News Briefs

Two pet retail franchises are continuing to expand with new stores.

Michigan-based Pet Supplies Plus and its Wag N’ Wash pet grooming chain are capitalizing on strong momentum with double-digit growth through the first half of 2025. The two brands have secured 15 new franchise agreements so far this year, and are on track to open more than 25 stores in 2025.

“The first half of 2025 has been incredibly successful and speaks to the strength of both Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N’ Wash,” said Nick Russo, chief development officer of Pet Supplies Plus and Wag N’ Wash. “Our rapid franchise growth and national recognition as top brands – not just in pet retail, but across franchising – demonstrate the power of our systems and our core mission of making pet services affordable and accessible. As interest in pet retail franchising continues to grow, both brands are well-positioned for an even stronger second half of the year.”

Economic uncertainty is not expected to slow down the two chains’ growth. According to a recent consumer survey from the American Pet Products Association, 77% of U.S. pet owners say the economy has not affected their pet ownership, emphasizing a continued commitment to keeping pets healthy, safe and comfortable.

[READ MORE: Pet Supplies Plus, Wag N'Wash join Grubhub marketplace]

“Our team continues to build on a legacy of trust and consistency that resonates with both franchisees and pet parents,” said Pet Supplies Plus CEO Chris Rowland. “Looking ahead, we are more energized than ever. Our focus remains on strategic expansion, strong franchisee support, and maintaining the neighbor-first experience that truly sets us apart in a competitive market.”

A subsidiary of Franchise Group, Inc., Pet Supplies Plus operates over 725 locations nationwide. Wag N' Wash operates 27 locations open across the U.S..

Consumers are taking an omnichannel approach when it comes to Father’s Day (June 15) shopping this year.

A new survey from NieslenIQ reveals that 69% of shoppers are expecting to look around stores in person for gifts, while 66% are expecting to explore shopping websites. Three-quarters (74%) of those surveyed across demographics plan to buy items from Amazon for the holiday, showcasing the retail giant's reach.

However, nearly all (nine-in-10) Amazon shoppers also expect to shop at other places. After Amazon, the most popular retailers include mass merchandisers (41%), department stores (26%), home improvement stores (25%) and sporting goods chains (22%).

The most popular gifts for dad include apparel, footwear and men’s fragrances, followed by gift cards, sporting goods and home improvement items. Two-in-five shoppers say they plan to use gift guides to find items this Father’s Day, while 20% plan to use social media or influencer recommendations to help choose gifts.

According to a recent estimate from the Nation Retail Federation, Father’s Day spending will reach a record $24 billion this year. The figure is up from last year’s $22.4 billion and exceeds the previous record of $22.9 billion in 2023.

“Forty-seven percent of shoppers plan to spend more than last year, despite inflation concerns,” said Nim Sharon, VP of tech & durables at NielsenIQ. “For brands, the key to winning is clear: Offer value, variety and inspiration to capture consumer interest in one of the biggest gifting seasons of the year!”

[READ MORE: Survey: U.S. shoppers already worried about rising costs of holiday essentials]

Consumers are bullish on how artificial intelligence will impact their online shopping experience.

Sixty-three percent of consumers surveyed said they believe AI will improve e-commerce, according to a new survey from SaaS firm Algolia. When asked what the best use for AI would be when it comes to online shopping, 45% said serving as an online personal shopping assistant, followed by customer service chatbots (42%), personalizing promotions and product discounts (42%) and uncovering new products (41%).

As an online shopping assistant, respondents said that AI can help the most with creating a formal event outfit (40%), creating professional attire ideas (39%) and compiling outfits for a vacation (37%). Only 20% said a trained assistant would not help with any wardrobe recommendations.

Where many consumers are in agreement is their openness to using AI to find the best prices. Seventy-one percent of those surveyed said they would use a tool that would lead them to compare prices across retailers and find the best options.

