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[00:00]
A
Consumers skip ads, but they don't skip rewards. Fetch drives performance. With over 12.5 million monthly active users and over 11.5 million receipts scanned daily, capturing 88% of household spend. Your brand becomes the reward, earning real engagement, verified purchases, and loyalty. Fetch, America's rewards app, where brands are the center of joy. Hi, everyone. Today is Wednesday, October 29th. Welcome back to Reimagining Retail, an e marketer podcast made possible by Fetch. This is the show where we talk about how retail collides with every part of our lives. I'm Susie Dava Canyon, your new host, taking over from Sara Lebo. And today I'm really excited to dive into one of my favorite episodes. The unofficial retailers ranking for October 2025. This is where we rank the most interesting retail moves this month. Not necessarily the biggest, but the ones that made us say, wait, that's clever, or they did what? So joining me for today's episode, we have a full house in our New York City studios. Analyst Ariel Fager.
[01:13]
B
Hi. Congratulations on being the new host.
[01:16]
A
Oh, my gosh. Thank you. Senior analyst Blake Drosch. Hey, Blake.
[01:21]
C
Hello, everyone. Good to be here.
[01:23]
A
So happy to have you here. And analyst Rachel Wolf.
[01:26]
D
Hey, Susie. Excited to be on your first official episode as host.
[01:29]
B
Official unofficial rankings. I love it.
[01:32]
A
I love it. Thank you, guys. Okay, so before we get started with our most interesting unofficial list, let me quickly walk our new listeners through the rules. So we have a committee. Ariel, Becky, and our newest member, Emmy and I, we put together our unofficial list of interesting retailer moves this month. And in the first half of the episode, the committee representatives. So this time it'll be Arielle and I will count down our list and we'll discuss the standout moves across tech stores and collabs. And then in the second half of the episode, our podcast regulars, Blake and Rachel, they'll get to introduce a new player. So that means that they'll have to knock off one of our players. They'll either move a retailer up or down. Or maybe they'll just agree with us. Ariel. I think I have number eight. So it's Bobby. For those of you who don't know, it's a mom founded organic infant feeding company. And most recently they partnered with Cardi B, who's expecting her fourth child as chief confidence officer for the B is for Bobby tagline. And we thought that this was a really bold message. Not only is it about using pop culture, but. But it's also this idea around how you can make choices that are right for you and that Might mean formula, and that's okay. And they're trying to really call out that this is no longer a stigma to use formula. So it's really quite an interesting way to do purpose marketing to bring a brand out in a way that we weren't expecting. That was probably not on a lot of people's radars, but everybody's talking about it now.
[03:07]
B
Yeah, I like this. It's, it's just fun. Cardi B is such a, like, brass, bold personality. And I think, you know, something that, you know, moms I think could really use is someone who's confident and, you know, who's unapologetic. And I think it's a great pairing.
[03:26]
D
I like that there is an advocacy aspect to the campaign as well. So there's a hotline where people can call in and share their own stories about parenting, which will then be sent to lawmakers. So, you know, it's, I think, a really great way of obviously raising awareness of the brand, but also driving attention toward larger issues.
[03:44]
A
That's a great point. Yep, we love that. We also love number seven, Bombas. Tell us more.
[03:51]
B
Yeah. So Bombas, longtime D2C brand, is finally opening its own retail locations. It's starting with three. And so it sold its products in stores before, you know, in other retailers. But this is the first owned store. And it's interesting because the question kind of is why now? Feels like this was a move that could have or should have happened maybe, you know, five, 10 years ago. But at the same time, you know, I was thinking about it and I was like, maybe they are also being really smart about it. They have built their, their brand, they have a loyal following, they've done their due diligence of creating a larger audience through their retailer partnerships. And now that they're, you know, on more solid ground, this is a good time to expand. So I, I, I was at first a little like, oh, this is a, interesting timing. But honestly, it kind of, it makes sense. I feel like this could be the logical next step for them.
[04:50]
A
I agree. Plus, there are a lot of other random one off sock brands coming up. So it makes sense that they want to secure their place as that original, you know, digitally native brand in the sock category.
[05:02]
D
I also didn't know that apparently a quarter of the revenues comes from slides and slippers. So having their stores would be a great way to drive awareness of those other categories that they're not known for through their extensive podcast advertising.
[05:15]
C
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Like they, I, when I my first impression was like, okay, well, who's going to drive to the store just to buy socks? Right? So retail partnerships, it makes sense. Like, maybe if you open up a store in Times Square at a mall where there's, like, a lot of natural foot traffic. But then when you learn about the fact that they're trying to expand into footwear, obviously that's something that people want to go try it on, touch and feel the product. So it makes more sense maybe from a revenue stream model and not just marketing.
[05:44]
A
Right.
[05:44]
C
If it was just socks and they wanted to, you know, build the brand up a little bit, a couple, you know, strategically placed stores makes sense. But if they get more into footwear and slippers and stuff, then maybe scaling the store model is the way to go.
[05:57]
B
Yeah.
[05:57]
A
Well, speaking of scaling, that takes us to number six, Depop, which many of you know, it's a fashion resale app. And the reason why I was tying it to scaling is because we have them on our list. They just introduced a new brand campaign around where taste recognizes taste, and they're reframing the whole idea around resale with this new launched feature, doohickey thing, thingamabob on their app that's called Outfit that looks a little bit more like a Pinterest move where you can peg things together. That's part of the resale platform to help you really discover and create that cool styled look and then make the purchase. And so that's definitely a really good way to scale resale when it's a lot of onesies and twosies that seem so disparate in the collection.
[06:45]
B
Yeah. And the visual part of it is also really important. We know that people, especially, you know, Gen Z, they're visual shoppers. They want to see how things will look. And yeah, I agree, this is a great way to kind of get that whole outfit look and kind of say, okay, you like this leather jacket? Here's. Here's some pants to go with it.
[07:05]
A
Right. And it's like, how do you help complete the look and remove friction?
[07:09]
B
And that's again, helping customers and then also helping, you know, to increase basket size 100%. Win win.
[07:17]
A
Speaking of win win.
[07:19]
B
I don't know.
[07:20]
A
This one's too hard of a transition for me, you guys. I don't know. We had a lot of discussion about number five, and somehow it made it not only on the list, but it's number five, because in some ways it's very clever. Arielle, take it away. What's number five?
[07:34]
B
I've been designated the person to Talk about this because I'll talk about anything with anyone. So Skims has introduced a line of underwear. They are G string underwear that are adorned with fake pubic hair. It comes a large range of sizes and 12 different colors. It's. People are talking about it. It's controversy, it's edgy, it's a little weird. It's, you know, people have a lot of different opinions on it. And I think, you know, Kim Kardashian skims, they are no stranger to controversy, no stranger to drumming up, you know, lots of social talk. And this is just another one of those things. And I personally think it's kind of fun. You know, I think it's different.
[08:16]
D
Yeah, I mean, I think as a marketing stunt it did exactly what it was meant to do, right? Which is get people interested, get them to the website to look at this thing is, and then maybe click around and see some other maybe less controversial items. But they've done this before. They had the face wrap which supposedly resembled something that people wear after plastic surgery. And that one, Sir Anthony Hopkins wore that. So if you can turn Sir Anthony Hopkins into a Skims customer, then you're doing something right.
[08:48]
B
And the line sold out. So, so people did buy them.
[08:51]
A
So I mean, this is the thing. Did they really make enough for it to sell out?
[08:55]
B
I mean, it's a great question.
[08:57]
D
There are four, five star reviews on the website.
[09:00]
A
There are.
[09:01]
B
We should maybe extracurricular is go back and read some of those reviews.
[09:06]
A
I can't believe that. That's amazing. I know. It certainly brought a lot of conversation on my Instagram feed of some very big, big players. So that was kind of fun. Blake, what do you think?
[09:19]
C
No comment on this one.
[09:21]
B
Fair enough. Fair enough.
[09:22]
A
