Consumer Trends

André Leon Talley, 'always at the forefront of inclusion,' dies at 73

With creativity, intellectual rigor and passion, he became a cultural and fashion icon — not despite his humble beginnings, but in part because of them.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 20, 2022

Almost 6 in 10 US consumers shopped at a DTC brand in 2021: report

Traditional retailers are winning the love of American shoppers over digitally native brands, according to a report from Diffusion.

By Maria Monteros • Jan. 18, 2022

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The Retail Dive Outlook on 2021

The adaptions forced on retailers last year were painful, but they may have ushered in long-term changes that are key to survival. We break down just how pivotal 2021 might be.  

By Retail Dive staff

6 DTC trends to watch in 2022

While 2021 marked a year of growth for DTC brands, existing problems became more apparent. Brands will need to address those challenges in the year ahead.

By Caroline Jansen • Jan. 18, 2022

Meet the 2022 shoppers: 5 ways buyer expectations will change retail

Consumers continue to grapple with the lingering effects of the pandemic, including supply chain hiccups and other shifts that are changing the way they buy. Retailers can expect five themes to impact brick-and-mortar sales.

Jan. 18, 2022

Omicron 'unlikely to derail' economic growth: Moody's

Analysts expect the disruption from the new variant to pass quickly. But supply hiccups and inflation will likely last longer.

By Ben Unglesbee • Jan. 13, 2022

Adobe: Holiday e-commerce topped $204B in the US

Online spending rose nearly 9% compared to last year, though typical red-letter days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday took a back seat.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 13, 2022

Global online sales exceed $1 trillion during the holidays: Salesforce

Despite external challenges, consumers continued to splurge online.

By Maria Monteros • Jan. 12, 2022

Social commerce to grow 3 times as fast as e-commerce, Accenture predicts

Driven by Gen Z and millennials, shopping on social media platforms is forecast to grow from $492 billion in 2021 to $1.2 trillion by 2025.

By Chris Kelly • Jan. 11, 2022

Creating an Uber experience at the B2B checkout: Navigating embedded payments

Learn the four imperatives that B2B e-retailers must consider in 2022.

Jan. 10, 2022

Yeezy Gap announces 'Engineered by Balenciaga' collab

Ye and the luxury label's artistic director, Demna, have collaborated before, and each has a record of bringing an unexpected vibe to wardrobe basics.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 7, 2022

Saks launches Wellness Shop online

The offering, which features brands like Beyond Yoga and Vitamix, comes as retailers try to cater to health-conscious consumers.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Jan. 7, 2022

Holiday spending slowed in December but remained above 2020 levels, data shows

Earlier shopping and the omicron variant shifted spending patterns in the season's home stretch, but sales were still robust, analyses show.

By Ben Unglesbee • Jan. 7, 2022

Amazon's international app downloads decline: report

For retailers, downloads are becoming more significant as mobile app spending rises.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Jan. 6, 2022

Why so many DTC brands are into activewear

Whether they launched in the space or expanded into it, DTC brands are taking advantage of athleisure's continued popularity to fuel their businesses.

By Cara Salpini • Jan. 6, 2022

Can livestream shopping in the US catch up to China's soaring growth?

As people spend more time online or limit shopping trips during the pandemic, many are seeking digital experiences that bridge the gap with the real world.

By Robert Williams • Jan. 5, 2022

Target launches first storage, home organization private label

The retail giant is starting the year with yet another owned brand, dubbed Brightroom, as consumers look to refresh their homes.

By Maria Monteros • Jan. 5, 2022

Fabletics launches Any-Wear collection

The new offering, which features pieces like pants and a midi dress, is meant to be worn for various activities, like working from home or running errands.

By Caroline Jansen • Jan. 4, 2022

10 retail trends to watch in 2022

Last year upended some trends and accelerated others. What will 2022 bring for retailers?

By Daphne Howland , Ben Unglesbee , Cara Salpini , Kaarin Vembar , Caroline Jansen , Maria Monteros • Jan. 4, 2022

The Backroom: Our traditional interview with the retail prophet, Doug Stephens

While the pandemic isn't over, 2021 seemed to show that physical locations remain important to retail. But each store must have something to offer.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 30, 2021

Pandemic headlines may be deterring last-minute shoppers

Super Saturday's traffic declines indicate that news of the omicron variant may be interfering with consumer confidence, which could worsen in the new year.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 22, 2021

Can this year's department store recovery last?

The sector is having a good holiday season after bouncing back this year as consumers refreshed their closets. But its problems haven't gone away.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 20, 2021

Cultivating consumer loyalty amidst supply chain challenges

As retailers strive to woo shoppers into a long-term relationship, supply chain hiccups can sabotage those efforts — but it doesn't have to.

Dec. 20, 2021

Feds increase scrutiny of buy now, pay later

Concerned over consumer debt, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau is demanding information from five of the biggest players in the BNPL space.

By Lynne Marek , Jonathan Berr , Caitlin Mullen • Dec. 17, 2021

The Weekly Closeout: Target to launch 'Bet on Black' startup pitch competition

The retailer will provide mentorship and a total of $500,000 in funding. Meanwhile, Janie and Jack names a new CEO and Bark comes to REI.

By Retail Dive Staff • Dec. 17, 2021

Consumers could return $66.7B in holiday merchandise this year

For retailers, the cost of returns is also going up, according to a report from CBRE.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Dec. 17, 2021