[READ MORE: Survey: 71% of consumers abandon irrelevant AI experiences]

Additional insights from the Algolia survey include:

• Nearly two-thirds (65%) said that if their favorite retailer used their past searches on its site to train an AI-powered personal shopper, they would be interested in using it.
• More than half (53%) of respondents said they would use an AI agent to reorder household staple items when they run low, and 65% said they would use one to be alerted when something they needed is restocked.
• More than half (52%) said they would not trust an AI agent to help pick out gifts for friends or family.

Algolia surveyed 1,000 U.S.-based adults for its AI agent report.

Members of the MyMcDonald’s Rewards program can exchange points for a Snapchat+ subscription.

The fast-food hamburger giant, which first launched the national MyMcDonald’s Rewards program in 2021, is partnering with social media platform Snapchat to offer MyMcDonald’s rewards members a one-month Snapchat+ subscription!.

Snapchat+, which typically costs $29.99 a year or $3.99 a year, provides members access to exclusive, experimental and pre-release features including customizable app icons, chat wallpapers, and AI bitmoji pets.MyMcDonald’s Rewards members in the U.S. will be able to exchange points to redeem a one-month Snapchat+ subscription through Monday, July 7, 2025.

This collaboration marks the first time for McDonald’s to offer a digital subscription service as a redeemable reward.

"Our fans want rewards that bring them feel-good moments -- they want experiences that are social, relevant, and rewarding,” said Jackie Bruzek, VP customer engagement, McDonald’s USA, in a corporate blog post. "Offering a month of Snapchat+ as part of our rewards program allows us to meet them where they are, in a way that feels fun and fresh." 

To redeem the Snapchat+ subscription, MyMcDonald’s users can head to their rewards & deals and click on the Snapchat+ icon under "MoreRewards." Users can then exchange 1500 MyMcDonald’s points to receive a unique code, which they can enter on Snapchat to become a Snapchat+ subscriber.

[READ MORE: Survey: McDonald's, Dunkin' among most-popular QSR chains]

"At Snapchat, we’re always looking for fresh, fun ways to help brands connect more meaningfully with their audience," Katelyn Kroneman, U.S. head of verticals of Snapchat parent Snap Inc., said in the blog post. "This partnership with McDonald’s brings that mission to life by combining loyalty with creativity."

Media reports indicate Amazon is developing a very different type of delivery "person."

According to Guru Focus, Amazon is building a "humanoid park" in San Francisco where it can experiment with prototype humanoid robots provided by Chinese robotics firm Unitreethat. The robots reportedly would deliver packages from Amazon Rivian electric delivery vans to customer doors.

Engineers at the San Francisco facility are reportedly working on having the robots successfully and safely complete deliveries from a parked van using a simulated urban environment. In addition, Amazon is said to be developing agentic AI capabilities for the robots to understand and respond to natural language commands at its Lab126 research and development center in Sunnyvale, Calif. 

Amazon has been taking a sharp focus on the speed of its deliveries for some time. The online giant delivered more than 9 billion items via same-day or next-day globally for Prime members in 2024 at record speeds. 

[READ MORE: How Amazon achieved its fastest ever delivery speeds in 2024]

Amazon said its improved delivery speed in the U.S. primarily resulted from increasing its same-day delivery sites by more than 60% during the year. Presumably, having robots perform the actual delivery from the vehicle would shave more time off its delivery process.

Amazon has been actively developing and deploying robots in its warehouses for years, including "Vulcan," a robot with a human-like sense of touch; as well as Agility Robotics' bipendal robot, Digit, which is built in a human-like shape and can move like a person while also grasping and handling items with robotic "arms" resembling a human. 

Chain Store Age has reached out to Amazon for comment.

Gong cha is continuing in U.S. expansion with plans to enter a new market and explore non-traditional locations.

The company, which calls itself the world’s leading bubble tea brand, is entering the Arizona market for the first time through a multi-unit franchise agreement with Blu Tea Arizona, with plans to open stores in Tempe, Mesa and Chandler. The deal expands Gong cha’s growing presence across the Western U.S. as part of its strategy to reach 500-plus U.S. locations by 2028.