Kohl’s is stepping up its creator efforts as it attempts a sales reset
Kohl's expanded its creator program from 1,500 nano-influencers to include commission-based affiliate model and new 4-person Trend Expert Council in 2026. The retailer reported 4% net sales decline in 2025 and expects flat to -2% sales growth in 2026.
Kohl's pivot to creator-driven marketing signals broader retail shift toward social commerce as traditional advertising loses effectiveness. Marketplace sellers should monitor if Amazon, Walmart, and Target expand their own creator programs or affiliate commission structures.
Traditional retailers are doubling down on social commerce as digital-native brands dominate marketplace platforms, creating new competitive pressure on product discovery and customer acquisition.
Track competitor creator partnerships on social platforms -- if brands in your category increase influencer spend, adjust your own social advertising budget accordingly.
Review your brand's affiliate program structure in the next 30 days to ensure competitive commission rates before Q2 planning cycles.
Bottom Line
Kohl's creator expansion signals retail's social commerce shift.
Source Lens
Industry Context
Useful background context, but lower-priority than direct platform, community, or operator intelligence.
Impact Level
medium
Kohl's creator expansion signals retail's social commerce shift.
Key Stat / Trigger
4% decrease in net sales for 2025 fiscal quarter
Focus on the operational implication, not just the headline.
Full Coverage
Digital Marketing Redux // April 13, 2026 Kohl’s is stepping up its creator efforts as it attempts a sales reset By Julia Waldow Kohl's Kohl’s is funneling more resources into working with creators as it looks to reverse revenue declines and court new customers.
The company partners with about 1,500 nano-creators (defined as those with at least 1,000 followers on social media) as part of its Kohl’s Creators program, which it launched in 2024.
Now, this year, Kohl’s is giving those creators a chance to earn a commission on every sale, in addition to getting free products, early access to deals and exclusive invites to events.
In March, Kohl’s also formed a dedicated Trend Expert Council of four influencers to serve as “style authorities” and appear in marketing materials, including social media content. All the while, Kohl’s continues to build creator storefronts and maintain a roster of some 200 macro-creators.
Kohl’s has worked with influencers since the late 2010s, a spokesperson confirmed to Modern Retail. But the company is updating its approach as it looks to “reshape Kohl’s and how customers see us, particularly [as] this destination for style, trends and value,” chief marketing officer Christie Raymond said in an interview.
Whereas Kohl’s used to work with creators on a one-off basis, including sponsored posts, it’s now investing more in influencer content “across the whole marketing ecosystem” to connect with new and existing shoppers, Raymond said.
That includes everything from bringing creators to events like the premiere of “The Reunion: Laguna Beach,” to setting up panels with the Trend Expert Council, to starting social-media series like “Fit Check.” At Kohl’s, the goal is for creators to be “much more integrated” into the Kohl’s business, Raymond said.
“We know our customers are spending time on social [media] and spending time with creators,” she said. “We know [creators] have a strong influence on what our customers wear and buy. So, it’s a really important part of our marketing mix.” Kohl’s is stepping up its creator efforts as it looks to boost its business.
For its 2025 fiscal quarter, Kohl’s reported a 4% decrease in net sales and a 3. 1% decrease in comp sales. Its fourth-quarter gross revenue came in “softer than our expectations,” CEO Michael J. Bender said in a press release.
“In 2026, we are committed to further strengthening our foundation by addressing operational opportunities, building on our strengths and modernizing our processes,” Bender added. Kohl’s expects its 2026 fiscal-year net sales and comp sales to be anywhere from flat to down 2%. One of Kohl’s biggest new creator initiatives is its Trend Style Council.
The 2026 members are Allison Bornstein (a wardrobe consultant and author with 280,000 Instagram followers), Kristina Zias (a fashion expert for “The Drew Barrymore Show” with 347,000 Instagram followers), Lilly Sisto (a stylist and brand consultant with 136,000 Instagram followers) and Samantha Dawn (a personal stylist and style coach with 19,600 Instagram followers).
The Council, per Kohl’s, will create content around trends and looks from Kohl’s products, particularly its private-label brands, like FLX, LC Lauren Conrad and Tek Gear. They’ll also act as ambassadors at events and appear in posts on the Kohl’s website. An earlier iteration of the program last year contained just one member: fashion stylist Kenzie Welch.
Welch shot Instagram videos like, “How to style a minimal glam outfit for the holiday season ” and “How I’m styling elevated but cozy office looks for fall.” Noticing strong engagement, Kohl’s decided to broaden out the initiative in 2026 to include even more voices, Raymond said.
So far, Bornstein has served as the face of the Instagram show “Fit Check,” which offers fashion advice such as dressing via “the rule of thirds.” Meanwhile, Zias attended the premiere of “The Reunion: Laguna Beach” and interviewed Lauren Conrad on the red carpet.
In one video, Zias asked Conrad about her longstanding apparel line with Kohl’s and how she wants women to feel while wearing it. “I want them to feel comfortable and like themselves, but confident,” Conrad answered. View this post on Instagram Kohl’s other creators regularly show up in content across channels like Instagram and TikTok.
Last fall, for instance, Kohl’s hosted Sephora at Kohl’s “Beauty Corner” pop-ups at three college campuses and tapped TikTok creators including @thesororitysister and @under_my_umbrella to make #RushTok videos. The campaign generated “millions of
Original Source
This briefing is based on reporting from Modern Retail. Use the original post for full primary-source context.
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