Well then to recap at number eight we have Bobby. Number seven, Bombas, number six, Depop, and number five, Skims, which takes us to number four, Vita Coco. Most of you will know it's a 20 plus year old brand. It's a coconut water brand. It's probably one of the first ones, I think. And we have them on the list because they have a collaboration for Halloween with Labubu. But I think it's worth noting that the kit, which comes with collectible doll costume and a bunch of other things and it is only for loyalty members, is also not 100% a collab. They have made costumes for Labubu dolls, but there is a little asterisk on their website that says that it is their doing versus an official collab. But it has gotten all of us to Talk about it. I didn't realize that the CPG brand had loyalty program that's called the Grove. So they're definitely doing some smart things to drum up business.
[10:17]
B
Yeah, I mean, I think consumers are probably not paying attention to that asterisk. I think, you know, it just, it's. Everyone was crazy about the boo boos and you know, it's Halloween, it's fun, it's exciting, it's true.
[10:32]
A
They've tied a lot of different pop culture moments to create this fandomness. Right?
[10:36]
C
Yeah, Yeah, I agree. And as someone who learned about Labubus on this podcast in real time, I now understand the cultural gravity of the Labubu craze. And I do think it's a good idea of like, it is an unofficial collaboration. It feels like it's a little bit like we're gonna jump on this to try and drum up a little bit of noise. And in a way it's a little bit aggressive, I think, because it is not official, but I think that's a good thing. I think like, it's like particularly a CPG brand that's trying to drum up a little bit of loyalty or create a little bit more loyalty for their specific product, which is difficult. Like, you need to be creative, you need to be aggressive. So I think it's a smart move.
[11:23]
D
Yeah, I think it's interesting, but I guess I just question whether it's original. I mean, I've seen so many different brands try and cash in Labubu phase. I saw like Olive Garden had something about Labubus. So I think when everybody is doing it, does it really make Vita Coco special? I don't know.
[11:39]
B
It's a fair point.
[11:40]
A
Yeah. The only thing which they're clever, but everybody does it, right? It launches on a day. It's limited quantities. Everybody's got to run to it. So it is going to certainly see a bump in sales. But yeah, maybe not as original as some other campaigns like the skims. Very original. So that takes us to number three, Gap. Why Gap?
[11:58]
B
Gap has launched a creator and affiliate advocacy program. And this is essentially, it's like a centralized hub to help creators engage more deeply with the Gap brands, including Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, Beth Letta. You know, I think it's really clever because it gives creators kind of a one hub to access quote, new releases, product seeding, exclusive promos. And it makes it easier for the creators and it also makes it easier for the brands to connect with these creators. And I also wonder if it maybe helps with data too. I wonder if having One United program can give Gap a little more insight into how all of their creator programs are performing across the portfolio. So this feels like a really interesting way as creative marketing grows to really streamline and organize that.
[12:51]
A
Gap is really one of the first loyalty programs that was Gap Inc. So the loyalty program ran around all four versus a lot of other brands that it doesn't. So probably there is something to the data sharing. What do you guys have to say about Gap? What do you think? We put it at number two.
[13:07]
D
I think what I find interesting is the range of creators that they're working with. As long as you have, I think it's a thousand followers, you can join the program and I think that's a smart move. If you have more creators, that just means more available content. It gives you more opportunities to maybe target your messaging for very specific audience segments instead of the broader sort of brand level brand awareness marketing. So, so I think it's a smart move.
[13:30]
C
I think it's interesting like a lot of these affiliate programs that I've seen are coming from bigger retailers and I think Gap to do sort of a self service creator program. It makes me wonder if like it's actually going to be super successful because there has to be, you know, creating content is, you know, a big effort and if creators are making Gap content and then they don't see any benefits from it because people aren't buying the products, then it makes me question like how long and how successful is this program actually going to be as opposed to like creators wanting to use the Amazon affiliate program which is not guaranteed but has a much higher probability of being successful for them. So I think it'll be interesting to see how it actually scales.
[14:29]
B
Agreed.
[14:29]
A
Yeah. Although I do think nowadays you kind of have to be everywhere all the time. Which brings us to number two, Walmart.
[14:37]
B
Great, great transition. Love it. Thanks.
[14:39]
A
So Walmart, why did we pick Walmart for number two? Well, it's now everybody's been talking about this. How can we not be talking about this? It's partnering with OpenAI to let customers shop via ChatGPT. It's the first person, first retailer making this big move. It's very controversial right now in commerce, but it is definitely more than that for Walmart in terms of they're really trying to signal again, we've been talking about this a lot. Signal that they are not a dot, like a dated retailer, but that they are not a, you know, really tech forward and they want to jump in on all of the different tech Headlines. So for that we put them at number two.
[15:16]
B
Yeah, I think it's really interesting especially, I mean, I know we compare Walmart and Amazon quite a lot, but I feel like it's a natural comparison to make and I feel like it is distinct from Amazon, which is kind of really focusing on its own agentic kind of experience. Rufus which makes sense, but Walmart is saying, and you know, they have it, they have their own, you know, bot, but they are also now opening up to ChatGPT and I think it's, it's just smart to kind of go where the consumers are and be proactive again about where those consumers are.
[15:54]
C
Yeah, I think Walmart is always sort of at the forefront of these things. They were really quick to partner with TikTok and connected TV platforms on shoppable media. And it's just a natural fit for a retailer with so much money to throw around to try to be ahead of the curve wherever it may be leading. Like, I don't know if it's necessarily, I mean, it's certainly sort of the tail wagging the dog a little bit because consumers are not using AI agentic commerce in any meaningful way right now. But you know, there's a lot of speculation that it will become a, if not a large component, at least a component of driving shopping discovery. So it makes sense for them to be experimenting in this, in this field right now.
[16:50]
A
And really experimenting is critical in retail. As more and more brands and more and more channels pop up, you have to really see what works for you. So before we reveal number one, let's take a look at our list. Number eight was Bobby. Number seven, Bombus. Number six, Depop. Number five Skims with their new product launch. Number four, Vita Coco. Number three, Gap. Number two, Walmart. And our number one. Do you want to tell us who it is?
[17:17]
B
Drumroll, please. It's Ulta. And the reason Ulta made the number one spot is for its new marketplace. It's a new marketplace on both its website and app. I think what is interesting to me is that it's invite only. I don't know, I guess how much control other retailers exert over their own marketplaces. But I think the, you know, the ability to really curate the exact right products, the right quality products is something that will help Ulta stand out. It's just again, a more an expanded assortment for customers and I think it's just a smart move and more monetizable ad space for its retail media network, which again is something that makes a lot of sense Considering where we're at. More data, more data, more ads, more makeup.
[18:14]
C
It'll be interesting to see how their, their marketplace can compete though, with particularly Amazon and Walmart, because we've seen them doing so well in the beauty space for many years. And there's going to have to be, whether there's a loyalty component or just a product selection component, it's going to have to be something that's going to convince consumers who are already buying their beauty products through Amazon, probably with a Prime membership, probably getting those products very quickly, maybe reoccurring subscriptions, things like that, over to Ulta. Right. I think it's, it's a natural space. They have to sort of move into the marketplace component because of the fact that this is such a fast growing segment of E commerce, but it's also one of the most competitive spaces. So it'll be really interesting to see how they fare. And they've done. They're very proficient in all things digital. So I think they're well positioned. But I think, you know, no matter how well positioned you are, when you're going up against Amazon, you know, the odds are always against you.
[19:18]
B
Yeah.
[19:18]
D
And I also wonder if that curated approach kind of works against them.
[19:21]
B
Right.
[19:22]
D
Because it limits the amount of new products, say, or new brands that they can add to their website or their marketplace, in which case, you know, again, that just drives people back to Amazon, to Walmart, to the marketplaces that have the selection that people want.
[19:35]
A
I do think in their favor though is that they are cultivating their own brands and people don't understand what a marketplace is. And so you don't know if it's a 3p or 1p when you're shopping and Ulta is going after all of these very niche, you know, Korean, Japanese masks and stuff that maybe on Amazon you're worried it's a dupe and so you're not going to get it, but you have that legitimacy from Ulta.
[19:57]
B
