The Unofficial Most Interesting Retailers List (July 2025) | Reimagining Retail

Summary

Behind the Numbers: Reimagining Retail - The Unofficial Most Interesting Retailers List (July 2025)
EMARKETER Podcast Release Date: July 30, 2025

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Introduction

In the July 2025 episode of Behind the Numbers, hosted by Susie Deva Canyon, EMARKETER delves into the dynamic shifts shaping the retail landscape. Titled "The Unofficial Most Interesting Retailers List," the episode features insightful discussions with senior analysts Ariel Figar, Blake Drosch, and Sky Canavas. Together, they evaluate and rank the most compelling retail moves of the month, providing listeners with invaluable perspectives on emerging trends and strategic innovations.

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Retailer Rankings

Number 8: Amazon – Extending Prime Day to Four Days

Timestamp: [24:26]

Amazon made a significant adjustment to its Prime Day strategy by expanding the event from two to four days. This extension aimed to sustain consumer engagement and capitalize on the heightened shopping activity surrounding the mid-year sales period.

Ariel Figar highlights the move's success:
"The final results showed that this was pretty successful for Amazon in terms of retail sales and driving more ad spending for Amazon ads." [16:37]

Sky Canavas adds:
"They’re looking to expand into different categories with the launch of a marketplace and bringing on Ritual, tying into the wellness category." [17:19]

Number 7: Behr Paint – Introducing Chat Hue AI Agent

Timestamp: [03:24]

Behr Paint unveiled "Chat Hue," an AI-powered tool designed to assist customers in selecting the perfect paint color. Integrated with platforms like Google's Gemini, Chat Hue aims to reduce the stress associated with color selection during renovations.

Susie Deva Canyon praises the initiative:
"I think this is one of the best ideas ever. Picking the right color and committing to it is a big deal. It is so hard and so stressful." [02:36]

Ariel Figar echoes the sentiment:
"It's really fun... I kind of want to create my own color." [03:44]

Number 6: Misfits Market – Launching a New Household Goods Category

Timestamp: [06:01]

Known for reselling "ugly" fruits and vegetables, Misfits Market expanded its offerings by introducing a household goods category. This new line includes laundry detergents, cleaning supplies, and paper products, all vetted for sustainability by excluding harsh chemicals and single-use plastics.

Ariel Figar commends the move:
"It's still really following through on this ethos of sustainability and good for the planet." [06:01]

Sky Canavas adds context:
"This falls into the sweet spot of private labels and consumers looking to save money on essential products." [06:45]

Number 5: Walmart – Expanding Through Dark Stores

Timestamp: [20:12]

Walmart's aggressive expansion into dark stores signifies a pivotal growth phase for its e-commerce operations, particularly in grocery fulfillment. By leveraging its vast brick-and-mortar presence, Walmart has efficiently scaled its online order fulfillment capabilities.

Blake Drosch emphasizes the impact:
"Their e-commerce business has grown to the point where they need to open up more space through dark stores. It symbolizes a new chapter for Walmart's e-commerce business." [20:31]

Number 4: Away Luggage – Enhancing Customer Experience at JFK Airport

Timestamp: [09:44]

Away Luggage partnered with Uber to improve the airport shuttle experience at JFK. By gifting free luggage to Uber shuttle riders and incorporating a scavenger hunt element, Away not only enhances customer experience but also engages users through gamification.

Susie Deva Canyon notes the strategic brilliance:
"Gamification wins. It’s not only like gifting but also free shuttle service, removing friction, adding some sort of scavenger hunt." [10:53]

Number 3: Urban Outfitters – Dorm Makeover Contest with HGTV and Pinterest

Timestamp: [11:58]

Urban Outfitters launched an ambitious dorm makeover contest in collaboration with HGTV and Pinterest. This 360-degree campaign not only offers a $5,000 makeover to the winner but also gathers valuable consumer data through pinned room designs, enhancing Urban Outfitters' understanding of their target market.

