How much will Lidl disrupt the US grocery market?

Thursday’s opening is the first step in an offensive that analysts say will push traditional grocers — perhaps to their breaking point.

By Jeff Wells • June 15, 2017

Retailers must do their homework to capture mobile-only Gen Z

Marketers must adapt to the first mobile-only generation to capture some of its $44 billion in spending.

By Dan O'Shea • June 15, 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

Frenzy teams with Anti Social Social Club for LA flash sale

The dropzone event, and others to come, aim to be exclusive flash sales targeting consumers in specific locations to drive purchases via mobile.

By Dan O'Shea • June 14, 2017

'This is the Wild West': Inside Peapod's ambitious plans to defeat its online grocery rivals

The only online grocery player to survive the dotcom crash now faces a fresh wave of deep-pocketed challengers, including Instacart and AmazonFresh.

By Christopher Doering • June 13, 2017

ColourPop looks to Qubit for next-gen personalization guidance

The AI-based platform is helping beauty brand ColourPop apply heuristic analytics to segment and better understand its customers.

By Dan O'Shea • June 13, 2017

Apple Business Chat aims to steal chatbots’ retail thunder

Apple is looking to give retailers and other businesses an effective way to chat with their customers — without chatbots.

By Dan O'Shea • June 12, 2017

Best Buy reportedly rolling out try-before-you-buy option

The electronics retailer is working with Lumoid to allow customers to take cameras, drones and audio equipment for a rental spin before deciding whether to buy.

By Dan O'Shea • June 12, 2017

IRCE 2017: 7 takeaways on the state of digital commerce

A few of the major trends we spotted this year: Packaging matters, brands don't need retailers like they used to, and e-commerce is coming to B2B. 

By Laura Heller • June 12, 2017

Retail Therapy: Siri, are you a roll of toilet paper?

Or perhaps a ball of twine? Consumers this week turned to Twitter to rip Apple’s new Siri-enabled HomePod speaker.

By Corinne Ruff • June 9, 2017

Study: Store associates ready to embrace digital tools, but lack them

Roughly 25% of store associates don't feel they have the proper tech tools to do well in their jobs, and 72% say they are more likely to stick with employers that provide those tools.

By Dan O'Shea • June 7, 2017

How shoppers use their smartphones in stores

Nearly 60% of shoppers look up product information and prices while using their mobile phones in stores, making a mobile strategy critical for retailers.

By Sandy Skrovan • June 7, 2017

Target, Best Buy, Home Depot rank highest for mobile web experiences

The retailers scored highly across five user experience factors, especially within ease of use and speed, according to a UserTesting report.  

By Dan O'Shea • June 6, 2017

Report: Returns are now a routine part of shopping

Returns are up, with online shoppers in particular using their homes as fitting rooms and ordering many items they don't intend to buy. 

By Daphne Howland • June 6, 2017

Amazon reportedly planning re-entry into smartphone market

More than two years after its Fire smartphone fizzled, Amazon reportedly is readying a new line of self-branded smartphones under the code name "Ice."

By Dan O'Shea • June 6, 2017

The credentialed or the creative: Is data making us dumb?

The gut-based mentality of a merchant can revive retail’s relevance, writes Lee Peterson at WD Partners.

By Lee Peterson • June 5, 2017

WearableX unveils connected, ‘responsive’ yoga pants

The company has big plans for connected apparel, starting with a pair of yoga pants that can help wearers achieve correct poses and movement.

By Dan O'Shea • June 4, 2017

Hollar fuels expansion with consumables from 7 brands

The mobile commerce dollar store plans to grow its SKU count by 500% by the end of the year to reach an estimated 18,000 SKUs.

By Dan O'Shea • June 4, 2017

Retail Therapy: Trump's 'Big League Box' takes a page from Birchbox's playbook

Trump supporters can sign up for monthly collections of “vintage” Trump-Pence merchandise as the campaign tries to emulate the success of upstarts Birchbox and Stitchfix. 

By Corinne Ruff • June 1, 2017

Toying with STEM: Marketing educational toys, kits isn't all fun and games

As Amazon and other retailers push into the STEM toy market with subscription services, growth opportunities and challenges abound.

By Dan O'Shea • June 1, 2017

Mary Meeker: Store closures could break a 20-year record, reach 7K this year

Technology is a firmly established driver of commerce and marketing, making Mary Meeker’s report essential viewing for retailers, regardless of sales channel.

By Daphne Howland • June 1, 2017

Why Gymboree is staring down bankruptcy — and what it means for the rest of children's apparel

The children's apparel retailer is nearing a deadline on its $1 billion debt load, which could lead to a death spiral if it can't score a lifeline fast.

By Ben Unglesbee • May 30, 2017

Retail Therapy: The case of the disturbing double denim dress

Forget detachable jeans, mud jeans and clear panel mom jeans — “The 2 Jean Dress” is a modern day Canadian tuxedo for women. 

By Corinne Ruff • May 25, 2017

Helpshift brings in-app customer support to Salesforce AppExchange

The integration gives Helpshift a boost for its in-app support features for mobile customers.

By Dan O'Shea • May 25, 2017

Google Assistant now controls Geeni smart light bulbs

The company’s move rivals Ikea's recent push into the smart home market — which some onlookers say will take off this year.

By Dan O'Shea • May 25, 2017

Ikea’s smart lights plug into voice assistant market

In a move to broaden the appeal of its new Tradfri smart lighting system, Ikea will let Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri control its devices.

By Dan O'Shea • May 24, 2017