Yeah. And I think, and Ulta has a pretty strong loyalty following and I think that is gonna really be where this shines is the people who are already shopping at Ulta who have an affinity for it and now who are like, oh, like there's, they have this now and they have this now. And I think, I think that's, that's gonna be its strong suit.
[20:18]
A
So many great retailers to choose from. So we have two other honorable mentions, Ikea, for being so open about the price increases. It sort of attributes them to tariffs. They're not doing it in a very marketing splashy kind of way. But they're being just very intentional and transparent about what categories and what raw materials are being impacted by tariffs and therefore impacting their own business. And it's not across all of their categories. And we also had Amazon. Tell us more. Ariel, this is for.
[20:48]
B
It's a. It's a mixed bag. Two reasons we added Amazon to the list. In number 10, it started livestream commerce with Twitch, so shoppable livestream ads, which is really interesting. It's once again another monetizable surface for Amazon to expand its ads. And Twitch, I think, is a pretty unique platform that has a pretty loyal and dedicated consumer base. So I think that could just really make some interesting partnerships and some interesting moves there. On the other hand, Amazon just closed a few of their Amazon Fresh stores. And the grocery path that Amazon has been on has been very confusing, very windy. They're opening stores, they're closing stores. So it's really unclear what they're trying to do here. So, you know, again, a little bit of a mixed bag there with Amazon.
[21:40]
A
Cool. So that's our list. Now it's your turn. Blake, what are you thinking?
[21:50]
C
I think I will say that I think this list is. It's been a bit of a slow month. Like, there's not like a. There wasn't like a ton of innovation things that have been done before. I think. No, don't worry. I'm still gonna have an opinion. But I just want to say, like, I'm a little disappointed in, like, retail news for this month.
[22:11]
B
You walked away from this list being like, wow, we really like this list. This was a good month for us.
[22:16]
C
I don't think so. I think there's like, there's nothing that. Wow. I'm not saying we missed anything. I'm not saying the podcast missed anything. I think the industry as a whole, there just, like, hasn't been that much excitement. It's just retailers doing what they are supposed to be doing. Right. Walmart is, you know, going all in on the next technological innovation. You know, they're raising prices because of tariffs, they're partnering with creators, they're opening stores. Like, they're not much new under the sun, if you put it that way. Anyways.
[22:47]
A
So then why would you move?
[22:49]
C
I guess I would move. I think it's. It's a little bit nuanced, but I would move Bombus up, actually. I would put them. I'd put them in, like, the four spot, because I think there is. This is again, like, they're doing what A brand is supposed to be doing, but I think, like, they're just a company that is exemplified, like, doing D2C the right way. And they are the type of brand that I feel like opening stores and growing and expanding into different verticals is actually going to help bolster their business rather than cripple it. Right. Because this is the sort of phase of a lot of D2C brands where it's sort of do or die. Like, you either grow into this, like, retail partnerships, opening up stores, you know, expanding into different products, or you're never gonna continue to grow. And then a lot of them rush into it. They don't have, like, a solid brand, and they just start to flatline. I don't think that's gonna happen with Bombas. I think it's gonna be, like, a very successful company. They've done almost everything right in the D2C playbook, and now they're sort of transitioning to that more traditional brand in. At the right time. Yeah, at the right time.
[24:05]
B
I can. I can give points to, quote, doing everything right in the D2C playbook. I think that's something we've seen a lot of companies not do well.
[24:13]
C
So easier said than done.
[24:15]
B
Yeah.
[24:15]
C
Yeah.
[24:16]
A
I also love them because they donate to an organization I volunteer for.
[24:19]
B
Oh, yeah. I do love that they. They do have a charitable side to their brand, and that's always exciting and fun.
[24:27]
A
So does that mean you just move it and then knock everybody down one, or are you introducing a new place player at the same time?
[24:33]
C
I would just knock everything down.
[24:34]
A
Okay, what about you, Rachel? What's your move?
[24:37]
D
So should I add mine now or should I move and then add?
[24:41]
A
Let's move and then add.
[24:42]
D
Move and then add.
[24:43]
A
Because what. What would you remove? Let's talk about what you would remove.
[24:46]
D
So I think. I mean, you probably guessed this based on my earlier comments, but I think Vita Coco should be on there. Not, you know, to knock Labuboos or Labubu Craze. But as I said, you know, I think this is something that every brand pretty much is doing or trying to do. And, you know, it did work for them. I think it sold out almost immediately. But, you know, again, it's the boo boo. Everybody wants everything. The boo boo for now. And I don't know that it has necessarily lasting rewards for the company.
[25:16]
A
Okay, so then what would you move into our list?
[25:21]
D
So I would add, it's kind of two companies, but Kering selling their beauty division to L' Oreal for. For a cool 4 billion euros. And I think this is a big move for both companies. Right. For Kering, it's a retrenchment. It's a whole new strategy under their new CEO. But for l', Oreal, I mean, this is a huge opportunity for them in the luxury beauty space, especially in fragrances, which is the fastest growing category right now. And it could really reshape that landscape at the top end of the luxury beauty market. So I think for me, that's a pretty big move.
[25:58]
A
To be fair, that came up after we made our list because I agree it is kind of a bold thing and it doesn't make a lot of sense.
[26:07]
B
It's hard because I don't get excited about mergers and acquisitions very much. I think they're kind of boring and like, okay, then what? Which you could say about a lot of this stuff. So that's just. It's personal opinion getting into an existential crisis.
[26:22]
A
But it is a good point. Where would you put them if we went with, like, yeah, okay, maybe it's a good move. L'. Oreal, I think it's definitely a better move for l' Oreal than.
[26:31]
B
I agree. Yeah. I would say, like, l' Oreal would be the winner. The winner here.
[26:36]
D
Yeah, for sure.
[26:37]
A
Definitely not Cody or Cody.
[26:40]
D
So I would say, well, so we're moving Vita Coco. If we're moving Vita Coco off the list, I would kind of just replace.
[26:46]
A
That to number five.
[26:49]
D
Yeah. Oh, yeah, We've shifted everything down.
[26:50]
A
Yeah. Oh, I don't know.
[26:52]
B
I'm not sure how I feel about that. Rachel.
[26:56]
D
Sensing resistance, I think that it's.
[26:58]
B
Worth putting on the list because it's a pretty big deal, I think, to. I mean, comparing. It's hard to compare the skims pubic hair underwear to l' Oreal being sold to another company. They're very different. But I feel like what's more interesting to me is the skims thing. So I. I definitely don't, you know.
[27:28]
D
Yeah. I mean, I will say, like, I guess to defend myself, like, I think skims is interesting, but in terms of, like, what implications does this have for, you know, whatever category? Like, I don't think that other brands are going to be rushing to produce few big hair dogs.
[27:42]
B
That's a fair, fair point. Susie, what do you think?
[27:45]
A
Well, I am open with moving l' Oreal to number eight. So just moving everybody up one now.
[27:54]
B
Okay.
[27:55]
A
Yeah. Because I do think l' Oreal is winning big, and it is definitely signaling a lot of what's happening in the industry. And so it's. We're going to probably see more of this happening and it'll shift to some of the stuff that we love looking for, which are collaborations and partnerships.
[28:12]
B
Yep, that sounds good to me.
[28:13]
A
Okay, so thank you guys for your moves. So our new list of the unofficial retailer ranking for October 25th is. Number eight, we have L' Oreal for buying the caring beauty business. In number seven, we have Barbie for teaming up with Cardi B for their new campaign. Number six, Depop for launching outfits. Number five, Skims for going viral with a new faux hair thong that they launched. Number four, we have Bombus for moving into stores. Number three, Gap for launching a creator platform. Number two, Walmart for partnering with OpenAI to enable shopping via ChatGPT. And number one, Ulta for launching a marketplace. Anybody have anything they want to add?
[29:01]
B
Great list. Love it.
[29:03]
D
Speak now or forever hold your peace.
[29:06]
C
I hope we have something more interesting to talk about in November.
[29:09]
A
Well, we have a theme for November, so be ready.
[29:12]
B
Yeah, there's going to be a theme.
[29:14]
A
And that's all the time we have for today. Thank you.
[29:16]
B
Arielle, thank you so much. This is really fun.
[29:19]
A
So fun. Blake, thanks for joining us.
[29:21]
C
Thanks for having me. And congratulations on your new position as host.
[29:24]
A
Thank you. Well, we know you're very busy prepping for the debate, so thanks for making the time to join us. Of course. And Rachel, thanks so much for joining us.
[29:32]
D
Thanks, Susie. This is a blast.
[29:34]
A
And listeners, thank you so much. And to our team that edits the podcast, please leave a rating or review and remember to subscribe. I'll see you for more reimagining retail next Wednesday. And on Friday, join Marcus for another episode of behind the Numbers, a new marketer podcast made possible by Fetch.

