Apple to Overtake Samsung 📱

U.S. consumers spent $11.8 billion online on Black Friday, according to an Adobe Analytics report. This is a 9.1% increase from last year and a slight rise from the company’s earlier spending estimate of $11.7 billion.

🛍️ Sales Traffic: Traffic was heaviest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. local time nationwide, when online shopping carts processed about $12.5 million in sales every minute.

📱Top Gains: Sales gains were strongest across video game consoles, consumer electronics, and home appliances, which emerged as the top-performing categories over both days.

🤖 AI Time: The report said AI-driven traffic to U.S. retail websites surged 805% from a year earlier, highlighting a sharp rise in the role of artificial intelligence in influencing online shopping behavior.

Apple is on track to overtake Samsung as the world’s largest smartphone maker in 2025, reclaiming the top position for the first time since 2011, according to new projections from Counterpoint Research.

📱Rise of Apple: The research expects global smartphone shipments to rise about 3.3% next year, with much of the growth driven by stronger demand for Apple’s latest devices. Shipments of iPhones are forecast to increase 10% in 2025, led by a strong uptick in the iPhone 17 lineup.

📈 Market Leader: Apple’s global market share is projected to reach 19.4%, edging past Samsung, whose shipments are expected to grow more modestly, leaving it with an estimated 18.7% share.

What’s Happening? Analysts say the shift reflects a maturing replacement cycle following the pandemic-era smartphone boom. While Samsung is expected to retain momentum in emerging markets through its midrange offerings, Apple is projected to hold the global lead through the remainder of the decade.

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Walmart is exploring ways to introduce advertising into Sparky, its new AI-powered shopping assistant, as it looks to unlock new revenue streams from chatbot-led e-commerce. The retailer has quietly tested ad formats with select advertisers, according to a Wall Street Journal Report.

According to the WSJ report, the early experiment focused on so-called “sponsored prompts,” in which users who clicked a suggested question in Sparky would receive an AI-generated response followed by a shoppable product ad. The tests ran earlier this fall within Walmart’s app and website, and the company is now weighing next steps.

It is worth noting that Amazon launched its AI-powered shopping assistant, Rufus, last year and has since begun rolling out sponsored prompts within the tool across North America.

Shares of Puma rose sharply after reports said Anta Sports, one of China’s largest athletic-wear companies, is weighing a possible acquisition of the German brand. According to news reports, Anta is working with an adviser to evaluate a bid and may bring in a private-equity partner.

Other companies said to be exploring interest include China’s Li Ning and Japan’s Asics. The takeover speculations sent Puma’s stock up nearly 19%, ending a long slide for a company that has struggled to regain momentum in the competitive sportswear market.

Puma’s shares have fallen more than 50% this year as demand softened, inventories climbed, and tariffs weighed on costs. The company has told investors that 2025 would be a “reset” year and has warned it expects lower sales and an operating loss as it pursues a turnaround.

TikTok has begun selling high-end luxury goods on its in-app marketplace, expanding beyond low-cost fashion and consumer products, according to a Bloomberg report.

TikTok Shop now features items such as $11,000 Hermès handbags, Rolex watches, and limited-edition designer sneakers. Most listings come from secondhand resellers rather than primary luxury brands.

According to the report, Luxury resale on the platform is supported by stricter controls to counter counterfeits, including more stringent third-party authentication for high-value items. Live streams and auctions are driving much of the demand, with some sellers reporting daily sales of five figures. TikTok has not disclosed total luxury sales but says the category is growing.

Bed Bath & Beyond has agreed to acquire The Brand House Collective in a deal valued at about $26.8 million. The acquisition will create a new division, Beyond Retail Group, that will bring multiple home brands under a single omnichannel structure. The Brand House Collective was previously known as Kirkland’s.

The transaction follows Bed Bath & Beyond’s earlier $5.2 million purchase of Kirkland’s intellectual property and reflects the company’s continued restructuring after its 2023 bankruptcy. Since then, the retailer has rebuilt around its brand portfolio, which includes Bed Bath & Beyond, Buy Buy Baby, and Overstock.

As part of the deal, Amy Sullivan, former chief executive of Kirkland’s, will lead Beyond Retail Group, overseeing stores, merchandising, and e-commerce across brands.

Shares of Abercrombie & Fitch surged 37% after the retailer reported fiscal third-quarter earnings that beat Wall Street estimates. Revenue rose 7% to $1.29 billion, while earnings came in at $2.36 per share, both above expectations. The results reassured investors that growth remains intact despite pressure on the company’s namesake brand.

Sales at the Abercrombie brand fell 2% during the quarter, with comparable sales down 7%, marking a clear slowdown after several years of strong performance. By contrast, Hollister continued to gain momentum, posting a 16% increase in sales and a 15% rise in comparable sales. Executives said Hollister is expected to drive performance through the critical holiday season.

For the current quarter, Abercrombie forecast companywide sales growth of 4% to 6%, roughly in line with expectations, and earnings guidance that matched analysts’ estimates. The company raised its full-year outlook, projecting sales growth of 6% to 7%.

U.S. retail sales increased 0.2% in September, slowing after several months of robust gains, according to data released by the Commerce Department. The report, delayed by the government shutdown, follows increases of 0.6% in July and August and a 1% jump in June.

Restaurant and bar sales rose a solid 0.7%, signaling continued discretionary spending, while purchases at clothing, electronics, and sporting goods stores declined. The data are not adjusted for inflation and cover about one-third of total consumer spending. Economists still expect the economy to grow at a healthy 3% annual rate in the third quarter, but warn that momentum could weaken.

Temu is expanding its European logistics footprint, signing new delivery partnerships with Royal Mail in the United Kingdom and bpost in Belgium. The deals add to a growing list of agreements with national postal operators across Europe as the company works to improve delivery speed and service quality.

Owned by PDD Holdings, Temu has rapidly scaled its presence since launching in Europe in 2023, drawing an average of 116 million monthly users in the first half of this year. The expansion comes as Temu faces regulatory scrutiny in the European Union, including proposed changes to import-duty exemptions and discussions around a new parcel tax.

To adapt, Temu is shifting toward local fulfillment, aiming to have 80% of European orders ship from warehouses within Europe. The company is also prioritizing its Local Seller Program, allowing European merchants to sell on the platform.

Dick’s Sporting Goods announced on its fiscal third-quarter earnings call that it will close several Foot Locker stores as part of a broader restructuring of the recently acquired sneaker chain. The company said the actions are aimed at preventing Foot Locker from weighing on profitability as it moves into fiscal 2026.

Dick’s said the reset — which includes store closures, inventory markdowns, asset impairments, and integration costs — is expected to result in pre-tax charges of $500 million to $750 million. The retailer did not disclose how many stores would be shut.

Dick’s core business remained strong, with same-store sales rising 5.7% in the quarter, prompting the company to raise its full-year sales and earnings outlook.