Ariel Figar highlights the value exchange:
"When you give them the incentive to give you their data, they'll do it. It's a really good way to see that in real life." [11:58]

Sky Canavas adds:
"They’re getting user-generated content and free marketing through the campaign, which is invaluable." [12:19]

Number 2: PopMart – Capitalizing on the Labu Boo Craze

Timestamp: [13:26]

PopMart tapped into the burgeoning popularity of Labu Boos—collectible stuffed animal dolls sold in blind boxes. By leveraging live streaming and gamification through their "Pop Now" game, PopMart has successfully sustained and amplified the Labu Boo craze globally, particularly among Gen Z and young consumers.

Susie Deva Canyon shares her enthusiasm:
"I have a Labubu on my keychain... it's a masterclass in how to market them in the digital age." [15:02]

Sky Canavas provides international context:
"PopMart has been big in China and is now taking the trend global, spurred by celebrities like members of Blackpink." [15:34]

Number 1: Ulta – Expanding into K-Beauty and International Markets

Timestamp: [16:37]

Ulta Outlets secured the top spot by aggressively expanding into K-Beauty and international markets. Their acquisition of the UK beauty retailer Space NK and partnerships with Korean beauty brands signify a strategic push to diversify and rejuvenate their product offerings. Additionally, Ulta's upcoming marketplace launch and entrance into the wellness category with brands like Ritual position them for sustained growth.

Ariel Figar praises Ulta's strategy:
"They’re really just doing a lot, which is pretty smart at the moment because Ulta needs to reinvent itself." [16:37]

Sky Canavas explains the broader impact:
"Launching a marketplace will bring new categories and brands, creating more opportunities for their retail media network to grow." [17:19]

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Honorable Mentions

• Mattel: Launched a Barbie doll designed for children with Type 1 diabetes, which sold out immediately, showcasing a commitment to inclusivity and representation.

• Walmart: Previously discussed for its dark store expansion, solidifying its e-commerce dominance.

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Conclusion

The July 2025 edition of Behind the Numbers presents a comprehensive analysis of pivotal retail movements shaping the industry. From AI-driven customer experiences and innovative marketing partnerships to strategic expansions into new product categories and international markets, these retailers exemplify adaptability and forward-thinking strategies. Ulta Outlets, crowned as the most interesting retailer, stands out for its multifaceted growth approach, while other companies like Amazon, Behr Paint, and PopMart illustrate the diverse ways retailers are evolving to meet contemporary consumer demands.

As the retail landscape continues to transform, staying informed through such insightful discussions ensures marketers, retailers, and advertisers remain ahead of the curve, ready to navigate and leverage the ever-changing digital marketplace.

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Notable Quotes from the Episode:

• "Picking the right color and committing to it is a big deal. It is so hard and so stressful." – Susie Deva Canyon [02:36]

• "It's really fun... I kind of want to create my own color." – Ariel Figar [03:44]

• "We’re looking to expand into different categories with the launch of a marketplace and bringing on Ritual, tying into the wellness category." – Sky Canavas [17:19]

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Tune in next Wednesday for another episode of Reimagining Retail, and don’t miss Marcus's insights on Friday in Behind the Numbers, made possible by Quad. Subscribe wherever you find your favorite podcasts to stay informed and ahead in the rapidly evolving world of digital media.

Transcript

[Susie Deva Canyon]

In marketing, everything must work seamlessly or efficiency, speed and ROI all suffer. That's why Quad is obsessed with making sure your marketing machine runs smoothly with less friction and smarter integration. Better marketing is built on Quad. See how better gets done at www.quad.com buildbetter. Hi everyone. Today is Wednesday, July 30th. Welcome to behind the Reimagining Retail, an eMarketer PODC made possible by Quad. This is the show where we talk about how retail collides with every part of our lives. I'm your guest host, Susie Deva Canyon. And on today's episode, we're going to look at our unofficial retailer rankings for July 2025. This is where we rank some of the most interesting moves in retail this month and why you should be keeping an eye out on these. But before we do, let's meet today's guests. Joining me for today's episode, we have a full house in the studio. With me are Ariel Figar, senior analyst, Media Content. Hey.

