The Backroom: How the holidays are different this year

Heading into the season, shoppers and retailers alike are getting squeezed by tariffs and mounting economic uncertainty.

By Retail Dive Staff • Sept. 25, 2025

Halloween spending to hit record $13.1B

While the majority of consumers anticipate price increases this season due to tariffs, 73% still plan to participate, according to the National Retail Federation.

By Howard Ruben • Sept. 24, 2025

Explore the Trendline➔

Digital innovation and technology trends in retail

Generative AI and TikTok Shop have replaced the metaverse and NFTs as the hot topics of the day — here’s a look at how brands are using them.

By Retail Dive staff

Managing tariff impact gets tougher as the holidays approach

Lower-income households are especially worried about employment and higher prices — and prices are indeed rising.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 23, 2025

Lululemon’s ‘downward spiral’ — and how the brand plans to break out of it

High-priced athleisure isn’t dead, but boring athleisure might be. That means it’s back to the innovation drawing board for the much-loved Canadian brand.

By Cara Salpini • Sept. 22, 2025

AI shopping tools are evolving, but are they ready for the holidays?

Most consumers are open to generative AI-powered guidance, but only 3% will start their shopping journey with a ChatGPT-type search, according to Coveo.

By Bryan Wassel • Sept. 22, 2025

The holidays should be OK for retailers that try hard enough

Sustaining robust sales growth into Q4 will mean sharp vendor negotiations — and a keen understanding of the customer, analysts say.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 17, 2025

Holiday retail sales projected to grow 4%, below 10-year average

While in-store sales are expected to grow 2.75% from last year, e-commerce sales growth is slowing, according to a recent report from Bain & Company.

By Howard Ruben • Sept. 17, 2025

Journeys remixes ’90s hit for debut of ‘Life on Loud’ brand platform

A reimagining of New Radicals’ “You Get What You Give” includes a music video nodding to renewed interest in mall culture among Gen Z.

By Jessica Hammers • Sept. 17, 2025

Consumer confidence falls on dimming outlook for labor market

“After months of a frozen job market with little hiring outside of healthcare, people now see more industries turning to layoffs,” Navy Federal Credit Union Chief Economist Heather Long said.

By Jim Tyson • Sept. 15, 2025

The Weekly Closeout: Walmart to launch in South Africa and Mary Dillon exits Foot Locker

The big-box retailer will reveal opening dates in October, while the former CEO and other executives departed the sportswear company.

By Retail Dive Staff • Sept. 12, 2025

Inflation speeds up to 2.9%, fastest pace in 2025, as job market slows

The CPI data showed that the highest U.S. tariffs since the 1930s are pushing up prices across the economy.

By Jim Tyson • Sept. 12, 2025

Gen Z pullback could send holiday sales down 5%: PwC

Older generations are cutting back a bit or even spending more, but these younger consumers’ budgets are down nearly a quarter, the firm found.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 11, 2025

More than half of consumers are wary of AI-powered search: Gartner

While consumers admit artificial intelligence is impacting how they search for products and services, 61% wish they could turn off AI summaries.

By Aaron Baar • Sept. 11, 2025

Holiday sales could grow up to 3.4%: Deloitte

The firm predicts that sales between November and January could reach $1.62 trillion, with e-commerce sales projected to grow up to 9%.

By Howard Ruben • Sept. 10, 2025

Designer Brands continues to withhold guidance as Q2 sales, profits decline

The footwear retailer, which relies on a strong back-to-school season, emphasized sequential gains but said the macro environment remains tough.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 9, 2025

Consumer sentiment declines as price sensitivity persists

Consumers are tightening their purse strings and prioritizing essentials while cutting back on discretionary goods.

By Kristen Doerer • Sept. 8, 2025

Unemployment ticks up as tariff-related uncertainty slows hiring

This could be a one-two punch to the U.S. economy, with retail bankruptcies and store closures adding to the woes.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 8, 2025

Lululemon CEO: ‘We have become too predictable’

The retailer, facing stalled growth in the U.S., is overhauling its design and development process as it looks to bring in more newness, faster.

By Cara Salpini • Sept. 5, 2025

Ulta targets wellness growth as consumers spend on beauty

The retailer’s latest performance demonstrates consumer resilience in the category, though analysts poked at the company’s operating margin expectations.

By Dani James • Sept. 5, 2025

Gap Inc. bets big on beauty, accessories

At the Goldman Sachs Global Retailing Conference, Gap Inc. CEO Richard Dickson called these high-margin “sleeper categories” that its customers want.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 4, 2025

Worldpay rewires for bot shoppers

The processor aims to prepare its merchant clients for the opportunities and risks of AI-driven agentic shopping.

By Lynne Marek • Sept. 3, 2025

Consumers want AI guardrails, but few business leaders have policies in place

More than one-quarter of customer experience leaders say their organization is ready to deploy agentic AI, despite having no governance policy in place, Genesys found.

By Michael Brady • Sept. 3, 2025

Dollar General revenue grows, but tariffs begin impacting prices

The retailer, which noted shrink improvements helped Q2 gross profit, reported growth with consumers across income brackets.

By Dani James • Aug. 28, 2025

The Backroom: Bankruptcy court is in session

Debtwire’s global head of legal, Sarah Foss, and Retail Dive Senior Reporter Daphne Howland discuss retailer bankruptcies – in 2025 and beyond.

By Retail Dive Staff • Aug. 28, 2025

Mass beauty outpaces prestige in the first half of 2025

Fragrance was the fastest-growing category in the mass channel, with dollar sales up 17%.

By Howard Ruben • Aug. 27, 2025