Stores remain dominant, even as digital, AI shopping grows

Physical retail is still the most popular channel to shop, but as AI tools become more prevalent, retailers will need to rethink in-person offerings, EY’s Jon Copestake says.

US preps for August return of country-specific reciprocal tariffs

The Trump administration plans to reinstate the levies Aug. 1 after alerting individual trading partners of their specific duty rates starting Monday.

Funko CEO exits after a little over a year

In the interim, the toy company appointed Michael Lunsford, who said it has "yet to achieve the full potential of Funko."

J.C. Penney to hold down prices for back to school, holiday despite Q1 declines

Sales and profit slumps were relatively modest, a sign the department store’s merchandising and marketing efforts are paying off.

How Target is tackling back-to-school marketing with dual campaigns

Two new efforts feature tactics like influencer marketing as the big-box store prioritizes promoting value and an on-trend product assortment.

Joann supplier going out of business

Design Group Americas, whose portfolio includes sewing pattern brands like McCall’s, Simplicity, Butterick and Vogue, was sold off in May for $1.

Adidas unites superstars across music, sports, fashion in culture play

The campaign celebrates the Superstar sneaker and features Samuel L. Jackson, Missy Elliott and more.

Levi Strauss to lay off hundreds with Kentucky distribution center closure

The company is changing its distribution strategy from an owned model to a mix of owned and third-party operated centers.

Can Lululemon make a federal case out of ‘dupe culture’?

In a lawsuit against Costco over a variety of apparel designs, the athleisure brand laments the proliferation of “LululemonDupes” on social media.

US back-to-school shopping expected to reach over $33B

Inflation, tariffs and supply chain uncertainty are shaping purchasing decisions this year, according to Coresight Research. 

Academy Sports and Outdoors eases tariff pressure with multilevered strategy

The retailer in Q1 frontloaded $85 million in evergreen products like bicycles to offset duty-driven product cost increases.

Customers are ditching Shein and Temu. Can Amazon win them over?

Third-party sellers that fulfill orders through the e-commerce giant’s network may stand to gain as the fast-fashion giants face heightened tariffs.

Best Buy taps Walgreens CIO to lead its tech organization

Neal Sample will succeed Brian Tilzer, who served as the electronics retailer’s chief digital, analytics and technology officer for seven years.

Francesca’s veteran joins Kirkland’s as CFO amid transition to ‘Brand House Collective’

Andrea Courtois, who also had financial roles at La Senza, Lane Bryant and Lands’ End, replaces longtime Kirkland's executive Mike Madden.

The running list of major retail bankruptcies

In the first six months of the year, Forever 21, Rite Aid, At Home, Joann and Hudson’s Bay all took restructuring actions.

Updated June 27, 2025

Sephora taps Lyft to deliver customers to its stores

In a promotion that overlaps with Amazon's Prime Day, the ride-share company is giving out ride credits to bring shoppers to the beauty retailer’s locations.

Few retail leaders are confident in their current AI capabilities, EY finds

  The majority of industry executives say innovation requires analytics and AI, but it’s early days for these investments.

The Weekly Closeout: J. Jill names chief merchant as Spirit Halloween resurrects seasonal hiring

Courtney O’Connor, formerly head of merchandising at Club Monaco, joins Monday. Meanwhile, the spooky store plans to bring on 50,000 employees.

Consumers want more value — beyond low prices

Economic uncertainty driven by inflation and other factors is altering consumers’ perception of value, according to new research from Deloitte.

Few consumers trust retailers to use their data responsibly, research finds

Consumers are more willing to share data when the requests are personalized and the experience is more rewarding, Press Ganey Forsta found.

The Backroom: Saks Global, Amazon and the state of luxury

Fashion Dive Senior Editor Lara Ewen joins to talk about the latest tie-up between the department store conglomerate and the e-commerce giant.

Best Buy divests home care firm Current Health

Co-founder Christopher McGhee reacquired the company nearly four years after the electronics retailer purchased the home care business.

J.C. Penney does wedding season on a budget amid turnaround

The retailer threw a $10,000 wedding the same week as the $50 million nuptials between Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sánchez.

Saks Global $600M deal with bondholders includes $200M in new financing

As the holidays loom and past vendor payments come due, the package replaces a previous proposal for $350 million in new financing.

Home Depot goes after pro market with $4.3B acquisition

The retailer has inked a deal for its SRS Distribution subsidiary to acquire GMS, which specializes in drywall, ceilings and steel framing.