back.”

And DSW is not the only one. Nike will also start selling at Macy’s again. This fall, the retailer will display a selection of Nike apparel for men, women, and kids, alongside bags and gear, across “key locations nationwide” CEO Jeff Gennette said in a June 1 earnings call.

Nike has additionally reinvigorated its heavily toned-down relationship with Foot Locker.

Keep reading here.—JS

Today’s top retail reads.

New ways: Emerging designers are pivoting to selling their collections in January and June ahead of their runway presentations. But why? (Vogue Business)

Fashion-forward: In a bid to change its image as a discount destination, Walmart is now selling pricier apparel and home goods, which might serve up some serious competition to speciality stores. (Reuters)

Consider this: The Canadian wildfires that sent toxic smoke across parts of the US and Canada had another effect: driving up sales of air purifiers. (Modern Retail)

Study up: Got back-to-school season on the brain? Join LTK on June 14 for a live virtual event on how creator marketing can help elevate brand awareness and drive results during B2S shopping.*

5-star expectations: Customers expect a seamless, white-glove shopping experience, especially with today’s direct-from-social shopping. Join Retail Brew’s virtual event and hear from industry pros about keeping up with expectations. Sponsored by Cloudinary.*

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Three of the stories below are real...and one is most definitely not. Can you spot the fake?

1. Life Raft Treats released a frozen TV dinner that looks pretty normal—fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, peas and carrots—but is actually made entirely of ice cream.
2. A Louisiana-based food company set up a fried-chicken hotline that helps callers decide what to pair their fried chicken with.
3. Taco Bell has teamed up with Crocs to release a limited edition set of slides.
4. A Scottish pub in a remote village is giving away a free pint of beer to anyone who is able to hike to the location.

Keep reading for the answer.