Inflation cooled down in November

New investment for NotCo, C4 Energy, Express and Fanatics

On this week’s Dealboard, there were big consumer brand investments by KDP and WHP Global, while Fanatics and NotCo added to their unicorn valuations. Meanwhile, acquisitions are shaking up categories like ultrafast delivery, snacks and dessert.

How Walmart is pursuing omnichannel profitability

At a Morgan Stanley conference last week, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon shared how online and offline sales fit together for the largest retailer. A key stat: People who shop in both areas spend twice as much, and they shop in-store more often. Internally, a key to unlock the growth potential was an organizational change that did away with the notion that physical and digital are separate channels. – Grocery Dive

Inflation cooled to 7.1% in November

The year-over-year inflation rate fell for the second straight month in November, according to the Consumer Price Index. The report issued Tuesday offers signs that prices are starting to come down in many consumer product categories, even as rent and food costs are still increasing at higher rates.

Pandemic ecommerce boom here to stay

Ecommerce is becoming more geographically distributed. A new report from Stripe finds that more than 350 cities are home to businesses that collectively process more than $100 million in transactions annually using the service. That’s up from 50 cities in 2017. Meanwhile, traditionally offline businesses are moving online, bringing new internet entrepreneurship opportunities. – Axios

Would becoming a marketplace force ultrafast Shein to slow down?

Following the WSJ report that Shein is exploring the introduction of a third-party marketplace, The Current breaks down the open questions for the fast fashion company. Providing space for third-party sellers fueled growth for Amazon, and a marketplace could jumpstart international expansion in particular for Shein. But how will other brands and retailers fit within a platform that draws on a host of proprietary tools to deliver on-demand fashion?

Tweet of the Day 🐦

Were you forwarded this email by a friend or colleague?