Summary6 min read

Behind the Numbers: An EMARKETER Podcast

Episode: The Unofficial Most Interesting Retailers List (October) | Reimagining Retail

Date: October 29, 2025
Host: Susie Dava Canyon
Guests: Analysts Ariel Fager, Blake Drosch, Rachel Wolf

Overview

This episode of "Reimagining Retail" presents EMARKETER’s Unofficial Most Interesting Retailers List for October 2025. Rather than focusing on the biggest retail players, the podcast discusses brands making clever, bold, or surprising moves in retail during the month. The episode follows the committee’s countdown, with deeper insight and lively debate from the analyst team. Regulars also have a chance to propose changes to the list, adding a dynamic and interactive element.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

Episode Structure & Rules

The ranking highlights the most interesting retail moves—not just the biggest ones (01:29).
Committee (Susie, Ariel, Becky, Emmy) created the list; analysts Blake and Rachel get to revise or add picks at the end.
Each pick discussed in order, with rationale, highlights, and potential industry impact.

The Unofficial Retailers List - October 2025

1. Ulta: Launching a Curated Marketplace

Main Move: Invite-only marketplace launches on Ulta’s app and website (17:17).
Significance: Curation aims to differentiate Ulta from more open marketplaces like Amazon.
Analyst Take:
- Ariel: “The ability to really curate the exact right products, the right quality products is something that will help Ulta stand out.” (17:24)
- Blake: Points to challenge of competing against Amazon/Walmart in selection and speed—even with Ulta’s digital strength (18:14).
- Rachel: Wonders if curation limits new products/brands, potentially sending shoppers back to larger marketplaces (19:18).
- Susie: Trust in Ulta for niche and international products may counter Amazon’s dupe concerns (19:34).
- Ariel: Ulta’s loyalty program likely to boost marketplace adoption among existing customers (19:56).

2. Walmart: Shopping via ChatGPT

Main Move: Walmart partners with OpenAI to enable shopping via ChatGPT, becoming first major retailer to offer this (14:39).
Significance: Positions Walmart at the forefront of AI-powered commerce, attempting to shed a “dated retailer” image.
Ariel: “It’s just smart to kind of go where the consumers are and be proactive again about where those consumers are.” (15:16)
Blake: Cautions agentic commerce isn’t mainstream yet, but experimentation is wise (15:54).
Susie: In retail, “experimenting is critical” due to the expanding array of brands and channels (16:50).

3. Gap: Affiliate and Creator Advocacy Program

Main Move: Centralized platform for influencers/creators to engage across all Gap Inc. brands (11:58).
Significance: Streamlines creator relationships and improves data capabilities across Banana Republic, Old Navy, etc.
Ariel: “It gives creators kind of a one hub to access… new releases, product seeding, exclusive promos.” (11:58)
Rachel: Low entry threshold (1,000 followers) helps diversify content, target specific segments (13:06).
Blake: Wonders if self-service model can match Amazon's affiliate success for individual creators (13:30).
Susie: Omnichannel presence required for today’s brands (14:29).

4. Bombas: Opening Physical Retail Stores

Main Move: D2C sock and slipper brand opens first branded stores after success in wholesale (03:50, 24:05).
Significance: Strategic move after years of brand-building and loyal customer base.
Ariel: “At first a little like, oh, this is…interesting timing. But honestly, it makes sense. This could be the logical next step for them.” (03:50)
Rachel: In-store presence may lift awareness of wider product assortment—slides, slippers, etc. (05:01)
Blake: “They are the type of brand that…opening stores and growing…is actually going to help bolster their business rather than cripple it.” (24:05)
Susie: Bombas’ charitable giving noted as an added value (24:15).

