News Briefs

Virtually all consumers need more than just an artificial intelligence recommendation when deciding to make a purchase.

According to a new report from B2B public relations firm Idea Grove, just 2% of those surveyed said they would purchase from an unfamiliar brand based solely on an AI recommendation, while the remaining 98% would need to take additional steps before deciding.

After receiving a recommendation from an AI chatbot, nearly half (45%) of those surveyed said they would immediately Google the brand, while 18% would go directly to review sites. Nearly eight-in-10 (78%) of those surveyed say customer reviews increase trust, ranking as the most-influential trust signal after an AI recommendation. Other factors for brand trust include Google search rankings (71%) and business longevity (69%).

More than four-in-10 (42%) Americans now use ChatGPT for brand research, according to Idea Grove. This includes 67% of Gen Z, but only 30% of baby boomers.

[READ MORE: Adobe: Many retailers unprepared for rapid AI search growth]

Despite the popularity of AI chatbots, only 15% fully trust AI recommendations, while 85% express some level of skepticism. Nearly half (48%) of consumers don’t realize companies actively try to influence AI recommendations, according to the survey.

“AI is changing where people start their brand research, but it hasn’t changed what convinces them to buy,” said Scott Baradell, founder and CEO of Idea Grove. “A recommendation opens the door. What consumers find after that determines whether they move forward.”

The Idea Grove 2026 Study: How Consumers Verify AI-Recommended Brands is based on a survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers conducted by Pollfish.

Lowe’s Companies Inc. is set to open the first of five new stores it plans to debut this year.

The home improvement giant will open its newest location in Port St. Lucie, Fla., in early June. The store will be the retailer's 133rd location in Florida, and will include approximately 94,000 square feet of retail space, a 30,000-square-foot garden center and will employ more than 100 associates.

The new Port St. Lucie Lowe’s, which will be its second in the city, will also feature redesigned kitchen and appliance showrooms to provide an elevated in-store experience, “blending style, affordability and innovation,” according to the company. The upgraded showrooms are standard for all new Lowe’s stores and are being introduced to a limited number of existing Lowe’s stores in 2026.

New Lowe’s stores will also feature self-service paint kiosks for streamlined paint ordering and buy online, pick up in-store zones for quick, seamless pickup.

Lowe’s has four other openings planned in Kaufman, W. Katy and Willis, Texas, and Walton, Ky., later this year as the retailer continues to expand in expanding markets.

“Port St. Lucie is growing rapidly, and we’re excited to support our neighbors and local businesses with everything they need for projects big and small,” said Lowe’s district manager Christian Redman. “This store is built to deliver the value, convenience and service our community expects from Lowe’s.”

[READ MORE: Lowe's makes $250M investment in tradespeople training through foundation]

Based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe's Companies Inc. operates more than 1,700 home improvement stores, 530 branches and 130 distribution centers.

Retail real estate sale prices continue to climb in densely populated, affluent neighborhoods.

The Shops at Walnut Hills Plaza, a 37,173-sq.-ft. neighborhood center that houses tenants such as O'Reilly Auto Parts and Papa John's Pizza 30 miles east of downtown Los Angeles via Interstate 10, was sold to an unnamed buyer for $13.5 million.

“Buyer interest with this transaction was driven by the center’s strong San Gabriel Valley demographics— high incomes, dense surrounding neighborhoods — and its location along a high-traffic corridor offering excellent visibility and access,” said Greg Bedell, managing director of Progressive Real Estate Partners, who represented the seller, a Los Angeles-based private investor.

“There remains a notable lack of available investment product in infill San Gabriel Valley markets, which continues to support pricing and competitive bidding dynamics," added Bedell.

Other tenants on the property include Little Elephants Kids Place, Osuna’s Mexican Restaurant, Native Fields Restaurant, Walnut Hills Family Dentistry, Pediatric Dentistry, and Sky Nails.

Progressive noted that The Shops at Walnut Hills, located in the heart of the San Gabriel Valley, serves about 142,00 residents within three miles and more than 55,000 students at nearby educational institutions that include Cal Poly Pomona and Mt. San Antonio College.

Median household incomes in the area top $130,000.

