The Commerce Brief: Fri 24th Oct

Welcome to another exciting week in the world of eCommerce and retail 🛍️

🗓️ This week’s industry updates

🇰🇼 Primark has officially entered the Middle East, opening a 60,000 sq ft store in Kuwait’s The Avenues - the region’s largest shopping destination. The launch marks a major milestone for the value retailer as it continues its international expansion drive. (source)

🤖 Frasers Group is diving into agentic commerce, linking up with Commercetools to enable shoppers to discover and buy products directly within AI environments such as ChatGPT using the new Agentic Commerce Protocol (ACP). (source)

🏠 Pottery Barn, owned by Williams-Sonoma, has debuted a London pop-up, marking its first physical presence in the UK market. (source)

👓 Amazon has unveiled Amelia, a prototype pair of AI-powered smart glasses for its delivery drivers. The glasses integrate a built-in display and camera, and connect to a smart vest with a photo-capture button, aiming to boost efficiency and proof-of-delivery accuracy. (source)

🚚 Argos has launched an annual home delivery subscription, giving customers unlimited deliveries for a set fee, a move echoing the success of “Prime-style” loyalty models across retail. (source)

👔 Matalan has appointed Henrik Nordvall, former H&M UK chief, as its new CEO, signaling renewed leadership focus amid transformation efforts. (source)

💳 Lidl is rolling out Lidl Pay, a mobile payment feature within its Lidl Plus app, enabling secure contactless checkout via smartphone. The grocer also reported a threefold rise in profits to £156.8m as revenue climbed nearly 8% to £11.7bn. (source)

🏋️‍♂️ Gymshark has entered its first US wholesale partnership through a collaboration with Dick’s Sporting Goods, expanding its American retail presence and strengthening brand visibility. (source)

🇬🇧 Gap is returning to UK high streets, opening three standalone stores across London after shuttering its physical network in 2021 - part of its effort to rebuild local brand presence. (source)

🛒 Amazon has launched a new AI shopping assistant, Help Me Decide, in the US. The tool analyses shopper behaviour and product views, surfacing tailored recommendations when customers appear undecided. (source)

💬 Alibaba has rolled out an AI chatbot integrated into its Quark app, repositioning the platform as its flagship consumer hub in a renewed push for engagement and retention. (source)

🖤 AllSaints posted another year of record profits to February 2025, despite softer sales, crediting reduced discounting and cost discipline amid macro headwinds. (source)

💎 Kering, the luxury group behind Gucci, Saint Laurent, and Balenciaga, reported a 5% like-for-like revenue drop to €3.4bn, but results beat expectations, suggesting early stability under new leadership. (source)

👜 Hermès continues to outpace the luxury sector with 10% sales growth in Q3 2025, reaching €3.9bn, underscoring resilient demand for its craftsmanship-led model. (source)

🏡 Dunelm saw first-quarter sales rise 6.2% to £428m, driven by strong volumes and higher average item values, with categories like rugs and throws performing particularly well. (source)

The Commerce Brief