[Ariel Figar]

Hey. Exciting to be here and have you in the hot seat this time.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

I'm so excited to be here too. And thanks for joining us. Of course, you're part of the committee, so you'll have to be here, but.

[Ariel Figar]

Thank you for joining us. I'm obligated to be here, contractually.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

We also have Blake Drosch, senior analyst on the retail desk who's fresh from a two week holiday.

[Blake Drosch]

Glad to be back, Susie.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Thanks for joining us. And live from Texas, we have Sky Canavas, principal analyst on the retail desk. Hey, Sky.

[Sky Canavas]

Hey, Susie.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Thanks so much for joining us. Okay, so let's get started with our most interesting unofficial list. As you all know, the committee, Arielle, Becky and I as an honorary guest, put together our unofficial list of interesting retailer moves in July. So in the first half of the episode, we're going to count down our list. We'll discuss some of the cool things we're seeing, from unexpected brand partnerships to innovation in the private label world. And obviously the newest must have AI tool. And then in the second half of the episode, our analysts, Blake and Sky will get you either introduce a new player and so knock one of our excellent choices off the list, or they'll just move a retailer around. Or maybe for the first time ever, given how amazing our list is, they'll just agree with us.

[Ariel Figar]

Wow. It's a pretty long episode.

[Blake Drosch]

Yeah.

[Ariel Figar]

I'm just saying it could happen. It could happen.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Today is that day. Let's find out. So let's get started. Number eight, we have Behr for Introducing an AI agent to help customers select pink colors. So I'm going to start with this one. I think this is one of the best ideas ever. Everybody knows that AI tools are most helpful when they solve a problem. Anybody who's done a renovation knows that picking the right color and committing to it is a big deal. It is so hard and so stressful. So Behr Paint has this new thing called Chat Hue, which you can get off of their website, and it's integrated a bunch of different platforms, including Google's Gemini, to help customers sell select paint colors. What do you guys think about that?

[Ariel Figar]

I think it's really fun. I think it's kind of a great way to, like, get consumers using AI in a very, like, low stakes kind of way where you can just say if you don't like the color, you don't have to use it. And yeah, I think it's just really fun. And I kind of want to go on. And even though I am not painting anything, I kind of want to create my own color.

[Blake Drosch]

Yeah, I echo that. I feel like it's a gimmick, but not in a bad way. You know what I'm saying? Not meant to have a negative connotation around it, but, like, it is a way to get people to engage with your brand and engage with AI in a way that is, like, a very low effort and can, like, produce something that's actually meaningful for the customer in, like, a very short amount of time.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Right. Totally takes away all of the anxiety that comes with making such a permanent choice.

[Sky Canavas]

If it works, though, because it has to be really seamless, easy to use, and actually do what it says it's going to do, which I think with a lot of the new cutting edge AI tools, often there's a gap between what's promised and what you end up with.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

That's fair.

[Ariel Figar]

Yeah, good point.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

And that kind of leads us into number seven between what you promise and what you deliver on, which is Costco, for many reasons, is our number seven, but most especially because their private label brand, which everybody knows is a very big deal, Kirkland, has launched a marshmallow crispy BE cookie that went viral. So you can't always predict what's going to go viral. We didn't get the chance to taste it yet. If anybody has, we'd like to hear more about it. But it is kind of a big deal in that with one foul swoop and one random marshmallow cookie, they are able to get so much more foot traffic. Everybody is talking about them. It really went viral and maybe people stopped talking about how Costco leggings are very similar to some of other, some of the other athletic wear companies. So it feels like a really big win for them in some ways.

[Ariel Figar]

Yeah, I think it's just another kind of win for Kirkland in general. I think their products really just are a hit with consumers. And you know, I think anytime you can get a product to go viral is good publicity. So.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

So listeners, if you did try the marshmallow crispy cookie, we would like to see pictures and a full review. Let us know what you think.

