Ulta Beauty is tapping into trends like Korean beauty and wellness to stay relevant with younger consumers while Pop Mart has created viral excitement around its collectibles through smart digital marketing and gamification. In addition, Urban Outfitters has launched a back-to-school dorm makeover contest and Away Luggage is enhancing the travel experience with a giveaway.

Here are the eight most interesting retailers and brands from last month, as ranked on our “Behind the Numbers” podcast.

1. Ulta Beauty

Ulta Beauty claimed the top spot in July's retail rankings by pursuing multiple growth avenues simultaneously.

• The beauty retailer acquired UK-based Space NK, announced new store openings in Mexico, Dubai, and Abu Dhabi, and formed a strategic partnership with K Beauty World to introduce Korean beauty brands to its stores.
• The company is also expanding beyond traditional beauty categories by launching a marketplace this fall and bringing on wellness brands like Ritual supplements.

"Ulta is definitely at risk of maybe being a little stagnant and really needs to reinvent itself," said our analyst Arielle Feger. "Especially with Korean beauty, which is a pretty big trend amongst younger consumers, I think it's just a really smart way to keep things fresh."

2. Pop Mart

Pop Mart secured the second position by masterfully fueling the Labubu craze through strategic marketing tactics.

• These collectible figurines, which come in "blind boxes" where customers don't know which design they'll receive, have created a frenzy among collectors of all ages.
• "It's kind of a master class in how to market [toys] in the digital age," explained analyst Blake Droesch, who admitted to having multiple Labubus on his own keychain.

Pop Mart has implemented several engagement strategies, including limited-availability livestreams where they may or may not release new dolls, creating anticipation and FOMO. They've also introduced a game called Pop Now, adding another layer of gamification to the collecting experience.

3. Urban Outfitters

Urban Outfitters earned the third spot with its comprehensive back-to-school campaign centered around a dorm makeover contest. The retailer partnered with HGTV and Pinterest for the promotion, which offers a $5,000 prize to the winner.

Urban Outfitters has been particularly strategic with its back-to-school campaigns this year, according to our analyst Sky Canaves.

“One thing I've noticed is that they've started their back-to-school campaigns, it seems, earlier this year,” she said, noting a partnership with U-Haul that launched all the way back in May.

4. Away Luggage

Away Luggage claimed the fourth position by addressing a pain point for New York City travelers. The company partnered with Uber to offer free shuttle services from JFK Airport to the rideshare pickup area, while also giving away free luggage to some lucky riders through a scavenger hunt element.

"I like that Away is making that experience maybe a little bit better or more exciting," Feger said. "It's summer, and it's hot, and I just think it's fun."

5. Walmart

Walmart secured the fifth spot for its strategic moves, including its decision to acquire Vizio and transform it into a private label brand.

• This demonstrates Walmart's understanding of the value of established brand equity and its ability to leverage it within its private label strategy.
• "It really symbolizes a new chapter for Walmart's ecommerce business," said Droesch, highlighting how the retailer continues to innovate and expand its digital presence.

6. Misfits Market

In sixth place, Misfits Market, known for selling "ugly" produce that would otherwise go to waste, expanded into household goods with approximately 30 new products including laundry detergent, kitchen goods, cleaning supplies, and paper products.

This expansion "falls really into that sweet spot" where consumers are looking to save money through retailer brands and discount options for household essentials, said Canaves.

7. Behr

Behr Paint earned the seventh spot for introducing ChatHUE, an AI agent integrated with Google's Gemini that helps customers select paint colors. The tool addresses a common pain point in home renovation: the stress of committing to a paint color.

“It’s a gimmick, but not in a bad way," said Droesh, noting that it encourages brand engagement while providing meaningful value to customers.

8. Amazon

Amazon rounded out the list at number eight for extending its annual Prime Day event from two days to four days in July 2025. The extension proved successful for the e-commerce giant, driving both retail sales and ad spending.

"I think the final results that came in showed that this was pretty successful for Amazon in terms of retail sales, in terms of driving more ad spending for Amazon ads," said Canaves. "I think we'll continue to see a four-day Prime Day and essentially a big July summer sales week going on into the future."

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This article was prepared with the assistance of generative AI tools to support content organization, summarization, and drafting. All AI-generated contributions have been reviewed, fact-checked, and verified for accuracy and originality by EMARKETER editors. Any recommendations reflect EMARKETER’s research and human judgment.

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