5. Skims: Faux Pubic Hair Underwear Launch

Main Move: Skims introduces a G-string with faux pubic hair—an edgy, viral marketing move (07:34).
Significance: Bold, controversial product designed for buzz and social talk.
Ariel: “They are no stranger to controversy, no stranger to drumming up…lots of social talk. And this is just another one of those things. And I personally think it’s kind of fun. You know, I think it’s different.” (07:34)
Rachel: Cites prior Skims viral stunts (e.g., face wrap worn by Anthony Hopkins), notes effectiveness as “a marketing stunt” (08:16).
Ariel: “And the line sold out. So people did buy them.” (08:48)
Susie: “Did they really make enough for it to sell out?” (08:51)

6. Depop: ‘Outfit’ Feature & Campaign

Main Move: New campaign reframing resale, plus Pinterest-like ‘Outfit’ feature pairing items for style discovery (05:56).
Significance: Aims to scale resale and smooth friction for visual, Gen Z shoppers.
Ariel: “It’s definitely a good way to scale resale when it’s a lot of onesies and twosies…” (05:56)
Ariel: Linking items will “increase basket size…win win.” (07:09)

7. Bobby: Purpose-Driven Partnership with Cardi B

Main Move: Formula brand Bobby taps Cardi B as ‘Chief Confidence Officer’ to destigmatize formula feeding (01:31).
Significance: Pop culture-powered advocacy, hotline for parental stories, and bold voice in purpose marketing.
Susie: “It’s really quite an interesting way to do purpose marketing to bring a brand out in a way that we weren’t expecting.” (01:31)
Ariel: “Cardi B is such a…brass, bold personality. And I think something that…moms could really use is someone who’s confident and…unapologetic.” (03:06)
Rachel: Highlights hotline for parents to share stories sent to lawmakers (03:26).

8. L'Oréal: Acquiring Kering’s Beauty Division

Main Move: L'Oréal acquires Kering’s beauty business for €4 billion (25:21).
Significance: Major luxury beauty realignment; L’Oréal expands dominance in fast-growing fragrance category.
Rachel: “This is a huge opportunity for them in the luxury beauty space, especially in fragrances, which is the fastest growing category right now.” (25:21)
Debate: Is M&A truly “interesting”? Ariel feels they're less exciting than viral stunts—Rachel counters that industry impact is large (26:06, 27:28).
Placement: Ultimately added at #8, pushing all others up one slot.

Honorable Mentions

Ikea: Transparent communication about price increases, openly citing tariffs as the cause (20:18).
Amazon:
- Added shoppable live-stream ads to Twitch, diversifying monetizable ad inventory (20:47).
- Mixed record in grocery with fresh store closures; the future of its grocery strategy is opaque (21:39).

Key Quotes & Notable Moments

Purpose-Driven (Bobby)
- "They’re trying to really call out that this is no longer a stigma to use formula." – Susie (01:31)
- “There is an advocacy aspect…people can call in and share their stories about parenting, which will be sent to lawmakers.” – Rachel (03:26)
Bold & Viral (Skims)
- “I personally think it’s kind of fun. You know, I think it’s different.” – Ariel (07:34)
- “Sir Anthony Hopkins wore that.” – Rachel, on face wrap stunt (08:16)
Retailer Strategy & Experimentation
- “Experimenting is critical in retail.” – Susie (16:50)
- “No matter how well positioned you are, when you’re going up against Amazon…the odds are always against you.” – Blake (18:14)
- “They are the type of brand…that opening stores…is actually going to help bolster their business rather than cripple it.” – Blake on Bombas (24:05)
Industry Mood
- “I think this list is...It's been a bit of a slow month. Like, there’s not like a...There wasn’t like a ton of innovation, things that have been done before.” – Blake (21:49)
- "Hoping for something more interesting in November." – Blake (29:05)

Revised List (Post-Analyst Moves)

#8 L’Oréal: For the acquisition of Kering’s beauty division.
#7 Bobby: Cardi B as ‘Chief Confidence Officer’.
#6 Depop: ‘Outfit’ feature and campaign.
#5 Skims: Faux pubic hair G-string launch.
#4 Bombas: First owned retail stores.
#3 Gap: Creator/affiliate platform.
#2 Walmart: Shopping via ChatGPT.
#1 Ulta: Curated digital marketplace.

Flow & Tone

The episode is fast-paced, witty, and packed with expert observations and constructive skepticism. Analysts bring both levity and critical thinking, as seen in their playful transitions, authentic reactions to news, and a frank assessment of what qualifies as "interesting" versus "merely expected" in retail innovation.

Useful for Listeners Who Didn't Tune In

This summary provides a snapshot of the most notable retail happenings in October 2025, giving context, color, and critical assessment to the key moves shaping the industry. It distills strategic insights, industry sentiment, and memorable moments—making it a valuable overview of where retail is heading now and what could be coming next.