[Ariel Figar]

You can also send us some if you want.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

That's true. Number six, Ariel, this one's you. Misfits Market, which is known for its ugly fruit vegetable products that they're trying to resell, has launched a new product category.

[Ariel Figar]

Yeah, so Misfits Market has launched a household goods category on its website and I think it's kind of an interesting thing. The line will have about 30 products. Laundry detergent, kitchen goods, cleaning supplies, paper products. And the idea is that these products have been carefully vetted to exclude harsh chemicals, synthetic fragrances, and single use plastics when possible. So while I think it would be very difficult to like, deliver on the like ugly produce kind of thing that Misfits Market is known for, it's still really following through on this like, ethos of like sustainability and good for the planet. So I think it's a great way to expand without losing kind of sight of the mission.

[Sky Canavas]

And it falls really into that sweet spot we talk about private label and Costco is really benefiting from consumers looking to save money by buying retailer brands. Another way consumers are looking to save money is through different discount options for products like grocery and household essentials. And we see in person retailers like Aldi doing well there. And this is an opportunity for an online retailer to expand its share of consumers who are looking for a good deal on the products that they have no choice but to spend on.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

I also love this one. I am a little bit worried that they went in too big on their first assortment with 100 SKUs, but I guess we'll see how willing the customer is to go here instead of to a Walmart or Target.

[Ariel Figar]

Yeah, I think it's probably, you know, just widening or increasing the basket size of current customers rather than maybe getting some new customers in there. But I think it's a smart play.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Can't hurt.

[Ariel Figar]

Can't hurt.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

So speaking of can't hurt, number five, Vineyard Vines for partnering with Zach Brown Band on a capsule collection and so I have to admit that I had to Google who that is because I wasn't quite aware of how much he does. He is like a chameleon when it comes to music in that he is doing country, he has pop songs, he has electric dance music. He is very well known in the south and has a very strong cult like following on, like me, don't follow me and my knowledge on this one, which is the exact opposite, I would say, of Vineyard Vines. Right. East coast, preppy, nautical brand. And so the tie up is great way for Vineyard Vines to get more exposure to a brand new market that they didn't already have a foothold in. Brilliant.

[Ariel Figar]

Yeah, I agree. It's a, it's a fun kind of mismatch, you know, New England with, you know, kind of a Southern twist. And also I believe on our last retail rankings or a recent pod, we talked about Bon Iver and his Tinned Fish collaboration. And so I'm always kind of just interested to see how musicians are kind of branching out into the retail world to promote themselves.

[Sky Canavas]

This one still seems a little jarring to me. I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. When you said Bon Iver and Tinned Fish, that immediately put a certain customer in mind for me. Like I can see that customer. I can see the Zach Brown Band and Vineyard Vines collaboration customer very easily. I can't picture it. Maybe, maybe it exists or maybe it will exist if this is promoted well enough.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

So I'm going to take us back to number eight. We had Behr Paint number seven, Costco number six. Misfits Market, another potential Misfit, Vineyard vine partnering with Zach Brown number four. We have away luggage that was working with Uber in New York City and giving away free luggage. Ariel.

[Ariel Figar]

Yeah. So I don't know how many of you have visited JFK in the last, I don't know, a few months. They recently, well, thought that recently, about a year ago moved their carpool section where you have to take a shuttle now. And that's not always a super pleasant experience. So I like that away is kind of making that experience maybe a little bit better or more exciting by them giving away free luggage to riders of the Uber shuttle that takes them from JFK to the shuttle lot. So yeah, I just thought it was a really fun way and it's summer and it's hot and I just think it's, it's, it's fun.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

I totally agree with you. And we did talk about this a, a while in the committee discussion in that there are quite a few Lyft companies, no pun intended, with Lyft doing different partnerships in July. But this one, Becky really, really pushed on because there was also that scavenger hunt element. And we know that gamification wins. And so it's not only like gifting, but also free shuttle service, removing friction, adding some sort of scavenger hunt sort of gamification angle. So it kind of works so well together.

