Walmart updates furniture site, plans total online revamp

The retail giant is planning big changes to the online experience, but is competing in an already crowded space when it comes to digital furniture sales.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 22, 2018

Amazon's Alexa being integrated into smart homes

The voice assistant is set to play a major role in new residences built by Lennar, expanding Amazon's dominance in the market.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 22, 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

Apparel sales fall on slower athleisure growth

The category is benefiting from millennials, the strength of the athleisure category and the growth of e-commerce, but those factors weakened last year, according to a report from The NPD Group.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 22, 2018

Amazon selling private-label medications

The e-commerce company is offering an exclusive line of over-the-counter medications, thanks to healthcare supplier Perrigo.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 21, 2018

Most retail employees receive no real training

Only a third of workers are provided formal training, and many of those don't find it improves their work or engagement very much, according to a recent study.

By Ben Unglesbee • Feb. 21, 2018

Wayfair among early adopters of Facebook 3-D image posting

The online furniture company is providing an early case for how retailers might use the new capability to reach customers.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 21, 2018

When one won't do: More consumers are paying for Prime and Costco memberships

There is now a significant overlap in customers who see value in spending the extra money to access each retailer's unique format and products.

By Erika Kincaid • Feb. 21, 2018

Amazon gives Prime members 5% back on Whole Foods purchases

The discount is the latest addition to the e-tailer's Prime Rewards Visa Card, which also offers 5% back on Prime purchases and 2% back at restaurants and gas stations.

By Dan Alaimo • Feb. 21, 2018

Samsung to use Bixby for smart TV to integrate AI and IoT

The electronics maker is moving closer to consolidating its smart TV and Internet of Things experience.

By Dan Alaimo • Feb. 20, 2018

Amazon makes exclusive smartphone deal

The e-commerce company started selling Essential's Halo Gray smartphone as its own mobile device strategy continues to take shape.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 20, 2018

Returns got you down? Invest in strategic liquidation

Retailers and manufacturers adopting newer, more-efficient reverse logistics programs in order to deal with the increase of returned merchandise. 

Feb. 20, 2018

Amazon India reportedly mulling private label push

The reports come as the e-commerce giant's battle with Flipkart is heating up, and it could include creating private label appliances, LiveMint reports.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 16, 2018

Farfetch reportedly prepping IPO

The luxury e-commerce retailer is planning discussions with bankers, according to a report from CNBC.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 16, 2018

Mattress topper upstart aims to kick disruptors out of bed

The launch of Kloudes takes aim at Casper, Leesa and Tuft & Needle — with an argument that old mattresses could be made new with a topper at a fraction of the cost.     

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 15, 2018

Shipping by Amazon may cause over half of sellers to switch

The e-commerce company's new logistics service for Marketplace sellers will launch soon, and a majority report they plan to use it.

By Dan Alaimo • Feb. 15, 2018

The RealReal opens Las Vegas pop-up shop

Resale e-commerce is booming, and the luxury consignment e-tailer has snagged the upscale end of the market as it dabbles in brick and mortar.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 15, 2018

Why generational marketing could send retailers back to the drawing board

While there's generally some truth in stereotypes, retailers that rely on generational marketing alone could be missing out on both the channels and customers they should be targeting.

By Cara Salpini • Feb. 14, 2018

EBay charts tech-heavy 2018 with new AI chief and upcoming AR tools

Advanced technologies are the next stage of eBay's "multi-year journey to replatform," which includes a focus on AI, machine learning, AR and VR.

By Alex Hickey • Feb. 14, 2018

Amazon reportedly speeding up Alexa responses with AI chip

Near zero response time is key to closing deals as the smart speaker competition heats up between the e-commerce giant, Google and Apple.  

By Dan Alaimo • Feb. 14, 2018

Alibaba throws $1.3B into brick-and-mortar strategy

The Chinese retailer continues to balance its e-commerce dominance with growing, diversified investments in brick-and-mortar retail.

By Dan O'Shea • Feb. 13, 2018

7 retail execs envision the future of stores

Executives from Best Buy, The Home Depot and MM.LaFleur share their visions for the future of retail at Future Stores Miami. 

By Corinne Ruff • Feb. 13, 2018

Target and Honeyfund enhance registries with actual experiences

The retailer is bulking up baby and wedding registry options, and another partnership with Pinterest is adding visual search technology to the registry app. 

By Dan Alaimo • Feb. 12, 2018

Forrester: What CMOs can learn from Amazon's success

Marketers should build "entangled customer relationships," as the e-commerce giant does through emotion-driven interactions before, during and after purchasing moments. 

By Erica Sweeney • Feb. 9, 2018

Alibaba pays $486M for 38% of Chinese big data firm

Competition is heating up in China's stalled retail market, so Alibaba bought into a retail data company hoping to jump start sales.

By Dan Alaimo • Feb. 9, 2018

Walmart and Covergirl partner on AR-enabled mobile web sales

Shoppers can visit Covergirl's mobile website to try on five new looks using immersive technology.

By Robert Williams • Feb. 8, 2018