Loading summary

Transcript118 lines

[00:00]
A
Consumers skip ads, but they don't skip rewards. Fetch drives performance. With over 12.5 million monthly active users and over 11.5 million receipts scanned daily, capturing 88% of household spend. Your brand becomes the reward, earning real engagement, verified purchases, and loyalty. Fetch, America's rewards app, where brands are the center of joy. Hi, everyone. Today is Wednesday, October 29th. Welcome back to Reimagining Retail, an e marketer podcast made possible by Fetch. This is the show where we talk about how retail collides with every part of our lives. I'm Susie Dava Canyon, your new host, taking over from Sara Lebo. And today I'm really excited to dive into one of my favorite episodes. The unofficial retailers ranking for October 2025. This is where we rank the most interesting retail moves this month. Not necessarily the biggest, but the ones that made us say, wait, that's clever, or they did what? So joining me for today's episode, we have a full house in our New York City studios. Analyst Ariel Fager.
[01:13]
B
Hi. Congratulations on being the new host.
[01:16]
A
Oh, my gosh. Thank you. Senior analyst Blake Drosch. Hey, Blake.
[01:21]
C
Hello, everyone. Good to be here.
[01:23]
A
So happy to have you here. And analyst Rachel Wolf.
[01:26]
D
Hey, Susie. Excited to be on your first official episode as host.
[01:29]
B
Official unofficial rankings. I love it.
[01:32]
A
I love it. Thank you, guys. Okay, so before we get started with our most interesting unofficial list, let me quickly walk our new listeners through the rules. So we have a committee. Ariel, Becky, and our newest member, Emmy and I, we put together our unofficial list of interesting retailer moves this month. And in the first half of the episode, the committee representatives. So this time it'll be Arielle and I will count down our list and we'll discuss the standout moves across tech stores and collabs. And then in the second half of the episode, our podcast regulars, Blake and Rachel, they'll get to introduce a new player. So that means that they'll have to knock off one of our players. They'll either move a retailer up or down. Or maybe they'll just agree with us. Ariel. I think I have number eight. So it's Bobby. For those of you who don't know, it's a mom founded organic infant feeding company. And most recently they partnered with Cardi B, who's expecting her fourth child as chief confidence officer for the B is for Bobby tagline. And we thought that this was a really bold message. Not only is it about using pop culture, but. But it's also this idea around how you can make choices that are right for you and that Might mean formula, and that's okay. And they're trying to really call out that this is no longer a stigma to use formula. So it's really quite an interesting way to do purpose marketing to bring a brand out in a way that we weren't expecting. That was probably not on a lot of people's radars, but everybody's talking about it now.
[03:07]
B
Yeah, I like this. It's, it's just fun. Cardi B is such a, like, brass, bold personality. And I think, you know, something that, you know, moms I think could really use is someone who's confident and, you know, who's unapologetic. And I think it's a great pairing.
[03:26]
D
I like that there is an advocacy aspect to the campaign as well. So there's a hotline where people can call in and share their own stories about parenting, which will then be sent to lawmakers. So, you know, it's, I think, a really great way of obviously raising awareness of the brand, but also driving attention toward larger issues.
[03:44]
A
That's a great point. Yep, we love that. We also love number seven, Bombas. Tell us more.
[03:51]
B
Yeah. So Bombas, longtime D2C brand, is finally opening its own retail locations. It's starting with three. And so it sold its products in stores before, you know, in other retailers. But this is the first owned store. And it's interesting because the question kind of is why now? Feels like this was a move that could have or should have happened maybe, you know, five, 10 years ago. But at the same time, you know, I was thinking about it and I was like, maybe they are also being really smart about it. They have built their, their brand, they have a loyal following, they've done their due diligence of creating a larger audience through their retailer partnerships. And now that they're, you know, on more solid ground, this is a good time to expand. So I, I, I was at first a little like, oh, this is a, interesting timing. But honestly, it kind of, it makes sense. I feel like this could be the logical next step for them.
[04:50]
A
I agree. Plus, there are a lot of other random one off sock brands coming up. So it makes sense that they want to secure their place as that original, you know, digitally native brand in the sock category.
[05:02]
D
I also didn't know that apparently a quarter of the revenues comes from slides and slippers. So having their stores would be a great way to drive awareness of those other categories that they're not known for through their extensive podcast advertising.
[05:15]
C
Yeah, I was thinking the same thing. Like they, I, when I my first impression was like, okay, well, who's going to drive to the store just to buy socks? Right? So retail partnerships, it makes sense. Like, maybe if you open up a store in Times Square at a mall where there's, like, a lot of natural foot traffic. But then when you learn about the fact that they're trying to expand into footwear, obviously that's something that people want to go try it on, touch and feel the product. So it makes more sense maybe from a revenue stream model and not just marketing.
[05:44]
A
Right.
[05:44]
C
If it was just socks and they wanted to, you know, build the brand up a little bit, a couple, you know, strategically placed stores makes sense. But if they get more into footwear and slippers and stuff, then maybe scaling the store model is the way to go.
[05:57]
B
Yeah.
[05:57]
A
Well, speaking of scaling, that takes us to number six, Depop, which many of you know, it's a fashion resale app. And the reason why I was tying it to scaling is because we have them on our list. They just introduced a new brand campaign around where taste recognizes taste, and they're reframing the whole idea around resale with this new launched feature, doohickey thing, thingamabob on their app that's called Outfit that looks a little bit more like a Pinterest move where you can peg things together. That's part of the resale platform to help you really discover and create that cool styled look and then make the purchase. And so that's definitely a really good way to scale resale when it's a lot of onesies and twosies that seem so disparate in the collection.
[06:45]
B
Yeah. And the visual part of it is also really important. We know that people, especially, you know, Gen Z, they're visual shoppers. They want to see how things will look. And yeah, I agree, this is a great way to kind of get that whole outfit look and kind of say, okay, you like this leather jacket? Here's. Here's some pants to go with it.
[07:05]
A
Right. And it's like, how do you help complete the look and remove friction?
[07:09]
B
And that's again, helping customers and then also helping, you know, to increase basket size 100%. Win win.
[07:17]
A
Speaking of win win.
[07:19]
B
I don't know.
[07:20]
A
This one's too hard of a transition for me, you guys. I don't know. We had a lot of discussion about number five, and somehow it made it not only on the list, but it's number five, because in some ways it's very clever. Arielle, take it away. What's number five?
[07:34]
B
I've been designated the person to Talk about this because I'll talk about anything with anyone. So Skims has introduced a line of underwear. They are G string underwear that are adorned with fake pubic hair. It comes a large range of sizes and 12 different colors. It's. People are talking about it. It's controversy, it's edgy, it's a little weird. It's, you know, people have a lot of different opinions on it. And I think, you know, Kim Kardashian skims, they are no stranger to controversy, no stranger to drumming up, you know, lots of social talk. And this is just another one of those things. And I personally think it's kind of fun. You know, I think it's different.
[08:16]
D
Yeah, I mean, I think as a marketing stunt it did exactly what it was meant to do, right? Which is get people interested, get them to the website to look at this thing is, and then maybe click around and see some other maybe less controversial items. But they've done this before. They had the face wrap which supposedly resembled something that people wear after plastic surgery. And that one, Sir Anthony Hopkins wore that. So if you can turn Sir Anthony Hopkins into a Skims customer, then you're doing something right.
[08:48]
B
And the line sold out. So, so people did buy them.
[08:51]
A
So I mean, this is the thing. Did they really make enough for it to sell out?
[08:55]
B
I mean, it's a great question.
[08:57]
D
There are four, five star reviews on the website.
[09:00]
A
There are.
[09:01]
B
We should maybe extracurricular is go back and read some of those reviews.
[09:06]
A
I can't believe that. That's amazing. I know. It certainly brought a lot of conversation on my Instagram feed of some very big, big players. So that was kind of fun. Blake, what do you think?
[09:19]
C
No comment on this one.
[09:21]
B
Fair enough. Fair enough.
[09:22]
A