[Ariel Figar]

Yeah.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Blake, I see you nodding your head. Thoughts?

[Blake Drosch]

No, I agree. I don't think this is going to be an unchangeable list. But I'm not alone nodding along this.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

I knew it.

[Blake Drosch]

On this particular, I knew we had.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

The best list ever since the creation of the unofficial rankings. So then in number three then, Urban Outfitters. I know that sky, you're gonna have a lot to say about this. It's all about back to school. They're doing some dorm makeover contest kind of similar to what they did before in previous years, but this one's a little bit bigger. They're working with a cable channel, which is HGTV. They're using Pinterest. It's part of their 360 degree campaign for back to School with lots of different moments of delighting and surprising their clients or their consumers. The cool thing about this, I thought was that there is a winner who gets the makeover and $5,000. But in return, Urban Outfitter gets a lot of data. Right. They're going to see a lot of pinned rooms. They're going to see a lot of what their sweet spot customer is looking for. So it kind of feels like a huge win for them.

[Ariel Figar]

Yeah, I think this is a really good example of that like value exchange that we talk about a lot. I mean, granted not everyone's going to win the makeover, but I think that it's definitely showing like consumers, when you give them the incentive to give you their data, they'll do it. And I think it's a really good way to see that in real life.

[Sky Canavas]

And you also get a lot of user generated content about Urban Outfitters to show their visions for their dorm rooms and what they want to see and get people talking about the company and then that is very valuable, essentially free marketing out of the campaign. One thing I've noticed is that they've started their back to school campaigns. It seems earlier this year they had a previous one that was you, which was partnering with U Haul on a campaign around moving into dorms and that angle. So it seems like it's pretty extended. They're all interconnected with that back to school dorm room theme and how Urban Outfitters is not just clothing, but a lot of the decor that people are looking to purchase as well during this time.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Love that. Good win for both. And probably driving a lot of traffic to HGTV of a. Not usual.

[Blake Drosch]

Yeah.

[Ariel Figar]

Younger viewers.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Yeah. I don't even know that I can say it properly. We have number two, Pop Mart, for capitalizing on the Labu Boo craze with live streaming, gamification and a bunch of other things.

[Ariel Figar]

It's Labubu.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Oh, already I started off wrong.

[Blake Drosch]

It's fun to say.

[Ariel Figar]

It's good. It was a good. It's educational.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Yes, 100%. I am definitely not the right market for this. Though I did hear, coincidentally this morning, that there are adult influencers who are also wearing these, I guess.

[Ariel Figar]

Oh, yeah. This is certainly not just for kids. It is. It is adults. It is. It is everyone. I mean, honestly, I wasn't really paying attention to this as much until the other day when I saw an article that was kind of outlining how hard it is to get a loo Boo Boo. And obviously it makes sense. So the Boo Boos are tiny little, like, stuffed animal dolls that you can clip to your purse, or they also sell bigger versions and they're, you know, just kind of the next craze. I think, for what makes it interesting is kind of how Pop Mart is kind of working to continue and generate that kind of craze. So basically, like, they all come in blind boxes, so you don't know what you're going to get. So there's kind of a surprise element. And then, you know, some Pop Mart will host live streams. Sometimes they'll sell dolls or drop dolls, sometimes they won't. So you kind of have to tune in and see. And then they also introduced this game called Pop now, and you have to, like, click through a bunch of virtual B.O. and like, I just think it's fascinating. There's like, you know, creators, you know, online, you know, giving tips and people trying to get them in the frenzy. And I just think it's smart of popmart to kind of play into this and just really notch it that much further to kind of that gamification of, you know, will I get one or not?

[Susie Deva Canyon]

It certainly sounds cooler. And now that I think about it, is that the thing you have on your keychain, Blake?

[Blake Drosch]

Yeah, yeah, it's.

