Recently in Logistics; Amazon is extending Prime delivery to merchants’ own websites, turning its fulfillment network into a growth lever for other retailers. Physical retail is also evolving, with EB Games preparing to open North America’s first Nintendo store-within-a-store in Toronto, even as many retailers narrow their product assortments to contain supply chain and tariff costs. Meanwhile, Gartner outlines four AI trends reshaping warehouse operations, and the latest Canadian Retail Monitor shows consumer spending becoming more selective across categories.
Amazon Expands Prime Delivery to Merchants’ Own Websites
Amazon is bringing fast, free Prime delivery to US merchants selling on their own websites through its Multichannel Fulfillment service, at no cost beyond standard fulfillment fees. Early adopters report that more than 40 percent of eligible orders have shipped with Prime delivery, and a new preferred pricing program can cut fulfillment fees by 15 to 25 percent for the first six months. Merchants can get started through the Buy with Prime app for Shopify, with more integrations planned, a sign that fulfillment speed and network access are becoming core competitive tools.
Source: Inside Logistics
EB Games to Open North America’s First Nintendo Store-Within-a-Store in Toronto
EB Games Canada will open a permanent 1,500-square-foot Nintendo space at its flagship Yonge Street location in Toronto on October 17, the first store-within-a-store of its kind for Nintendo in North America. The space will feature Nintendo Switch 2 hardware and software, playable demo systems, themed displays, photo opportunities, and merchandise, including select items exclusive to the Canadian location. For retailers, it is a timely reminder that immersive, brand-led experiences remain a powerful way to give physical stores a clear purpose.
Source: Retail Insider
Retailers Trim Product Variety to Beat Supply Chain Costs and Tariffs
Retailers are slimming down product lines as the cost to import, move, and store goods keeps climbing, with companies such as Helen of Troy and Under Armour narrowing selection to focus on bestsellers. Under Armour has cut more than 25 percent of its products over two years, and about a quarter of US companies surveyed by the British Standards Institution plan to reduce their range within six months. A smaller supplier base and simpler product mix mean fewer tariff calculations and less inventory risk, reversing years of e-commerce-driven expansion and raising the value of logistics partners who can support leaner assortments.
Source: The Wall Street Journal
Gartner Identifies Four AI Trends Reshaping Warehouse Operations
Gartner says warehousing has reached an inflection point for AI adoption, driven by labour shortages, lower-risk automation models, and maturing technology. It highlights four connected shifts: smarter optimization tools for forecasting, labour planning, and inventory; generative AI that turns unstructured information into usable procedures; agent-based systems that recommend or partially execute tasks under human oversight; and AI-enabled robotics handling picking, packing, and sorting. Leaders are advised to start with proven use cases like labour forecasting and slotting before expanding into generative AI and agents.
Source: Inside Logistics
Canadian Retail Monitor: Consumer Spending Becomes Selective
Canadian retail sales slipped 0.7 percent in July to $73.7 billion, with eight of nine major subsectors posting declines, yet sales remain 5.1 percent higher than a year ago. Beneath the headline, demand is diverging: health and personal care, apparel, and general merchandise are growing in real volume, while grocery and several home-related categories remain under pressure. Retailers are responding by building value into pricing, promotions, and store formats, a reminder that headline sales growth alone no longer shows where real demand is happening.
Source: Retail Insider
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