Learn about Abercrombie & Fitch’s expansion plans, how Shopify merchants did during BFCM and Gymboree’s return to brick and mortar. Plus, discover how BNPL is helping holiday sales and where shoppers go for gift ideas.
In this week’s retail news, Abercrombie & Fitch announces its expansion into India through a multi-year franchise partnership. Shopify merchants celebrate a record-breaking BFCM weekend, with sales rising 24% year-over-year. Google Analytics introduces a new tool to help retailers uncover and fix hidden product listings. Meanwhile, “buy now, pay later” options are boosting holiday sales, and Gymboree marks its return to brick-and-mortar retail. TikTok emerges as a top destination for holiday gift inspiration, and Dick’s Sporting Goods prepares to revamp its tariff strategy. Plus, explore the implications of Trump’s BRICS tariff announcement and how it could impact global supply chains. Stay updated with the latest commerce and retail trends in this week’s blog.
Abercrombie & Fitch expand into India with a multi-year franchise partnership
Abercrombie & Fitch Co. has announced a multi-year franchise partnership with Myntra Jabong India Private Ltd., a leading entity in India’s fashion and lifestyle space, to expand its Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister brands in the Indian market.1 The agreement will establish brick-and-mortar stores, regional ecommerce sites and branded digital storefronts operated by licensed third parties across the country.
Fran Horowitz, CEO of Abercrombie & Fitch Co., highlighted the collaboration's significance. She said, “With the strength of A&F Co.’s brands today, we are thrilled to partner with Myntra Jabong to more deeply engage with new and existing customers in India. It’s an incredibly dynamic and diverse market, and one where we see tremendous long-term potential as we continue to pursue global brand growth.”
Nandita Sinha, CEO of Myntra, expressed excitement about introducing the iconic brands to India. “We will apply Myntra's fashion and tech expertise to connect Abercrombie & Fitch and Hollister with the country's thriving fashion audience and help them scale as we have done with numerous other global brands.” This strategic partnership marks a step in Abercrombie & Fitch’s global growth strategy, leveraging Myntra’s extensive reach and expertise in the Indian market.
Shopify merchants win big this BFCM weekend, with sales up 24% YoY
Shopify merchants reached a new milestone over the Black Friday Cyber Monday (BFCM) weekend, generating a record $11.5 billion in sales, a 24% increase from 2023.2 The shopping spree spanned from early Friday in New Zealand to late Monday in California, with over 76 million customers purchasing from Shopify-powered brands.
Sales peaked at 12:01 PM EST on Black Friday, hitting $4.6 million per minute. Shopify President Harley Finkelstein said, “Shopify is transforming Black Friday weekend. What was once a ‘doorbuster’ shopping moment dominated by legacy players is now a global commerce event that businesses of all sizes participate in. We're amplifying the global entrepreneurial spirit by rallying behind our merchants, preparing them, and celebrating their impact on a global stage.”
Top-selling categories included clothing, cosmetics and fitness products, with an average cart price of $108.56. The U.S., U.K., and Australia led in sales, while Los Angeles, New York, and London topped city rankings. Shopify also showcased its technical capabilities, handling 1.19 trillion edge requests and tracking 91 million packages globally. The next step for merchants is continuing robust sales this holiday season.
Google Analytics launches feature to uncover and fix hidden product listings
Google has rolled out two new features in Google Analytics to enhance product visibility and improve traffic analysis for merchants, just in time for the holiday shopping season.3 The first update integrates Merchant Center recommendations directly into the Analytics dashboard, alerting merchants to product disapproval issues that could limit visibility on Google Shopping. These alerts flag configuration problems, such as missing Global Trade Item Numbers (GTINs), and provide direct links to resolve issues. The feature spans multiple Analytics sections, including the Home page, Insights hub and Acquisition overview report, offering streamlined monitoring and fixes.
“The system specifically flags cases where products fail to appear in Google Search due to configuration problems,” noted Google.
The second enhancement expands Custom Channel Groups, enabling marketers to manually adjust ad content parameters for more detailed traffic source analysis. This gives users greater flexibility in evaluating performance across campaigns. These updates aim to help merchants maximize their online presence during peak shopping periods, offering immediate access through the Google Analytics dashboard. With these tools, businesses can proactively address product listing issues and optimize their sales potential on Google Shopping.
Buy now, pay later (BNPL) helping holiday sales this season
A new study by Splitit and PYMNTS reveals that 38% of consumers plan to use pay later options for self-gifting this holiday season. In addition, 38% of Millennials plan to increase their use of these payment methods more frequently during the holidays.4 The report, The Use of Card-linked Installment Plans in Holiday Shopping, highlights pay later options as a powerful customer acquisition tool for merchants.
