Consumer Trends: Page


  • Amazon wants to play with the big boys

    Sources say the online retail giant is seeking to sell goods from major retailers.

    By Feb. 24, 2014
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    Fotolia
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    Performance wins and divorce perks: This week’s most read retail news

    Check out this week's most read stories. 

    By Kelsey Lindsey • Feb. 21, 2014
  • 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
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    Joe Fresh to go big, fast

    For its first venture outside North America, the Canadian fast-fashion retailer plans to expand into 24 countries by 2018.

    By Feb. 21, 2014
  • Keds pairing style with substance

    The American sneaker retailer is getting in on the “compassionate consumerism” that appeals to millennial consumers.

    By Feb. 21, 2014
  • Deep Dive

    4 areas where retail is thriving

    These four retail areas hold promise because they offer opportunities for creativity and innovation.

    By Feb. 21, 2014
  • Signet Jewelers becomes largest U.S. jewelry chain with Zale acquisition

    Signet will pick up more than 1,600 Zale retail locations in the $1.4 billion acquisition of its rival.  

    By Kelsey Lindsey • Feb. 20, 2014
  • Wal-Mart going big with small stores

    Along with its report of muted sales, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. says it is will add twice as many small stores in the U.S. as originally planned.

    By Feb. 20, 2014
  • Amazon expanding uses for its virtual coin

    The retailer is now allowing consumers to buy and spend its virtual currency on Android devices.

    By Feb. 20, 2014
  • Isaac Mizrahi New York expands in Atlanta

    The retailer has yet to actually open a store in New York, but continues its expansion with a second store in one of the South’s largest cities.

    By Feb. 20, 2014
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    Ryan McKnight
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    Gap hikes hourly pay minimum

    The retailer breaks with competitors and announces a new in-house minimum wage, amid what it says is a desire to “do more than sell clothes.”

    By Feb. 20, 2014
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    Mobile gift cards are a Wonder

    A free app from Wonder Technologies allows givers to instantly send gifts from participating retailers with no expiration date.

    By Feb. 20, 2014
  • Big box chains lead flight from traditional grocers

    Consumers are favoring convenience over quality when deciding where to buy their groceries.

    By Kelsey Lindsey • Feb. 19, 2014
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    Retail customer satisfaction hits 77.9% benchmark

    But disappointments over holiday shipping mishaps may have caused the worst level of satisfaction with e-commerce since 2001.

    By Feb. 19, 2014
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    Online shopping grew 16% in 2013: Commerce Dept.

    There was steady growth in e-commerce in 2013, including a strong Q4, according to new figures by the U.S. Department of Commerce.

    By Feb. 19, 2014
  • Bump in divorce rate is good news for retailers

    Valentine’s Day retail sales were disappointing, but the rising divorce rate is an indication that the economy is improving.

    By Feb. 19, 2014
  • Whole Foods to use Square's iPad cash registers, no-line shopping

    The move means employees can carry a cash register on their belt, and customers can avoid checkout lines.  

    By Paul Conley • Feb. 18, 2014
  • Deep Dive

    Higher minimum wage: Boon or bust for retailers?

    Retailers usually cry foul over minimum wage hikes, but some retail experts say a key source of revenue lies with well-compensated employees.

    By Feb. 18, 2014
  • Uniqlo continues US expansion

    The Japanese apparel retailer partnered with Square for a Valentine's Day in-store pickup service in San Francisco as it announced four new American stores.

    By Feb. 18, 2014
  • Small retailers thrive on Amazon

    But there are costs to doing business with online retail’s giant.

    By Feb. 18, 2014
  • Sales cold for retail in January

    Weather is an undeniable factor considering the Midwest and Northeast saw the worst weather and the worst retail performance.

    By Feb. 18, 2014
  • H&M January sales up 15%, as expected

    The fast-fashion retailer met its own and analysts’ expectations as it continued to add stores worldwide and incorporate sustainability and workforce well-being.

    By Feb. 18, 2014
  • Presidents Day beats Black Friday on discounts and deals

    Personal shopping site Shop It To Me examined more than a million items on sale in a full calendar year and found the February holiday beats all.

    By Feb. 18, 2014
  • Instagram a handy retail marketing tool

    Although it doesn’t get the kind of press that Twitter or its parent, Facebook, do, Instagram is a proven social media venue for getting customers’ attention.

    By Feb. 14, 2014
  • January retail slump doesn’t bother Wall Street

    The U.S. Department of Commerce's Thursday report was glum, but Wall Street seems to be shifting blame to the weather.

    By Feb. 14, 2014
  • Deep Dive

    Has the future of t-commerce finally arrived?

    With its shoppable Super Bowl ad, H&M has ushered in a new era of interactive television-based commerce that retailers have been awaiting for decades.

    By Feb. 13, 2014