Target is being pilloried on social media for Black History Month posts, with commenters calling out the company for championing the month after announcing that it’s retreating from diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I) commitments.

A video that Target posted to Instagram and Facebook on Sunday features products from Black-owned brands or that may appeal to Black consumers, including Black Barbie. The post says the products are part of the company’s “new #BlackHistoryMonth collection” and that “Target is proud to come together, today and everyday (sic), to celebrate Black joy with exclusive designs and our assortment of Black-owned and founded brands.”

“You could not think posting this would yield positive comments,” user @domnthecity commented on Instagram. “You cannot be serious.”

Keep reading here.—AAN

End-of-year bonuses are a mixed bag, seeing as it’s great to get a bump in December, until it settles in that you’ve not had more than a cost-of-living raise for years. And when it comes to the retail sector, here’s some mixed-bag data about 2024’s end-of-year bonuses: They were bigger than the year before, but a smaller percentage of the workforce got them.

The average December bonus for retail employees in 2024 was $1,601, up from $1,487 in 2023, an increase of 8%, according to data from Gusto, a payroll and benefits platform. However, the portion of employees who collected the bonus was slightly lower, from 17.63% of the workforce in 2024 to 17.4% in 2023. (If you’re wondering about how that breaks down from someone working the register to someone gallivanting at retail conferences, 71% of those bonus earners were hourly workers and 29% were salaried.)

Keep reading here.—AAN

On Wednesdays, we wear pink spotlight Retail Brew’s readers. Want to be featured in an upcoming edition? Click here to introduce yourself.

Lauryn Vaughn is chief commercial officer at resale shopping tool Croissant.

How would you describe your job to someone who doesn’t work in retail? I am responsible for go-to-market strategy and commercialization of Croissant’s business including resale and merchant partnerships.

One thing we can’t guess about your job from your LinkedIn profile? I have worked since I was 14, and my mom even had to write a letter since I was under the legal age to begin working. My first jobs were in a retail store called Bootlegger and serving beef on a bun at the Calgary Stampede, the world’s largest outdoor rodeo which happens in Alberta, Canada.

What’s your favorite project you’ve worked on? Croissant—finding new and innovative ways to engage more consumers in resale and create a win-win for brands and consumers alike is super rewarding.

Which emerging retail trend are you most excited about right now, and why? Resale! I have been in resale and consignment for the last 12 years and watching the industry shift and grow continues to excite me.

Keep reading here.—EC

South Jersey is the new hub for e-commerce expansion. Major retailers like Amazon and Walmart are transforming the region with warehouse developments, creating jobs and reshaping communities. Discover how prime logistics access fuels this booming economic growth and the challenges it brings to local life.