News Briefs

With 2026 around the corner, retail leaders are facing continued challenges when it comes to artificial intelligence adoption, price management and more.

Three-quarters (75%) of those surveyed in multichannel e-commerce Rithum’s 2026 Commerce Readiness Index said that business decisions are often made on “outdated, inconsistent, or incomplete data.” An even greater amount (81%) of retail executives say that poor data quality in particular is dragging down performance decisions.

N​​early three-in-four leaders say AI is evolving faster than they can adopt it, creating a widening execution gap. Rithum noted that many retailers are investing anyway, without fixing underlying data quality issues.

[READ MORE: Zebra: Retailers use automation to reach these goals]

As expected, rising costs, tariffs, and product complexity are forcing executives into hard trade-offs on pricing, assortment, and promotions, according to the survey. An overwhelming 91% of retail executives said pricing is heavily influenced by government policy, and 92% of brands cite product complexity as a cost-control barrier, adding that protecting profitability has become increasingly difficult. 

Over 90% of commerce leaders say they have shifted their marketing mix in the past year. However, they see the biggest leaks before checkout in the form of broken links, outdated product content, and irrelevant ads.

“Commerce leaders know the turbulence of this year isn’t slowing down, and many factors – like tariffs and inflation – remain out of their control,” said Suzin Wold, chief marketing officer at Rithum. “What they can control is how quickly and effectively they adapt. Our report offers a roadmap to help retail and brand executives do that.”

Target Corp. is celebrating the fourth anniversary — and success — of its employee education assistance program.

Since launching in September 2021, more than 10,000 Target team members have graduated from "Dream to Be" programs, earning degrees, professional certificates and other educational achievements. During that time, the retailer has invested $300 million in the initiative, which offers 500 tuition-free or partially-funded programs, including undergraduate degrees, Master’s degrees, certificates, language learning, high school completion, bootcamps and more across more than 40 schools, colleges and universities.

The Dream to Be program is open to all U.S.-based Target employees —  part-time and full-time — from their first day with the retailer. Target noted that hourly team members enrolled in Dream to Be have a 76% lower turnover rate and are 3.5 times more likely to be promoted.

The program’s academic offerings have expanded based on employee needs and emerging disciplines. This includes adding more language-learning options in addition to English, such as Spanish, French, German and more. Also, new courses in fast-growing fields such as AI have been added. 

“Dream to Be is a powerful reflection of our commitment to team members’ growth and development,” said Melissa Kremer, executive VP and chief human resources officer, Target. "As they build new skills, advance their careers and achieve personal goals, they also help Target reach new milestones. Celebrating 10,000 graduates is a proud achievement, but the true impact shines through in the everyday progress our team members make — moving themselves, and Target, forward."

One of the largest real estate services firms has added new talent to its leadership team.

Sam Schaefer has been tapped by JLL to serve as its new CEO of property management, in addition to joining the firm’s Real Estate Management Services Board. Schaefer joins JLL from real estate developer Trammell Crow Company, where he served as principal. Based in Boston, he will report to Neil Murray, global CEO of Real Estate Management Services at JLL.

"JLL's strong property management business is a testament to the work of our teams across the world to support our clients globally with local expertise," said Murray. "Sam is a proven leader, with experience in building high-performing teams. Under his leadership, our global experts will deliver unparalleled client value to meet all of their diverse needs in a rapidly changing world."

[READ MORE: JLL to take over management at 10 open-air Sunbelt centers]

Prior to Trammell Crow Company, Schaefer was the president & CEO at Hobbs Brook Real Estate. He also served as managing director and global head of leasing, corporate outreach and property management at Tishman Speyer.

"I look forward to leading JLL's Property Management team into the future and positioning the business for continued growth," said Schaefer. "As a unified global team, we will deliver best-in-class operating expertise across the world by leveraging JLL's innovative technology stack, integrated multi-service offerings and local knowledge to be the most competitive in the segments and markets in which we operate."

