The Commerce Brief: Fri 3rd Oct

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

🗓️ This week’s industry updates

 🧠 OpenAI makes shopping instant
OpenAI is rolling out Instant Checkout directly inside ChatGPT. Launching first with Etsy sellers, the feature will soon extend to over a million Shopify merchants including Glossier, Skims, Spanx and Vuori. By allowing users to browse and purchase without leaving the platform, OpenAI is positioning ChatGPT as a serious e-commerce player, and a direct challenger to Google in discovery and search. (source)

🤖 eBay launches £3m AI programme
eBay has unveiled “AI Activate” in collaboration with OpenAI. Worth more than £3m, the programme provides small UK businesses with fully funded access to custom AI tools and training, helping them free up time, boost productivity, and unlock growth. (source)

🛒 Tesco and Greggs post resilient results
Tesco reported a strong first half, with group like-for-like sales climbing 4.3% - driven by 4.9% growth in the UK and 4.8% in Ireland. Greggs also saw momentum, reporting a 6.1% rise in total sales for Q3, despite disruption from July’s heatwave. Cooler weather in August and September helped performance bounce back. (source 1, source 2)

👟 Nike hit by tariffs
Nike has increased its tariff-related cost forecast to $1.5 billion annually, up 50% from its June estimate. Gross margins slipped, while digital traffic fell by double digits and DTC revenues dropped 4%. Still, Nike highlighted growth in three strategic areas: running, North America and wholesale. (source)

💄 Muji steps into beauty
Japanese retailer Muji has entered the beauty market with its “Booster” range, made entirely from 100% natural ingredients. The line includes a serum and lotion, expanding the brand’s lifestyle offering into skincare. (source)

🏬 Selfridges struggles
Selfridges reported its fifth straight year of losses, blaming weaker tourist spend on UK luxury goods and fragile consumer confidence. Sales dropped 7% to £775m in the 48 weeks to January 4th 2025. (source)

📦 Amazon expands discount play
Amazon is bringing Haul, its €20-and-under discount web shop, to Spain, its third European market. Designed to compete directly with Shein, Temu and AliExpress, the move deepens Amazon’s battle in the value segment. Separately, Amazon agreed to a $2.5bn US settlement over Prime membership sign-ups. (source)

🚚 DoorDash rolls out delivery robots
DoorDash has begun commercial deployment of Dot, an autonomous delivery robot, in Phoenix, Arizona. Compact and designed for bike paths, sidewalks and roads, Dot represents DoorDash’s push into automated last-mile solutions. (source)

🧶 John Lewis debuts recycled knitwear
John Lewis has launched a “first-to-market” knitwear line made entirely from reclaimed and repurposed wool, part of its broader sustainability agenda. (source)

🇺🇸 Debenhams heads stateside
Debenhams Group (formerly Boohoo) will begin selling its British fashion brands in US department stores, expanding its reach beyond its digital marketplace model. (source)

✨ Søstrene Grene hits record sales
Lifestyle and homeware brand Søstrene Grene reported record sales of £314m (+31% YoY), with gross profit rising from £91m to £111m. The brand continues to push UK expansion and international growth. (source)

👢 Dr. Martens expands globally
The iconic footwear brand announced new distribution partnerships in the UAE and Latin America, marking a step up in its international expansion strategy. (source)

👜 Louis Vuitton wins $584m in court
Louis Vuitton secured one of the largest counterfeiting damages awards ever in the US. A judge ordered $584 million in damages against an Atlanta-based marketplace found guilty of facilitating large-scale counterfeit sales. (source)

🏠 Ikea launches Life at Home service
Ikea has launched new services to support life’s at-home moments, including moving, utilities setup, energy services and an Ikea family credit card. In partnership with Just Move, the offering aims to take the stress out of relocation and home admin tasks. (source)

🇫🇷 Shein opens first permanent stores
Fast-fashion giant Shein has chosen France for its first permanent physical stores — with six boutiques planned in Paris (BHV Marais) and other cities (Galeries Lafayette). (source)

🇬🇧 Lefties to enter the UK
Inditex brand Lefties will debut in the British market in 2026, with four openings in London and the South-East including Oxford Street, Westfield London, Bluewater and Lakeside. The brand will combine repositioning, product diversification and global expansion. (source)

💰 Dubai Duty Free breaks records
Dubai Duty Free reported record September sales of $184m, up 11.9% YoY, fuelled by strong demand for luxury, gold, and Apple’s iPhone 17 launch. (source)

👗 Asos warns on profits
Asos said profits will come in at the lower end of guidance, despite continued progress in its transformation. Sales remain below expectations as the retailer pushes through its final phase of restructuring. (source)

🇪🇸 Tedi marks 10 years in Spain
Discount retailer Tedi is celebrating a decade in Spain, with plans to open 40 new stores by 2026 and ambitions for up to 600 locations in the medium term. Spain has become its second largest market after Germany. (source)

The Commerce Brief