Walmart’s retail media network outperforms the competition, Dollar Tree aims to improve its supply chain and Urban Outfitters launches omnichannel campaign. Plus, Vans to preview new shoe on Roblox and Sam’s Club embraces a tech-forward shopping experience.
In this week’s news, learn about how Urban Outfitters is blending online and offline marketing and the results of Prime Day 2024. Plus, discover how Sam’s Club is appealing to younger generations and what strategies Dollar Tree is using to reduce unloading times. Visit our blog every week for a roundup of the latest commerce news.
Walmart’s top-performing retail media network saw over 11 billion impressions in Q1
In 2024, Walmart solidified its dominance in the U.S. retail media landscape, generating over 11 billion impressions, significantly surpassing Target's nearly 7 billion.1 According to Sensor Tower’s Digital Market Index report, Walmart led in onsite retail media impressions, with Target and Best Buy also receiving substantial onsite engagement. Specialized retailers like Chewy, Home Depot, Best Buy and Ulta Beauty featured prominently in the top 10.
Personal Care emerged as the leading category in Q1, with Ulta Beauty and Sephora topping the sector through ads from brands like Coty, Estee Lauder, Shiseido and Rare Beauty. Ulta’s collaboration with L'Oreal was particularly successful, while Chewy’s co-branded ads with Purina PetCare achieved 900 million impressions.
The report highlighted varied top categories across different retailers. Walmart, Target and Walgreens had diverse category coverage, whereas Chewy and Home Depot remained focused on their niches. Insights into co-branded partnerships, such as Diane von Furstenberg’s exclusive collection with Target, revealed strategic advertiser-retailer combinations.
Dollar Tree working to reduce unloading times with Rotacart
Dollar Tree is streamlining its supply chain by expanding rotacart deliveries to around 600 Family Dollar stores from its Matthews, North Carolina distribution center, as announced in a Q4 2023 earnings call.2 By year-end, over 3,000 stores will receive rotacart deliveries from six distribution centers, according to CEO Rick Dreiling. The company is also piloting rotacart deliveries to Dollar Tree stores from its Chesapeake, Virginia center.
The rotacart initiative has significantly reduced store unloading times to about one hour, Dreiling noted. In 2023, Dollar Tree expanded its trailer fleet with nearly 900 new liftgate-equipped trailers, with plans to add 2,000 more in the coming year. The rollout of rotacarts is part of a broader effort to streamline the supply chain.
Dollar Tree has also upgraded its distribution operations, implementing a new warehouse management system and integrating new transportation and labor management systems. These upgrades aim to optimize the distribution network and improve labor efficiency. Additionally, 25 distribution centers will have temperature control by year-end, reducing cross-docking costs and enabling the handling of temperature-sensitive products. The company has improved inventory levels and is working with suppliers to ensure timely merchandise delivery, CFO Jeff Davis stated, highlighting significant progress compared to 2022.
Urban Outfitters launches innovative omnichannel back-to-school campaign
Urban Outfitters, the renowned lifestyle retailer, launched its new omnichannel campaign, "Shift Happens," on July 10th. This three-phase back-to-school initiative aims to engage Gen-Z consumers with compelling products, campaign partners, creator-driven content and culturally relevant activations, focusing on self-discovery and individuality.3 The campaign highlights the importance of community, authenticity and unique experiences in today's retail environment.
The campaign kicks off with "Space Shift," a 2-day marketing event in partnership with Pinterest at The Chelsea Factory in NYC. This activation features ten multifunctional spaces inspired by Pinterest trends, showcasing how Gen-Z can create personal sanctuaries. Influencers like Anya Tisdale and Morgan Maher will curate Urban Outfitters-led Pinterest boards brought to life in their unique spaces. Attendees can immerse themselves in these environments, shop curated products, and experience a blend of digital and physical shopping. The event includes a contest where five winners will receive $5,000 in Urban Outfitters products to create their dream Pinterest board.
An exclusive live performance by R&B singer Tinashe will highlight the event, celebrating her upcoming album "Quantum Baby." Urban Outfitters' "Shift Happens" campaign extends through summer and fall with various immersive touchpoints. A 20-store "Campus Essentials" pop-up will appear in key college markets, featuring dorm and home-adjacent products, including exclusive collaborations with brands like Birkenstock, BAGGU, Oakley and UGG. The "UO100" initiative will feature 100 creators to amplify self-expression and creativity. This campaign reflects Urban Outfitters' commitment to inspiring Gen-Z consumers through innovative, authentic experiences and product assortments that support self-discovery and personal growth.