"Though we see a strong interest in shoppers buying for themselves using pay later plans this holiday, nearly two-thirds of consumers also plan to use flexible payment options for gifting," said Nandan Sheth, CEO of Splitit.
The study shows 67% of parents plan to finance holiday purchases using pay later methods, with half saying it reduces guilt by spreading expenses over time. Millennials echoed this sentiment, with 52% agreeing. The report emphasizes the importance of early visibility, as 62% of consumers want pay later options presented upfront, influencing purchasing decisions.
Clothing, luxury items and electronics top the list of pay later categories, with merchants poised to attract new customers through these flexible payment plans. In another report, Adobe projected BNPL sales to reach $18.5 billion in spending this holiday season, an 11.4% increase from last year. From November 1 to November 28, BNPL has already driven $6.9 billion in holiday spending, with nearly 80% of purchases made via mobile devices.5
Dick’s Sporting Goods revives tariff strategy amid new trade threats
Dick’s Sporting Goods plans to dust off its 2018-2019 tariff strategies to navigate potential new trade policies under President-elect Donald Trump, CFO Navdeep Gupta revealed during the company’s Q3 earnings call.6 “We still don’t know about the timing and … the categories that would be impacted. So still a lot to be learned more. But like you said, we have navigated the situation back in 2018, 2019 effectively as well,” Gupta said.
Trump recently announced plans for sweeping tariffs, including a 25% levy on imports from Canada and Mexico, 10% on goods from China, and potential 100% tariffs on BRICS nations if they shift away from the U.S. dollar.
Gupta assured investors that Dick’s has limited exposure to Canada, Mexico and China, thanks to its diversified supply chain. He emphasized the company’s “strong partnerships with national brand vendors” as a key asset in responding to any new tariffs.
Gymboree returns to brick-and-mortar retail
Gymboree, an iconic children’s brand, celebrated its return to physical retail with the grand opening of its new store at Garden State Plaza in Paramus, New Jersey, on November 19.7 The event marked a milestone for The Children’s Place, Inc. as Gymboree embraced a reimagined boutique shopping experience tailored to modern families.
“This is more than a store launch; it’s the beginning of a bright new chapter for GYMBOREE,” said Claudia Lima-Guinehut, Brand President. “We’ve taken everything families have loved about GYMBOREE for generations and elevated it to meet today’s families where they are. The new GYMBOREE space is brimming with joy, holiday magic and styles families have come to know and love.” Gymboree’s return to brick-and-mortar retail reflects The Children’s Place’s omnichannel strategy, which spans over 500 stores across North America and a robust digital presence.
TikTok drives holiday gift ideas, with 55% finding inspiration on the platform
A new survey reveals TikTok’s growing influence on holiday shopping, with 55% of respondents stating they’ve already found gift ideas on the platform this season, and 39% actively searching for ideas.8 Popular gift categories include food and beverages (45%), personalized items (42%), technology gadgets (41%) and beauty products (39%).
TikTok’s impact extends beyond discovery, with 47% of users purchasing items for themselves and 37% buying gifts for others through TikTok Shop. Content plays a critical role in purchasing decisions, as 69% of respondents cite videos like unboxings, user reviews and demonstrations as key factors in their choices.
"With more than 170 million users in the U.S. and expectations that TikTok sales will rise tenfold this year to $17.5 billion, this survey demonstrates the undeniable influence TikTok will have on holiday gift idea generation and purchasing decisions this season," said Ryan Goff, EVP, Chief Marketing Officer at MGH.
Trump talks potential 100% tariffs on BRICS nations amid new currency concerns
President-elect Donald Trump announced plans to impose 100% tariffs on BRICS nations – Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa – if they proceed with creating a new shared currency to challenge the U.S. dollar.9 “The idea that the BRICS countries are trying to move away from the Dollar while we stand by and watch is OVER,” Trump declared on Truth Social. “We require a commitment from these countries that they will neither create a new BRICS currency nor back any other currency to replace the mighty U.S. Dollar or they will face 100% tariffs.”
This announcement follows Trump’s recent pledge to levy tariffs on imports from Canada, Mexico, and China, citing concerns over immigration and crime. The proposed BRICS currency has been a topic of debate, with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin stating, “Its time has not come yet. We need to be very careful and act gradually.”
The BRICS bloc, expanded in 2024 to include Iran, UAE, Ethiopia and Egypt, has been exploring alternatives to reduce reliance on the dollar, potentially undermining U.S. economic dominance.
Businesses are urged to prepare for these potential trade disruptions. Join Cart.com’s webinar this week to explore actionable strategies for mitigating the supply chain impact of these potential policy shifts. Sign up below.
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