Retail Daily Minute | Gap rolls out AI Shopping Tools, Walmart brings Drone Delivery to Seattle and Denver & Staples adds More Party City Shops. October 6, 2026 Hello Omni Talk Fans! Today, Omni Talk has one heck of a Spotlight Podcast for you on scaling technology as your organization grows. The podcast features Manhattan's Chief Product Officer Brian Kinsella, and Brian and I took a broad view of the industry as Omni Talk discussed the lessons he has learned from his years of experience watching technology upgrades succeed and fail. You can give it a listen by clicking here or down below. In today's Retail Daily Minute: * Gap Inc. launches AI-powered shopping tools across all four of its brands, 30 years after the Gap brand's first e-commerce website. * Walmart expands its 30-minute Wing drone delivery service to the Seattle and Denver metro areas. * Staples adds roughly 120 more Party City shop-in-shops across 27 states ahead of the holiday season. Plus, a quote from a film in which a staple gun fits squarely into the plotline. Listen now 1. Gap Introduces New AI Shopping Tools Across Its Retail Brands Gap introduces new AI-assisted shopping tools across its brands, including Alta Daily and Daydream for personalized recommendations, while Old Navy and Banana Republic add conversational agents. The initiative aims to simplify product discovery and make digital shopping more intuitive, relevant and useful for customers. (Read More) 2. Walmart Adds 30-Minute Drone Delivery in Two New U.S. Markets Walmart brings Wing-powered drone delivery to Seattle and Denver, offering eligible customers deliveries in as fast as 30 minutes. The rollout extends its ultra-fast delivery network westward, supports plans for more than 270 drone-enabled stores and could make the service available to over 40 million customers nationwide. (Read More) 3. Staples Opens More Party City Shops Ahead of Holiday Shopping Staples adds about 120 new Party City shop-in-shop locations across 27 states ahead of the holiday season. The move builds on more than 700 existing stores, giving shoppers broader access to balloons, party décor and celebration supplies alongside Staples' printing and other in-store services nationwide. (Read More) 4. Kroger Applies AI Tools to Improve E-Commerce Ad Performance Kroger taps AI-powered predictive creative scoring to forecast e-commerce conversions before campaigns launch. A study with Vidmob and MMA Global found the approach predicted conversions with 81% accuracy, while recommended creative changes delivered about four times higher conversion rates and improved ad efficiency. (Read More) 5. Nike Turnaround Stalls as Sales Decline and More Layoffs Loom Nike's turnaround is stretching further as Q1 revenue fell 4% to $11.2 billion and Converse sales dropped 28%. The company's new "Pace" restructuring will consolidate regions, modernize its supply chain and trigger more layoffs, while executives warn significant work remains across China, Jordan, sportswear and growth. (Read More) Upcoming Live LinkedIn Events Making Space - Real Time: Meta Labs @ Best Buy, Lululemon, & Kohl's Babies R Us Shop-in-Shops Building Retail Technology With a Ceiling That Moves With You Producer Ella's Product Pick Of The Week Be careful out there, - Chris and the entire Omni Talk team

E.l.f. Beauty has released its second album, "Mirror Mix," featuring seven rising artists as part of its expanding marketing strategy. The cosmetics brand is increasing its marketing spend, partly funded by $50 million in tariff refunds. The move reflects a broader trend of retailers blending shopping with entertainment. Gap recently launched a "fashiontainment" platform with a multiyear partnership with boy band Just Your Type, whilst Wendy's debuted a humorous emo album that generated over 450,000 Spotify streams. These strategies particularly target Gen Z consumers, who favour culturally relevant brands. According to United Talent Agency, 68% of Gen Z are more likely to purchase from brands they perceive as culturally relevant. E.l.f.'s approach has proven successful, with unaided brand awareness tripling to 45% over five years. The company reinvested over 20% of first-quarter net sales in marketing and digital initiatives, with that percentage expected to rise.

