Retailers are divided on how to handle AI shopping agents, with QVC and HSN welcoming them while Amazon and Kohl’s block purchases. Gap, Walmart, and Best Buy have partnered with Meta’s Muse, but Tapestry (Kate Spade, Coach) allows browsing only, not buying. Yang Lu of Tapestry said they want the agent shopping journey to be smooth if consumers adopt it.
Hesitant retailers cite data control and customer experience concerns, noting little evidence of widespread agent use. Patrick Coffee of the WSJ Leadership Institute says retailers agree they need a strategy, but human adoption lags behind AI advancement. Dutch Bros is testing walk-up-only stores, with its first USC location outperforming all others until May, now considering expansion into dense urban areas.
Mattel saw its biggest stock gain in over 7.5 years after a takeover approach from Authentic Brands Group.
Source: Wall Street Journal US Business · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing