Amazon reportedly slashing Marketplace prices

The e-commerce company is making up the difference, but the move still complicates things for third-party sellers, according to a report from The Wall Street Journal.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 6, 2017

Best Buy taps Amazon's Alexa for voice ordering

The partnership is in contrast to Walmart, Target, The Home Depot and Best Buy in Canada, which have chosen Google for voice-assisted shopping.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 6, 2017

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

Home Depot tops major retailers in mobile web usability

Costco, on the other hand, has more work to do to improve the functionality, checkout, payment capability and content of its mobile website, according to a new report from Forrester.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 6, 2017

October retail employment clouded by hurricanes

The 18,000 job decline last month may also be explained by the shift to e-commerce, according to outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 6, 2017

Weaknesses in Amazon Prime leave openings for rivals

Over 80% of Prime members would cancel their membership without free two-day shipping, according to research from behavioral marketing platform SmarterHQ.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 6, 2017

Target rolls out new tech for the holidays

Shoppers are using their mobile devices more frequently in stores and now at Target, associates are too.

By Dan O'Shea • Nov. 5, 2017

Untuckit to open 100 brick-and-mortar stores by 2022

The online retailer plans to open 50 of those stores by the end of 2018 even as it expands its assortment to include children's apparel, according to CNBC.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 3, 2017

EBay releases 'First Minute' holiday deals to reach early shoppers

The online marketplace still has many obstacles to confront, though. It doesn't have stores, a membership like Amazon Prime or a loyalty card like Target.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 3, 2017

Amazon ends its Fresh service in some markets

The e-tailer sent letters to customers in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, California and elsewhere informing them that access to the grocery delivery service would end Nov. 30.

By Jeff Wells • Nov. 3, 2017

Online holiday sales could hit $107B in 2017

The digital firm also expects Cyber Monday this year to be the largest online shopping day in history, rising 16.5% to generate $6.6 billion in sales.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 3, 2017

Ann Taylor launches subscription rental service

The move is a challenge to Rent the Runway's new, cheaper membership for work and casual styles.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 3, 2017

Holiday shoppers slow to embrace chatbots, robots

Hype aside, 68% of consumers have never used a retail chatbot and 23% don’t even know what they are, according to an IFTTT study.

By Dan O'Shea • Nov. 3, 2017

Amazon takes a step toward cryptocurrency

The retailer has registered several relevant domains. Is the move speculative, defensive or does Amazon have plans to accept new forms of payment?

By Dan O'Shea • Nov. 2, 2017

Costco shrugs off Amazon

While some analysts worry about the warehouse retailer's brick-and-mortar focus, the company continues to boast impressive earnings.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 2, 2017

Alibaba kicks off Singles Day on the heels of stellar Q2 growth

In the same week that Amazon launched Black Friday sales 50 days early, the Chinese e-commerce giant launched interactive games and a "see now, buy now" fashion show to entice shoppers during its Singles Day event.

By Corinne Ruff • Nov. 2, 2017

Old Navy debuts 'Superbox' subscription for kids

The staple brand is just the latest apparel retailer to get into subscription styling — an effort to gain regular orders and sticky customers that remains largely untested.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 2, 2017

Amazon turns to Apple for AR shopping app

The e-commerce company's AR app pushes the envelope by giving consumers more than just furniture for their virtual viewing pleasure.

By Dan O'Shea • Nov. 2, 2017

Glossier, Stitch Fix among most disruptive companies

Moda Operandi and Casper, along with other innovative companies, rounded out the startup edition of LinkedIn's Top Companies list.

By Cara Salpini • Nov. 1, 2017

Amazon launches Black Friday deals — 50 days early

The e-commerce giant is encouraging Prime members to shop with the Alexa voice assistant, an option on the Amazon app and the company's many devices.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 1, 2017

Personalization is still lacking and shoppers are getting frustrated

Only 22% of consumers actually find their retail shopping experience to be highly personalized, according to a recent study.  

By Dan O'Shea • Oct. 31, 2017

BJ’s unveils new mobile app in latest omnichannel move

As the future ownership of the company remains an open question, the warehouse club continues to integrate its in-store and online experiences.

By Dan O'Shea • Oct. 31, 2017

Dollar General taps Rob Scruggs to lead digital push

As the first digital chief, his appointment could signal a move to boost e-commerce in a segment that has hewed to brick-and-mortar retail. 

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 31, 2017

Amazon winning the price war in 12 of 13 categories

Walmart has closed the pricing gap with Amazon in recent years, but Target remains nearly 17% more expensive, according to a pricing study from e-commerce analytics firm Profitero.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 30, 2017

Amazon is a fashion destination for just 6% of shoppers

The e-commerce giant has captured 29% of the U.S. online apparel market but shoppers are more drawn to brick-and-mortar retailers when it comes to emotion and discovery, according to research from brand intelligence firm WGSN.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 30, 2017

Mobile commerce to dominate online sales by 2021

Mobile is expected to account for 34.5% of total e-commerce sales this year, and it's only a matter of a few years before it surpasses desktop-driven sales, according to an eMarketer report.

By Dan O'Shea • Oct. 29, 2017