Retail & Consumer Goods Industry

Hallandale Beach – September 18, 2026 -- NextPlat Corp (NASDAQ: NXPL) said its UK subsidiary Global Telesat Communications Ltd (GTC) has signed an agreement to sell satellite-enabled communications and tracking devices on Decathlon's digital marketplace, giving the satcom retailer entry into 20 countries.

GTC gains direct access to Decathlon's outdoor and sports shopper base

The catalog will feature products running on Globalstar, Iridium and Inmarsat networks, targeting activities such as hiking, cycling, sailing, camping, skiing and expeditions where mobile coverage is unreliable. Decathlon operates more than 1,700 stores across over 70 countries and regions and employs more than 100,000 people, founded in 1976.

Stockholm – September 17, 2026 -- Only 43% of shoppers believe AI will make their holiday shopping easier this year, down from 48% in 2025, according to new research from Sinch AB (publ) covering 2,501 consumers across eight markets ahead of Black Friday and the holiday season.

Confidence hinges on specific tasks, not AI broadly

While overall optimism about AI declined, confidence surges when AI is assigned a concrete function. 81% of shoppers trust an AI assistant to handle order tracking and shipping updates, and 74% trust it for pre-purchase questions. That confidence drops to 66% for account changes and 62% for payment or billing changes.

Miami Beach – September 17, 2026 -- Jewelers International Showcase (JIS) will open its Fall 2026 edition at the Miami Beach Convention Center on October 16-19, giving jewelry retailers a four-day window to finalize holiday inventory with more than 600 exhibitors offering immediate at-show delivery and future-order buying.

Retailers face a compressed timeline to lock in Q4 inventory

The show is timed deliberately ahead of the year's busiest retail period, allowing independent retailers, multi-store operators and buying groups to restock fast-moving merchandise and refresh holiday assortments across fine jewelry, fashion jewelry, bridal, gemstones, silver, gold, accessories, technology and business services. Sara McDonough, Event Director of JIS, said the ability to source from over 600 exhibitors while combining immediate delivery with future orders makes the event especially valuable this close to peak selling season.

Singapore – September 17, 2026 -- UROVO has introduced UPad, a commercial tablet designed to consolidate payment processing, barcode scanning, RFID tracking, and enterprise mobility into a single device for frontline business operations.

UPad replaces multiple disconnected hardware units with one integrated platform

The device targets retail, restaurant, hospitality, and warehousing operators seeking to cut hardware investment while gaining real-time operational visibility. UROVO CTO Zhang Bo said frontline operations now require more than standalone devices, positioning UPad as a unified answer to payment, data capture, mobility, and business applications.

Paris – September 17, 2026 -- Allied Telesis will present its Unified Management Platform at NRF Europe 2026, targeting a retail sector where point-of-sale downtime costs the average merchant $4,700 per minute.

Network failures drive 53% of retail POS outages, according to industry data cited by Allied Telesis

The company said network infrastructure failures are the root cause of 53 percent of all point-of-sale system downtime. On Black Friday, that outage cost climbs to $9,000 per minute, raising the stakes for retailers running AI-powered fitting rooms, cloud applications and connected in-store devices.

Stockholm – September 17, 2026 -- TrusTrace has launched a new platform designed to close the gap between the supply chain data global brands collect and their ability to act on it, as sustainability and due diligence regulations multiply worldwide.

Platform rolls out in phases starting this month after a year of validation with leading brands

The system expands TrusTrace's existing traceability and compliance infrastructure, built on real-time, lot-level forward traceability and AI-powered backward chain-of-custody data across materials and sourcing models. Its first module, Supply Chain Intelligence, lets brands query suppliers, facilities, products, and materials using natural language, surfacing gaps and generating reports in seconds.

New York – September 17, 2026 -- Whirlpool brand and the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) will stage a free public activation at Pier 17 on Sept. 15, tying the league's Championship Week to a donation program supplying UV Clean Technology laundry towers to NYPD precincts and FDNY firehouses across New York City.

Whirlpool ties product demo to first-responder donation

The "Lacrosse After Dark: Blue Light Edition" event runs 6:30-9:30 p.m. and showcases Whirlpool's Front Load Laundry Tower with UV Clean Technology, a feature the company says reduces bacteria in wash cycles without high heat or harsh chemicals. Beyond the on-site sweepstakes offering fans a chance to win a unit and VIP championship tickets, Whirlpool will donate multiple laundry towers directly to NYPD and FDNY facilities.

Calgary – September 17, 2026 -- High Tide Inc. (Nasdaq: HITI; TSXV: HITI) reported record revenue of $198.8 million for its third fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2026, up 33% year-over-year and pushing the cannabis retailer toward an annualized run rate of approximately $800 million.

Revenue Growth Accelerates to Fastest Pace in 13 Quarters

Revenue climbed 11% sequentially, the strongest sequential gain in 15 quarters, marking the fifth consecutive quarter of all-time highs. Gross profit reached a record $52.7 million, up 32% year-over-year, while gross margin held steady at 27%.

Adjusted EBITDA Hits 12-Quarter High of $16.2 Million

Adjusted EBITDA rose 53% year-over-year and 17% sequentially to $16.2 million, lifting margin to 8.2%, the highest level in 12 quarters. Revenue grew 2.5 times faster than the Company's average basic share count year-over-year, while Adjusted EBITDA grew 3.9 times faster, according to the Company.

Pittsburgh – September 17, 2026 -- An inventor from North Aurora, Ill., has designed a collapsible infant car seat aimed at easing air travel for parents, according to InventHelp, which submitted the concept through its Chicago sales office.

Design targets bulk of standard car seats

The invention offers a compact, portable alternative to conventional infant car seats, which are typically large and difficult to carry through airports or check as luggage. The collapsible model is built to fit in an airplane's overhead compartment, eliminating the need to check a traditional seat.

Inventor cites travel friction as motivation

"I wanted to create an infant car seat that is easy to transport through an airport and parking lot when traveling," the inventor said, noting the design removes the burden of carrying a heavy seat through terminals.

Pittsburgh – September 17, 2026 -- InventHelp has submitted a new pacifier design, the NIPLI, to its Birmingham sales office and made it available for licensing or sale to manufacturers and marketers in the infant care market.

Inventor Designs Pacifier to Replicate Maternal Scent

An inventor from Weaver, Alabama, developed the NIPLI after her newborn struggled to sleep without nursing. The pacifier is engineered to mimic a mother's natural scent and feel, aiming to calm and soothe infants even when the mother is not present.

Product Targets Comfort and Separation-Anxiety Gaps in Existing Pacifiers

The NIPLI offers an alternative to traditional pacifiers, which the inventor says lack the natural look, feel and scent of nursing. The design is intended to increase comfort and bonding between parent and infant and may reduce separation anxiety.