The nation’s largest retailer-owned cooperative is leveraging artificial intelligence to better target shoppers with individualized offers.

Wakefern Food Corp. is implementing the Birdzi customer intelligence platform and Visper AI-driven personalized campaign engine. By combining Visper with the Birdzi platform’s shopper analytics and forecasting and planning capabilities, Wakefern banners including ShopRite, Price Rite Marketplace and The Fresh Grocers seek to enhance and scale its personalized marketing campaigns.

The grocer reports that pilot campaigns of Birdzi technology have increased the ROI of its marketing efforts and produced other benefits including the ability to be more creative and responsive with personalized campaigns and shopper outreach, data-driven promotional planning to help attract new customers and retain shopper, and customer analytics tools that aid its understanding of shopper behavior to optimize campaigns.

"From the beginning, Wakefern was impressed by Birdzi’s best-in-class automation and personalization capabilities and the company’s desire for constant innovation," said Darren Caudill, chief sales officer, Wakefern. "Working with Birdzi enables our supermarket banners to better respond to shopper needs as grocery retail enters an AI-driven era."

[READ MORE: ShopRite parent expands inventory robots to more stores]

Wakefern members includes more than 360 grocery stores in nine states across a variety of banners that include ShopRite, Price Rite, The Fresh Grocer, Dearborn Market, Gourmet Garage and Fairway Market.

President Trump announced an array of new import tariffs set to go into effect on Oct. 1.

The new levies, which range from 25% to 100%, apply to imported pharmaceuticals, kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities, upholstered furniture and heavy trucks.

“The reason for this is the large scale 'FLOODING' of these products into the United States by other outside Countries," Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “It is a very unfair practice, but we must protect, for National Security and other reasons, our Manufacturing process.”

Specifically, the United States will impose a 50% tariff on imported kitchen cabinets, bathroom vanities and associated products, a 30% tariff on upholstered furniture and a 25% tariff on foreign semi-trucks.

The highest levy, which is 100%, applies to any “branded or patented” pharmaceutical product coming into the U.S. However, industry analysts pointed out that a significant share of imported drug products could wind up being exempted from the levies, blunting their impact on consumers.

For example, it appears that the tariffs will not affect generic drugs, which account for nine out of 10 prescriptions filled in the U.S., according to the Food and Drug Administration. 

Also, the president suggested that the tariffs would not apply to pharmaceutical companies that currently have, or have committed to building, U.S.-based drug-making facilities. That’s a category that includes numerous major pharmaceutical companies, reported NBC News.

"Starting October 1st, 2025, we will be imposing a 100% Tariff on any branded or patented Pharmaceutical Product, unless a Company IS BUILDING their Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Plant in America," Trump said in his post.

The new tariffs could weigh most heavily on consumers outfitting their homes, as well as home builders. An an increasing share of furniture, kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities is imported from countries that include Vietnam, China and Malaysia.

Target Corp. is rolling out a slew of new toys, including hundreds of exclusives, for the holidays, along wit a new catalog.

The discounter will debut a new holiday kids catalog in October that highlights the top gifts for every age and interest. Customers can scan a QR code on the catalog to unlock a digital-first experience designed to spark imagination and simplify wish list creation and sharing for kids and gift-givers alike, according to Target. 

Also, and in a first, Target will also hold free in-store toy demonstrations every weekend from Nov. 8 to Dec. 21 at its stores nationwide.

The retailer unveiled its “Bullseye Top Toys List,” which features more than 40 “must-have” toys, starting at $5. The list will be clearly marked in store aisles and online. The lineup includes new and exclusive toys from national brands such as Disney, FAO Schwarz, LEGO, Mattel, Nintendo and items from Target's toy owned brand Gigglescape and the Bullseye-branded collection. 

Target said its toy assortment features thousands of toys under $20, with many new items from the top brands and hundreds of exclusives.

[READ MORE: Target holiday plans include 20,000 new items, expanded next-day delivery]