🕔 Retail Daily Minute | Kohl's Launches Deal Bar, Wakefern Overhauls Loyalty System & IKEA Plots 10 New Stores

Hello Omni Talk Fans! The merchant in me can’t wait to see how Kohl’s tries to pull off a “Deal Bar” with its wacky high-low pricing schemes.

In today’s Retail Daily Minute:

Kohl’s rolls out its new front-of-store “Deal Bar” (a collection of items priced under $10) chainwide, as the struggling department store tries to re-engage value-conscious shoppers.
Wakefern Food Corp., the largest retailer-owned supermarket cooperative in the U.S., partners with AI-powered loyalty platform Eagle Eye to completely overhaul its legacy point-of-sale system.
IKEA announces 10 new U.S. store openings for 2026, including Los Angeles’ first city-center location and Oklahoma’s first store.

Plus, a quote from the first film I thought of today in hearing about Kohl’s Deal Bar.

👇 Listen now

Today’s Top Headlines

1. Kohl’s Launches Under-$10 “Deal Bar” Across All U.S. Stores

Kohl’s has launched “the Deal Bar,” a front-of-store section featuring items priced under $10, including gifts, seasonal and essential products. While the initiative supports its turnaround under CEO Michael Bender, analysts remain cautious, citing strained low-to-middle-income consumers and declining department store traffic as long-term challenges. (Read More)

2. Wakefern Partners with Eagle Eye to Modernize Loyalty Program

Wakefern Food Corp. has partnered with AI-powered loyalty platform Eagle Eye to modernize its loyalty program, launching mid-2026. The platform will enable personalized promotions and expanded offers across its 400-store cooperative, improving data management and supporting omnichannel growth for banners including ShopRite and Fairway Market. (Read More)

3. Ikea U.S. Ambitiously Plans 10 New Store Openings in 2026

Ikea U.S. has announced 10 new store openings planned for 2026, adding four new locations to its expansion list. The move follows a strong fiscal 2025, with $5.3 billion in total sales, nearly 61 million store visitors, and its Family Rewards loyalty program surpassing 25 million members, marking a 17% year-over-year increase. (Read More)

4. Amazon Doubles Down on Large-Format Brick-and-Mortar Stores

Amazon is expanding its brick-and-mortar presence with a proposed 225,000-sq.-ft. mega-store in Oak Brook, Illinois, following approval for its first big-box store in Orland Park. Despite closing Amazon Go and Fresh locations, the company reaffirmed its commitment to physical retail through new large-format stores offering groceries and merchandise. (Read More)

5. Target Pilots ChatGPT Advertising Through Roundel Network

Target pilots contextual ads in ChatGPT this month through its Roundel network, targeting specific keywords in user prompts. Ads are transparently labeled and don’t influence chatbot responses. With ChatGPT traffic to Target growing 40% monthly, the retailer joins brands like Adobe and Ford in OpenAI’s controversial advertising initiative. (Read More)

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