Independent Bookstore Day, a national sales event with more than 1,600 non-chain stores participating, has taken place on the last Saturday of April for 12 years, but this year’s, which was held on April 26, really opened a can of bookworms.

On April 15, less than two weeks before Independent Bookstore Day, Amazon announced that it was scheduling its second annual Amazon Book Sale from April 23–28. If the intention was to kick the indies in the teeth, the timing seemed great, tempting consumers not just to purchase books at a deep discount a full three days before the indies’ sale, but coinciding with and potentially eclipsing Independent Bookstore Day itself.

It will come as no surprise that independent bookstore owners, windmill-tilters in a constant struggle against Amazon’s buying power (and alleged predatory book pricing), were not thrilled with Amazon’s move.

“Scheduling a sale on the biggest day of the year for independent bookstores seems to be a predatory tactic to hurt small businesses,” Ray T. Daniels, chief communications officer of the American Booksellers Association (ABA), which coordinates Independent Bookstore Day, told Retail Brew via email. “Trying to dim their light isn’t just bad for indie bookstores, but it’s bad for readers and communities.”

In statements shared with media outlets including Vulture and Fast Company, Amazon claimed that “the overlap was unintentional” when it scheduled its book sale at the same time as the indies’ book sale which, again, has fallen on the last Saturday of April for 12 years.

What none of those publications apparently asked, however, was whether Amazon would refrain from scheduling its annual book sale to coincide with Independent Bookstore Day again in the future.

So that’s what we asked.

Keep reading here.—AAN

Saks Global’s recent layoffs have reignited concerns that fashion retail may be bracing for a broader wave of job cuts—driven not just by inflation, but by new tariff pressures.

While circumstances have been challenging for most fashion retailers due to inflation and a consumer spending pullback, impending tariffs have added another thorn in their path. With many retailers reliant on manufacturing hubs such as Vietnam, China, and Bangladesh—all of which now face exorbitant tariffs—companies are already employing cost-cutting measures. Unfortunately, staff reductions are often part of the cost.

“These layoffs aren’t isolated incidents; they’re a strategic response to fundamental shifts in retail economics,” Nora Kleinewillinghoefer, partner in the consumer practice of Kearney, told Retail Brew via email.

Keep reading here.—JS

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Holly Worst is VP of retail and unified commerce at payment solution company Adyen, which works with companies like American Eagle and McDonald’s.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? I help retailers sell things in store and online, and consumers buy the things they want or need as frictionlessly as possible.

One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? I have lived and worked in almost every continent, so I have firsthand experience on the different ways to pay around the world!

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? Being part of one of the first companies to launch Tap to Pay on iPhone at scale. It was exciting to be part of a team that helped introduce a solution that would transform the way people engage with payments. At the time, Tap to Pay was an innovative concept, and seeing it grow into an integral part of the retail experience has been incredibly rewarding. The technology is still quite new and it has been a privilege to contribute to a project that is now a key part of how businesses and consumers interact with technology.

Which emerging retail trend are you most excited about right now, and why? I love seeing charitable giving at checkout picking up.

Keep reading here.—EC

Retail has undergone a radical transformation over the past 25 years—from e-commerce and social commerce to retail media and tech-driven stores. Retail Brew explores the moments that reshaped the industry and what’s coming next.