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This Week in Retail Strategy: Massive AI Investments Ahead, Luxury Goes to Sea and H&M Spotlights Black Designers

Opportunity alert: NRF predicts first-ever trillion-dollar holiday season despite economic headwinds.

Published

2 months ago

November 9, 2025

INSTORE Staff

This Week in Retail Strategy: Massive AI Investments Ahead, Luxury Goes to Sea and H&M Spotlights Black Designers

Retailers will spend on automation that fills labor gaps they can’t solve through hiring. IMAGE: ENVATO AI

The following stories are from VMSD, INSTORE’s sister publication for retail design professionals. Visit VMSD.com or subscribe here.

AI Spending by Retailers to Hit $96 Billion by 2030

Retailer investment in AI will explode from $14.24 billion in 2025 to $96.13 billion by 2030—a 46.54% annual growth rate, per Mordor Intelligence. The money will fund cameras that recognize what you’re buying without scanning barcodes, chatbots that actually answer questions well, systems that predict which products will sell out, seamless experiences whether customers shop online or in-store, and automation that fills labor gaps retailers can’t hire their way out of. Read more.

H&M Partners With Maison Black for Designer Pop-Ups

H&M debuts one-day shop-in-shops featuring Black designers in LA (Nov. 30), Houston (Dec. 6), Chicago (Dec. 13), and Harlem (Dec. 20). The Style Shop, curated by Maison Black, showcases brands like Vontelle Eyewear, Fashion Fair, and KIN Apparel during peak holiday shopping. The initiative combines inclusion with revenue opportunities for emerging designers. Read more.

Star Princess Launches With First-at-Sea Luxury Retail

Princess Cruises’ newest ship features unprecedented retail: a Chanel beauty shop-in-shop, vintage luxury handbags from Fashionphile (Hermès, Gucci, Dior), and standalone Breitling and TAG Heuer boutiques. The 4,300-passenger vessel also carries Pandora, Swarovski, and certified preowned Rolex. The ship began U.S. sailings from Fort Lauderdale on November 7. Read more.

Analyst: Purpose Beats Product Pitch

Apple doesn’t lead with specs — they lead with why they exist, writes retail design expert Eric Feigenbaum in a column for VMSD. Their success proves Gen Z and millennials don’t just buy what you make; they buy what you believe in. Feigenbaum argues the retail mandate has shifted: profit follows purpose, not the other way around. Smart retailers define their values before their value proposition. Read more.

Takeaways for Jewelers From This Week’s Wrap-Up

Here are a few actionable takeaways for jewelry retailers based on this week’s headlines:

Lean into the trillion-dollar holiday season. Despite economic uncertainty, consumers are spending. Don’t pull back on inventory or staffing too soon.
Partner with emerging designers or artisans. H&M’s model works at any scale. So try giving local or underrepresented makers shelf space to build community and differentiate your store.
Captive audiences = retail gold. If cruise ships can sell Rolex and Hermès, maybe you can too. Alternatively, consider captive audiences nearer to hand — hotel lobbies, resorts, corporate buildings, or airports.
Stand for something specific. Don’t just sell jewelry — sell sustainability, local craftsmanship, or generational stories. Purpose attracts younger buyers who’ll stay loyal for decades.

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