The Retail Dispatch: January 23, 2026

News

Your bi-weekly news roundup of ecommerce trends, retail shifts, and fulfillment innovation.

Retail and ecommerce continue to evolve at breakneck speed, driven by new technology, policy uncertainty, and rising expectations for speed, personalization, and convenience. From how brands monetize inventory to how shoppers discover, buy, and receive products, the forces shaping commerce in 2026 are becoming clearer and more complex.

This edition of The Retail Dispatch covers the stories retailers and operators should be watching closely right now, including new tariff threats and a pending Supreme Court decision that could disrupt global sourcing, Google’s latest Core Update and what it means for search visibility, and growing momentum behind agentic commerce and AI-driven buying experiences. We also break down major platform moves, from ChatGPT testing ads in the U.S. to Google expanding its Commerce Media Suite, alongside marketplace and fulfillment updates from Walmart, Kroger, and Uber.

We’re highlighting the headlines, data points, and strategic shifts influencing how brands plan inventory, manage risk, reach customers, and build more resilient fulfillment networks.

Check back every other week for the latest insights shaping the future of ecommerce, retail, and logistics.

Retail tech startup Another raises $2.5M seed to modernize excess inventory sales

Another has raised a $2.5 million seed round to improve how retailers manage and sell excess and unsold inventory.¹ Founded in 2024 by retail digital marketing veteran Corina Marshall, the company looks to modernize off-channel inventory sales, where brands often lose margin due to fragmented data, slow decision-making, and reliance on bulk liquidation. The company’s platform lives within the inventory management – recommerce ecosystem with a focus on excess-inventory-as-a-service.

Another’s platform centralizes data and provides real-time visibility into product value, timing, and optimal resale channels by connecting to existing retail systems, including returns and inventory management tools. This enables teams to move inventory more efficiently across warehouses and secondary markets such as off-price retailers.

The round was led by Anthemis FIL and Westbound, with funding earmarked for product development and hiring. Marshall says the goal is to help brands maximize value earlier in the inventory lifecycle, before deep discounting becomes the default, while also reducing waste and improving sustainability outcomes.

Walmart Marketplace adds premium musical instruments from global brands

Walmart Marketplace has launched a new Premium Musical Instrument Shop,² marking its entry into professional-grade music gear with a curated assortment from leading global brands including Fender, Roland, Boss, and Zildjian. The digital storefront offers both new and resold instruments and accessories and offers everything from guitars and pedals to drum hardware and gig bags.

The launch highlights Walmart Marketplace’s strategy to expand into higher-quality, specialized categories while maintaining broad access and convenience. The new shop debuts alongside the company’s presence at the 2026 NAMM Show, signaling a long-term commitment to the music category.

For brands and sellers, Walmart’s latest move opens access to the company’s large customer base and fulfillment capabilities. The move builds on sustained Marketplace momentum, as Walmart reports continued double-digit Marketplace growth and strong U.S. ecommerce performance.

ChatGPT to start testing ads in the U.S. for free and Go tiers

OpenAI announced plans to begin testing advertising in the U.S. on ChatGPT’s free and Go tiers in the coming weeks, as it expands access to its lower-cost subscription offering nationwide.³ The company is also rolling out ChatGPT Go across the U.S., priced at $8 per month, after launching the tier in 171 countries last year.

Ads will appear only on the free and Go plans, while Pro, Business, and Enterprise subscriptions will remain ad-free. According to OpenAI, ads will be clearly labeled, displayed separately from AI responses, and will not influence answers. The company assured that user conversations will remain private and will not be sold to advertisers, with options to control or disable ad personalization.

Initial ad tests will be limited to logged-in U.S. adults and excluded from sensitive topics such as health, mental health, and politics. OpenAI said the move is intended to support broader access to AI tools while maintaining user trust and a diversified revenue model.

Groceries go rideshare: Kroger facilitates ultrafast delivery with Uber

The Kroger Co. has expanded its on-demand grocery delivery footprint through a nationwide rollout on Uber’s apps, making nearly 2,700 Kroger Family of Companies locations available on Uber Eats, Uber, and Postmates.⁴ Customers can now order full-store assortments, including fresh groceries, private-label items, and household essentials, for same-day or scheduled delivery.

The launch expands access across major Kroger banners such as Ralphs, Fred Meyer, King Soopers, Harris Teeter, and Mariano’s, building on prior availability of select departments like floral and sushi. To drive adoption, Uber is offering introductory discounts on first orders, with $0 delivery fees for eligible Uber One members.

Both companies say the partnership meets rising demand for fast, flexible grocery fulfillment and positions Kroger to meet evolving convenience expectations at a national scale.

SpyCloud rolls out supply chain security solution amid rise in vendor-driven breaches

According to industry data, around 30% of all data breaches involved third-party or supply chain issues, and nearly all (97%) organizations faced at least one such breach, up from 81% in 2024.⁵ In response to the increasing risk, SpyCloud has launched its Supply Chain Threat Protection solution, expanding identity threat monitoring across vendor and third-party ecosystems as supply chain–related breaches continue to rise.⁶

The new offering is designed to give enterprises and government agencies real-time visibility into identity exposures affecting suppliers, moving beyond traditional third-party risk tools that rely on static scores and surface-level indicators.