Well then to recap at number eight we have Bobby. Number seven, Bombas, number six, Depop, and number five, Skims, which takes us to number four, Vita Coco. Most of you will know it's a 20 plus year old brand. It's a coconut water brand. It's probably one of the first ones, I think. And we have them on the list because they have a collaboration for Halloween with Labubu. But I think it's worth noting that the kit, which comes with collectible doll costume and a bunch of other things and it is only for loyalty members, is also not 100% a collab. They have made costumes for Labubu dolls, but there is a little asterisk on their website that says that it is their doing versus an official collab. But it has gotten all of us to Talk about it. I didn't realize that the CPG brand had loyalty program that's called the Grove. So they're definitely doing some smart things to drum up business.
[10:17]
B
Yeah, I mean, I think consumers are probably not paying attention to that asterisk. I think, you know, it just, it's. Everyone was crazy about the boo boos and you know, it's Halloween, it's fun, it's exciting, it's true.
[10:32]
A
They've tied a lot of different pop culture moments to create this fandomness. Right?
[10:36]
C
Yeah, Yeah, I agree. And as someone who learned about Labubus on this podcast in real time, I now understand the cultural gravity of the Labubu craze. And I do think it's a good idea of like, it is an unofficial collaboration. It feels like it's a little bit like we're gonna jump on this to try and drum up a little bit of noise. And in a way it's a little bit aggressive, I think, because it is not official, but I think that's a good thing. I think like, it's like particularly a CPG brand that's trying to drum up a little bit of loyalty or create a little bit more loyalty for their specific product, which is difficult. Like, you need to be creative, you need to be aggressive. So I think it's a smart move.
[11:23]
D
Yeah, I think it's interesting, but I guess I just question whether it's original. I mean, I've seen so many different brands try and cash in Labubu phase. I saw like Olive Garden had something about Labubus. So I think when everybody is doing it, does it really make Vita Coco special? I don't know.
[11:39]
B
It's a fair point.
[11:40]
A
Yeah. The only thing which they're clever, but everybody does it, right? It launches on a day. It's limited quantities. Everybody's got to run to it. So it is going to certainly see a bump in sales. But yeah, maybe not as original as some other campaigns like the skims. Very original. So that takes us to number three, Gap. Why Gap?
[11:58]
B
Gap has launched a creator and affiliate advocacy program. And this is essentially, it's like a centralized hub to help creators engage more deeply with the Gap brands, including Old Navy, Gap, Banana Republic, Beth Letta. You know, I think it's really clever because it gives creators kind of a one hub to access quote, new releases, product seeding, exclusive promos. And it makes it easier for the creators and it also makes it easier for the brands to connect with these creators. And I also wonder if it maybe helps with data too. I wonder if having One United program can give Gap a little more insight into how all of their creator programs are performing across the portfolio. So this feels like a really interesting way as creative marketing grows to really streamline and organize that.
[12:51]
A
Gap is really one of the first loyalty programs that was Gap Inc. So the loyalty program ran around all four versus a lot of other brands that it doesn't. So probably there is something to the data sharing. What do you guys have to say about Gap? What do you think? We put it at number two.
[13:07]
D
I think what I find interesting is the range of creators that they're working with. As long as you have, I think it's a thousand followers, you can join the program and I think that's a smart move. If you have more creators, that just means more available content. It gives you more opportunities to maybe target your messaging for very specific audience segments instead of the broader sort of brand level brand awareness marketing. So, so I think it's a smart move.
[13:30]
C
I think it's interesting like a lot of these affiliate programs that I've seen are coming from bigger retailers and I think Gap to do sort of a self service creator program. It makes me wonder if like it's actually going to be super successful because there has to be, you know, creating content is, you know, a big effort and if creators are making Gap content and then they don't see any benefits from it because people aren't buying the products, then it makes me question like how long and how successful is this program actually going to be as opposed to like creators wanting to use the Amazon affiliate program which is not guaranteed but has a much higher probability of being successful for them. So I think it'll be interesting to see how it actually scales.
[14:29]
B
Agreed.
[14:29]
A
Yeah. Although I do think nowadays you kind of have to be everywhere all the time. Which brings us to number two, Walmart.
[14:37]
B
Great, great transition. Love it. Thanks.
[14:39]
A
So Walmart, why did we pick Walmart for number two? Well, it's now everybody's been talking about this. How can we not be talking about this? It's partnering with OpenAI to let customers shop via ChatGPT. It's the first person, first retailer making this big move. It's very controversial right now in commerce, but it is definitely more than that for Walmart in terms of they're really trying to signal again, we've been talking about this a lot. Signal that they are not a dot, like a dated retailer, but that they are not a, you know, really tech forward and they want to jump in on all of the different tech Headlines. So for that we put them at number two.
[15:16]
B
Yeah, I think it's really interesting especially, I mean, I know we compare Walmart and Amazon quite a lot, but I feel like it's a natural comparison to make and I feel like it is distinct from Amazon, which is kind of really focusing on its own agentic kind of experience. Rufus which makes sense, but Walmart is saying, and you know, they have it, they have their own, you know, bot, but they are also now opening up to ChatGPT and I think it's, it's just smart to kind of go where the consumers are and be proactive again about where those consumers are.
[15:54]
C
Yeah, I think Walmart is always sort of at the forefront of these things. They were really quick to partner with TikTok and connected TV platforms on shoppable media. And it's just a natural fit for a retailer with so much money to throw around to try to be ahead of the curve wherever it may be leading. Like, I don't know if it's necessarily, I mean, it's certainly sort of the tail wagging the dog a little bit because consumers are not using AI agentic commerce in any meaningful way right now. But you know, there's a lot of speculation that it will become a, if not a large component, at least a component of driving shopping discovery. So it makes sense for them to be experimenting in this, in this field right now.
[16:50]
A
And really experimenting is critical in retail. As more and more brands and more and more channels pop up, you have to really see what works for you. So before we reveal number one, let's take a look at our list. Number eight was Bobby. Number seven, Bombus. Number six, Depop. Number five Skims with their new product launch. Number four, Vita Coco. Number three, Gap. Number two, Walmart. And our number one. Do you want to tell us who it is?
[17:17]
B
Drumroll, please. It's Ulta. And the reason Ulta made the number one spot is for its new marketplace. It's a new marketplace on both its website and app. I think what is interesting to me is that it's invite only. I don't know, I guess how much control other retailers exert over their own marketplaces. But I think the, you know, the ability to really curate the exact right products, the right quality products is something that will help Ulta stand out. It's just again, a more an expanded assortment for customers and I think it's just a smart move and more monetizable ad space for its retail media network, which again is something that makes a lot of sense Considering where we're at. More data, more data, more ads, more makeup.
[18:14]
C
It'll be interesting to see how their, their marketplace can compete though, with particularly Amazon and Walmart, because we've seen them doing so well in the beauty space for many years. And there's going to have to be, whether there's a loyalty component or just a product selection component, it's going to have to be something that's going to convince consumers who are already buying their beauty products through Amazon, probably with a Prime membership, probably getting those products very quickly, maybe reoccurring subscriptions, things like that, over to Ulta. Right. I think it's, it's a natural space. They have to sort of move into the marketplace component because of the fact that this is such a fast growing segment of E commerce, but it's also one of the most competitive spaces. So it'll be really interesting to see how they fare. And they've done. They're very proficient in all things digital. So I think they're well positioned. But I think, you know, no matter how well positioned you are, when you're going up against Amazon, you know, the odds are always against you.
[19:18]
B
Yeah.
[19:18]
D
And I also wonder if that curated approach kind of works against them.
[19:21]
B
Right.
[19:22]
D
Because it limits the amount of new products, say, or new brands that they can add to their website or their marketplace, in which case, you know, again, that just drives people back to Amazon, to Walmart, to the marketplaces that have the selection that people want.
[19:35]
A
I do think in their favor though is that they are cultivating their own brands and people don't understand what a marketplace is. And so you don't know if it's a 3p or 1p when you're shopping and Ulta is going after all of these very niche, you know, Korean, Japanese masks and stuff that maybe on Amazon you're worried it's a dupe and so you're not going to get it, but you have that legitimacy from Ulta.
[19:57]
B
