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Retail Therapy: Gap drops first item in Yeezy partnership

The blue round jacket is available for pre-order, but it's gonna cost you — $200 to be exact. 

Adidas drops leak-proof activewear collection

Joining DTC brand Thinx, the sportswear giant is looking to create products to help athletes deal with their periods.

Out-of-stocks cost Chewy an estimated $40M in sales

The DTC pet brand's inventories were up 9% over 2020, but it had to keep up with sales rising nearly 32% in the same period.

CVS to change key loyalty benefit for the first time in 20 years

The retailer will pay back 2% in ExtraBucks just moments after every transaction instead of quarterly.

Deep Dive

The business of normalizing taboo topics

From periods and acne to sex toys and toilet plungers, DTC brands are out to disrupt every eyebrow-raising industry under the sun.

Target unveils remodeled stores

The retailer said it would invest about $4 billion annually to remodel stores over the next few years, including the "glow-up" of 150 locations this year. 

NBA star James Harden joins board of new digital Saks spinoff

One of pro basketball's most prolific scorers and stylish players has taken a minority stake in the new e-commerce company. 

Q&A

How Allbirds' CPO leads with empathy after a turbulent year

Addressing topics such as well-being requires a balance on the part of HR departments and managers, according to Laila Tarraf.

Amazon to open its first Fresh supermarket with checkout-free technology

The 25,000-square-foot store, set to open Thursday in Bellevue, Washington, is the largest Amazon retail location equipped with the Just Walk Out system. 

Citing COVID-19, mall REIT Washington Prime Group lands in bankruptcy court

But like most of the retailers filing under Chapter 11 in the past several months, the company's woes predate the pandemic.

Deep Dive

Uncertainty lingers, even as consumer confidence rebounds

There are signs of economic recovery and the end of the pandemic, especially in the U.S. But the outlook is uneven and rife with unknowns.

Iconix Brands to be acquired by private equity firm

Lancer Capital has agreed to buy the brand aggregator, which has been searching for a solution to its debt load for years. 

Boxed to go public in SPAC deal valuing online grocer at $900M

The merger, which keeps existing CEO Chieh Huang at the helm, is expected to be completed by the end of the year.

Robotics efforts from Amazon, Alibaba highlight e-commerce's automated future

Amazon's new robots increase automation within fulfillment centers while Alibaba is focused on last-mile delivery as they look to optimize operations.

Hudson's Bay partners with Forever 21

The Canadian retailer is strategically reaching out to a younger demographic, but is Gen Z interested in fast fashion? 

Verishop introduces livestream shopping

Retailers and social media platforms are vying for a share of the livestream shopping market, which is forecast to reach $25 billion by 2023. 

As pandemic wanes, dollar stores regain lost ground, grab new sales

Dollar General's "insane" new concept, Dollar Tree looks beyond $1, and Five Below makes a huge comeback: a look at the dollar field in Q1.

Glossier promotes Ali Weiss to chief marketing officer

The beauty company joins several other DTC brands that have named chief marketers in recent months.

Klarna raises $639M, eyes international expansion

Klarna, now with a $45 billion market valuation, aims to expand its global market share and in-store buy now, pay later options.

Grabango raises $39M in Series B funding

The checkout-free tech company plans to use the funds to bolster its computer vision capabilities as it competes with rivals like Standard Cognition and Amazon.

Kohl's is the latest retailer to crash Amazon's Prime Day party

Consumers increasingly see the e-commerce giant's sales event as a time to get deals anywhere, and rivals are taking advantage.

No end in sight for Amazon's e-commerce growth: S&P

With a major structural shift toward more digital shopping underway, the company is poised to continue its history of dominance, analysts said. 

UPDATED: June 11, 2021 at 12:25 p.m.

NRF now says retail sales could grow as much as 13.5% this year and top $4.4 trillion

The organization previously pegged growth at 6.5% but now says vaccines and the government's financial support to consumers have spiked the economy.

Deep Dive

Is the never-ending Sears saga finally reaching its closing chapters?

Most of what is left of the one-time empire is a footprint smaller than many regional retailers, and a whole lot of legal bills.

Chewy reports 30% net sales gain in Q1 as demand remains high

The pet retailer benefited last year by having a strong e-commerce presence and selling online. It expects the boom to continue as it raises its guidance.