Google's holiday shopping list for retailers

Author

Stephen Babcock
September 01, 2022

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Disney is planning to introduce commerce within Disney+ by the end of the year, the Wall Street Journal reports. Users will be able to scan a QR code, which leads to a checkout page for products like a Darksaber toy from The Mandalorian. This is part of a wider move to explore a subscription program that ties together the company’s streaming service, parks, resorts and merchandise.

It’s time for brands and retailers to get ready for the holidays. At this week’s Think Retail, Google shared insights about what to expect from consumers during this year’s peak shopping season, and new tools it is offering for shopping and ads. Google is building for the “intuitive shopper” that expects a seamless experience across online and in-store.

Earnings from Chewy and Petco indicate that pet products and supplies are among the categories seeing a slowdown as more cautious consumer behavior sets in. It’s an area where there could be a divide in spending on essentials like food, and discretionary purchases like toys. Building on an already-successful subscription model, Chewy indicated pet health could be an area for growth.

In this week’s On The Move, PVH Corp. sees a departure at Calvin Klein and the addition of a head of merchandising at Tommy Hilfiger. Meanwhile, Kellogg’s and Johnson & Johnson designate key leaders ahead of planned spinouts. Plus, meet new executives at Hershey, Mars Petcare and JM Smucker.

Self-driving vehicles are coming to the last mile. Autonomous box trucks are set to hit the road to deliver packages in Dallas in the first quarter of 2023. In early deployments, a driver will be in the front seat for monitoring. Meanwhile, Pitney Bowes and Gatik will look to collect data to improve the design of the network, and identify efficiencies.

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