The Retail Recap – 20 February 2026 – what’s been making waves in retail this week?

From eBay acquiring Depop to expand its reach among Gen Z consumers, to Valentine’s Day prompting a welcome boost in retail sales, and Topshop’s return to the High Street at John Lewis, what’s been making waves in retail this week?

eBay acquires Depop to expand Gen Z reach

eBay has announced its will acquire fashion marketplace, Depop, from Esty in a reported $1.2billion deal.

The addition of Depop will accelerate eBay’s C2C strategy, deepening its reach with younger, fashion-forward consumers while expanding its presence within resale. Depop will benefit from eBay’s global scale, as well as its financial services, shipping solutions and trusted experiences like Authenticity Guarantee to further accelerate growth.

Jamie Ianonne, CEO of eBay, said the move would enable it “to reach a younger demographic across the expanding recommerce landscape.”

eBay also plans to expand the visibility of Depop’s inventory, including through cross-listing opportunities, to amplify global demand and unlock additional market opportunities.

The Perfume Shop sees a +34% Valentine’s sales boost

In a Valentine’s Day boost, The Perfume Shop said it sold more than 240k bottles of perfume between 01 – 14 Feb 2026, which helped drive a +34% increase in sales across its fragrance portfolio.

Gift sets proved popular, rising +50% compared with the same time last year, while last-minute sales online drove a +12% jump on 12 Feb, the website’s busiest day during the period.

Separate wider ecommerce data from delivery management platform, Scurri, showed online orders surged in the lead up to Valentine’s Day 2026, with Sun 08 Feb 2026 recording the highest uplift, +103% year-on-year.

Back to the future: Topshop returns to the High Steet

Topshop and Topman have made their return to the UK High Street as part of their partnership with John Lewis.

Topshop launched across 32 John Lewis stores with curated edits of in-demand pieces, such as cult denim and statement jackets. Meanwhile, Topman will debut in seven JLP locations, offering modern menswear essentials.

“Topshop and Topman are brands with enormous cultural relevance, and their return to physical retail is something our customers are genuinely excited about,” Peter Ruis, MD of John Lewis, commented.

Conversational AI becomes primary shopping interface

Conversational AI has transcended its role as a support tool and is rapidly becoming the primary interface for shoppers’ buying journeys, according to new data from Valtech.

A third (32%) now prefer to start shopping on AI platforms – on a par with traditional search engines – while 43% would choose to shop with a brand based on it having an official AI agent to support their path to purchase.

A further 20% would even switch brands or abandon a shopping mission if a brand didn’t offer an AI agent

“Conversational AI has become a decision and transaction layer,” said David Toma, VP of Strategy & Consulting at Valtech. He added this required retailers to “orchestrate conversational experiences across AI platforms and their own channels, rather than treating AI as a standalone feature.”

ASOS launches hybrid AI try-on tool

ASOS has partnered with AI fashion platform, AIUTA, to launch a new hybrid virtual try-on feature to build greater confidence into shoppers’ digital buying journeys.

The new experience allows customers see how selected products might look on them, either by uploading their own image or choosing an AI generated virtual model that best mirrors their likeness.

“Customers want the confidence of seeing how something will really look,” Melissa Lim, Head of Digital Product at ASOS, commented. “Our hybrid approach meets them where they are, giving everyone a try‑on option that feels right for them.”

1 in 3 shoppers directly impacted by cybercrime

After a surge in high-profile cyberattacks on major UK brands last year, over a third of consumers have been directly impacted by cybercrime, according to new figures released by the Retail Technology Show (RTS).

Original research of over 1,000 shoppers by RTS revealed that in the last year 36% had been contacted by retailers to warn their data had been compromised, rising to over half (53%) of Gen Z.

“The rising prevalence of cybercrime means customers are now more sympathetic to brands when hacks occur – but only as long as the retailer acts quickly and with integrity,” RTS’ Matt Bradley commented.

Carrefour taps Vusion to digitalise its French store estate

Leading global food retailer, Carrefour, has partnered with Vusion to digitalise all of its hypermarkets and supermarkets in France by 2030.

The extended partnership with Carrefour will see Vusion deploying ESLs, smart rails and AI-driven cameras to transform the food retailer’s operational efficiency and in-store CX as part of its “Carrefour 2030” plan.

“Carrefour 2030 is a growth plan that relies notably on accelerating tech and AI,” said Alexandre Bompard, Chairman & CEO of Carrefour. “By partnering with Vusion, we are propelling our stores into a new era.”

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