Vans and Roblox Unveil "Vans World 2.0" with new skate challenges and virtual footwear launch
Vans and Roblox have teamed up again to launch "Vans World 2.0," the second iteration of their popular collaboration, developed with game studio The Gang.4 This virtual world introduces new skate challenges, tricks, environments, and extensive avatar customization options. Players can explore cities like France, Los Angeles, Tokyo, and Paris to showcase their skills and interact with American-Finnish skateboarder Lizzie Armanto, who demonstrates her unique moves in-game.
Following the success of the original "Vans World" in 2021, which garnered 105 million visits, Vans saw an opportunity to refresh the experience. Vans Global CMO Drieke Leenknegt highlighted their goal to create a game that blends digital and real-world skateboarding. The launch of "Vans World 2.0" marks a significant milestone for the brand, as it introduces "the Mixxa," a new footwear innovation, first in the virtual world before its physical release.
This initiative reflects a broader trend of brands entering virtual spaces to connect with diverse consumer bases. Roblox has become a pioneer in such brand engagement strategies, with other brands like e.l.f. Cosmetics and Ikea following suit. These digital spaces are becoming a new norm for experiential marketing, helping brands stay relevant and build strong relationships with both new and existing consumers.
Amazon Prime Day 2024 breaks records with unprecedented sales and member savings
Amazon announced that Prime Day 2024 was its biggest Prime Day event ever, with record sales and more items sold than any previous Prime Day.5 During the 48-hour event, Prime members saved billions on deals across over 35 categories. The event saw millions more Prime members shopping compared to Prime Day 2023, with a record number of customers signing up for Prime in the three weeks leading up to the event.
"Prime Day 2024 was a huge success thanks to the millions of Prime members globally and our dedicated employees, delivery partners, and sellers," said Doug Herrington, CEO of Worldwide Amazon Stores. Shoppers enjoyed deals from brands like Apple, Dyson and Ring, as well as small businesses. Independent sellers, primarily small and medium-sized businesses, sold over 200 million items. Members also benefited from savings on Amazon devices, subscriptions for Amazon Music Unlimited, Kindle Unlimited, Audible and Amazon Fresh and Whole Foods Market grocery delivery. In the U.S., many members chose to consolidate their deliveries, saving an estimated 10 million trips and reducing carbon emissions.
Sam’s Club aims to provide an industry-leading tech-forward shopping experience
Sam’s Club is leveraging advanced technology to enhance the shopping experience for its members and improve operational efficiency. The retailer's primary focus is on convenience and customer satisfaction, positioning itself as a leader in technological deployment within the retail sector. One of the standout innovations is the Scan & Go app, which allows members to shop and pay via their mobile devices, bypassing traditional checkout lines. Since its introduction in 2016, the app's adoption has surged by 50% over the past three years, with one-third of members now using it regularly. The app’s convenience features include EBT SNAP acceptance, multi-transactions, Scan & Go Fuel and personalized suggestions.
At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Sam’s Club unveiled a new exit technology that uses computer vision and AI to streamline receipt verification. This technology, currently piloted in 10 locations, is set to be rolled out nationwide by the end of the year. The system captures shopping cart images and seamlessly verifies payments, eliminating the wait at the exit and allowing associates to engage more with members.
Responding to member feedback, Sam’s Club has also introduced digital cake ordering to 30 locations, with plans to expand this service throughout 2024. This new feature enables members to customize their cakes, add them to their cart, schedule pickup, and shop for other items in a single transaction. For associates, introducing AI-driven inventory intelligence and autonomous floor scrubbers has significantly enhanced operational efficiency. These technologies capture 22 million images daily, providing valuable inventory data that helps keep products in stock and accurately priced. Associates benefit from a suite of apps designed to streamline their tasks, such as the MyClub, Own Your Inventory, and Fresh applications as well as the Ask Sam digital assistant.
Looking ahead, Sam’s Club is set to open a 37,000-square-foot design thinking studio, Clubhouse, this summer. This innovation hub will serve as a space to test new products and design enhanced experiences for both members and associates.
