Jason Del Rey is a business journalist who spent nine years at Recode, where his beat included covering Amazon and Walmart. He also hosted the podcast Land of the Giants: The Rise of Amazon. His new book, Winner Sells All: Amazon, Walmart, and the Battle for our Wallets, details the long-running rivalry between the globe’s two biggest retailers. We asked Del Rey about the ripple effects of Amazon buying Whole Foods, Walmart’s purchase of Bonobos, and the underappreciated importance of the middle mile.

This is the conclusion of a two-part interview. It has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Amazon purchased Whole Foods in 2017. I love this passage, where you write, “The acquisition was also received by grocery store executives, including Walmart, as a warning flare. Amazon was coming.” Why was this so momentous?

I heard of emergency board meetings all over the retail industry when that happened because, first of all, everyone was just scared of Amazon, period. But I think people had a real fear that if Amazon had physical retail locations, they could really increase their speed of delivery and convenience that was already an advantage over physical retailers. They also just saw in the grocery industry that Amazon was dead serious about taking a big bite out of that sector with fresh groceries. And who knows where they’ll go next?

Keep reading here.—AAN

The fast-moving retail world has lots of stories to tell. To all the retail experts, enthusiasts, and industry insiders trying to keep up: Placer.ai rounded up all the latest data-driven stories for you.

First up: grocery trends. Ever wonder how grocers are adapting to changing consumer behaviors? Grab Placer.ai’s 5 Major Grocery Trends Shaping the Industry in 2023.

And for retail advertising networks: Retailers and advertisers can leverage foot-traffic analytics to continue taking the ad world by storm. How? Find out in this on-demand webinar, The Evolution of the Retail Media Network.

Last but not least, malls: Despite what you may have heard, malls have continued attracting hundreds of millions of visits. This white paper studies recent location analytics to better understand why.

A hearty helping of info indeed. Happy retailing.

New Yorkers who want to get an early jump on shopping to outfit their progeny’s dorm room, but who’ve not been paying attention to retail news (inexcusable!), may show up at Bed Bath & Beyond on Sixth Avenue in the Chelsea section of Manhattan only to find that the store is well and truly shuttered.

But if they look directly across the avenue, The Container Store beckons, with a window display promoting its partnership with Dormify, the DTC dorm-decor brand.

Inside is a Dormify store within The Container Store, featuring two single beds ensconced in Dormify bedding, along with headboards with built-in charging stations, pillows, throws, and—Good morning, Sunshine!—shower caddies with handles for those special shared-bathroom moments.

The store-within-a-store concept is one of five in Container Store locations across the country, the others being Austin, Costa Mesa, Houston, and Nashville. Smaller Dormify displays in another 35 stores include displays with QR codes to order Dormify items online. The stores will remain open until September 4.

Through the partnership, Dormify items also are available on The Container Store website.

Amanda Zuckerman, Dormify’s president and chief brand officer, who co-founded the brand in 2011 with her mother, Karen Zuckerman, while she was still an undergraduate at Washington University in St. Louis, told Retail Brew that her company originally pitched a store-within-a-store concept to Bed Bath & Beyond around 2014 or 2015.

Keep reading here.—AAN

“Fast-fashion behemoth Shein recently pulled a Willy Wonka and invited a few influencers to tour one of its 6,000 factories. But instead of generating positive PR, the creators who went are getting flamed for promoting what’s being called a propaganda trip,” writes Morning Brew’s Molly Liebergall:

Despite the brand’s history of alleged environmental harm and human rights abuses, a bunch of videos set to upbeat music show the fashion influencers praising their all-expenses-paid journey to a Shein “model factory” in Guangzhou, China. The clips have incited an online firestorm.

Read the whole story here on Morning Brew.

Today’s top retail reads.

Keep up: UK-based athleticwear company JD Sports’s comeback is largely being hampered by a dragging US economy. (The Times)

Look Ma, no hands: Kizik, a sneaker startup, has been working on perfecting shoes that can be put on hands-free, and now the company expects to sell half a million pairs this year and team up with Nike. (Fast Company)

Keep it caj: The rise in casualwear dating back to the pandemic has Gen Zers and Millennials going for fanny packs and totes instead of handbags. (Insider)

From A to Gen Z: Retail’s current, most resounding focus? How Gen Z shops. Retail Brew shares the scoop on this coveted cohort’s preferences and how retailers are responding. Sponsored by LTK.*

^{*This is sponsored advertising content.}

The numbers you need to know.

Carriers in the trucking industry have a few things to worry about—primarily staying in business—but that doesn’t mean sustainability goes by the wayside.

A survey of 500 transportation leaders, including shippers and carriers, found that 94% say reducing emissions is a major priority in the next year, according to transportation management technology provider Breakthrough’s 2023 State of Transportation survey. This number falls largely downstream of increased consumer demand for sustainable products.

Although the transportation industry is facing challenges at the moment, implementing more sustainable options such as electric and alternative energy vehicles is broadly in demand.

• Almost all shippers (99%) said they would use these options if in-network carriers offered them.
• Additionally, 97% of carriers said there’s a value proposition in adding electric vehicles to their fleets, and 59% said they’ll do so before the end of the year.

“Inflation, volatile fuel prices, and capacity fluxes will continue to weigh heavily on the transportation industry, making it more important for organizations to prioritize efficiency measures,” Matt Muenster, chief economist at Breakthrough, said in a statement.