Yeah. And I think, and Ulta has a pretty strong loyalty following and I think that is gonna really be where this shines is the people who are already shopping at Ulta who have an affinity for it and now who are like, oh, like there's, they have this now and they have this now. And I think, I think that's, that's gonna be its strong suit.
[20:18]
A
So many great retailers to choose from. So we have two other honorable mentions, Ikea, for being so open about the price increases. It sort of attributes them to tariffs. They're not doing it in a very marketing splashy kind of way. But they're being just very intentional and transparent about what categories and what raw materials are being impacted by tariffs and therefore impacting their own business. And it's not across all of their categories. And we also had Amazon. Tell us more. Ariel, this is for.
[20:48]
B
It's a. It's a mixed bag. Two reasons we added Amazon to the list. In number 10, it started livestream commerce with Twitch, so shoppable livestream ads, which is really interesting. It's once again another monetizable surface for Amazon to expand its ads. And Twitch, I think, is a pretty unique platform that has a pretty loyal and dedicated consumer base. So I think that could just really make some interesting partnerships and some interesting moves there. On the other hand, Amazon just closed a few of their Amazon Fresh stores. And the grocery path that Amazon has been on has been very confusing, very windy. They're opening stores, they're closing stores. So it's really unclear what they're trying to do here. So, you know, again, a little bit of a mixed bag there with Amazon.
[21:40]
A
Cool. So that's our list. Now it's your turn. Blake, what are you thinking?
[21:50]
C
I think I will say that I think this list is. It's been a bit of a slow month. Like, there's not like a. There wasn't like a ton of innovation things that have been done before. I think. No, don't worry. I'm still gonna have an opinion. But I just want to say, like, I'm a little disappointed in, like, retail news for this month.
[22:11]
B
You walked away from this list being like, wow, we really like this list. This was a good month for us.
[22:16]
C
I don't think so. I think there's like, there's nothing that. Wow. I'm not saying we missed anything. I'm not saying the podcast missed anything. I think the industry as a whole, there just, like, hasn't been that much excitement. It's just retailers doing what they are supposed to be doing. Right. Walmart is, you know, going all in on the next technological innovation. You know, they're raising prices because of tariffs, they're partnering with creators, they're opening stores. Like, they're not much new under the sun, if you put it that way. Anyways.
[22:47]
A
So then why would you move?
[22:49]
C
I guess I would move. I think it's. It's a little bit nuanced, but I would move Bombus up, actually. I would put them. I'd put them in, like, the four spot, because I think there is. This is again, like, they're doing what A brand is supposed to be doing, but I think, like, they're just a company that is exemplified, like, doing D2C the right way. And they are the type of brand that I feel like opening stores and growing and expanding into different verticals is actually going to help bolster their business rather than cripple it. Right. Because this is the sort of phase of a lot of D2C brands where it's sort of do or die. Like, you either grow into this, like, retail partnerships, opening up stores, you know, expanding into different products, or you're never gonna continue to grow. And then a lot of them rush into it. They don't have, like, a solid brand, and they just start to flatline. I don't think that's gonna happen with Bombas. I think it's gonna be, like, a very successful company. They've done almost everything right in the D2C playbook, and now they're sort of transitioning to that more traditional brand in. At the right time. Yeah, at the right time.
[24:05]
B
I can. I can give points to, quote, doing everything right in the D2C playbook. I think that's something we've seen a lot of companies not do well.
[24:13]
C
So easier said than done.
[24:15]
B
Yeah.
[24:15]
C
Yeah.
[24:16]
A
I also love them because they donate to an organization I volunteer for.
[24:19]
B
Oh, yeah. I do love that they. They do have a charitable side to their brand, and that's always exciting and fun.
[24:27]
A
So does that mean you just move it and then knock everybody down one, or are you introducing a new place player at the same time?
[24:33]
C
I would just knock everything down.
[24:34]
A
Okay, what about you, Rachel? What's your move?
[24:37]
D
So should I add mine now or should I move and then add?
[24:41]
A
Let's move and then add.
[24:42]
D
Move and then add.
[24:43]
A
Because what. What would you remove? Let's talk about what you would remove.
[24:46]
D
So I think. I mean, you probably guessed this based on my earlier comments, but I think Vita Coco should be on there. Not, you know, to knock Labuboos or Labubu Craze. But as I said, you know, I think this is something that every brand pretty much is doing or trying to do. And, you know, it did work for them. I think it sold out almost immediately. But, you know, again, it's the boo boo. Everybody wants everything. The boo boo for now. And I don't know that it has necessarily lasting rewards for the company.
[25:16]
A
Okay, so then what would you move into our list?
[25:21]
D
So I would add, it's kind of two companies, but Kering selling their beauty division to L' Oreal for. For a cool 4 billion euros. And I think this is a big move for both companies. Right. For Kering, it's a retrenchment. It's a whole new strategy under their new CEO. But for l', Oreal, I mean, this is a huge opportunity for them in the luxury beauty space, especially in fragrances, which is the fastest growing category right now. And it could really reshape that landscape at the top end of the luxury beauty market. So I think for me, that's a pretty big move.
[25:58]
A
To be fair, that came up after we made our list because I agree it is kind of a bold thing and it doesn't make a lot of sense.
[26:07]
B
It's hard because I don't get excited about mergers and acquisitions very much. I think they're kind of boring and like, okay, then what? Which you could say about a lot of this stuff. So that's just. It's personal opinion getting into an existential crisis.
[26:22]
A
But it is a good point. Where would you put them if we went with, like, yeah, okay, maybe it's a good move. L'. Oreal, I think it's definitely a better move for l' Oreal than.
[26:31]
B
I agree. Yeah. I would say, like, l' Oreal would be the winner. The winner here.
[26:36]
D
Yeah, for sure.
[26:37]
A
Definitely not Cody or Cody.
[26:40]
D
So I would say, well, so we're moving Vita Coco. If we're moving Vita Coco off the list, I would kind of just replace.
[26:46]
A
That to number five.
[26:49]
D
Yeah. Oh, yeah, We've shifted everything down.
[26:50]
A
Yeah. Oh, I don't know.
[26:52]
B
I'm not sure how I feel about that. Rachel.
[26:56]
D
Sensing resistance, I think that it's.
[26:58]
B
Worth putting on the list because it's a pretty big deal, I think, to. I mean, comparing. It's hard to compare the skims pubic hair underwear to l' Oreal being sold to another company. They're very different. But I feel like what's more interesting to me is the skims thing. So I. I definitely don't, you know.
[27:28]
D
Yeah. I mean, I will say, like, I guess to defend myself, like, I think skims is interesting, but in terms of, like, what implications does this have for, you know, whatever category? Like, I don't think that other brands are going to be rushing to produce few big hair dogs.
[27:42]
B
That's a fair, fair point. Susie, what do you think?
[27:45]
A
Well, I am open with moving l' Oreal to number eight. So just moving everybody up one now.
[27:54]
B
Okay.
[27:55]
A
Yeah. Because I do think l' Oreal is winning big, and it is definitely signaling a lot of what's happening in the industry. And so it's. We're going to probably see more of this happening and it'll shift to some of the stuff that we love looking for, which are collaborations and partnerships.
[28:12]
B
Yep, that sounds good to me.
[28:13]
A
Okay, so thank you guys for your moves. So our new list of the unofficial retailer ranking for October 25th is. Number eight, we have L' Oreal for buying the caring beauty business. In number seven, we have Barbie for teaming up with Cardi B for their new campaign. Number six, Depop for launching outfits. Number five, Skims for going viral with a new faux hair thong that they launched. Number four, we have Bombus for moving into stores. Number three, Gap for launching a creator platform. Number two, Walmart for partnering with OpenAI to enable shopping via ChatGPT. And number one, Ulta for launching a marketplace. Anybody have anything they want to add?
[29:01]
B
Great list. Love it.
[29:03]
D
Speak now or forever hold your peace.
[29:06]
C
I hope we have something more interesting to talk about in November.
[29:09]
A
Well, we have a theme for November, so be ready.
[29:12]
B
Yeah, there's going to be a theme.
[29:14]
A
And that's all the time we have for today. Thank you.
[29:16]
B
Arielle, thank you so much. This is really fun.
[29:19]
A
So fun. Blake, thanks for joining us.
[29:21]
C
Thanks for having me. And congratulations on your new position as host.
[29:24]
A
Thank you. Well, we know you're very busy prepping for the debate, so thanks for making the time to join us. Of course. And Rachel, thanks so much for joining us.
[29:32]
D
Thanks, Susie. This is a blast.
[29:34]
A
And listeners, thank you so much. And to our team that edits the podcast, please leave a rating or review and remember to subscribe. I'll see you for more reimagining retail next Wednesday. And on Friday, join Marcus for another episode of behind the Numbers, a new marketer podcast made possible by Fetch.