J.C. Penney downgraded amid uncertainty over turnaround

Moody's dropped the department store chain's credit rating, citing poor operating performance and renewed anxiety over the company's ability to reverse course after the departure of its CEO.

By Ben Unglesbee • June 7, 2018

North Face pilots online sales of refurbished clothing

The outdoor gear retailer wants to attract environmentally conscious shoppers by offering used or defective merchandise at lower prices.

By Daphne Howland • June 7, 2018

Explore the Trendline➔

What's shaping the e-commerce landscape?

From pivots in digital strategies to challenges retailers must overcome with reverse logistics, here are some of the forces shaping online retail.

By Retail Dive staff

Amazon prepping indie beauty shop

Brands must be at least 50% independently owned and not available at Ulta, Target or Walmart to be featured on the curated page, an Amazon executive said at the BeautyX Retail Summit last month.

By Daphne Howland • June 7, 2018

Amazon makes Echo Look available to all

The company is rolling out the device amid rumors it is considering offering home insurance that would work through its connected devices.

By Dan Alaimo • June 7, 2018

Neiman Marcus extends sales streak

The debt-laden luxury store chain increased comparable sales by 6% in the previous period and marked three straight quarters of sales gains. 

By Ben Unglesbee • June 6, 2018

Amazon, Google converging as e-commerce grows and changes

With online retailing growing strongly, Amazon is becoming a force in advertising, while Google increases its e-commerce activities, tech guru Mary Meeker told a conference hosted by Recode. 

By Dan Alaimo • June 6, 2018

Hudson's Bay to close Lord & Taylor flagship

The department store retailer is making dramatic moves to turn the luxury chain around, including closing up to 10 stores, as losses widen across the company. 

By Ben Unglesbee • June 5, 2018

Rue La La buys Gilt from Hudson's Bay

The flash sale model is far from broken, according to Rue La La CEO Mark McWeeny, and the combined company could surpass $1 billion in sales. 

By Daphne Howland • June 5, 2018

Convenience vs value: What retailers need to know about the great consumer divide

The Great Recession may be in the rear-view mirror, but spending habits have been forever changed, writes Scot Wingo. 

By Scot Wingo • June 5, 2018

Amazon Dash integrates WePlenish smart containers

Through the partnership, the upstart's product will automatically reorder kitchen pantry items from Amazon when a user’s supply is running low.

By Dan O'Shea • June 4, 2018

GameStop sales plummet as interim CEO steps in

The retailer recently tapped ex-Microsoft executive Shane Kim as a temporary chief while searching for a permanent leader.

By Daphne Howland • June 4, 2018

Walmart, Target, Kohl's see the light at the end of Toys R Us' tunnel

As the big box toy seller recedes from the U.S. market, major retail players are signaling plans to expand in the toy category well ahead of the holidays. 

By Ben Unglesbee • June 4, 2018

Amazon 'doesn't have private labels cracked,' report says

The e-commerce giant is on pace to own more than 75% of all product searches online, while its own labels compete with other brands on the site, according to a new study by Jumpshot.

By Daphne Howland • June 4, 2018

Shoppers eager for e-commerce benefits from AR and voice

Consumers are ready for tech advances that will make online shopping easier, according to a new survey from Adtaxi.

By Dan Alaimo • June 4, 2018

As shareholder meeting ends, Walmart ponders retail's future

"We're moving faster than ever before and moving fast has never been more important," Marc Lore, head of Walmart e-commerce, told a crowd of 14,000 associates on Friday.

By Corinne Ruff • June 1, 2018

Nearly half of teens are online ‘almost constantly’

Pew's latest survey confirms what many already know about teens — almost all are mobile and use their smartphones on a near-constant basis.

By Dan Alaimo • June 1, 2018

REI's Memorial Day sales outpaced average by 600%

The co-op retailer also attracted more market share in the outdoor retailing space as Walmart's smaller Moosejaw unit slipped.

By Daphne Howland • June 1, 2018

Meet Jetblack, Walmart's click-free shopping service for upper-income New Yorkers

The concierge shopping service is the first out of the gate for Walmart's Store No.8 incubator, and according to its founder Jenny Fleiss, is a game changer for busy urban parents and other retailer partners looking to grow sales.  

By Laura Heller • May 31, 2018

Blockchain poised to 'revolutionize' retail, Deloitte says

The consulting firm expects that the ledger technology underlying bitcoin could be used to secure transactions and supply chains. 

By Dan Alaimo • May 30, 2018

Amazon Marketplace sellers thriving, but wary of their host

Third party sellers are seeing revenue growth on the channel, yet 38% list "Amazon competing with me" as their biggest concern, according to a new Feedvisor study.

By Dan O'Shea • May 29, 2018

50% of consumers shop on mobile, but only 20% purchase

Anything less than a seamless experience sends consumers running.

By Dan Alaimo • May 29, 2018

Guitar Center adds 2 execs amid online push

The musical instrument retailer is bringing new leaders in to spearhead marketing and e-commerce efforts as the company grapples with debt and changes in its sector. 

By Daphne Howland , Ben Unglesbee • May 29, 2018

Hibbett sales drop as e-commerce rises

The athletics retailer took its time getting into e-commerce, but this quarter the company saw online purchases rise to 7% of total sales.

By Daphne Howland • May 29, 2018

Urban Outfitters launches third-party marketplace, tests self-checkout

On a call with analysts, the retailer detailed how it is raising its bet on digital, including by adding new payment options and updating its sites and apps.

By Erica Sweeney • May 25, 2018

My favorite retail tech startup of 2018 is woman-led, and that part is important

Sometimes the best tech solutions are the lowest tech, and one company promises to break away from the pack of meal solution providers in a surprising way, writes Christopher Walton.  

By Christopher Walton • May 24, 2018