Consumer Trends

The Weekly Closeout: Kohl's considers packaged foods and Target partners with Tabitha Brown

The department store looks into new categories as profit takes a hit, and the author and actress created four collections for the mass merchant.

By Retail Dive Staff • May 20, 2022

Foot Locker's Nike replacement efforts working 'exceptionally well'

CEO Dick Johnson said Foot Locker is underpenetrated in "virtually all of our brands outside of our top three." That leaves room for growth.

By Cara Salpini • May 20, 2022

Explore the Trendline➔

The latest in experiential retail

With customers returning to in-store shopping, retailers are testing out new store concepts, exiting others and otherwise refining their brick-and-mortar touchpoints.

By Retail Dive staff

Secondhand US market to reach $82B by 2026: ThredUp

Consumers are turning to used goods to save money during a time of high inflation, a new report found.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • May 20, 2022

Bath & Body Works outlook on profit growth turns negative as inflation wears on

The retailer expects material, transportation and wage costs, along with technology investments, to weigh on earnings. 

By Ben Unglesbee • May 19, 2022

Ear piercing is the next fun retail trend

Target is doing it. So are CVS and Five Below. But, can piercing draw shoppers into stores?

By Kaarin Vembar • May 18, 2022

Walmart's profits take a hit as fuel spikes and consumers react to inflation

As costs continue rising, the retailer is being strategic about pricing — raising and rolling back as it seeks market share and profit. 

By Ben Unglesbee • May 17, 2022

Inflation finally slowed online in April but remained 'punishingly high' overall

Consumer demand remains relatively high, but there are signs it might wane if inflation keeps up. Meanwhile, buying habits are shifting.

By Ben Unglesbee • May 13, 2022

Party City misses estimates, sees more helium pain ahead

Sales and profits suffered as consumers reacted to omicron, inflation, war and the end of government stimulus measures.

By Ben Unglesbee • May 9, 2022

Walmart launches activewear brand Love & Sports

The brand was created with fashion designer Michelle Smith and indoor cycling instructor Stacey Griffith and will roll out to 1,500 stores. 

By Kaarin Vembar • April 29, 2022

Overstock sales fall 19% as macro challenges hit home

The drop in revenue was larger than the company anticipated, which it said could be due to consumers reacting to inflation and the war in Ukraine.

By Ben Unglesbee • April 29, 2022

Rebag introduces auctions for used luxury items

Rewards members will have access to the luxury resale platform's weekly auctions before other customers.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • April 27, 2022

In challenge to Costco, Walmart+ boosts fuel discounts at thousands more gas stations

The retail giant's discount membership has enlisted 12,000 Exxon and Mobil locations to participate in one of its most enticing perks.

By Daphne Howland • April 27, 2022

Why the new frontier of e-commerce is the shipping experience

There's an opportunity to infuse personalization in a traditionally underserved area: shipping.

By Eduardo Lopez-Soriano, Vice President Marketing, UPS Capital • April 25, 2022

What Gen Z wants to see from brands as metaverse attachments grow

A new study finds a third of the group desires branded stores, while receptivity to in-game advertising ranked low.

By Peter Adams • April 20, 2022

Lululemon expands resale program nationwide

A pilot version of the service, which launched in California and Texas last year, "was met with an overwhelmingly positive response."

By Cara Salpini • April 12, 2022

From physical stores to the metaverse, what retail execs are thinking about in 2022

Executives at Shoptalk shared insight on how companies are navigating fast-moving industry changes.

By Stephanie Arnold • April 12, 2022

Target is selling used clothing in partnership with ThredUp

The mass merchant's secondhand style offer may be one of the largest in a rapidly expanding retail segment.

By Daphne Howland • April 12, 2022

Retailers stock their stores with goods—and smarts

CIOs reach into tech toolboxes to lure customers and employees.

April 11, 2022

Teen spending increases from pandemic lows: Piper Sandler

Research suggests teens prefer Coach and Louis Vuitton for handbags. Nike was once again crowned the No. 1 apparel brand for teens.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • April 8, 2022

Will tax refund season be the highlight for apparel sales this year?

With pandemic relief over, inflation rising and a war overseas persisting, some analysts see shadows looming over some of the sunny outlooks from retailers.

By Daphne Howland • April 7, 2022

Snapchat: 92% of Gen Z want to use AR for shopping

In a study, the social network also found the demographic was more likely than other generations to buy a product they had experienced in AR.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • April 6, 2022

Is Petco positioned for long-term growth?

The specialty pet retailer introduced new store formats, inked partnerships with major retailers and leaned hard into health and wellness services. But it hasn't always been a smooth ride.

By Caroline Jansen • April 4, 2022

Brick by brick: How Lego continues to build a toy empire

The retailer celebrates its 90th anniversary this year. And with over $8 billion in sales and IP deals that leverage pop culture, it shows no signs of slowing down.

By Kaarin Vembar • March 28, 2022

You can mark this down. Retailers preserve margin with predictive demand analytics.

Like college basketball, the retail industry has its own version of "bracket busters" that come from overestimating performance: "profit busters" in the form of markdowns.

March 28, 2022

Levi's brings its premium 'red tab' jeans to 300 more Target stores

This partnership is expanding at a time when the storied denim maker has grown downright choosy about its wholesale operations.

By Daphne Howland • March 24, 2022