From Hobbycraft’s new shoppable TV channel to Topshop’s return to the High Street with its residency in London’s Liberty and JoJo Maman Bébé offering pre-loved kidswear, what’s been making waves in retail this week?

Hobbycraft steps into shoppable TV

Arts and crafts retailer, Hobbycraft, has launched a new shoppable TV channel, featuring tutorials from crafting experts.

The channel will feature daily demonstrations across sewing, knitting, baking, papercraft and home décor, led by a roster of expert makers.

“It will offer a seamless shoppable experience, all designed to inspire, educate and connect with both new audiences and our existing crafting community,” said Alex Willson, CEO at Hobbycraft.

The platform launch was informed by research showing video is a key channel for crafting inspiration, with one in three consumers using YouTube to learn craft skills.

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Topshop’s marks High Street return with Liberty tie-up

Topshop is set to make a triumphant return to the High Street from 28 August, returning to physical retail with an in-store residency at iconic designer department store, Liberty.

Debuting with a brand takeover in Liberty’s atrium, Topshop and Topman will showcase its new collections inside the iconic store, just a stone’s throw from its former flagship on Oxford Street, which is now home to IKEA.

“This launch is about reconnecting with our community in real life. We’re thrilled to return to UK stores through Liberty — a brand that shares our passion for creativity, nurturing talent and pushing boundaries,” Michelle Wilson, MD at Topshop, commented.

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Freemans links with Mirakl to scale dropship strategy

Online department store, Freemans, has partnered with marketplace specialists, Mirakl, to scale its dropship capabilities and expand its range of third-party bands.

The move is part of an ongoing business transformation – from a legacy catalogue business to a digital pureplay – and will accelerate supplier onboarding and enable new product categories.

“This represents a further milestone in our digital transformation,” said Susie Calvert, Chief Merchandising Officer at Freemans. “We can now accelerate the expansion of our brand offering across key categories, while preserving the premium customer experience that our million customers expect.”

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Guest Post | How retailers should prep for GEO & AI search

As AI continues to rewrite the playbook for product discovery, the rise of Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) means millions of shoppers now turn to AIs for product recommendations. But how to do you show up when your customers aren’t searching anymore, they’re asking questions?

In our latest guest article, PA Consulting’s Alex Moseman explores:
🧭 How AI and AI assistants are evolving search
⏩ Moving from an SEO to a GEO strategy
📈 Setting data foundations and PIM for omnichannel activation
🎯 Product information and gaining AI trust
🔎 Evaluating GEO performance and continuous improvement

Read the full article 👉 Guest Post | PA Consulting’s Alex Moseman on how retailers should prep for GEO & AI search.

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61% of retailers now have an Chief AI Officer – monday.com

Despite widespread AI adoption among retailers, the technology is not yet making key business decisions fully autonomously, research from global software company, monday.com, reveals.

Original research of over 500 UK retail leaders by monday.com showed that almost all (99%) report some form of AI expertise in their business. Such is the scale of AI adoption that now six in ten (61%) have dedicated AI leadership or teams in place, including Chief AI Officers (CAIO). 

However, a further 92% said AI is not yet making key business decisions autonomously and over a third (36%) say its role role remains largely supportive.

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JoJo Maman Bébé taps thelittleloop to launch pre-loved programme

Maternity and babywear retailer, JoJo Maman Bébé, has extended its circular retail offering, partnering with kidswear marketplace, thelittleloop, to launch its first resale platform, JoJo Reloved.

The exchange programme allows customers to trade-in children’s clothing in return for credit, which can either be used for future online purchases with JoJo or other third-party brand partners.

Rather than having to wait for an item to sell as with other second-hand platforms, customers receive instant estimates when they use the online trade-in tool across JoJo items as well as those from thelittleloop affiliated brands.

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Bulk accelerates growth and reduces carrier costs with Scurri

Sports nutrition and activewear brand, Bulk, has diversified its carrier network, optimised delivery lead times and scaled its operations across Europe – allowing it to increase orders by +66% in three years – in partnership with Scurri, the delivery management platform.

The brand says it has saved more than £1million across its European delivery network by integrating with a wide range of carriers via Scurri’s platform, which allows Bulk to easily switch providers, optimise rates and enhance its commercial negotiations.

Processing over two million orders annually, Bulk leverages Scurri’s Rules Engine to configure and adjust its shipping logic without needing technical support from carriers, enabling it to automate processes and scale efficiently during peak times.