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

Explore the Trendline➔

Gen Z and the next-generation consumer

If there's anything retailers want more than financial stability right now, it's to understand Gen Z. 

By Retail Dive staff

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

Retail Therapy: The denim debacle is splitting at the seams

Say hello to "detachable jeans"  — the latest dreadful denim to break the internet.

By Corinne Ruff • May 19, 2017

Under Armour's MLB diamond debut tees up early

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred announced that the branded player uniforms will launch in 2019, starting the 10-year partnership a year earlier than planned.

By Dan O'Shea • May 18, 2017

The War for the Shopping List

As consumers increasingly look for ways to save time in their lives they are turning to tools that maximize food shopping convenience

By Chris Bryson, Unata Founder & CEO • May 18, 2017

Why researching online, shopping offline is the new norm

More than 65% of consumers conduct online product research before stepping foot in a store, amplifying the need for retailers to optimize digital experiences.

By Sandy Skrovan • May 17, 2017

Reflektion, Mad Mobile team to give retailers omnichannel view

The partnership will allow retailers who are joint clients of the firms to access data about customers' online activity while they're in stores.

By Dan O'Shea • May 16, 2017

Why Rue21 unraveled and what its demise means for junior apparel

The retailer’s move to shutter stores and file for bankruptcy is an omen of tough times ahead for other mall-based apparel retailers.

By Lara Ewen • May 16, 2017

In a new era of retail, shuttering all stores isn't the answer

As retailers face a self-reckoning amid a challenging environment, the key is to find a state of equilibrium between the old and the new, writes Bart Mroz founder and CEO of SUMO Heavy.  

By Bart Mroz • May 15, 2017

Nordstrom teams with Gwyneth Paltrow's goop brand for in-store pop-ups

The pop-in is part of a larger effort by Nordstrom to drive traffic to its flagship stores with trendy, conceptual fare. 

By Ben Unglesbee • May 15, 2017