At SmartBrief and Future B2B, we keep our fingers on the pulse of the trends and market forces shaping the industries we cover, and the leaders, organizations and businesses that are making a difference. Examining the stories our audiences find most valuable helps us better understand the trends that matter -- and enables us to more effectively serve our professional readers and clients.

Here is some of what our audience of industry decision-makers found most valuable last month.

Top stories from April

Amazon debuts "Buy for Me" powered by agentic AI (NRFNext, 4/7)

Trader Joe's plans 20 new stores amid traffic surge (NRF, 4/24)

Tractor Supply launches digital Rx service for pet meds (NRF, 4/22)

Value retailers see surge in higher-income shoppers (NRF, 4/21)

Target, Kate Spade collaborate on affordable style (NRF, 4/2)

Top trend

Value-driven retail has legs right now, especially as consumers face uncertainty in the economy. Price and affordability are one aspect of this trend (Examples: Target and Kate Spade together embrace affordable style. Dollar Tree and Academy attract more affluent shoppers). It is important to realize that value is not solely tied to price. Consumers are also defining value in terms of quality, purpose and long-term trust (Examples: Target debuts sustainable wine bottles).

Retailers are showing tangible value while also giving 

Additional trends

Smart Shopping: Shoppers are smart and tech savvy - they continue to use tools such as Honey, TikTok and browser extensions. Retailers are rising to this trend with bundles, loyalty perks and limited-time drops.

Inventory management: Supply chain reliance is a top priority. Retailers are looking for advanced demand forecasting and real-time inventory tracking.