If you’re flying into or out of Chicago O’Hare Airport’s Terminal 2 this holiday season, you might spot a grand pop-up outfitted with a colorful lounge, makeshift igloos and sandcastles, and live programming featuring young creators and influencers.

The “Club Holiday” activation is part of Urban Outfitters’s multilayered holiday campaign, which also includes an upcoming New York pop-up with Nike and a holiday wish list integration with Canva.

But why would a fashion retailer set up shop in an airport? For Urban Outfitters, the rationale is simple: Make holiday travel feel more stress-free, “immersive,” and memorable, the company said in a statement.

In a conversation with Retail Brew, Cyntia Leo, head of brand marketing at Urban Outfitters, broke down the retailer’s thinking, and discussed shifting consumer expectations and why IRL experiences still matter, especially to younger shoppers.

Keep reading here.—JS

Forget influencers and glossy magazines—this holiday season, Americans are turning to each other for shopping advice.

New data from Trustpilot’s National Write a Review Week campaign shows a 76% YoY spike in consumer reviews. The initiative, which ran October 20–24, attracted ~4 million visitors nationwide—a 63% jump from the same period in 2024—signaling how heavily shoppers are relying on feedback from real buyers.

Trustpilot’s AI and Black Friday shopping analysis reinforced the trend as 86% of shoppers checked reviews before making a holiday purchase. And in the lead-up to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, 40% of respondents said they waited for others to post reviews before deciding what to buy.

Keep reading here.—JS

Lifestyle brand Quince has applied its disruptive direct-to-consumer model to myriad categories since it launched in 2018—and its fine jewelry section (specifically its natural and lab-grown diamonds) is drawing in more and more customers thanks to the brand’s low pricing that’s 40 to 60% lower than competitors.

Over the years, Quince has expanded beyond apparel and bedding to become a full lifestyle brand, offering everything from luggage to furniture and home decor. It debuted its jewelry collection on a smaller scale in 2019.

Quince expanded its fine jewelry category for the 2023 holiday season, when it debuted a larger assortment of natural and lab-grown diamond offerings across bracelets, rings, earrings, necklaces, and more.

“We always set out to be that all-around luxury essential, so we’re going to continue to stay true to that,” Kylie Bee, merchandise lead for fine jewelry, said.

Keep reading here on Revenue Brew.—LI

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