Deep Dive: Page 7

Industry insights from our journalists


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    "Google Bike" by R Boed is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    What does a government reckoning with Google and Facebook mean for retail?

    For many, the tech giants are key to customer acquisition online, and they dominate the market for digital advertising, making them all but unavoidable for retailers. 

    Ben Unglesbee • Feb. 4, 2021
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Do malls have any business getting into retail?

    REITs' expanding ownership of troubled retailers complicates an investment setup dependent on steady revenue.

    Daphne Howland • Feb. 2, 2021
  • How the COVID-19 pandemic has hit retail
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    Danielle Ternes/Retail Dive
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    After the extremes of 2020, retail resilience means a new sense of what's possible

    A pandemic exposed the industry's vulnerabilities and latent survival skills. To weather the next disaster, companies must be agile and take risk seriously.

    Ben Unglesbee • Jan. 25, 2021
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    andreswd via Getty Images
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    9 retail trends to watch in 2021

    The pandemic will continue to reshape the industry and accelerate trends from consumer preferences to industry norms and structures in the year ahead. 

    Daphne Howland, Ben Unglesbee, Cara Salpini, Kaarin Moore, Caroline Jansen and Maria Monteros • Jan. 12, 2021
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    Courtesy of Grabango
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    Is cashierless tech ready for prime time?

    The pandemic has juiced demand for automated checkout systems, but the technology still has to prove itself over the long term.

    Sam Silverstein • Dec. 3, 2020
  • What the pandemic has cemented about Gen Z

    Marketing to young shoppers this holiday season will look different — and create different winners — but much of their core values have stayed the same.

    Cara Salpini • Nov. 23, 2020
  • Culture problems with DTC brands
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    Photo illustration by Danielle Ternes/Retail Dive; photograph by Scyther5 and Fizkes via Getty Images
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    'It's a violation of an implicit psychological contract': Why DTC culture issues hit hard

    Many DTCs have faced criticism for workplace issues. Part of the problem may be that they promised something better.

    Cara Salpini • Nov. 16, 2020
  • The lack of marketing/PR firms working with DTC brands
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    Photo illustration by Danielle Ternes/Retail Dive; photograph by fizkes, Nicola Katie and Urfinguss via Getty Images
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    Is the DTC brand aesthetic bad for business?

    Sans serif font and bright colored backgrounds are hallmarks of digitally native brands, but it may not matter if they all look the same.

    Cara Salpini • Nov. 16, 2020
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    9 make-or-break retail turnarounds to watch in 2021

    Companies in transformation and survival mode may be looking for normalcy. But the year ahead holds plenty of unknowns. 

    Ben Unglesbee • Nov. 9, 2020
  • The decade of VC funding that shaped e-commerce and the DTC brand
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    Adeline Kon/Retail Dive
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    The decade of VC funding that shaped e-commerce and DTC brands

    Direct to consumer might be the buzziest trend in retail over the past 10 years, but it's not where all the money's going.

    Cara Salpini • Nov. 3, 2020
  • How years of investor-friendly finance left retailers vulnerable to crisis
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    Adeline Kon/Retail Dive
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    How years of investor-friendly finance left retailers vulnerable to crisis

    Public and private companies have transferred billions of dollars to their investors over the years. Could that money have saved their business instead?

    Ben Unglesbee • Nov. 2, 2020
  • Can retailers reinvent holiday cheer in a pandemic?

    Mall Santas, tree lighting, Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade — retailers have to rethink every cornerstone of the holiday season, without losing the joy.

    Cara Salpini • Oct. 26, 2020
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    Tru Kids
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    Life after liquidation: Why some brands thrive after closing shop and others don't

    The market keeps growing for retail IP even after physical stores close. But does every dead retail brand need saving?

    Ben Unglesbee • Oct. 19, 2020
  • Athletics retailers advertise diversity, but does leadership reflect it?
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    Danielle Ternes/Retail Dive
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    Athletics retailers advertise diversity, but does their leadership reflect it?

    Campaigns and company statements about systemic racism and women's rights abound in the athletics space. The pace of change is less certain.

    Cara Salpini • Oct. 12, 2020
  • The legacy status of beauty retailers can prevent diversity in leadership
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    Danielle Ternes/Retail Dive
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    Legacy reigns at top beauty retailers. Here's why that could hurt diversity.

    Promoting women to the C-suite isn't the only thing beauty brands should have in mind. They also face a reckoning over racial inclusivity.

    Cara Salpini • Oct. 12, 2020
  • Female-focused sectors of retail continue to be run by men
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    Danielle Ternes/Retail Dive
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    Bras and BB cream: Why aren't brands for women run by them?

    In lingerie and beauty, a large part of the diversity battle is being fought on the highest ground: the C-suite.

    Cara Salpini • Oct. 12, 2020
  • Diverse exec representation remains stagnant in retail
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    Danielle Ternes/Retail Dive
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    As retailers focus on diversity, executive representation is stagnant

    Protests against systemic racism this year pushed retailers to take a magnifying glass to diversity, and many areas are lacking.

    Cara Salpini • Oct. 12, 2020
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    Yujin Kim/Retail Dive
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    17 retailers that could go bankrupt as the COVID-19 era wears on

    The industry is approaching a record for filings this year, and others are still vulnerable as the economy, pandemic and retail evolution take their toll. 

    Ben Unglesbee • Oct. 5, 2020
  • Bath & Body Works has cultivated deep customer loyalty.
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    Adeline Kon/Retail Dive/Retail Dive
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    The enduring fan base that boosts Bath & Body Works

    The 30-year-old retailer continues to drive loyalty and promise — even in a pandemic. 

    Kaarin Moore • Sept. 21, 2020
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    American Dream
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    A case for radical retail reinvention

    Hudson Yards, American Dream and Nordstrom's New York City flagship all opened before COVID-19 shut everything down. But are flashy retail destinations now obsolete?

    Lara Ewen • Sept. 15, 2020
  • Cheetah grocery app
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    Permission granted by Cheetah
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    Grocery apps get smart during the pandemic

    Adoption has recently skyrocketed, and retailers are considering how to update mobile platforms that have become a critical part of the store experience.

    Jessica Dumont • Aug. 4, 2020
  • Nordstrom's New York City flagship
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    What the pandemic has done to Nordstrom's revamp

    This was the year the retailer planned to expand its ecosystem concept and redefine the department store. Instead it's scrambling like everyone else.

    Daphne Howland • Aug. 3, 2020
  • Bride
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    "A Bride" by Terry Ku is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0
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    Can technology save bridal retail?

    The pandemic pushed a traditional, high-touch segment of the industry to finally confront its hesitancy around digital services. 

    Kaarin Moore • July 29, 2020
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    Retrieved from JanSport on July 09, 2020
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    Back-to-school marketing takes on a somber tone under COVID-19, but carries key silver linings

    Ads addressing activism, mental health and remote learning arrive in place of typically sunny seasonal fare, but they might resonate more with grounded Gen Z teens. 

    Peter Adams • July 28, 2020
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    Cara Salpini for Retail Dive
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    Will the protests be a turning point for diversity in athletics retail?

    The backlash and resulting action at top sportswear brands is a microcosm of an issue that's being tackled with renewed force in every area of retail.

    Cara Salpini • June 30, 2020