[Ariel Figar]

Blake has a Labubu.

[Blake Drosch]

Yeah, I have several. My keychain is. It's mostly Labubus at this point. There are very few keys on it. The ratio is. Is. Yeah, it's wildly off. Some would say it's unseemly. But I do think. I do think it is kind of like a masterclass. And so, like, there's always sort of like the IT toy, right? And this is sort of a masterclass and how to market them in the digital age.

[Ariel Figar]

Yeah, yeah.

[Sky Canavas]

And popmart is. Has been really big in China for a long time. They've been doing these blind box toys for many years, since before the pandemic. And that's become a huge phenomenon there. And so it's really interesting to see how trend is now taking off globally. It's been spurred a lot by international celebrities like members of the K pop band blackpink, I think really set it off among young Gen Z. And now it's gotten to kids and there's just this mania around it, which I think eventually will die down. But for now, they're really playing it well. And if they can come out with new, innovative products, not just Labubu, but other toys for adults and kids alike, there's a lot of potential there.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

That's very cool. And you kind of teed us up so well for our number one position, which is Ulta, because they're also pushing into K Beauty in an even bigger way. They've purchased a UK beauty retailer. They're doing a lot of different things to spur more international growth. Tell us more, Ariel.

[Ariel Figar]

Yeah, so, I mean, they're doing a whole lot of stuff you mentioned they acquired a UK beauty retailer, Space nk. They're going to open stores in Mexico, in Dubai, in Abu Dhabi, and they're partnering with K Beauty World to bring some Korean beauty brands into the stores. And they're really just kind of doing a lot, which I think is pretty smart at the moment because Ulta is definitely kind of at the risk of maybe being a little stagnant and really needs to kind of reinvent itself. And I think these, especially with the Korean beauty, which is a pretty big trend amongst younger consumers especially, I think it's just a really smart way to kind of keep things fresh.

[Sky Canavas]

Right. They're a little more mass traditionally than Sephora, which has really taken off, especially with younger consumers. But I think they're looking to expand, you know, their sales into different categories and they have the opportunity to go, I think, a bit beyond what Sephora offers. They're launching a marketplace this fall, which I see this bringing new categories and brands as part of, you know, a teaser, like if these categories have a presence on Ulta, then more of those brands might want to join their marketplace, and then that will create, you know, more opportunities for their retail media network to grow. So they also have announced that they're bringing on Ritual, which is a supplement brand, and that's tying into the whole wellness category, which is a whole other space beyond K Beauty, where there's a lot of opportunity for expansion.

[Ariel Figar]

Yeah, I really, I appreciate, you know, retailers that are kind of willing to try new things and kind of see. All right, we'll just keep. Keep freshness, newness, and things coming out and seeing what sticks.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

An amazing way to drive traffic.

[Ariel Figar]

Yeah.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Well, I think that cemented our number one spot at Ulta, and we have the most incredible list ever. That said, we do have two honorable mentions, which are in number nine, Mattel, for launching a Barbie doll that was positioned as a type 1 diabetes doll that sold out immediately. And number 10, we couldn't have a list without at least one gigantic player that we talk about a lot that some of us have a affinity towards, which is Walmart. And this time, for understanding that Vizio carries a lot of weight as a brand and turning it into a private label. Okay, well, then let's keep moving. So to recap, our amazing list that will be untouched. Number eight, Bare Paint, for doing the AI Agent to help customers select paint colors. Number seven, Costco, for their Kirkland marshmallow crispy cookie that went viral and it's hard to find. Number six, Misfits Market, for launching into a whole new category. Number five, Vineyard Vines, for a very interesting partnership with Zach Brown brand. Number four, away, for working on gamification, giving away free luggages and free Uber shuttles to those in New York City. Number three, Urban Outfitters, for its dorm makeover contest. Number two, Popmart, for launching and capitalizing on this craze that shall remain nameless because I'm going to say it wrong again. And number one, Ulta, for really looking at all the different types of pockets of growth. So now it's your turn, Blake. What's your move if you have one?

