Internet Retailing

Stripe is in talks with Paypal about a potential $53 billion acquisition deal. Reuters reports that the payments company, together with private equity firm Advent International, has offered Paypal $60.50 per share and said the deal is backed by about $50 billion in committed financing from banks. Stripe and Paypal are the two most widely used platforms for internet retailers, with Paypal holding around 43% of the global payment processing market share, and Stripe holding approximately 21%.

Dunelm has reported a solid finish to FY26, with total-year sales rising 3.1% to £1.83 billion. The company says this reflects its investment in its digital capabilities, highlighting the launch of its app earlier this year, which has enhanced customer experience and provided support across multiple channels. In a trading update covering the 52 weeks to 27 June 2026, the retailer said fourth-quarter sales increased 2.9% year-on-year to £428m.

Frasers Group, which operates retail brands including Sports Direct, Flannels, Frasers, USC, Evans Cycles and GAME, delivered strong revenue growth and improved retail profitability for the financial year ending 26 April 2026, although underlying profit was slightly lower due to higher impairments and financing costs. Revenue increased 8.7% to £5.3bn, driven primarily by international growth of 59.2%, highlighting the group’s continued expansion outside the UK.

The Very Group has announced a new three-year partnership with global software company UiPath to introduce AI-powered, agentic pricing across its retail brands. Pricing is becoming an increasingly complex challenge for retailers, particularly those operating across multiple channels and markets.

UK ecommerce parcel volumes remained broadly flat during the second quarter of 2026, according to new data from delivery management platform Scurri. However, while overall volumes were largely unchanged, the figures suggest retailers are operating in a far more nuanced market, with consumers becoming increasingly selective about where and when they spend. Scurri’s latest Ecommerce Delivery Index found parcel volumes grew by just 0.2% year on year between April and June.

As England kicks off against Argentina tonight in what’s sure to be a nail-biting World Cup semi-final, retailers will be hoping to get a boost from the event, too. But when preparing for the advertising opportunities surrounding major sporting events, new research suggests that retail media campaigns could perform far better by targeting customer mindset rather than relying on broad contextual placements alone.

British brand Beauty Pie has moved its ecommerce operations to Shopify as the subscription-based beauty retailer readies for its next phase of growth, including international expansion and potential retail store openings. The online brand’s membership model, which gives subscribers access to premium beauty, wellness and lifestyle products at lower prices, has historically required a complex technology setup.

Lululemon is set to open its first physical store in Austria, in partnership with Arion Retail Group. The store on Kärntner Straße will open on 4 September 2026, alongside a programme of promotional events including curated in-store experiences and gifts for the shop’s first visitors. The sports retailer is also opening a store in New Delhi, India, this autumn as part of its franchise agreement with Tata CLiQ. The new stores form a key part of Canadian-headquartered Lululemon’s growth strategy.

Most of the discussion surrounding Sky’s proposed acquisition of ITV’s Media & Entertainment business has understandably centred on television – but that may be missing what it could really mean for advertising in general and retail media in particular. The deal has been presented as an attempt to create a British broadcasting and streaming business with sufficient scale to compete against Netflix, Amazon, YouTube and Disney.

Social media is driving footfall to Britain’s high streets and boosting retail sales, with 4.3 million people visiting an independent shop in their local area after discovering it on TikTok, according to a new report by EY and public policy research agency Public First. Although TikTok is often seen as a Gen Z online hangout, this trend is multi-generational. One in five 45-64-year-olds say they have visited a local café or restaurant after seeing it featured on TikTok.