Breaking News
JD.com Plans Takeover for MediaMarktSaturn Owner Ceconomy
Chinese e-commerce giant JD.com is preparing a €2.3 billion takeover of Ceconomy, the parent company of MediaMarkt and Saturn. If successful, the deal would mark one of the largest Chinese acquisitions in Europe’s retail sector to date. JD.com, which has long eyed European expansion, sees strategic alignment in Ceconomy’s strong offline presence and electronics focus – mirroring JD’s own roots in China. Talks are advanced but not yet finalized. More at Financial Times
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Boohooman Launches Third-Party Fashion Marketplace
Fast-fashion brand Boohooman has launched “Brand Locker”, a new third-party marketplace for fashion labels. Once known for £8 partywear, the brand now aims to compete with platforms like Farfetch. Read more at Retail Gazette.
Fnac Darty Online Sales Up 8% in H1 2025
French retailer Fnac Darty saw its online sales grow by 8 %, driving overall revenue up by 0.7 % year‑on‑year to €4.48 billion in the first half of 2025. E‑commerce now represents 21 % of total revenue. Gross margin also improved, rising to 28.9 %. The company still posted an operating loss of €56 million, attributed to investments in logistics and IT. See more at Ecommerce News
Second-Hand-as-a-Service: Amazon launches “Grade & Resell” for oversized items
Amazon has rolled out its new Grade & Resell program for heavy and bulky products – including large appliances, TVs, sports equipment, and furniture. Returned or damaged items no longer need to be written off: Amazon now inspects, grades, and automatically resells them. More at LinkedIn.
Amazon Vine Reviews Now Available Pre‑Launch
Amazon now allows eligible FBA products to receive up to 30 genuine Vine reviews before the product goes live, meaning a listing can launch with established trust from day one. Read more at Amazon Seller Central
B&Q Launches “Marketplace Click‑and‑Collect” Pilot
UK DIY leader B&Q now lets customers collect items sold by third-party sellers on its marketplace via in-store pickup. A trial began at its Fareham location, and if successful, the service will roll out to 300 stores by October. This is believed to be the first Click‑and‑Collect offering of its kind in the UK marketplace space. See more at ChannelX.
Prime Day News
Prime Day Halo Effect Lifts Retail Revenues by Over 53%
Data from Visualsoft reveals that non‑Amazon retailers saw an average sales uplift of 53.8 % during Prime Day 2025, a phenomenon known as the halo effect. Certain segments performed even stronger, e.g. office & stationery surged by +140.3% on Day 3, and categories like lighting, lingerie, and pet supplies saw double-digit growth across the event. Prime Day isn’t just boosting Amazon – it’s lifting the broader retail ecosystem. Read more at ChannelX.
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