Gap bets on boy band JYT to launch new 'Fashiontainment' push. Gap Inc. debuts its Fashiontainment platform with boy band JYT, launching a docuseries, mall tour and capsule collection. Published: September 22, 2026 By Kate Robertson Key takeaways: * Gap Inc. announced a multi-year partnership with Just Your Type (JYT), a five-member boy band signed to Wexler Records and Republic Records, marking the debut of its Fashiontainment platform. * The deal includes a docuseries, a national mall tour starting next month and a capsule collection co-designed with the band, set to launch in stores and on gap.com this fall. * The announcement follows a mixed second quarter for Gap Inc., where net sales fell 2% companywide even as the Gap brand posted a 10% jump in comparable sales. Gap Inc. is turning to a boy band to test whether entertainment can move the needle on apparel sales, a strategy that comes as the company's flagship Gap brand outshines its struggling siblings Old Navy and Athleta. Gap Inc. announced a new multi-year partnership with Just Your Type, known as JYT, a five-member American boy band developed by Grammy-nominated songwriter and producer Freddy Wexler. The collaboration marks the first activation of Gap Inc.'s Fashiontainment platform, an initiative the company says is designed to build fandom and deepen ties with consumers through content, licensing and live experiences. Leading the effort is Pam Kaufman, who joined Gap Inc. in February as its first Chief Entertainment Officer, a newly created role reporting directly to President and CEO Richard Dickson. Kaufman previously served as President and CEO of International Markets, Global Consumer Products and Experiences at Paramount, where she oversaw a multibillion-dollar business spanning media, gaming, hospitality, licensing, retail and live experiences in more than 170 markets. She also holds board positions with Stella McCartney, Lindblad Expeditions and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. "Gap has always lived at the intersection of style, music and culture, and our Fashiontainment platform builds on that legacy by putting our brands at the center of the stories and cultural moments people care about," Kaufman said in a statement. "With JYT, we're drawing on the full breadth of Gap, from creative storytelling and fashion to our stores and experiences, to give audiences multiple ways into the band's world. JYT embodies the mix of music, dance, personality, fashion and fandom that makes this partnership so exciting, and so distinctly Gap. Together, we can create something much bigger than a campaign." The 'Fashiontainment' strategy. JYT is signed to Wexler Records and Republic Records. According to the company, the group has generated more than 450 million views over the past 90 days and built a following of more than 2 million people across social platforms. The band includes Recker Eans, Toby Green, Caden Adamonis, Bryan Chan and Tyler George, five performers whose backgrounds span dance, acting, music production and classical piano. Gap will co-produce a multi-episode docuseries following the band as it works toward music and live-performance milestones. Next month, JYT will kick off a national mall tour that combines live performances with in-store activations at select Gap locations. The band will also co-design a Gap capsule collection reflecting each member's personal style, with the collection dropping in stores and on gap.com this fall. Gap said it will dress the band for select performances throughout the partnership. The company said additional details about the collection, tour and docuseries will come in the following months. "It's rare to find a partner who shares our dedication to discovering and nurturing talent. We've found that in Gap Inc," Wexler said in a statement. "The company understands how music, fashion, storytelling and live experiences build on one another, giving fans more ways to connect with JYT. Through its iconic Gap brand, which has helped shape culture for generations, we see an opportunity to bring JYT to audiences in new ways. That shared vision has made Gap a true creative partner." "JYT's incredible talent, drive and unbridled ambition continue to inspire all," said Monte Lipman, Executive Chairman of Republic, in a statement. "Freddy Wexler's vision of delivering the world's next global sensation, along with the historic alliance with Gap, makes for an extraordinary opportunity to deliver one of this year's biggest breakouts." When Gap Inc. created the Chief Entertainment Officer role in January, Dickson described the strategy. "Fashion is entertainment, and today's customers aren't just buying apparel, they're buying into brands that tell compelling stories and drive cultural conversations," Dickson said at the time. "As we reinvigorate Gap Inc.'s house of iconic American brands to drive relevance and revenue, we recognize entertainment is a critical link to the consumer. One we can lean on to create fandoms, inspire movements and fuel sustained growth." The JYT deal builds on a string of entertainment tie-ins Gap Inc. has pursued over the past year, including the Gap brand's Better in Denim campaign featuring KATSEYE, Old Navy's first co-created collection with Disney and a partnership with Harlem's Fashion Row during NBA All-Star Weekend. Gap Inc. also plans to open a Los Angeles office on Sunset Boulevard this spring to anchor its entertainment ambitions, with Kaufman splitting her time between Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. Gap net sales up 9% in Q2. In its second-quarter fiscal 2026 earnings, released in August, Gap Inc. reported net sales of $3.7 billion, down 2% from the prior year, with comparable sales down 1% companywide. Store sales dropped 3% while online sales slipped 1%, representing 35% of total net sales. The namesake Gap brand posted net sales of $844 million, up 9%, with comparable sales climbing 10% on strength in denim, fleece and kids and baby categories. Banana Republic grew net sales 1%, with comparable sales up 3%. Old Navy, the company's largest brand by revenue, saw net sales fall 4% and comparable sales drop 4%, which the company attributed to softness in its women's seasonal assortment and an unexpected slowdown in store traffic. Athleta fared worse, with net sales down 12% and comparable sales down 12% as the brand continues efforts to rebuild profitability. Gap Inc. raised its full-year adjusted earnings-per-share outlook and has returned $726 million to shareholders year-to-date through dividends and share repurchases. Posted In: News