PropTech Newsletter: The Week In News, But Shorter

The Week In News, But Shorter
March 3 – 9, 2025

A Weekly PropTech Newsletter bringing you industry updates from across the real estate spectrum

We were intrigued to learn this week that Lowe’s has recently leveraged the power of AI-powered digital twins—virtual 3D replicas of its stores—to optimize layouts and merchandising. These twins update in real time, and let merchandisers test product placements and store setups before making changes in the real world. Now think about how this technology could translate for property owners – allowing you to experiment with space utilization and tenant placement, ultimately boosting customer experience, and driving sales by making data-driven layout decisions. Are you experimenting with this type of AI-powered decision making? Share your experience with us over on LinkedIn.

AI was also in the headlines for how it corresponds to luxury shoppers, as well as omnichannel retail (though it’s possible it was mentioned in nearly every article…) This week we also read about the closing of one major retailer, but the opening of various others from overseas, and also included some recent research from our partners over at Coresight Research.

Digital Meets Physical

Luxury shoppers embrace AI, but remain wary of sharing personal information [RetailDive] Two-thirds of luxury consumers say they use AI features when they shop for fashion online, according to a survey of 1,688 people released last week by Saks Global. The number of shoppers using AI is up 2 percentage points compared to the same time in 2024.

Revolve announces global expansion of its shoppable gaming app [Glossy] Revolve’s fashion styling game, Bellemint, is now available worldwide, the company announced on March 5. The game, which was created by fashion game development company Muus Collective, launched in the U.S. in October. It’s now being offered globally through Google Play and Apple app stores.

What 5 charts say about the pandemic’s impact on retail, 5 years later [RetailDive] The pandemic may have hit retail five years ago, but its impacts came in waves for months after that. Immediate, dramatic effects — including widespread staff furloughs and the temporary closure of entire store footprints — gave way to longer-term challenges as supply chain chaos swept the industry.

AI in omnichannel retail is shaping consumer behavior [Retail Customer Experience] The role of AI is not only to act as a tool but also to mark a complete revolution in the omnichannel. Streamlining the processes and amplifying personalization ultimately empowers AI to present seamless experiences and helps meet customer expectations accurately.

How AI-Generated Digital Store Twins Help Lowe’s Optimize Layouts, Merchandising [Retail Touchpoints] Lowe’s has leveraged AI-powered solutions to create 3D digital twins of all its stores, each of which is now being updated multiple times per day to accurately reflect what’s going on in the real-world brick-and-mortar location. The digital twin gives merchandisers a video game-style interface that allows them to virtually move products, fixtures and displays to help them determine optimal product placements as well as a host of other store-level decisions.

PropTalk

‘Experiential’ retail surges as landlords try to lure customers back to the mall [Los Angeles Times] In a former clothing store in Santa Monica, young entrepreneurs hawk products live on TikTok, sometimes in marathon sessions that last many hours. Fans and customers can stroll onto the floor that was once filled with racks of trendy women’s apparel to watch them work and perhaps buy some of their wares.

SiteRise aims to bust retail real estate managers out of their silos [Chain Store Age] An online platform used by all of a brand’s regional construction managers who log drawings, leases, documents, and timeline updates in real time– eliminating siloed data reporting across development teams and giving them instant updates on how projects are progressing cross-region.

Data and Tech for Development—Tapping into the Consumer’s Head: Insights Presented at Retail Property Symposium 2025 [Coresight Research] Deborah Weinswig shared expertise on how data-driven strategies can enhance retail success and imagined the technology-powered mall of the future. We sought to answer three critical questions to help retail and real estate companies understand and navigate today’s landscape.

Why foreign retailers like Primark and Mango are expanding across the U.S. [CNBC] Ireland’s Primark, Spain-based Mango, Canadian retailer Aritzia and Japan-based Uniqlo are adding new stores across the U.S. International retailers are drawn to the U.S. because of its fragmented market of apparel retailers and more resilient consumer.

Forever 21 will lay off nearly 700, close headquarters [RetailDive] Forever 21’s operating company is laying off nearly 700 people in California and Pennsylvania, according to a series of WARN notices sent to the states in recent weeks. More than 350 work at the company’s headquarters, which is closing, according to a letter sent to the California Employment Development Department. The others work at stores that will close permanently in coming weeks, according to the notices.