[Blake Drosch]

I do have them. Sorry.

[Ariel Figar]

Sorry. Susie, you continually repeating how amazing our list was hasn't really sunk into Blake, apparently.

[Blake Drosch]

And I'm limited to just two.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

No, just one. You can either move something or add something. Take something away.

[Blake Drosch]

Well, I want the record to show that I have more than one, but in. In the one that I'm allotted. Correct. I think Walmart should be on the list.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

How many would you remove?

[Blake Drosch]

I'm getting to that. I'M gonna take them off the honorable mentions list and put them in number five, the number five slot and take Vineyard Vines out of the list. My reason for taking Vineyard Vines out of the list is that I think that we still have a conception of Vineyard Vines as sort of like this, like, niche northeast brand, but like they're a, you know, national brand at this point. Like, they're everywhere. They're already in, you know, mainstream American shopping malls, they're in department stores. I don't think that, like, the partnership with the Zac Brown Band is going to really move the needle in a super significant way. And I think Walmart deserves to be on the list because of what they're doing with Dark stores. They just announced that they're going to open up a whole slew of them. And it's not so much just that they're opening up dark stores because that is obviously not something that's like new or innovative. But when you think about without Walmart doing it, it really is quite a flex for the retailer because of the fact that they've been able to really grow their E commerce business primarily in grocery at such a fast rate due to the fact that they have this massive brick and mortar presence and that they've been able to leverage the store to fulfill those orders. The fact that their E commerce business has now grown to the point where they need to open up more space through Dark Stores I think really symbolizes a new chap for Walmart's E commerce business and it's really coming into to its own. And I think that's something that is definitely worth a mention for this list.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

So I don't think that Dark Stories is a July thing, Blake. And that seems like a technicality, but it is one that I will stand by given that we have an amazing list. Well, Susan, I'm just saying.

[Ariel Figar]

Break your heart.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

I am just saying. However, I.

[Blake Drosch]

Are we gonna get a ruling on this?

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Yeah, I ruled it. I'm in charge.

[Blake Drosch]

When did the new dark side.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Wasn't it break latest? It broke a while ago because we talked about it on the Walmart episode.

[Sky Canavas]

I think it might have been like end of June. It might have still been end of June.

[Blake Drosch]

End of June.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

I mean, I'm sorry, but this is.

[Blake Drosch]

What happens when you take a vacation.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

That's it.

[Blake Drosch]

I'm totally out of the loop.

[Ariel Figar]

It's true.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

But I do correct me if I think we did have a lot of discussion around should Walmart not be an honorable mention and be on our list. So I think for Many reasons. Not the dark stores, though. We could put Walmart on our list, but I think this is going to be a group effort and it's maybe not how we always do it, but I do think Vineyard vine should still stay because all of us were baffled by that. And so potentially we could move Costco off because, you know, sometimes your thing goes viral and sometimes your cookie doesn't and you just don't know.

[Ariel Figar]

I think I would be okay with that. So maybe we put Walmart in number five, but then we move Vineyard Vines and Misfits down. So Vineyard would be six, misfits would be seven, and then Bear would still be eight, and Costco would go in. Honorable does that make sense, Blake, how you feel about that? You all right with that?

[Blake Drosch]

I've. I'm still, I'm still grappling with this Walmart, this dark store. Store miss I. I don't know whether it's. I need to keep digging myself into the hole or should I. If I should just apologize to the podcast. You don't have to forget getting it wrong.

[Ariel Figar]

Listen, time is difficult.

[Blake Drosch]

Things are moving fast these days.

[Ariel Figar]

Too fast.

[Blake Drosch]

No, I'm, I'm okay with that.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Okay, so now sky, what do you think? What is your move?

