September 3, 2026
 

The 3 Numbers Retailers Should Build Their Peak Plans Around

by Eric Lemus

Peak season planning is always a combination of in-depth modeling, informed assumptions and, most importantly, gutfeel guesswork. This year, the ground under those guesses has shifted more than usual. Our quarterly Commerce Signal analysis, drawn from live activity across more than 4,900 U.S. supply chain operators moving 485 million orders a year, points to three…

 

Amazon Sued by FTC, 22 US States Over Ad Sales Practices

by Joe Keenan

Amazon.com illegally raised prices for advertisers by surreptitiously raising the minimum price required to place ads that ‌promote their products, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission alleged in a lawsuit filed in federal court earlier this week. The agency, joined by a bipartisan group of 22 U.S. states, said Amazon systematically inflated auction prices for advertisers…

 
  

The Retailers That Win AI-Mediated Shopping Will Do Three Things

by Eric Brackmann

This upcoming holiday shopping season is already shaping up to be unpredictable. Inflation, geopolitics and fickle consumer sentiment are conspiring against retailers’ best-laid plans. But here’s one prediction that requires no crystal ball: this will be known as the year artificial intelligence truly broke through into online shopping. Study after study has shown that around…

 
 
 
Sponsored by Blackhawk Network

2026 Best Direct Digital Gift Card Programs

For the ninth consecutive year, NAPCO Research and Blackhawk Network (BHN) have partnered to deliver the industry’s leading benchmark report on the evolving direct digital gift card market. This comprehensive study evaluates 120 North American brands across 147 criteria, including AI search, group gifting, and delivery experience. Readers will gain benchmark data, actionable recommendations to strengthen digital gift card programs, and real-world examples of how leading brands are enhancing customer experience, loyalty, and growth.

 

 News & Notes

Don’t Miss the Competitive Intelligence Signal in the Prime Day Hype

by Catherine Frame

The National Retail Federation forecasts U.S. retail sales will reach $5.6 trillion in 2026, reflecting continued growth in an increasingly competitive market. As retailers prepare for the year’s busiest shopping season in Q4, every pricing decision, promotion, and merchandising strategy carries greater weight. That’s why the recently completed Prime Day cycle deserves more attention than…

 

How Retailers Are Turning Video Systems Into Sources of Operational Intelligence

by Scott Kernan

When most people walk into a store, their eyes are drawn to product displays or promotional signage. Mine go to the cameras overhead. More and more, those systems are becoming a window into the decisions retail operators make to shape the customer experience. For decades, video surveillance systems have been used mostly for loss prevention.…