Page 3

  • Actor D'Arcy Carden speaks to a group alongside a painted portrait of Target mascot Bullseye in a holiday ad from the retailer.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Target
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 frustrated man talks on the phone with customer service while looking at his laptop.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 red bullseye logo with the word Target underneath decorates a storefront against a bright blue sky with puffy white clouds.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
    Image attribution tooltip

    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
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of On's Q2 2025 image library
    Image attribution tooltip

    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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    "Hasbro booth" by Gage Skidmore is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
    Image attribution tooltip

    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.

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

  • a carton of popcorn, televisions and full shopping bags on a picnic blanket on a field of grass, against a blue sky.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Walmart
    Image attribution tooltip

    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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Best Buy
    Image attribution tooltip

    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.

  • Image attribution tooltip
    Shaun Lucas/Retail Dive/Retail Dive, data from Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    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
  • Aerial shot of Mattel's headquarters in California.
    Image attribution tooltip
    The image by Jelson25 is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
    Image attribution tooltip

    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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
    Image attribution tooltip

    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.

  • Image attribution tooltip
    Adeline Kon/Retail Dive
    Image attribution tooltip
    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
  • Returned items being prepared for an outbound shipment at a Happy Returns hub.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Happy Returns
    Image attribution tooltip

    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
    Image attribution tooltip
    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
    Image attribution tooltip

    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. 

  • A group of people in grey sweatpants and hoodies pose inside a hair salon.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Nike
    Image attribution tooltip
    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?

  • People walking around a store that is decorated for the winter holidays.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
    Image attribution tooltip

    NRF forecasts 4.2% holiday sales growth, muted seasonal hiring

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

  • A large warehouse sits on a lot with trucks and a parking lot
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Walmart
    Image attribution tooltip

    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.

  • Shoppers pause at an acquarium tank inside a Scheels store in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Cara Salpini/Retail Dive
    Image attribution tooltip
    Column

    Reporter’s notebook: Inside Scheels’ sporting goods wonderland

    Come for the sporting goods, stay for the animatronic Abe Lincoln. And whatever you do, don’t expect your average retail experience.

  • Pink Suede products from Bath & Body Works
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Bath & Body Works
    Image attribution tooltip

    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.

  • Halloween decorations and costumes.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    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.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
    Image attribution tooltip

    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 taxi speeds by a Lululemon storefront in SoHo.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Lululemon
    Image attribution tooltip

    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.

  • Bealls holiday campaign For the Haul of It.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Bealls
    Image attribution tooltip

    Bealls to debut mobile app

    The app is intended to create a more connected shopping experience across channels, while also supporting the retailer’s strategy around loyalty.

  • Target store in Bridgehampton
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Target
    Image attribution tooltip

    Target wants more efficient stores. An upgraded employee app could help.

    The retailer’s myDay app features a newly customizable home screen functionality and will soon include access to AI-backed insights. 

  • Four children play with Lego bricks and open a paper bag containing the bricks.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of The Lego Group
    Image attribution tooltip

    Toy prices jump 4.2% ahead of the holidays

    The September price bump came amid a “tough” inflation report, with the overall Consumer Price Index up 0.6%.