The Backroom: Halloween casts a spell over retail

The creepy-crawly event has grown into a monthslong celebration and a $13 billion business. But is it a harbinger for the holidays?

By Retail Dive Staff • Oct. 30, 2025

How skeletons transcended Halloween

Once a standard spooky time decoration, these figurines now play sports, walk their dogs and otherwise hold court in yards year-round.

By Cara Salpini • Oct. 28, 2025

Explore the Trendline➔

How artificial intelligence is shaping retail

More retailers are leaning on AI as a tool, tapping into the tech to improve customer service and support supply chain functions.

By Retail Dive staff

Half of shoppers plan to use BNPL this holiday season

Affordability and budget control are the top reasons U.S. consumers are using buy now, pay later services, according to a PayPal survey. 

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 27, 2025

Retailers enter a generative AI feedback loop

The industry is turning to AI to better understand the technology itself, all with the hope of capturing consumer attention.

By Dani James • Oct. 27, 2025

More pressure for US consumers as most states warn food assistance could dry up next month

Grocery stores will be directly affected, but discretionary spending will also take a hit if consumers can’t feed their families, analysts warned this week.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 24, 2025

‘A cultural shift’: Dollar Tree’s CEO on tech, AI adoption

The discount retailer during its investor day discussed how AI has helped hiring efforts, all while some analysts questioned its pricing strategy.

By Dani James • Oct. 23, 2025

Target needs a win. Will the holidays deliver?

The retailer is emphasizing exclusive merchandising and affordability this season as part of a long-term effort to regain growth.

By Dani James • Oct. 23, 2025

Gen Z, millennials drive adoption of AI for holiday shopping

Those groups are harnessing artificial intelligence for gift ideas and to compare prices this season, a new survey states.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 21, 2025

Consumers embrace AI for research, but few have allowed it to make purchases

Customers are worrying over payment security, privacy and potential mistakes with autonomous AI purchases, a Riskified survey found.

By Bryan Wassel • Oct. 21, 2025

With Nike in turnaround mode, is this Adidas’ opportunity in the US?

North America accounts for most of the revenue difference between the rivals, and Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden is pushing the retailer to be “more American.”

By Cara Salpini • Oct. 21, 2025

Why Halloween is a ‘master class’ for retailers

The season’s broad emotional appeal and delivery on in-store experiences means that shoppers, especially Gen Z, are ready to spend. 

By Kaarin Moore • Oct. 21, 2025

Nearly all generations, income groups plan to pull back on holiday spend

Only Gen X plans to increase spending slightly, as consumers search for deals and trade down on brands and retailers, per a Deloitte report. 

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 20, 2025

Will shoppers turn to secondhand for value this holiday?

A new report from ThredUp and GlobalData found that consumers could use about 40% of holiday budgets on secondhand gifts.

By Dani James • Oct. 20, 2025

The Weekly Closeout: Toms names Crocs vet CEO and is drop culture winding down?

Jessica Alsing, who spent more than eight years at Crocs, is taking the reins at Toms. Meanwhile, one analyst sees signs of an end to the popular sales model.

By Retail Dive Staff • Oct. 17, 2025

September retail sales rise amid signs of waning spending power

Inflation seems to be driving some of last month’s sales gains, as unit sales were down in some categories, according to Circana research.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 16, 2025

Why holiday season store experiences should be helpful but unobtrusive

Shoppers are often busy and stressed, and a retailer that turns the holiday rush into a smooth, enjoyable experience can earn loyalty without the need for flashy gimmicks.

By Bryan Wassel • Oct. 16, 2025

What’s keeping Best Buy’s CEO up at night?

A growing consumer income divide is on Corie Barry’s mind, the executive told an audience at the Fortune Most Powerful Women summit.

By Dani James • Oct. 15, 2025

‘We’re certainly not fast fashion’: A.k.a. Brands CEO

Princess Polly and Culture Kings chief Ciaran Long talks about delivering on-trend fashion and the conglomerate’s strategy on opening stores.

By Kaarin Moore • Oct. 14, 2025

Weak consumer sentiment persists amid job anxiety

“We need to be prepared for the possibility that the softening in the labor market will become something worse,” Federal Reserve Governor Michael Barr said.

By Jim Tyson • Oct. 14, 2025

Consumers to slash holiday budgets by over 10%

Gifting remains a priority, however, as shoppers look for other categories to cut back on, according to a recent JLL report.

By Howard Ruben • Oct. 10, 2025

Shoppers seek value, deals this holiday season

Consumers are turning away from retailers with significant price hikes and searching for discounts, according to ICSC. 

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 9, 2025

US consumers expect higher prices this holiday season

Most shoppers believe that tariffs will result in higher costs, even as they intend to splurge on purchases for themselves, according to a KPMG report.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 7, 2025

The unlikely retailers winning Halloween

Consumers are expecting higher prices this year, but that’s not deterring them from spending on the holiday.

By Caroline Jansen • Oct. 7, 2025

Will shoppers still follow where athleisure leads?

Brands that started off selling leggings are now offering cardigans, jeans and luxury bags as the category extends past its roots.

By Cara Salpini • Oct. 3, 2025

One-third of consumers plan to use AI for holiday shopping

Customers are using AI tools to search for better deals and gift ideas, but they remain skeptical of the technology, a UserTesting survey found.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 2, 2025