The platform draws on billions of recaptured breach, malware, phishing, and dark web data points to identify active threats such as compromised credentials, phishing campaigns, and infected devices within vendor environments. SpyCloud cited data showing third-party involvement in breaches doubled year over year, underscoring the growing risk posed by extended supply chains.

The solution includes a continuously updated Identity Threat Index to help organizations prioritize vendor risk and respond more quickly to verified threats. SpyCloud says the launch is aimed at helping security teams shift from passive risk acceptance to proactive protection across complex supplier networks.

How Google’s new core updates affect brands

A recent article published by Practical Ecommerce outlines Google’s most current core updates and how it affects brands.⁷ From December 11-29, Google rolled out its most comprehensive Core Update of 2025 over the holiday period, triggering noticeable shifts in search rankings across a wide range of industries. Unlike spam-focused updates, Core Updates adjust how Google interprets search intent and content relevance, often reshuffling results without penalizing sites for specific violations.

The latest update reduced visibility for some large publishers while boosting rankings for more specialized and niche sites. According to industry reports, major retailers such as Macy’s saw declines, while brands like Columbia and The North Face gained ground.

Google’s “Helpful Content” framework is now fully embedded in Core Updates. This update places greater emphasis on originality, clarity, page structure, and user engagement.

For sites impacted by traffic drops, Google advises focusing on improving content helpfulness rather than pursuing quick technical fixes. Analysts note that ranking changes may reflect broader algorithm shifts, though sustained losses could suggest a need to update content to better serve user intent.

Agentic commerce emerges as a core topic at Europe’s influential ePay Summit

Agentic commerce and agentic payments are taking center stage at the 2026 ePay Europe Summit, demonstrating how AI-driven technologies are reshaping online retail and digital payments.⁸ As consumers increasingly expect seamless, personalized, and intelligent shopping experiences, AI-powered agents are beginning to guide purchasing decisions, automate transactions, and optimize end-to-end customer journeys.

Returning to London on November 3, 2026, the ePay Europe Summit will convene senior leaders across ecommerce, fintech, and payments to explore “The Next Chapter of E-Commerce.” The expanded program will examine key shifts, including frictionless checkout, real-time and embedded payments, AI-driven decisioning, fraud prevention, cybersecurity, and evolving regulatory frameworks.

New tariff threats and a Supreme Court decision loom for retailers

January has been a busy month in terms of tariff announcements. The President’s aggressive tariff strategy, which is tied to geopolitical pressure over Greenland and broader European trade relations, sent shockwaves through global markets and could soon have concrete effects on retail supply chains and consumer prices. Recent threats to impose heavy import duties on goods from multiple European countries contributed to stock market declines and heightened uncertainty among multinational retailers with significant imported inventory.⁹

European leaders have pushed back and are exploring retaliatory tariffs and anti-coercion measures to protect their markets, signaling a broader transatlantic trade conflict that could increase costs for U.S. brands selling abroad and for retailers dependent on imported goods.¹⁰

In a major development this week, Trump dropped the threatened European tariffs following diplomatic talks at the World Economic Forum, calming markets and prompting a rally in the S&P 500, though European officials emphasized that issues remain unresolved.¹¹

Meanwhile, the U.S. Supreme Court has delayed a key ruling on the legality of Trump’s tariff authority under emergency powers, leaving the future of existing trade duties unsettled.¹² The court is now widely expected to issue an opinion later in February, a decision that could reshape presidential trade powers and affect tariff-driven cost pressures on retail imports.

Retailers and supply chain managers are watching both the trade policy landscape and the Supreme Court timetable closely, as rulings or renewed tariff threats in the next month or two could influence sourcing costs, inventory planning, and consumer pricing strategies globally.

More brands look to grow with the help of Google’s Commerce Media Suite

Google is expanding the adoption of its Commerce Media Suite as more retailers and brands look to find new growth through retail media and first-party data collaboration.¹³ The offering allows retailers to monetize shopper insights while helping brands reach high-intent consumers across streaming, browsing, and shopping environments.

Through Google’s Display & Video 360 platform, retailers can securely share commerce audiences built from their own first-party data. Brands can then activate campaigns beyond owned retail sites and into the broader open web. Newly participating retailers include Best Buy, which is making its electronics-focused shopper audiences available, and Shipt, offering insights tied to grocery, household, and everyday essentials.

Commerce audiences are currently shared via LiveRamp, with additional data partners expected to join. Google portrays the Commerce Media Suite as a way for retailers to build more profitable media businesses while giving brands scalable access to purchase-ready shoppers. This highlights the broader momentum behind retail media networks as one of the fastest-growing segments in digital advertising.

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About the Author

Alyssa Wolfe

Alyssa Wolfe is a content strategist, storyteller, and creative and content lead with over a decade of experience shaping brand narratives across industries including retail, travel, logistics, fintech, SaaS, B2C, and B2B services. She specializes in turning complex ideas into clear, human-centered content that connects, informs, and inspires. With a background in journalism, marketing, and digital strategy, Alyssa brings a sharp editorial eye and a collaborative spirit to every project. Her work spans thought leadership, executive ghostwriting, brand messaging, and educational content—all grounded in a deep understanding of audience needs and business goals. Alyssa is passionate about the power of language to drive clarity and change, and she believes the best content not only tells a story, but builds trust and sparks action.

The Retail Dispatch: January 23, 2026

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