The Commerce Brief: Fri 25 April

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

🗓️ This week’s industry updates

🔺 Tariffs Hit Fast Fashion:
SHEIN and Temu are raising prices for U.S. customers in response to new tariffs on Chinese imports—some as steep as 145%—and the end of the duty-free exemption for low-value goods. Expect this to ripple across the value fashion segment. (source)

👖 TOPSHOP’s Brick-and-Click Comeback:
Once a high street staple, TOPSHOP (now owned by ASOS) is set to re-enter physical retail via partner stores—with a dedicated Topshop.com relaunch later this year. (source)

👔 Office Style Revival:
Charles Tyrwhitt reports a 34% jump in pre-tax profits, fueled by the return to officewear. (source)

🕯️ Rituals Hits Record Sales:
The B Corp™ wellness brand saw a 21% sales surge in 2024, reaching £1.79bn. Purpose-led retail continues to pay off. (source)

🐾 Pets at Home Ups the Loyalty Game:
Launching a new in-store subscription model, Pets at Home now offers personalized, staff-assisted sign-ups via handheld devices—plus a best price guarantee. (source)

💄 Amazon Gets a Beauty Upgrade:
A new premium beauty storefront has launched, featuring brands like La Roche-Posay and Caudalie, plus educational content and an A–Z ingredient guide to enhance discovery. (source)

🛍️ Matalan Secures £25M Boost:
Backed by anchor investors, the funding will support store refreshes, a new app, and bolstered supply chain investments to elevate eCommerce and loyalty integration. (source)

📦 DHL Puts US Shipments on Hold:
Deliveries to the U.S. worth over $800 have been suspended, citing growing customs red tape triggered by new tariffs. (source)

🍔 Just Eat Orders Dip, But Revenue Holds:
Order volumes dropped in Q1 2025, but increased average order values are keeping Just Eat on track to hit annual targets. (source)

👔 MR PORTER’s Founders Return:
Founders Toby Bateman and Jeremy Langmead are back at Mr Porter following Mytheresa’s acquisition of YOOX NET-A-PORTER - aiming to build the next global luxury commerce giant. (source)

♻️ IKEA’s Second-Hand Shift:
Sustainability takes center stage as IKEA Belgium reports a 72% increase in used furniture returns via its Buyback Service. (source)

🤖 ChatGPT Enters the Chat for eCommerce:
OpenAI’s ChatGPT may soon become a commerce channel in itself. Testing Catalog uncovered unreleased code hinting at a new feature that could enable users to browse, compare, and purchase products from Shopify merchants directly within ChatGPT. (source)

The Commerce Brief