Raj launched his “power ranking” style newsletter last week to highlight the moments that made him ask, “What’s up with that?”

Half-joking, he said this week would flip the script with a ranking of positive developments titled “That’s What’s Up.”

I loved it so much, I decided to write it.

So, welcome to Liza’s That’s What’s Up Power Ranking or LTWUPR.

1 – Saks’ Emily Essnor may be out, but the retailer’s latest investment in people is definitely in. Saks Global is rolling out incentives for stylists and category-focused sales associates: the more they sell and grow, the more they earn. And there’s more! Support for customer acquisition, personal assistants for top performers, and a travel budget to serve clients. We love investments in salesmanship and clienteling. While it’s easy to dunk on Saks (they make it easy) for a bunch of their other decisions, this one deserves a thumbs up.

2 – Back in December 2024, we said pro sports was having a moment (https://www.retailstrategygroup.com/the-merchant-life/stuff-to-think-about/) and that retail is a very underrated fan-engagement play. Case in point: the NFL’s new partnership with Lululemon to create fan apparel for all 32 teams. It might seem like a big win for Lulu, but it’s an even bigger win for the NFL. With the league charging toward $25 billion in annual revenue by 2027, expanding apparel beyond die-hard fans to everyone in the football household is a smart growth move. As an aside, I am curious to what extent brands like Nike or Vuori were considered as possible partners and how the Lulu/NFL deal is structured. Either way, this is an excellent call.

3 – So many fresh collabs dropped last week, and I couldn’t be more excited. From Aritzia x Nike (I tried the ?? & loved them) to Old Navy x Anna Sui, brands are curating and dialing in their assortments to match what the customer wants. When done right, collaborations spark excitement and fill gaps in the lineup. Aritzia already dresses its customer from head to almost toe. And now the toe is covered. Old Navy’s partnership with Anna Sui adds whimsical, pretty prints to the mix. I love it!

4 – Walmart has rolled out new AI and analytics tools to help suppliers make smarter decisions on forecasting, merchandising, and product flow. That includes “Wally,” a GenAI assistant for merchants, plus platforms that turn complex datasets into instant insights. Now suppliers can ask, “Why is product X underperforming?” or “Where should we send inventory?” and get faster, smarter answers. It’s about time. All functions in retail needs this level of insight. A win for vendors and a win for Walmart.

5 – Dunkin’ is rolling out its holiday lineup, featuring the Cookie Butter Cloud Latte and a Berry Sangria Refresher. “After seeing fans make their own Cookie Butter hacks, we knew it was time to make it official,” said the VP of Food Innovation. By tracking social signals and customer behavior, the team closed the loop and delivered what fans wanted. Rapid response to market signals is a win for any brand.

From Saks doubling down on talent to the NFL broadening fandom with Lululemon, from smart collabs filling real gaps to Walmart’s AI turning data into action, and Dunkin’ closing the social-feedback loop…I’d say that’s a pretty good list for the first-ever LTWUPR.

I probably need a better acronym here. It reads more like an eyechart than a must-read power ranking.