shoppers

Reports are laying out the launch timeline for Apple's next pair of iPhones, covering when pre-orders open, when the first reviews are published, and when the devices hit stores. The twin launch follows Apple's usual September pattern, and buyers are watching the dates closely to decide whether to order immediately or wait for early reviews before committing.

Walmart has pledged it will not use customer data to set personalized prices, stating plainly: 'We won't do it.' The commitment addresses growing consumer concern that retailers could charge different customers different prices based on their shopping habits, location or perceived spending power. The statement comes amid wider scrutiny of how major retailers collect and use shopper data.

Walmart's grocery business is increasingly being positioned as the retailer's answer to Amazon Prime, according to a new report. By building loyalty through everyday food shopping, Walmart appears to be turning its largest category into the foundation of a membership-style ecosystem that can compete with Amazon's subscription model for customer retention and spending.

Major retailers are reversing course on self-checkout, scaling back or removing the machines from stores. The shift follows widespread shopper frustration with malfunctioning scanners, constant staff interventions, accusations of theft, and research suggesting the kiosks drive up losses without clear cost savings. Social media users have long complained about the checkout experience, and those discussions are now being cited as evidence of why chains like Walmart, Target and Dollar General are rethinking the technology.

Reports say major beauty retailers Mecca and Sephora are being outpaced by online marketplaces in the global beauty market. Coverage across finance outlets suggests marketplace platforms are growing faster than traditional beauty chains, reshaping where shoppers buy cosmetics and skincare. Industry watchers are weighing what the shift means for brick-and-mortar beauty retail and store-based brands.

Walmart says neither the company nor its AI shopping assistant uses customers' personal information to set prices. The statement, reported by Fortune, comes amid growing scrutiny of how retailers and AI tools use shopper data for personalized pricing, a practice critics say can disadvantage some consumers.

The European Union plans to introduce a €2 handling fee on small parcels imported from outside the bloc. The charge would apply to online orders shipped into the EU, adding a new cost to cross-border e-commerce purchases. The move is expected to affect shoppers buying from non-EU retailers and could draw criticism over added consumer costs.

The EU is introducing two mandatory labels to make it easier for consumers to understand their rights when products like washing machines break down shortly after purchase. The labels are meant to clearly distinguish statutory warranty rights from voluntary commercial guarantees, so shoppers no longer have to guess what coverage applies when goods fail within weeks of buying them.

Walmart says it does not use customers' personal information to set prices, pushing back on privacy concerns as it rolls out digital shelf labels across more of its US stores. The retailer says the electronic tags allow faster price updates and clearer labelling, but the expansion has raised questions about whether dynamic, personalised pricing could follow. Walmart maintains prices will not vary based on individual shopper data.

US immigration authorities are making more arrests outside big-box stores and supermarkets in Oregon, according to a Rogue Valley Times report. The locations, frequented by large numbers of workers and shoppers, have become focal points for enforcement activity. The report has drawn attention to how immigration operations are extending into everyday public spaces in the state.

Walmart has pledged that it will not use shoppers' personal data to set individualized prices. The commitment, reported by retail industry outlets, addresses growing consumer and regulator concern that retailers could use purchase histories and personal information to charge different customers different prices for the same products. It positions the retailer as taking a public stance on data-driven pricing practices.

Gluten-free products are under renewed attention as consumer demand for such foods continues to grow alongside regulatory changes affecting labeling and standards. Industry publication Nutritional Outlook reports that makers of gluten-free foods are navigating shifting rules while responding to shoppers who increasingly seek these products for health or dietary reasons, prompting debate over how regulations should keep pace with the expanding market.

Discounts on the iPhone 17 are drying up as Apple's price increases extend across more markets, with outlets including Forbes and Yahoo News Singapore reporting that retailers and carriers are pulling back deals. Consumers hunting bargains on the latest iPhone are finding fewer offers, and prices appear to be climbing in multiple regions, prompting discussion about how far the increases will spread.

South Korean retail giant Shinsegae is preparing to enter the United States beauty market with a dedicated retail platform focused on K-Beauty products. The move would bring Korean skincare and cosmetics brands to American shoppers through a Shinsegae-run channel, extending the group's retail reach beyond Asia and tapping into sustained global demand for Korean beauty products.

Apple has raised prices, but discounts on the iPhone 17 are already being offered by some retailers, Forbes reports. Shoppers can reportedly find deals that soften the impact of the increase, making the new phone cheaper than its list price at certain sellers. The combination of higher official pricing and quick discounting is drawing attention from consumers watching upgrade costs.

Whey protein powder has become one of the products affected by tariffs under Trump's trade war, according to a consumer news report. The item suggests shoppers could face higher prices on a staple of the fitness and supplements market as import costs rise. Specific tariff rates and affected suppliers were not detailed.