E-Commerce & Retail Tech

Irvine, Calif. – – September 16, 2026 -- Performance Brokerage Services has brokered the sale of Mansfield Motor Group, a three-rooftop Nissan, Honda and Volvo dealership group in Mansfield, Ohio, from Dirk Schulter and Brett Schulter to Penuel "Raj" Clement of Clement Auto Group.

Family-owned dealership group founded in 1947 changes hands after four generations

Mansfield Motor Group traces its roots to Whitey's Auto Mall, established by Frank "Whitey" Schluter and recognized as one of the early pioneers of the multi-franchise auto mall model. Brothers Dirk and Brett Schluter took ownership in 2001 and led the 79-year-old business until this sale.

Scottsdale, Ariz. – September 16, 2026 -- Sparkle Grooming Co. has raised $6 million in strategic growth financing led by Companion Fund, the venture capital vehicle managed by Digitalis Ventures in partnership with Mars Petcare, as the dog grooming franchise surpasses 600 licenses awarded to multi-unit partners in just 24 months.

Franchise pipeline expands to 600 licenses in two years

The Scottsdale-based company, which created what it calls the Quick-Service Pet Care (QSPC) category, currently operates 10 salons and plans to have at least 20 open by the end of 2026. More than 30 additional salon openings are planned for 2027, with the company continuing to court select multi-unit franchise partners in priority markets.

New York – September 16, 2026 -- Veho has been named a finalist in the Logistics category of the 2026 BeautyMatter Awards, an industry recognition tied to its e-commerce delivery work for beauty and retail brands including Sephora.

Veho positions last-mile delivery as a growth driver, not a cost line

"Beauty brands obsess over every detail. E-commerce delivery deserves the same level of attention because it's one of the most tangible moments a customer has with your brand," said Catherine Dummitt, VP of Marketing at Veho. The company reports a 99% on-time delivery rate and a 4.9/5 customer satisfaction score across its retail partner base, which also includes Macy's, Lululemon, Stitch Fix and HelloFresh.

Los Angeles – September 15, 2026 -- Alibaba.com's Accio AI agent platform completed a 107-task e-commerce benchmark for an estimated $3.69, more than 50% cheaper than OpenAI's Codex at $9.27 and Anthropic's Claude Code at $9.51, according to results the company disclosed at its CoCreate event for entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Benchmark shows Accio undercuts general-purpose AI agents by over 50% on cost

The evaluation, run across 107 real-world commerce tasks, found Accio matched the completion quality of the two rival systems while sharply reducing computing spend. Alibaba.com President Kuo Zhang said unaffordable AI is useless for small businesses, framing the company's objective as making commerce AI practical for a one-person operation rather than simply more powerful.

New York – September 15, 2026 -- A group of private investors led by Harry Adjmi, CEO of One Step Up, has acquired The Limited, the American women's fashion brand founded in 1963.

Adjmi group adds The Limited to a portfolio that includes New York & Company, Fashion to Figure and Hard Tail

The deal brings one of America's most recognized apparel names under the same ownership group that already controls New York & Company, Fashion to Figure and Hard Tail. The acquisition extends Adjmi's strategy of buying established brands with strong consumer recognition and rebuilding them for long-term growth.

The Limited built its reputation on tailored separates and career wear for American women

The Limited became known for polished apparel, coordinated collections and workwear aimed at professional women. The brand's identity centered on accessible, sophisticated dressing for office and everyday life.

New York – September 15, 2026 -- Jack Archer, the men's lifestyle brand that has dressed more than 400,000 customers since launching its signature Jetsetter Tech Pant, has secured an investment from Alex Rodriguez's A-Rod Corp, the companies announced.

A-Rod Corp Adds Jack Archer to a Portfolio Spanning More Than 40 Ventures

A-Rod Corp, the Miami-based multi-asset platform led by the 14-time MLB All-Star, deploys internal and external capital across more than 40 companies and partnerships valued at over $1 billion. Rodriguez said his investment criteria center on strong products, clearly defined customers and teams with a defined growth trajectory, citing Jack Archer as meeting each threshold.

Bonn, Germany – September 14, 2026 – GS1 Germany is preparing to host ECR iN MOTiON, the central business-to-business convention for the consumer goods industry, scheduled for September 16 and 17, 2026, at the World Conference Center in Bonn. This expansive industry gathering will unite manufacturers, retailers, and logistics service providers to tackle pressing market dynamics, align supply and demand strategies, and drive operational efficiency across the entire value chain.

Atlanta – September 14, 2026 -- Apparel brand Comfrt attracted more than 2.3 times its projected number of college athlete participants in a recent marketing campaign run through NIL Club, the largest team-based NIL platform in college sports, reaching capacity faster than either company anticipated.

Athletes signed up faster than Comfrt or NIL Club forecast, filling the campaign ahead of schedule

Participating athletes selected a Comfrt hoodie and sweatpants set, produced an Instagram Reel depicting a real moment from their day, and received reimbursement for the apparel plus a 10 percent commission on every sale generated by their content.

Los Angeles – September 14, 2026 -- BLAZE has launched the BLAZE E-Commerce API, a headless commerce solution giving licensed cannabis dispensaries and multi-state operators full creative and technical control over their online storefronts while retaining compliance, inventory, and payment infrastructure required in regulated retail.

API grants developers full access to product, cart, order, and compliance data

The BLAZE E-Commerce API allows teams to build fully custom websites or in-store kiosks. It connects natively with BLAZE Retail POS, syncing inventory, pricing, and order data between a dispensary's physical and digital storefronts with minimal maintenance.

London – September 13, 2026 -- Pick n Pay Clothing has won the 'Excellence in Customer Loyalty – South Africa' title at the Global Brand Awards 2026, an accolade organised by UK-based Global Brands Magazine.

Retailer's 421-store network drives recognition for affordable fashion strategy

The award recognises Pick n Pay Clothing's transformation from a supermarket clothing category into one of South Africa's leading apparel retailers, now operating more than 421 stores across multiple retail formats. The brand has expanded its digital footprint through online channels and the Pick n Pay asap! platform, positioning itself under the tagline 'Great value. Good living.'