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News from Retailist

The Future of Brick-and-Mortar Retail: A Q&A on Augmented Reality and the Power of Image Recognition

The CEO of GoSpotCheck by FORM, Ali Moosani, explores how retail leaders are leveraging AI-powered technology to streamline operations, empower teams, and strengthen supplier partnerships.

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In the news: Top headlines this week

Trump trade war spreads more gloom across businesses worldwide. Companies across industries are raising prices and expressing concern as Trump’s trade war drives up costs and disrupts supply chains. Earnings reports reveal growing uncertainty, with businesses adjusting financial guidance and outlining strategies to manage the ongoing economic fallout. [Reuters]

The trade war’s wave of retail shortages will hit U.S. consumers in stages. Here’s when. Retail CEOs have warned President Trump that a prolonged trade war could lead to empty store shelves and product shortages. While the timeline remains unclear, certain categories may be impacted first. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent called the trade war with China “unsustainable,” underscoring growing concern over its long-term effects. [CNBC]

Consumer spending is up big in early April as people buy in anticipation of tariffs. Consumer spending is accelerating as Americans rush to buy before Trump’s full tariff plan takes effect, according to JPMorgan. In the first half of April, spending rose 3.8% year-over-year, up from a 2.7% increase in March. [CNBC]

Walmart, Target, Home Depot tout productive meeting with Trump as tariffs threaten the holidays. Executives from Walmart, Target, and Home Depot met with President Trump this week to discuss tariffs, calling the talks constructive. Target emphasized their commitment to delivering value for American consumers following the meeting. [Retail Dive]

Most consumers will pay 25% more for their favorite brands. Over two-thirds of consumers in the U.S., Australia, and the U.K. are willing to pay about 25% more for their favorite brands, according to a UserTesting survey. The key drivers of loyalty include positive experiences, consistent quality, and long-term familiarity. As UserTesting’s Bobby Meixner noted, “Price matters, but it’s not everything”—personalized, reliable, and rewarding brand experiences are what keep customers coming back. [Retail Dive]

Job Board: This week’s Top Openings in DTC, RetailTech, and more

Want to submit a role to our talent board? Email [email protected].

• Decision Analytics Associate Consultant - Real World Data & Insights (3 Locations) ZS - more here

• Regional Sales Manager, Mid-Market (New York, NY) Verkada Inc - more here

• Associate Director, Corporate Financial Planning and Analysis (Chicago, IL) Core Spaces - more here

• Senior Business Program Manager (Denver, CO) MarketAxess - more here

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ABOUT RETAILIST

Retailist Magazine is an outlet focused on modern commerce as it relates to digital innovation. The publication examines our culture’s ever-evolving relationship with marketing, commerce and traditional retail. Our goal is to connect our audience to quality content and award programs for retail brands to tell their story of innovation.

These experts stand at the helm of their niche in retail and provide readers with real-time, trending insights to ensure you remain on the bleeding edge of commerce innovation. Contributing thought leaders include C-suite executives from Vistaprint, Hubspot, Wix, Printful, Global-e, Zapaygo, TradeGala, Birdie, Inurface Media, and more.