The Latest

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    Kendall Davis/Retail Dive
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    Podcast

    The Backroom: All of a sudden, a lot is happening at department stores

    The team discusses a barrage of news from several players in a retail space that has been written off many times.

  • A Conn's storefront
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    Courtesy of Conn's
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    Conn’s files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy

    The retailer has started the process of running going-out-of-business sales across its fleet and selling off its assets.

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    gorodenkoff via Getty Images
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    In-store experience wins out as customers want to see and touch purchases: report

    Customers value associate’s advice, particularly for luxury goods, while they feel frustrated by chatbots’ inability to resolve customer service inquiries.

  • Hasbro livestreaming holiday event
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    Courtesy of Hasbro
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    Hasbro revenue falls 18% as profits improve

    The toy manufacturer, which is reportedly considering a takeover of rival Mattel, said sales fell 6% excluding the sale of its eOne film and TV unit.

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    Courtesy of Sam's Club
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    Sam’s Club brings retail media to Scan & Go tool

    Display ads will appear on the cart page of the retailer’s app and enable measurement of in-store shopping behavior and ad performance.

  • Walmart storefront.
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    Kaarin Vembar/Retail Dive
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    Walmart leans into value, touting ‘thousands’ of back-to-school items under $10

    New this year is a “one-click food basket,” offering two weeks of lunch supplies for about $2 per day.

  • The interior of a store, with a display at the forefront and employees behind a counter.
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Column

    Reporter’s Notebook: Blockbuster still wants you to be kind, rewind

    The video rental chain’s last-standing franchise location in Bend, Oregon, has both loyal customers and nostalgic fans.

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    Jason Kempin via Getty Images
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    Estée Lauder controller lands CFO seat amid restructuring

    Akhil Shrivastava, a nine-year company veteran, understands “the levers the company can pull to revive growth,” Morningstar analyst Dan Su writes. 

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    "Hydro Flask" by Tony Webster is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Helen of Troy reports distribution disruptions at Tennessee facility

    The company is working with suppliers to address the remaining challenges impacting customer orders.

  • Nikki Rodriguez poses for American Eagle's Fall 2024 campaign.
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    Courtesy of American Eagle
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    Inside American Eagle’s ‘Live Your Life’ brand platform and fall campaign

    Chief Marketing Officer Craig Brommers explains how the retailer is giving fresh energy to a 20-year-old slogan to reach Gen Z.

  • A collage of various dolls and doll accessories, mostly in shades of pink, with the words "Barbie The Movie" in the center.
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    Courtesy of Mattel
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    Mattel will lean on retailers to boost holiday sales

    The toy maker said it will be gaining shelf space in stores, and headed off questions about takeover rumors.

  • An assortment of Curology's skin care products.
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    Courtesy of Curology
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    Curology enters CVS

    The DTC brand’s nonprescription products debuted on the drugstore’s website and will be in stores by August.

  • A sign is posted in front of a Google office on April 26, 2022 in San Francisco, California. Google parent company Alphabet will report first quarter earnings today after the closing bell.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Deep Dive

    And just like that, Google won’t be deprecating cookies. What now?

    The tech giant backed off plans to implement a huge shift in digital marketing that faced pushback from adland and regulators around the world.

  • Headshot of Jeff Haddox
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    Courtesy of Omni
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    Omni Retail Enterprises names CTO

    Similar to the company’s new CEO, Jeff Haddox has an extensive background working with home retailer Pier 1 — a brand now owned by Omni.

  • Three Indie Lee products in a line
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    Courtesy of American Exchange Group
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    American Exchange Group acquires Indie Lee

    The Aerosoles owner plans to grow the brand beyond skin care, as well as explore diffusion brands through licensing and brand expansion.

    DTC
  • A red sign with the Supreme logo is pictured illuminated at night.
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    The image by cchana is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
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    Column

    The Weekly Closeout: What the Supreme sale means for VF’s debt and Mango posts ‘record’ first half

    The recent sale could spell good news for the apparel company’s upcoming maturities. Meanwhile, Mango plots expansion. 

  • Best Buy's "spokeshologram," Gram, which debuted as part of a larger refresh and introduction of its "imagine that." tagline
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    Courtesy of Best Buy
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    Best Buy updates brand with new tagline, hologram spokesperson

    As part of a refresh, the company updated its color palette to include magenta, teal and red, and is emphasizing personalized discovery and support.

  • Belk storefront.
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    Kaarin Vembar/Retail Dive
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    Belk shrinks debt load by nearly $1B

    The Southern department store is also collecting about $485 million in new financing, and some of its lenders will have controlling stakes.

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    Shaun Lucas/Retail Dive/Retail Dive, data from Getty Images
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    Retail sales up 3.3% in June as consumers respond to deals

    Early back-to-school spending likely helped retailers somewhat, though shoppers continue to avoid big-ticket items.

    Updated July 16, 2024
  • A Conn's storefront
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    Courtesy of Conn's
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    Conn’s to close over 70 stores amid bankruptcy speculation

    The closures represent about 13% of its store fleet and come amid a Bloomberg report that the home retailer is prepping to file for bankruptcy.

  • The TikTok app is displayed on an Apple iPhone.
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    Photo Illustration by Drew Angerer via Getty Images
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    TikTok Shop spend jumps during Deals for You Days

    U.S. shoppers spent $52 each during the social platform’s July sale, a historic high and a break from recent declines, according to Earnest Analytics.

  • A person wearing Von Dutch apparel.
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    Courtesy of Von Dutch
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    Column

    The Weekly Closeout: Von Dutch is acquired and Bath & Body Works partners with Crocs

    The fashion company was sold to WSG Brands, while the shoe collab is all decked out in gingham. 

  • Walmart storefront.
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    Kaarin Vembar/Retail Dive
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    Walmart to pay $2.5M to settle class-action wage claims for pre-shift COVID-19 screening

    The amount the employees recovered was “substantial,” according to the federal court that approved the settlement.

  • A Nike billboard for the Summer Olympics in Paris
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    Permission granted by Nike
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    Nike kicks off marketing comeback with gritty Olympics ads

    Willem Dafoe narrates spots probing the qualities that motivate sporting greats, including an obsession with power and an inability to be satisfied.

  • An illustration of a person hanging onto a coin in rough seas.
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    Adeline Kon/Retail Dive
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    Tracker

    The running list of major retail bankruptcies

    Eastern Mountain Sports and Bob's Stores are the latest retailers to file Chapter 11.

    Updated May 17, 2024