News Briefs

Customers in the greater Chicago area now have faster access to deliveries of online Amazon Pharmacy orders and new in-person healthcare options.

In an email to Chain Store Age, an Amazon spokesperson said Amazon Pharmacy is now offering same-day delivery to customers in nearly 200 small towns in greater Chicago. First introduced in 2020, Amazon Pharmacy operates as a full-service online pharmacy that delivers prescription medications directly to customers’ doors in all 50 states and Washington, D.C.

In May 2025, Amazon announced plans to spend more than $4 billion to expand its rural U.S. delivery network in order to speed up delivery for millions of customers living in small towns and other less densely populated areas

In addition, Amazon is now offering specialized perimenopause and menopause visits, as well as pay-per-visit healthcare for children ages 2-11 across its eight One Medical primary care Chicago offices.

One Medical was the membership-based primary health care provider Amazon acquired for $3.9 billion in February 2023. The company then made Amazon Clinic available to customers in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. before changing it to Amazon One Medical with pay-per-visit and annual subscription options in November 2024.

[READ MORE: Amazon revamps, renames healthcare offering]

A prominent payment platform will allow its users to use its wallet to make purchases directly within ChatGPT, beginning in 2026.

PayPal is adopting the open standard Agentic Commerce Protocol to enable ChatGPT users to check out instantly using PayPal and will support payments processing for retailers leveraging the instant checkout solution from OpenAI, developer of the ChatGPT generative AI model. 

PayPal will also connect its global retailer network to OpenAI, creating a platform for retailer and brands of all sizes around the world to sell within ChatGPT. The ChatGPT model interacts with users in a conversational style that mimics human interaction and uses machine learning to continually refine and improve its responses.  

"Hundreds of millions of people turn to ChatGPT each week for help with everyday tasks, including finding products they love, and over 400 million use PayPal to shop," said Alex Chriss, president and CEO of PayPal. "By partnering with OpenAI and adopting the Agentic Commerce Protocol, PayPal will power payments and commerce experiences that help people go from chat to checkout in just a few taps for our joint customer bases."

This partnership unlocks PayPal's digital wallet in OpenAI Instant Checkout, including multiple funding options such as bank, balance, and cards, as well as PayPal's buyer and seller protections and post-purchase services such as tracking and dispute resolution.

PayPal will also support OpenAI Instant Checkout through its delegated payments API, managing payment processing for card payments. The company will manage merchant routing, payment validation, and orchestration behind the scenes.

Walmart and Sam’s Club also recently began enabling shoppers to complete purchases directly within ChatGPT. Other retailers that have already been offering ChatGPT-enabled shopping via Instant Checkout include e-commerce platform Shopify and online retailer Etsy.

[READ MORE: Walmart to enable shopping directly in ChatGPT]

The overwhelming majority of luxury goods sales are taking place in stores.

New data from Euromonitor International reveals that in 2025, physical luxury stores accounted for 81% of personal luxury goods sales, with 52% of high-income shoppers preferring to shop in-store for fashion, up from 36% in 2023. The report found the global luxury market is valued at $1.5 trillion in 2025, and that the category "remains resilient" despite continued macroeconomic challenges

“Amidst market uncertainty, the industry is undergoing a profound transformation, shifting from product-centric models to experience-driven engagement,” said Fflur Roberts, global insight manager for luxury goods at Euromonitor International. “Wellness, lifestyle and emotional resonance are emerging as new markers of status, reshaping how brands connect with consumers.”

The 60+ age group is fueling the demand for luxury goods, according to Euromonitor International, driven by increased life expectancy, improved healthcare and a generational shift in lifestyle priorities. While e-commerce surges, Euromonnitor International says luxury brands are reimagining stores as cultural destinations with interactive experiences.

[READ MORE: Deloitte: Average holiday spend to decline 10%; pullback sharpest among Gen Z]

“For brands, this is a prime moment to rethink premium experiences through the lens of longevity and conscious indulgence, designing services that cater to a generation with time, resources and a growing appetite for elevated living,” added Roberts. “The luxury sector’s growth will depend on its ability to adapt to these evolving consumer opportunities.”

As part of its exit, ownership of At Home transition to a group of its lenders, including funds affiliated with Redwood Capital Management, LLC, Farallon Capital Management, L.L.C., and Anchorage Capital Advisors, L.P.

At Home CEO Brad Weston and Redwood Capital Management representative Andrew Kilbourne have been appointed to At Home’s board. In the near term it's expected that industry veterans John Eck, who most recently served as CEO of Mattress Firm prior to its sale to Somnigroup, and Karen Stuckey, who spent 18 years at Walmart, will be appointed to the board.

At the time of its bankruptcy filing, At Home operated roughly 260 locations. After closing about 30 locations, it currently has 229 in 39 states.

“Today marks an exciting new beginning for At Home,” said Weston. “We are officially starting our next phase with renewed financial strength, flexibility and momentum. We’re taking decisive actions to become more relevant, more inspiring and more connected to our customers. This new chapter redefines what At Home can be — a brand that helps customers design and create spaces that reflect who they are and how they live.”

A large number of holiday shoppers will adjust their holiday spending this year, with many honing in on three main purchase drivers.

A new consumer survey from data and marketing company Data Axle found that 41% of shoppers are planning to reduce or shift their holiday spending due to rising prices and tariffs this year, with almost half (46%) of consumers planning to begin holiday shopping before November. With prices remaining high, nearly two-thirds (64%) say discounts and promotions are their top purchase drivers, followed by free shipping (61%) and limited-time offers (49%).

Over half of respondents (52%) in Data Axle’s survey said retailers fall short on personalization, often sending irrelevant offers or missing key preferences. To make up for this gap, nearly 20% of consumers plan to use AI-powered search tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity or Gemini to assist with gift discovery and purchasing this holiday season.

Data Axle says that retailers should be utilizing AI this holiday season to meet consumers' needs. The company recommends that retailers and brands use AI-driven predictive analytics to better understand behavioral data, use generative AI tools for marketing purposes, and more.

[READ MORE: How retailers can leverage AI and data analytics to navigate the holiday season]

“As you finalize your Q4 campaigns, think of AI not as automation, but as amplification,” said Courtney Black, senior public relations manager at Data Axle. “It helps your team do more with less, reach the right audience faster, and deliver experiences that feel thoughtful, timely and personal.”

The implementation will begin with a new store opening in Mexico before the end of the year, followed by at least five additional new sites internationally. Marco’s Pizza opened 41 new locations over the first six months of 2025, adding that if current trends continue, it is poised for a 28% year-over-year increase in new store openings for 2025. 

In 2024, the pizza chain opened 70 new locations. Current franchisees are continuing to expand with Marco’s, as nearly 65% of 2024 signed agreements came from existing franchisees.

[READ MORE: Marco's Pizza continues global growth]