[Sky Canavas]

So I also have struggled a bit because I also had two, but I think I have to pick one and which one is more impactful for retail overall. I'm also with Blake on taking Vineyard Vines off because it's a little head scratching. I don't know that it will move the needle much in terms of the power of this collaboration, but I don't think we can talk about July 2025 retail without talking Amazon and its big shift of Amazon Prime Day to a four day format, which essentially, and bringing it up earlier right after the 4th of July weekend and everybody else in retail seemed to scramble to have sales right around the same time, bookending a little later, a little earlier to try and capture some of the demand around the big event. And I think the final results that came in show that this was pretty successful for Amazon in terms of retail sales, in terms of driving more ad spending for Amazon ads. And I think we'll continue to see a four day Prime Day and essentially a big July summer sales week going on into the future. Whether we'll see the similar thing happen in October with the Prime Day sale is still tbd. There's possibility for it. Maybe not this year, maybe in a couple of years, but I think that's my move. And I would take Vineyard Vines off And. And put Amazon up in there.

[Blake Drosch]

Thanks, guy.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Cahoots over here. Arielle, what are your thoughts?

[Ariel Figar]

So I'm of two minds, as I usually am. We also, similar to Walmart, had discussions around this in our pre pod committee meeting. And certainly Amazon's Prime Day was a huge moment in July for retail, but we also kind of of, you know, said, well, doesn't it make sense, them lengthening Prime Day? Doesn't it? You know, isn't this kind of par for the course? So I am inclined to put them.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

On the list, but a number eight?

[Ariel Figar]

Yeah, I. I think so. I just. I think it's. It's expected. Not interesting. It's something to note.

[Blake Drosch]

Yeah.

[Ariel Figar]

I don't know.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

They are a market mover, though, so. And the fact that they went to four dates is definitely interesting that they were able to sustain it. And there were a lot of conversations around would they see a lot of growth or tempered growth? And it seems like it worked for them. And the halo effect was probably pretty strong. I'm still very sad about the vineyard vine situation, though, because I thought that was really clever and that beat over Ralph Lauren and Usher and Wimbledon partnership, but I guess we have to just let it slide. What do you think?

[Ariel Figar]

I mean, I think the committee has. Well, the extended committee has spoken.

[Blake Drosch]

Get off the list.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Got it.

[Blake Drosch]

I will say that I think you're being very fair to Amazon in the fact that it is par for the course for them to keep pushing the needle and expanding Prime Day. But I also see where Sky's saying is that we'd really be remiss if we let the whole month go by without at least mentioning them. So I think eight is on the list, but almost in an honorable mention type of way, and I think that's fair.

[Ariel Figar]

Yeah, everybody wins then, except for for vineyard vines.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Goodness. But they already won because they have a very famous Southern person collaborating with them.

[Ariel Figar]

They're probably doing all right.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Yeah. So that takes us to our new finalist for July. Number eight, Amazon, for moving Prime Day from two days to four days. Number seven, Behr Paint, for introducing an AI agent to help customers select paint colors. Number six, Misfits Market, for launching a new product category, Lububu Almost. Number five, Walmart, for many reasons, but not the dark store. Number four, Away Luggage, for gifting free luggage, doing gamification, and offering free Uber shuttles to the airport. Number three, Urban Outfitters, for partnering with HGTV and Pinterest on a door makeover contest. Number two, Pop Martin, for capitalizing on the Labubu Craze.

[Blake Drosch]

There we go. We got it.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Number one, Ulta, for looking at every avenue of growth possible. That's all the time we have for today. Thanks so much for joining us.

[Sky Canavas]

Sky, thanks for having me.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

And Blake, thanks for joining us after your holidays.

[Blake Drosch]

Great to be here. Great to be back.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

Arielle, thanks so much for joining me. It was really fun.

[Ariel Figar]

Yeah, this is really fun.

[Susie Deva Canyon]

And thank you listeners and our team that edits the podcast. Please leave a comment or review and remember to subscribe to the behind the Numbers podcast. We'll be back next Wednesday with another episode of Reimagining Retail. And on Friday, join Marcus for another episode of behind the Numbers, an emarketer podcast made possible by Quad.