“Despite a higher interest rate environment, we’re seeing sustained investor demand for well-located neighborhood centers in supply-constrained, high-income trade areas," said Progressive senior VP Roxy Klein. "Capital remains active but selective, with the strongest demand for well-located, necessity-based retail offering durable cash flow and clear upside.”

Media reports indicate Walmart is trying to speed up delivery of digital orders from retailers and brands selling on its third-party marketplace.

The discount giant is piloting the direct fulfillment of select digital marketplace orders from several test stores in the Dallas market, according to Seeking Alpha coverage of an initial report in the Financial Times. 

By doing so, Walmart can reportedly reduce the one to two days it normally takes to ship a marketplace order from one of its warehouses or a seller facility to as little as three hours. 

The retailer is running this pilot as it undertakes a major ongoing automation initiative in its regional distribution center network that allows it to double the number of cases processed per hour and strengthen supply chain efficiency for Walmart stores.

[READ MORE: Walmart expands regional distribution automation strategy]

Walmart is also said to be using artificial intelligence to help determine what stores marketplace items should be shipped from to maximize delivery efficiency and speed.

In addition, Walmart is reportedly trying to keep pace with Amazon, which has been making significant efforts to reduce the time it takes to deliver orders down to as little as to one to three hours in many parts of the U.S. Amazon already offers its third-party marketplace sellers the chance to participate in ultrafast delivery through services such as Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA).

Based in Bentonville, Ark., Walmart Inc. operates more than 10,900 stores and numerous e-commerce websites in 19 countries. 

Consumers are planning to use their tax returns quickly once they arrive.

That’s according to new survey data from marketing automation platform Omnisend, which found that 57% of Americans are expecting a tax return this year, and of that group, nearly six-in-10 (59%) plan to use it within a month of receiving it.

Emergency savings (39%), bills or mortgage payments (32%) and paying off credit card debt (22%) are the most common uses for tax refunds this year, while 13% intend to save their entire refund.

“Tax refunds are arriving this year in an environment with a lot of consumer psychological strain,” said Marty Bauer, e-commerce expert at Omnisend. “With ongoing economic uncertainty and global instability, people are treating this money less like a bonus and more like a buffer, something to put to work quickly to feel more secure.”

Overall, more than seven-in-10 (71%) respondents plan to spend part of their refunds on shopping, and nearly half (48%) say they’ll spend up to a quarter 25% of it on smaller, everyday items like clothing (57%), beauty (30%) or hobby supplies (21%).

Fifteen percent of consumers plan to treat themselves to “something special.” Only 11% are planning major purchases like furniture.

“For retailers, this means the opportunity isn’t in encouraging bigger spending, but in meeting cautious and fatigued consumers where they are – prioritizing value, flexibility and products that justify their cost immediately,” added Bauer.

[READ MORE: Survey: Tax return money most likely to go towards…]

Omnisend’s survey was conducted by Cint in March 2026 on a total of 1,370 U.S. respondents.

Target Corp. continues to expand its footprint as it remains on track to build more than 300 stores by 2035.

The discounter is opening six stores across four states in April (locations at end of article). The new outposts are part of Target’s $5 billion capital investment plan for 2026, which includes 30-plus new stores, more than 130 store remodels and investments in additional store payroll and training to enhance guest service.

Five of the stores Target is opening in April top its 125,000 square foot average as the retailer leans into larger formats. In addition to the April openings, Target has new stores planned for Mesa, Ariz., Farmington, Mo., and Mebane, Fayetteville and Lincolnton, Ala. (It did not give an opening date for the stores.)

“Our continued commitment to opening new stores is really about showing up for our guests and our communities — and it starts with our incredible store team members," said chief stores officer Adrienne Costanzo. "These new stores give our teams the tools and environments to bring our merchandising strengths to life, create easier and more inspiring shopping experiences, and use technology to move smarter and faster every day. It’s how we keep growing thoughtfully, stay connected to our communities and make Target an even better place to work and shop.”

Here are the stores (with approximate size) that Target is opening in April:

•Arizona: Buckeye (148,000 sq. ft.); Casa Grande (127,000 sq. ft.);

•Missouri: University City (149,000 sq. ft.);

•New Jersey: Jersey City (119,000 sq. ft.); and

•North Carolina: Wilmington (128,000); Selma (129,000 sq. ft.).