Retail Brew // Morning Brew // Update

April 30, 2026

It’s Thursday, and the last day of April. Your Q2 strategy is either locked in…or a loose collection of vibes. Join us in New York on June 3 (or virtually, we’re flexible) to figure out omnichannel before it figures you out.

In today’s edition:

—Vidhi Choudhary, Jeena Sharma, Alex Vuocolo

E-COMMERCE

Kicking and streaming

Whatnot

If as an online merchant you’ve avoided live shopping because it felt like extra work, the latest Whatnot tool for Shopify storefronts attempts to fix that. Sellers on Shopify can now sell via livestreams or “Buy It Now” listings.

Live shopping platform Whatnot has added a direct plug-in for Shopify, so live selling fits into the existing workflow of merchants on Shopify stores, instead of needing to create a separate tech layer.

“Whatnot’s live commerce community is one of the most engaged in e-commerce, and now it connects directly to the products, inventory, and orders merchants already manage in Shopify,” Jeff Kennedy, product partnerships at Shopify, wrote in an email. “Beta merchants like Glow Luxury and FashioNica are already seeing the impact firsthand.”

Whatnot released the plug-in in beta earlier this year, and the company says that businesses using the integration have driven over $10 million in sales across nearly 20 product categories.

Keep reading here.—VC

From The Crew

How retailers are pivoting their way through chaos

Retail in 2026 is anything but predictable. Faced with global trade disruptions, shifting consumer behavior, and economic uncertainty, brands are being forced to adapt fast—or fall behind.

From Oura’s rapid expansion into dozens of international retail partnerships to Build-A-Bear’s evolution into a global IP brand, retailers are rethinking where they compete and how they grow. Others, like Dibs Beauty, are taking unconventional approaches to gathering customer insights beyond digital channels.

This deep dive explores how leading brands are tackling inventory challenges, refining omnichannel strategies, and using creativity, data, and agility to stay competitive. If you want to understand how modern retailers are pivoting through uncertainty, this is a must-read.

SUPPLY CHAIN

Threading the needle

Circ

You’ve probably never heard of Circ, but the textile-to-textile recycling company is aiming to shake up the viscose supply chain through a new partnership with China-based Xinxiang Bailu Chemical Fiber Co (Bailu), one of the world’s largest viscose filament producers.

Viscose, often marketed as “rayon,” is one of fashion’s most widely used fibers, appearing in everything from dresses to linings, and traditionally relies on wood pulp sourced from forests.

Now, Bailu has struck a deal with Circ to buy its recycled pulp for commercial-grade viscose filament production. Simply put: It will use Circ’s recycled pulp to produce viscose filament at industrial scale, potentially giving textile-to-textile recycling its biggest commercial push yet.

Keep reading here.—JS

STORES

All of the above

Leezsnow/Getty Images

Bed Bath & Beyond has gone on quite a journey in the past few years. Since Overstock.com purchased its intellectual property in 2023, the online retailer has cobbled together a sprawling portfolio of brands ranging from retailers such as BuyBuy Baby, Kirkland’s, and The Container Store, to a blockchain asset portfolio and a real estate finance platform.

How it all fits together is the question, and CEO Marcus Lemonis assured shareholders this week that there’s a plan to integrate its businesses and return to growth.

“The business is still in the process of rebuilding, but the trajectory is clear and reflects a model that is beginning to scale,” he wrote in a letter to shareholders.

Keep reading here.—AV

SWAPPING SKUS

Today’s top retail reads.

What a chore: Why is Palantir selling chore jackets? (the New York Times)

Tariff-ic payback: As retailers receive tariff refunds, shoppers who paid higher prices are asking if they get a cut. (Business of Fashion)

Tag, you’re it: British food retailer Co-op is marking high-theft goods with invisible “forensic spray” in an effort to curb shoplifting. (the Guardian)

Leveled up: Harry’s Plus is here—smoother glide, closer contact, and a handle that actually feels good to hold. Premium shave, not premium price. Code BREW20 saves you 20%.*

^{*A message from our sponsor.}

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