ProFlowers enters chatbot frenzy with one-click buy button

​Most chatbots have suffered to deliver conversions, but one-click buying could be the answer to reducing friction and closing sales on Messenger.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 21, 2017

Holiday shoppers shift to long-term financing

Consumers are applying for financing even before they put items in their carts, and many want at least a year to pay, according to new research.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 21, 2017

Explore the Trendline➔

How retailers are thinking about in-store experience

Complementary shop-in-shops, age-appropriate experiences and integrated technology are just a few ways retailers are reworking stores to suit shoppers.

By Retail Dive staff

How Toys R Us is letting Target and Amazon steal Christmas

The bankrupt toy seller is losing the pricing game and reportedly readying another round of store closures. Toys R Us is facing its biggest challenge yet.

By Ben Unglesbee • Dec. 21, 2017

The retail winners and losers of 2017

Here are the companies, technologies and trends that soared or sank in 2017.  

By Corinne Ruff • Dec. 20, 2017

12 news stories that shaped retail in 2017

From The Limited's bankruptcy to Terry Lundgren's Macy's retirement announcement, here's a look back at the biggest news events from the last 12 months.

By Corinne Ruff • Dec. 20, 2017

Will Walmart woo holiday procrastinators with in-store pickup?

While the big-box retailer can't compete with Amazon's last-minute delivery, it does have one major advantage — over 4,750 stores. But is that enough?

By Corinne Ruff • Dec. 20, 2017

Holiday 2017 may show strongest growth since 2010

Home-related purchases in particular are "way up," with home improvement sales up 11.6% and home furniture sales up 3.5% since November, according to a new report.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 19, 2017

Benebit aims to shake up fragmented loyalty environment

The startup plans to convert loyalty and rewards points across multiple retailers into a unified system of fiat currency using blockchain technology.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 18, 2017

What nobody wants for Christmas: An Amazon-Walmart price war

The world's biggest retailer is closing the gap with Amazon in online prices and the technologies that control them. Can anyone keep up?

By Ben Unglesbee • Dec. 15, 2017

Retail Therapy: Williams-Sonoma is dreaming of an overpriced Christmas

With a collection that screams "unnecessary display of wealth," the holiday catalog has everything the 1% needs to decorate the house.

By Cara Salpini • Dec. 15, 2017

75% of holiday tech shoppers bought online

Most of the research for consumer electronics purchases also took place online, too, according to a study by GfK.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 15, 2017

Signet Jewelers losing customers over sexual harassment claims

The fallout has allowed rival Pandora to move ahead in certain brand awareness metrics, according to YouGov research.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 15, 2017

Retail partners targeted by email phishing attacks

As retailers are migrating apps to the cloud, they could face more security threats, a study by Netskope finds — especially where they interface with third-party partners.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 14, 2017

Boxed aims to ease online bulk ordering with AR, chatbot tech

The online wholesaler is the latest to tap mobile for tech that allows customers to see if products fit in their homes before ordering.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 13, 2017

4 steps to successful personalization

How to use data to truly personalize the consumer experience – without being intrusive.

By Kevin Brown • Dec. 13, 2017

B8ta launches Handy in-home tech installation

Partnerships between retailers and service providers could help smaller players find opportunities amid Amazon's push into the home services segment.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 13, 2017

David Yurman unwraps holiday gifting bot

Yet another luxury brand is going the chatbot route. This one, on Facebook Messenger, offers a plethora of gift guides.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 12, 2017

Nearly half of retailers have adopted IoT tech

The next year or so looks to be a major tipping point for IoT adoption as deployment is expected to surge, according to a new report.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 12, 2017

Louis Vuitton joins luxury brand chatbot trend

Luxury retailers and brands without chatbots may soon find themselves in the minority, as many in the segment have embraced the tech.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 11, 2017

More users are outsourcing shopping to voice tech

An SAP survey finds the chances are growing that more holiday gifts this season will be purchased with the help of virtual assistants like Amazon's Alexa.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 10, 2017

Ikea, Sonos bring speakers closer to home

The Swedish furniture retailer has partnered with the wireless speaker manufacturer to create a smart home sound experience.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 8, 2017

Retail Therapy: May the force be with Columbia's outerwear

The new "Empire Strikes Back" jacket collection lets fans sport the fashion of a Jedi without having to fight for the rebellion.

By Cara Salpini • Dec. 7, 2017

10 surprising retail predictions for 2018

The industry is hitting a tipping point, writes consultant Christopher Walton, and retailers should brace themselves.  

By Christopher Walton • Dec. 6, 2017

Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart boast top-notch digital experiences

Big-box retailers have come a long way on digital — now nearly 70% offer barcode scanning through their apps, a new survey found.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 6, 2017

How Cost Per Visit gives retailers the gift of innovation during the holiday rush

Increase store visits and deliver a more innovative shopping experience this holiday and beyond.

Dec. 6, 2017