News Briefs

Media reports indicate Amazon will test a "rush" in-store pickup service in 2026.

The online giant plans to pilot one-hour pickup of online orders at its brick-and-mortar store banners in the first quarter of 2026, according to Business Insider. The omnichannel service will enable shoppers to place a single online order containing items both from its e-commerce site and its physical store inventory and then pick the order up within an hour at a local Amazon-owned store.

Amazon’s brick-and-mortar store banners include the Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market  grocery brands, as well as the Amazon Go convenience chain. Business Insider based its reporting on an internal Amazon document which also said the company’s senior VPs are tracking the effort.

A source who Business Insider said is familiar with the project indicated that the pilot may occur later than the first quarter of 2026. Chain Store Age reached out to Amazon for comment but so far has not heard back.

Amazon has recently been increasing efforts to speed up its deliveries in the U.S. The company is testing a service called Amazon Now in Seattle and Philadelphia that is its fastest delivery service to date, delivering thousands of household essential items and groceries to customers’ doorsteps in about 30 minutes or less.

In addition, Amazon Pharmacy is expanding same-day delivery of prescription medications to more metro areas across the U.S. and Amazon also recently doubled the reach of same-day grocery delivery to more than 2,300 cities and towns.

[READ MORE: Amazon expands same-day perishable grocery delivery]

Pacsun is taking a deep dive into vintage shopping online and in store as Gen Z's infatuation with pre-loved fashion continues to surge.

The apparel retailer has launched a curated resale shop with a dedicated collection, "PS Vintage Powered by Springy," featuring thousands of one-of-a-kind pieces for men and women. The assortment, which includes graphic tees, hoodies, denim, jackets and more, was hand-selected in collaboration with Springy, a leader in online secondhand retail. The collection is live online, with a nationwide in-store rollout coming to 15 Pacsun stores in January 2026.

Pacsun said it selected pieces sourced by Springy to create an initial collection whose designs capture the retailer’s key pillars: fashion, art, culture, sports, and music. Every item is distinctive, with limited restocks, and labeled using the Springy system, by size, year and category.  

“Vintage shopping has become central to our community, and with this launch, we wanted to make that experience authentic and accessible," said Richard Cox, chief merchandising officer of Pacsun. "Guided by strong consumer listening, our trend-driven curation delivers on the style our consumers love while reflecting the sustainability they value."

PS Vintage Powered by Springy was developed with direct input from Gen Z through Pacsun's Youth Advisory Council.

(Image courtesy of Pacsun)

[READ MORE: Circana: Consumers’ holiday shopping plans include buying differently]

Sukoshi is accelerating its U.S. growth with a wave of openings across some of the country's major shopping centers. 

In what it called its most significant U.S expansion to date, the Korean beauty retailer is on track to open five stores at malls across the country. (Locations listed at end of article). By the end of 2026, Sukoshi is targeting more than 40 U.S. locations.

Sukoshi is aslo expanding its role as a full-scale brand accelerator. With its own cult following of beauty enthusiasts, the retailer said it provides brands a powerful launchpad where credibility and community intersect, with brands gaining access to premium retail space, influencer collaborations, pop-up activations and North American distribution.

The company noted that while  K-beauty is gaining visibility in big box retailers, most offerings have only begun to scratch the surface of what the category can deliver.

"As Asian beauty continues to shape global standards, we're proud to be leading its expansion across North America," said Linda Dang, CEO of Sukoshi "Scaling is not just about opening stores. It is about setting a new standard for Asian beauty and giving customers a place where education and discovery feel natural."

Sukoshi offers more than 200 beauty brands from Korea, Japan and across Asia, and an immersive in-store experience. The assortment includes hard-to-find global makeup and skincare brands, with the next “must-haves” alongside time-tested staples.

Sukoshi’s upcoming locations include:

•King of Prussia Mall in King of Prussia, Pa. (opens in Dec.);

•Lenox Square in Atlanta (opens in Dec.)

•Aventura Mall in Aventura, Fla. (opens in Dec.)

•Bellevue Square, Bellevue, Wash. (“coming soon”); and 

•Garden State Plaza in Paramus, N.J.(“coming soon”).

(Photo: CNW Group/Sukoshi)

Large Shopify retailers have a new third-party delivery option. 

Retailers on the Shopify Plus high-volume e-commerce platform specifically designed for large enterprises have the Uber Direct white-label delivery service available in the U.S., Canada and France. 

Through a first-of-its-kind integration, Uber Direct for Shopify brings Uber’s one-hour, same-day, and scheduled delivery network directly into the Shopify ecosystem. In 2022, Shopify acquired Deliverr, a San Francisco-based provider of e-commerce fulfillment and order-storage services, to create an end-to-end logistics platform for its retailers.

[READ MORE: Shopify makes $2.1 billion logistics acquisition]

"Uber Direct is now built into Shopify’s online store and POS, so merchants can turn on one‑hour, same‑day, or scheduled local delivery fulfilled through retail locations by store staff in minutes," said Shopify VP of retail Ray Reddy. "Customers choose delivery at online checkout, and track orders in real time–fast, reliable delivery from the store without extra complexity."

To set up Uber Direct delivery, Shopify retailers can Get started through the Shopify app store and seamlessly embed delivery options into Shopify checkout and POS, with no added training or software.

They can then offer same-day, one-hour, or scheduled delivery through the Uber Direct network with control over how they pass delivery costs to customers and real-time tracking of deliveries from checkout to doorstep.

"Uber Direct is designed to help merchants meet customers where they are," said Bernie Huddlestun, head of Uber Direct. "Our integration with Shopify will give Shopify Plus merchants a new way to keep their direct connection with customers and stay competitive—without the cost or complexity of building delivery operations from scratch."  

Uber Direct for Shopify is now live for Shopify Plus merchants in the U.S., Canada, and France. 

Walmart is doubling down on a new construction method.

The retail giant is deepening its partnership Alquist after first partnering with the construction technology company in 2024 to print a nearly 8,000-sq.-ft., 20-foot-high addition to its store in Athens, Tenn. The project marked the first time Walmart utilized 3D concrete-printing technology at this scale and was also the first 3D-printed facility of its kind. It was followed by a second project, a 5,000-sq.-ft. addition to the Walmart supercenter in Owens Cross Roads, Ala.   

Alquist, which is based in Greeley, Col., recently announced a “landmark scale” in the technology with Walmart and other commercial retailers to deliver more than a dozen construction projects across the United States, marking the largest-scale deployment of 3D-printed commercial building technology in U.S. history, the company said. Its third project with Walmart will start in December, in Lamar, Mo.

To meet the increased level of demand, Alquist said it has launched a “first of its kind” partnership model with construction and equipment rental dealer Hugg & Hall and full-service general contractor FMGI. Under the model, FMGI owns and will lease Alquist A1X printers, financed and serviced by Hugg & Hall, to execute large-scale 3D-printed projects nationwide. Walmart Lamar will be the first  project under the new model.