Aldi plans to open more than 180 stores in the U.S. this year, including on the traditional turf of rival supermarkets and big-box stores. The German grocer’s latest growth plans follow an already aggressive expansion over the past decade. Aldi, which is known for its low prices, small stores and emphasis on private brands, has…

In the past year, at least a dozen major tech firms and retailers have launched artificial intelligence shopping agents. AI is no longer operating quietly behind the scenes; it's taking an active role in how people shop, compare and decide. Over the coming months, this shift will make life much better for consumers and much…

Retail crypto spending jumped 125 percent in 2025, a signal that shopper preferences are shifting faster than many retailers realize. What was once primarily speculative is quickly becoming practical and commonplace. Consumers are using digital assets, especially stablecoins, to make everyday and high-value purchases. Retailers preparing for this change now will be positioned to capture…

Retailers have access to more channels, dashboards and “performance” metrics than any other moment in the industry’s history. Yet it has become more difficult to understand what's truly driving sales. Every retail media network presents strong return on ad spend (ROAS). Every platform highlights its role in a customer’s path to purchase. And every marketing…

The future of shopping is no longer about searching. It’s about delegating. Soon, consumers won’t need to sift through pages of products or toggle between tabs comparing prices. Instead, artificial intelligence (AI) agents will handle much of the shopping journey on their behalf, from product discovery to purchase, ushering in a new, frictionless era of…