Albertsons Puts Everything on the Table After a Rough Q2, Victoria's Secret Beauty Debut Sells Out
2 min read · October 19, 2026 · Covering October 18 · 5 stories from 5 sources
Yesterday in ecommerce: Albertsons' executive chair puts everything on the table after a rough quarter, Victoria's Secret's first beauty partnership sells out ahead of its fashion show, and Lululemon reshuffles leadership after a product recall. 5 stories, about 3 minutes.
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Albertsons puts everything on the table after a rough Q2
Albertsons had a rough Q2: comparable sales fell 0.8%, net income dropped from $168.5 million to $52 million, and it pulled its full-year guidance. Executive chair Meg Whitman, the former eBay and HP chief, said performance has fallen short and everything is open as leaders rethink the 2,200-store chain's structure. Albertsons cut regional teams from 11 to four, and is separately seeking at least $8 billion from Kroger after their 2024 merger collapsed in court.
For your store:If a grocer this size can't hold share on price or experience, expect shoppers to keep splitting baskets across more stores this holiday season.
Victoria's Secret's first-ever beauty partnership sells out before its fashion show even airs
Victoria's Secret is leaning on Sunday's global fashion show to push into beauty. Its first-ever beauty tie-up, pink-striped eye patches made with Patchology, sold out, as did a relaunched Diva Dust shimmer. Beauty president Amy Kocourek called eye patches not our core competency but a fun way in; about half of shoppers already buy beauty alongside apparel. Net sales rose 10% to $1.611 billion last quarter.
For your store:A small, playful collab outside your core category can sell out fast if it rides an audience you already have. Test it in limited batches first.
Lululemon reshuffles its materials team as new CEO reshapes leadership
Lululemon restructured its raw materials team in August, laying off seven people to move some capabilities closer to vendor partners. The change landed just before Heidi O'Neill's official start as CEO; she has since reshuffled the C-suite, naming Athleta chief Maggie Gauger as chief product officer. It follows January's recall of Get Low leggings over see-through complaints. GlobalData's Neil Saunders said there is a great deal to prove in how the new team delivers.
For your store:A leadership change is a good moment to audit product quality issues you've been patching around instead of fixing at the source.
Dunelm's digital sales climb to 41% of revenue despite a slow summer
UK homewares chain Dunelm said digital, home delivery, click and collect and in-store tablet orders, made up 41% of its £433 million Q1 sales, up a point year on year. Sales dipped 3% in a heatwave-hit first six weeks, then rose 4% over the following seven. CEO Clo Moriarty credited store renewals, RFID stock tracking and new AI tools in its contact centre. Full-year profit expectations are unchanged.
For your store:A strong digital mix can offset a slow in-store stretch. Track your online share weekly, not just quarterly, to catch shifts while you can still act.
US households head into the holidays carrying record-high credit card rates
The Federal Reserve's latest Survey of Consumer Finances found the average credit card interest rate climbed from 14.6% to 21.4% between 2022 and 2025, while median credit card debt rose to $8,000. Nearly 20% of families were behind on a loan payment, up from about 12%, and over 8% were two months or more late, the highest share since 2010. Just under 45% of households now carry a balance month to month.
For your store:Expect more holiday shoppers to lean on BNPL or stretch payments further. Make financing options visible at checkout instead of an afterthought.
The Daily Checkout is a daily summary written by KonvertiQ. Every story links to its original source, where you will find full reporting and context. Covered today: Glossy, Internet Retailing, Modern Retail, Payments Dive, Retail Dive.