Beyond the Basket - 15/09/25

Monday 15th September | Join Free

Hello and welcome to your Thursday Beyond the Basket brief. Sainsbury's just walked away from a major Argos deal with JD.com, TikTok Shop is driving millions in sales but livestreams still can't crack the US market, and returns fraud is costing retailers up to £37M each. Meanwhile, Temu's opening its doors to Swiss sellers and Gmail's about to become everyone's package tracking hub just in time for holiday shopping. Let's jump in 👇

In today’s beyond the basket:
🛍️ Sainsbury’s Ends Talks with JD.com Over Argos Sale
📹 Big Brands Test TikTok Shop’s Livestream Push
🇨🇭 Temu Opens Platform to Swiss Retailers
🚨 Returns Fraud Costs Retailers Billions
📦 Gmail Adds Package Tracking for Holidays

+plus four deep reads we think are worth your time.

TL;DR: UK supermarket giant Sainsbury’s has ended discussions with JD.com about selling Argos, after the Chinese ecommerce firm pushed for new terms that Sainsbury’s said were “not in the best interests” of shareholders or staff.

Why It Matters: The collapse in talks ends speculation that JD.com would gain a quick UK foothold via Argos’ 1,100+ pickup points and heavily trafficked website. For Sainsbury’s, it signals that Argos remains in-house for now, even as CEO Simon Roberts continues focusing the business on food retail. For JD.com, this is another setback in Europe, following its failed approach for Currys and its still-pending €2.2B MediaMarkt/Saturn bid. The aborted deal underscores how difficult Chinese platforms are finding it to secure Western retail assets.

Your Move: If you’re a UK retailer, expect JD to keep looking for entry points. Strengthen customer stickiness through loyalty and service now, before another foreign-backed rival potentially lands.

TL;DR: Pacsun, Crocs, and Glossier are leaning into TikTok Shop, driving millions in sales, but research suggests that U.S. shoppers still prefer short videos over livestreams.

Why It Matters: TikTok Shop’s U.S. sales are up 120% YoY, with big-name brands joining in droves (up 95% YoY). But livestreams, which fuel Douyin’s $200B live commerce boom in China, account for just 18% of TikTok Shop’s U.S. sales. Pre-recorded clips remain the engine, while livestream adoption faces cultural headwinds. Still, Crocs’ $1M Super Brand Day shows livestreams can work when paired with hype, exclusives, and influencers.

Your Move: Treat TikTok Shop as a legitimate sales channel, not an experiment. Start with creator-led short videos to capture demand, then expand into livestreams for high-visibility events or timed drops. Build your playbook now while competitors are still testing.

TL;DR: From September 15, Swiss companies can sell directly on Temu under its new “Local-to-Local” programme, starting with domestic sales before expanding abroad

Why It Matters: Temu has so far relied heavily on Asian sellers, but this move signals a pivot to local inventory to win trust and scale in Europe. By onboarding Swiss retailers, and already running similar pilots in Germany, Temu is positioning itself not just as an import marketplace, but as a domestic sales channel. This could help it chip away at incumbents like Galaxus, Zalando, and Amazon, while offering Swiss SMEs a new digital storefront.

Your Move: Test Temu alongside established marketplaces, spreading bets across platforms now ensures flexibility as Chinese entrants reshape Europe’s ecommerce mix.

TL;DR: A new research by Rebound Returns suggests that about 2.2% of returns in 2025 are fraudulent, costing some major fashion retailers up to £37M each year, according to Rebound Returns’ new Returns 2025 Report.

Why It Matters: Fraud ranges from blatant swaps (like returning bottled water instead of shoes) to “wardrobing”, wearing items once and sending them back. Retailers introducing tougher policies, like ASOS and PrettyLittleThing, faced customer backlash, showing how returns are tied directly to loyalty and retention. Half of shoppers say they won’t buy again if refunds are slow, underscoring the stakes.

Your Move: Consider using data-driven fraud detection to flag suspicious returns while keeping refund speed intact, heavy-handed policies risk alienating loyal customers and eroding repeat sales.

TL;DR: Google is rolling out a new Gmail view that consolidates all purchase and delivery updates into one organized list, just ahead of peak holiday shopping.

Why It Matters: With half of U.S. consumers starting holiday shopping before October, early visibility into deliveries is a big win for shoppers, and for retailers who want to reduce WISMO (“where is my order?”) inquiries. Gmail’s update also includes a revamped Promotions tab, ranking emails by relevance, which could reshape how brand offers surface in inboxes during the crucial sales window. For ecommerce brands, this means email deliverability and engagement strategy just got more competitive.

Your Move: Reassess your holiday email flows, optimize subject lines and relevance scoring, and make sure your post-purchase communications shine as Gmail becomes a key order-tracking hub.

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