The Latest

  • People walking around a store that is decorated for the winter holidays.
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Shoppers expect less for more this holiday season. That could mean a sales decline.

    Some of the latest projections suggest spending could drop, but even those that predict growth recognize consumers are pressured.

  • Person looking at a tablet with different graphs on it while standing in a retail clothing store.
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    Cisco via AI

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    Sponsored by Cisco

    Your retail network isn’t ready for AI. Here’s why.

    Here's a practical list of network and IT challenges retailers need to overcome to support AI at scale.

  • A blue-lit Adidas storefront at night.
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    Courtesy of Adidas
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    Adidas’ record Q3 is salt in the wound for Nike

    Preliminary figures show revenue reaching $8.1 billion, as the sportswear giant takes “significant” share from its rival. 

  • A frustrated man talks on the phone with customer service while looking at his laptop.
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    Getty Images
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    Why customers are fed up with AI chatbots

    Few things will cause a customer to immediately request — or demand — a live agent like a bot that misunderstands them.

  • A group of people in grey sweatpants and hoodies at an outdoor food stand.
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    Courtesy of Nike
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    Nike hired Elliott Hill to fix a couple problems. They keep growing.

    Three years ago, Nike executives touted “strong growth” across Converse and Jordan Brand. Now, both are declining by double digits — and so is China.

    DTC
  • A red bullseye logo with the word Target underneath decorates a storefront against a bright blue sky with puffy white clouds.
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Target touts holiday bargains as consumers stress out about their finances

    The offer includes what the mass merchant calls “luxe-for-less gifting.” But with apparel and home in turnaround mode, its strongest category is toys.

  • Actress Zendaya posing on white sandy floor wearing black jacket, tank top and athletic sneakers
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    Courtesy of On's Q2 2025 image library
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    Teen spending up 6% as they trade athletic apparel for fashion

    While footwear was down and traditional athletic brands lost share, Target and brands including On gained ground, per a survey from Piper Sandler.

  • A massive lit-up sign with the tilted blue "Hasbro" logo and cartoon images looms over a dark room.
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    "Hasbro booth" by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
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    Magic: The Gathering reaches record $600M in quarterly revenue

    Parent company Hasbro raised its 2026 financial outlook as it reported its strongest quarter of the year.

  • Actor D'Arcy Carden speaks to a group alongside a painted portrait of Target mascot Bullseye in a holiday ad from the retailer.
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    Permission granted by Target
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    Target unwraps high-concept holiday ads focused on gift-giving academy

    Actor D’Arcy Carden serves as Chief Giftologist in a new campaign that will be supported by a bigger creator push around YouTube and TikTok.

  • a carton of popcorn, televisions and full shopping bags on a picnic blanket on a field of grass, against a blue sky.
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    Courtesy of Walmart
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    Walmart enlists Sam’s Club in latest challenge to Amazon Prime

    The retail giant has bundled its Walmart+ and Sam’s Club Plus memberships for a savings of nearly $100, which could appeal to stressed-out consumers.

  • A rendering of in-store gaming stations at Best Buy stores.
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    Courtesy of Best Buy
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    Can Best Buy be the new gaming boss?

    The electronics retailer is piloting a gaming hub that brings together content, deals and preorders, and will also open a dedicated gaming hub inside a store in California.

  • A model stands on a train platform wearing a white Anthropologie dress and oversized gray coat
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    Permission granted by Anthropologie
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    Anthropologie’s holiday marketing seeks to balance emotion, business impact

    Sentimental ads and a creator-led social series are complemented by offerings like a new DoorDash partnership, CMO Barbra Sainsurin said.

  • Aerial shot of Mattel's headquarters in California.
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    The image by Jelson25 is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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    Mattel names second CFO in under 18 months

    Peter Griffith joins from a biotech company. Paul Ruh, who has been CFO since the spring of 2025, will serve as an adviser through the end of the year.

  • The outside of a Gap store, with a tree visible inside the window on the right side.
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Former Estée Lauder exec no longer with Gap Inc.

    John Demsey began advising for the retailer about a year ago as the company sought to revamp its beauty business.

  • A building with a sign that says "The Real Real."
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Column

    The Weekly Closeout: The RealReal secures fresh financing, Roots buyout advances

    The resale marketplace refinanced to help strengthen its balance sheet, while the apparel brand's shareholders approved its acquisition by Marquee Brands.

  • Returned items being prepared for an outbound shipment at a Happy Returns hub.
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    Courtesy of Happy Returns
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    UPS’ Happy Returns comes to TikTok Shop

    Pacsun and Everlane are among the retailers tapping into the new integration ahead of the post-holiday returns rush.

  • A sporting goods storefront against a bright blue sky
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Dick’s Sporting Goods’ seasonal hiring slips

    The athletics retailer is echoing a national pattern of retailers pulling back on hiring workers for the holidays. 

  • People walking around a store that is decorated for the winter holidays.
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    NRF forecasts 4.2% holiday sales growth, muted seasonal hiring

    Spending may top $1 trillion as consumers grapple with higher prices.

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    Shaun Lucas/Retail Dive/Retail Dive, data from Getty Images
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    High prices push September retail sales up 6.7% over last year

    The categories tracked by Retail Dive saw broad-based growth, though month-over-month comparisons show signs of a slowdown.

    Updated Oct. 15, 2026
  • A large warehouse sits on a lot with trucks and a parking lot
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    Courtesy of Walmart
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    Walmart opens next-gen California facility to boost West Coast fulfillment

    The 900,000-square-foot site is equipped with an automated storage and retrieval system to help increase order capacity to enable faster shipping.

  • Pink Suede products from Bath & Body Works
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    Courtesy of Bath & Body Works
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    Bath & Body Works expands partnership to all Ulta stores for the holidays

    Pink Suede is back as a limited-edition scent exclusive to Ulta. Meanwhile, customers can shop a curated selection of seasonal products at the beauty retailer through Dec. 26.

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    Adeline Kon/Retail Dive
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    Tracker

    The running list of retail deals in 2026

    Since July, Hot Topic was acquired, Tailored Brands filed for an IPO and more.

    Updated Oct. 8, 2026
  • Halloween decorations and costumes.
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    Getty Images
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    Halloween without candy? What shoppers are cutting from budgets this year

    Nearly two-thirds of shoppers plan to skip some purchases this year, including staple items like costumes and candy, a new LendingTree survey finds.

  • People walking in front of a clothing store, with puffy clouds in a blue sky.
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Nordstrom Rack comes back to San Francisco

    The off-price retailer left its Union Square location three years ago but is reopening a 51,500-square-foot store in fall 2027 as the city’s retail revitalization continues.

  • A group of people in grey sweatpants and hoodies pose inside a hair salon.
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    Courtesy of Nike
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    Deep Dive

    Gen Z, Gen Alpha and the AI-ificiation of retail this holiday season

    AI is “rewiring” the brains of today’s youth, at the same time that they’re craving physical experiences. Can retailers strike the right balance?

  • A taxi speeds by a Lululemon storefront in SoHo.
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    Courtesy of Lululemon
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    Lululemon restructures raw materials team, lays off 7 people

    The changes came in August, a spokesperson told Retail Dive, just a few weeks before the arrival of new CEO Heidi O’Neill.