The Latest
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Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
A look back at Bed Bath & Beyond’s pivotal year
As the retailer’s deal to acquire the former Kirkland’s nears closing, here’s a review of the events that brought us to this point.
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Courtesy of Ernesta
Ernesta expands brick-and-mortar footprint
The DTC custom rug brand recently opened a showroom in Michigan and plans to add stores in Texas and New York over the next several months.
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Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
Vince monitoring Saks Global ‘on a minute-by-minute basis’
CEO Brendan Hoffman said the luxury department store conglomerate accounts for about 7% of its business.
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Courtesy of Walmart
Walmart teams up with Google’s Gemini for AI-assisted shopping
Incoming CEO John Furner said the company is rewriting the retail playbook, in part with new agentic AI capabilities.
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"American Signature, Hall Road, Inc, M-59, Macomb County, Michigan, Value City" by Ajay Suresh is licensed under CC BY 2.0
Value City, American Signature Furniture to shutter remaining stores
The retailer, which is closing its last 89 locations, filed for bankruptcy in November as sales plummeted and losses widened amid a soft housing sector.
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Courtesy of Walmart
Walmart, Wing to scale drone delivery operations to 270 stores
The two companies aim to provide service to customers near 150 locations in the next year before growing further.
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Courtesy of David's Bridal
David’s Bridal’s ambassador program invites fans, store associates to its style squad
Members will use their social media networks to generate authentic content in exchange for up to 20% commission.
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Scott Olson via Getty Images
Deep Dive6 retail trends to watch in 2026
From pricing dynamics to the shifting state of malls, here are the trends we’ve got our eye on in 2026.
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Courtesy of The National Retail Federation
In the age of AI, REI is turning to its human employees to win
The retailer’s “green vest” associates serve as a key differentiator — both in stores and online — in an increasingly AI-driven world, according to CEO Mary Beth Laughton.
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"Beautiful December Sky Over the Mid-Century Modern Macy's at Grossmont Center, La Mesa CA" by Joe Wolf is licensed under CC BY-ND 2.0
Macy’s targets another 14 stores for closure
The department store’s downsizing plan is key to its turnaround and will ultimately entail shuttering about 150 locations.
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Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
L.L. Bean names company veteran next CEO
Greg Elder has been with the outdoor retailer for almost 20 years, most recently as chief retail officer overseeing stores, wholesale and other operations.
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Courtesy of Happy Returns
UPS’ Happy Returns pilots AI tool to halt decoy returns fraud
The company's Return Vision software compares returned products with images from the retailer, a capability being used by Everlane and others.
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Courtesy of Bob's Discount Furniture press kit
Bob’s Discount Furniture files for IPO
The furniture chain aims to use the proceeds of its IPO to pay down debt and plans to more than double its store footprint by 2035.
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Courtesy of Ashkenazy Acquisition Corporation
S&P Global Ratings downgrades Saks Global on missed interest payment
The luxury giant is unlikely to make good within the grace period or achieve promised savings from last year’s $2.7 billion merger, the analysts said.
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Courtesy of Kendra Scott
Kendra Scott taps Athleta vet as CEO
Chris Blakeslee, who previously served as chief executive at the Gap-owned activewear brand, also held positions at Alo Yoga and Bella+Canvas.
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Courtesy of Amazon
Amazon to roll out updated Dash Carts to more Whole Foods stores
The latest version of the smart carts, which includes a real-time savings tracker, will expand to more than 25 of the specialty grocer’s locations this year.
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Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
ColumnThe Weekly Closeout: Nike sells Rtfkt, Hanky Panky gets acquired
The athletics giant shut down the virtual sneaker company about a year ago, while the intimate apparel brand found a new home.
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Sam Silverstein/Retail Dive
Walmart adds tech veteran to board as it preps for AI era
Shishir Mehrotra, who co-founded an AI platform and also has experience at YouTube, joins the board ahead of John Furner’s move to CEO.
Updated Jan. 8, 2026 -
Permission granted by Hanna Andersson
Hanna Andersson names Toys R Us vet chief digital officer
Kacey Sharrett, who was most recently the head of DTC at GoPro, will oversee the children’s apparel brand’s digital ecosystem and customer experience.
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Dani James/Retail Dive
Target grows wellness assortment, again
Following a similar play last year, the mass retailer is expanding the product category by 30% with a focus on offering "thousands" of items for under $10.
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Permission granted by Target
What shaped retail’s holiday season in 2025
It was a year of AI-generated gift recommendations, tariff upheaval and increased financial stress on shoppers.
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Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
GameStop floats CEO pay entirely tied to performance
Ryan Cohen would have to reach sky-high goals to receive the lucrative compensation, a setup resembling Elon Musk’s at Tesla.
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Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
US e-commerce spend reached nearly $258B over the holidays
Adobe Analytics data found consumer spending grew 6.8% compared to 2024, with buy now, pay later usage reaching a new high.
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Kendall Davis/Retail Dive
Podcast
The Backroom: Contemplating retail in 2026 with Doug Stephens
The retail strategy adviser talks about trust in the age of emerging AI and the industry’s potential to shape our society.
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Courtesy of E.l.f. Beauty
E.l.f. Beauty launches virtual makeup experience on Roblox
The cosmetics company seeks to attract Gen Alpha and Gen Z shoppers in the gaming universe with avatars that reflect their aesthetic.
