As the calendars flipped to October, retailers switched into holiday mode, or, in the case of the beauty category, haul-iday mode. Ulta Beauty is preparing for those beauty hauls and the shopping behaviors that drive them to look a bit different this year, however, as consumer wallets remain pressured.

Ulta reported lackluster results in Q2 that CEO Dave Kimbell noted were “short of our expectations,” as demand cooled in mass beauty and the makeup category, and competition increased within prestige as distribution grew and competing retailers opened.

Though shoppers will likely be “cautious,” Ulta is aiming to infuse some joy into the holiday season, Ulta CMO Michelle Crossan-Matos told Retail Brew, hoping its new products, campaigns, and doubled-down focus on its mass and prestige offerings will help the season sparkle.

“The consumer needs choice this holiday more than ever,” she said.

Keep reading here.—EC

If grocery shopping is your cardio, then Instacart has news for you.

Instacart’s Caper Carts available at supermarkets like Schnucks and ShopRite have undergone something of a makeover. The AI-powered smart carts equipped with a tablet-like screen and sensors will now offer shoppers location-based coupons to alert them to nearby deals and discounts for relevant items, as they shop each aisle of the store.

The company is also introducing mini-game-like “gamified quests” to Capers to enable shoppers to earn rewards and credits that can potentially save them money.

Keep reading here.—VC

The 2024 Time 100 Next list is hitting shelves this week, and right in there with Sabrina Carpenter and Jaylen Brown is Hali Borenstein, CEO of Reformation. The fashion brand and retailer is focused on offering sustainable women’s clothing and accessories, and is currently on a mission to become climate positive by 2025.

Here is what else is going on in retail this week:

In promotions: The holiday shopping season is getting a running start this week with a series of promotional events from the biggest players in the industry. Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days is running October 8–9, with discounts of up to 40% on “winter fashion must-haves” and deals on Halloween costumes and accessories; Target’s Circle Week is running October 6–12, with discounts up to 50% on “fall favorites” and “gifting items”; and Walmart is kicking off a week of deals on October 8.

Keep reading here.—AV