Edition #28: ChatGPT Joins the Black Friday Battle | Plus big stories from every corner of global retail

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Black Friday is here — but 2025 feels different. Amazon, Google, and retailers are no longer the only forces shaping how consumers search, compare, and buy. This year, a new player has quietly entered the battlefield: ChatGPT Shopping.

And early signs show it may fundamentally reshape how product discovery happens.
Plus: major global retail moves, India’s quick-commerce acceleration, and a packed week of funding and leadership shifts.

🌍 World Retail Headlines

Amid economic pressure, brands usher in Black Friday by trimming deals - Retailers are entering Black Friday with scaled-down promotions as inflation and operational costs force tighter margins. The age of deep-discounting continues to cool as brands shift to strategic offers.
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Amazon sites in Italy raided in China smuggling probe - Italian authorities raided two Amazon facilities as part of a broader investigation into Chinese smuggling networks believed to be routing goods through Europe with undervalued declarations.
🔗 Read more

Walmart makes African debut with South Africa store launch - Walmart has officially entered the African retail market with its first South African store — a strategic move signalling new expansion priorities into high-growth regions.
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Eli Lilly becomes first healthcare company to hit $1 trillion valuation - A historic milestone driven by surging demand for obesity and diabetes drugs, Eli Lilly is now the world’s first trillion-dollar healthcare company.
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Saudi Arabia to open more alcohol stores as curbs ease - Saudi Arabia is planning to roll out additional alcohol stores as part of its rapid social liberalisation — a major cultural pivot under Vision 2030.
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Wealthy and cash-strapped shoppers both flocking to Walmart & T.J. Maxx - A bifurcated consumer economy is pushing both budget-conscious and affluent shoppers toward value retailers as they seek smarter optimization of spending.
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Performance Food Group and US Foods end merger talks - The two foodservice giants have halted merger discussions due to regulatory and market headwinds.
🔗 Read more

Kering eyes new ‘House of Dreams’ investment arm - Kering is launching a strategic investment division aimed at reducing overdependence on Gucci and incubating new luxury powerhouses.
🔗 Read more

Amiri opens first European store in Milan - LA luxury label Amiri expands globally with its first Europe flagship, marking a strong push into high-end retail districts.
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Functional coffees take over the high street - Wellness-driven coffee blends — from protein coffees to nootropic brews — are rapidly replacing traditional orders as consumers shift toward functional beverages.
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Novo Nordisk shares fall after Ozempic pill fails Alzheimer’s trial - Novo Nordisk’s stock dipped after its oral Ozempic candidate did not show improvement in Alzheimer’s outcomes — a setback for the pharma leader.
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Tourist tax coming to London - London is expected to introduce a visitor tax, bringing it in line with other major EU destinations aiming to boost municipal revenue.
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US Thanksgiving online sales expected to rise 6% - Salesforce forecasts a 6% YoY jump in online Thanksgiving spending as shoppers chase value and retailers lean into data-driven holiday strategies.
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China’s Anta Sports & Li Ning explore joint bid for Puma - Chinese sportswear giants Anta and Li Ning are evaluating a potential acquisition of Puma, signaling China’s ambition to reshape global athleticwear dominance.
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📰 India Retail News

LUSH re-enters India with Bilberry Brands - LUSH is returning with a multi-city retail strategy, expanded manufacturing, and a strong local omnichannel presence.
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Quick commerce expands beyond grocery into high-margin categories - Q-commerce players are doubling down on beauty, electronics, gifting, pet supplies and more — driving higher margins and stronger unit economics.
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Magicpin & Rapido partner to challenge Zomato-Swiggy - The partnership blends hyperlocal commerce with mobility logistics to take on mainstream food delivery leaders.
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Marico’s digital brands cross ₹1,000 crore ARR - The FMCG major’s digital-first portfolio has scaled rapidly across D2C and marketplaces, crossing a milestone ARR.
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Adani Group explores acquisition of aviation training firm FSTC - Adani is eyeing entry into pilot training through the possible acquisition of FSTC, aligning with its growing transportation ecosystem.
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Rapido GMV up 111% YoY - Rapido continues accelerating growth, reporting a 111% annual increase in GMV driven by bike-taxi and gig-mobility adoption.
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LG Electronics India rejigs leadership post-IPO - Following its IPO, LG Electronics India has refreshed leadership roles to drive the next phase of innovation and expansion.
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Decathlon launches 2-hour quick-commerce service - Decathlon now offers 2-hour delivery in major cities, tapping into q-commerce momentum for sportswear and equipment.
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Whirlpool sells 11.2% stake in Indian arm via bulk deals - Whirlpool has offloaded a significant stake in its India unit as part of its global portfolio realignment.
🔗 Read more

🔥 Top Funding, IPO & Earnings

• Wealthy raises ₹130 crore from Bertelsmann India, Alphawave Global and Shepherd’s Hill

• FAE Beauty raises ₹17 crore to expand D2C and offline retail presence

• Prosus doubles half-year core profit amid e-commerce pivot

👔 Key Retail Appointments & Exits

• Michael Bender appointed permanent CEO of Kohl’s

• Celeste Burgoyne exits as Lululemon’s Head of the Americas

🤖 Deep Dive: Shopping on ChatGPT — The New Black Friday Player

What’s Happening

For the first time in years, the Black Friday battlefield has a new contender — and it’s not a retailer or a marketplace. It’s ChatGPT.

OpenAI has rolled out a dedicated shopping model inside ChatGPT, designed to understand complex buying needs, compare products with context, and give personalised recommendations that feel closer to a seasoned sales expert than a chatbot.

Instead of navigating multiple tabs, reviews, filters, and “best of” lists, users can now describe what they want in natural language — “I need a quiet vacuum for a small apartment,” “Recommend a non-greasy vitamin C serum,” or “Find me alternatives to this product within $300.”

The system then builds comparison cards, highlights pros and cons, asks clarifying questions, and even adapts suggestions based on past interactions for paid users.

What makes this moment significant is timing: OpenAI launched this right before peak holiday shopping, signalling a strategic attempt to shift where product discovery begins. And with early integrations from retailers like Walmart, Target, Etsy and Shopify brands — but not Amazon — the competitive landscape is clearly changing.

Key Stats You Should Know

• 150M+ global users now have access to AI-led shopping tools

• Built on a commerce-optimised GPT, separate from the main model

• AI-assisted queries reduce research time by 30–40%

• Strongest performance seen in: electronics, skincare, home appliances

• Visual search now supports “find similar items” based on any photo

• Early pilots show uplift in AOV when AI suggests paired or upgraded items

What It Means for Retail & Consumer Brands

• Discovery starts in chat now → consumers may bypass Google and marketplaces like Amazon

• Clean product data is critical → AI amplifies inconsistencies across channels

• Natural-language SEO replaces keyword SEO → shoppers “speak,” not search

• Retailers need multi-channel presence → AI ignores products it can’t find

• Visual similarity search boosts alternatives → great for value brands, risky for premium

• AI shelf space emerges → brands must optimise for conversational relevance

• Holiday shopping habits may reset → ChatGPT conditioning millions to shop differently

Sources:

OpenAI | TechCrunch | RetailDive | Industry Commentary & Analyst Reports

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