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

There’s still time to take a bite out of Halloween sales

It's not all about tricks or treats. Here's a look at what we can expect from Halloween 2017 and what retailers should be doing as the days leading to the hauntingly lucrative holiday wind down.

By Cara Salpini • Oct. 27, 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

Best Buy, Patagonia lead with mobile app strategies

Sears, Acer and Prada, however, have more work to do on their mobile content and branding strategies.

By Robert Williams • Oct. 27, 2017

EBay goes live with image search capabilities

Users of the online marketplace can now search for 1.1 billion site listings via image, as the visual technology becomes more popular.

By Dan O'Shea • Oct. 27, 2017

‘Pawn Friday’ looks to break into the gift-giving market

Pawn shops generate $6 billion annually and are an important source of fast cash for some 30 million under-banked Americans, according to mobile platform Pawn Guru.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 27, 2017

Amazon reportedly snaps up wholesale pharmacy licenses

The e-commerce giant has received regulatory approval from 12 states, and analysts have said it's only a matter of time before it dives into the market.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 27, 2017

Amazon's sales — and costs — are going up

More than ever, Amazon’s report is a picture of burgeoning sales, with heavy investments hitting profits. But most analysts continue to see its potential.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 26, 2017

How chat and voice tech are changing retail

New chat channels are emerging as a real-time alternative to e-mail, along with other technologies, but a comprehensive view matters most.

By Dan O'Shea • Oct. 26, 2017

Amazon puts Alexa skills behind subscription paywall

The e-commerce giant is loosening its leash on developers, letting them charge users via a subscription model for additional skill content.

By Dan O'Shea • Oct. 26, 2017

Amazon Fashion signs up Drew Barrymore's 'Dear Drew' collection

The new line from the actress follows a prior collaboration with Walmart, which debuted Barrymore's Flower cosmetics brand.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 26, 2017

Facebook could relegate retailer posts to a separate feed

The social network is looking to calm fears over a test which, if implemented, would pull public page posts from the personal news feeds of its users.

By Dan O'Shea • Oct. 26, 2017

Sears revives the Wish Book holiday catalog

Given its struggles, who could blame Sears for taking a trip back in time with the revival — in print and online — of the holiday-themed book. 

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 26, 2017

Google’s Showcase Shopping ads aim to lure shoppers early on

The format is available to all brands for the first time, enabling them to group related products to boost discoverability when shoppers search with broad terms.

By David Kirkpatrick , Natalie Black (Koltun) • Oct. 25, 2017

Target unveils AR mobile feature for furniture shopping

The "See It In Your Space" capability works with the retailer's Project 62 furniture line, part of its renewed commitment to differentiated merchandising.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 25, 2017

Amazon unlocks in-home delivery with ‘Amazon Key’

Just ahead of the holidays, Prime members in 37 cities will be able to give remote access to their homes for services and package delivery if they buy the company's latest device.

By Corinne Ruff • Oct. 25, 2017

Report: Amazon to control nearly 45% of e-commerce in 2017

Despite growth, online sales still account for less than 10% of U.S. retail sales, which may explain why Amazon is moving forcefully into brick and mortar, according to eMarketer.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 25, 2017

The fine print in leases could derail Amazon's grocery strategy

Some retailers like Target and Lidl are calling on clauses written into their lease agreements that lets them limit what Amazon can and can't do in nearby Whole Foods stores.

By Sandy Skrovan • Oct. 25, 2017

Amazon launches Prime for business customers

Amazon's swift expansion of its B2B business is exactly what Staples and Office Depot described to a skeptical Federal Trade Commission last year as their merger plans faltered.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 25, 2017

Walmart reorganizes Home with a group president and new top exec for Hayneedle

Walmart is strengthening the home category with new leadership across all digital properties while one of those units, Hayneedle, gains an exec with a millennial-focused brand history.

By Dan O'Shea • Oct. 24, 2017

Lord & Taylor could be the anchor to Walmart's web mall

A partnership with the upscale department store could allow the big-box retailer to tap into a wealthier market, but it also stands to dilute the brand.

By Corinne Ruff • Oct. 24, 2017

Online overtakes in-store holiday spend for the first time

It's a breakthrough, but the signs have been there for a while now, according to a study by Deloitte.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 24, 2017

Amazon extends order-and-pay feature

More restaurants in the U.S. are set to allow customers to order and pay for take-out via the e-commerce giant's mobile app.

By Dan O'Shea • Oct. 24, 2017

Target unveils mobile pay in time for the holidays

This season the mass merchant is betting that its new private label lines will balance the margin hit from its consumer goods price cuts.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 24, 2017

Jet takes on Amazon, Target with new private brand 'Uniquely J'

The e-commerce company's line targets Amazon Basics and enters a highly competitive consumer goods market.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 24, 2017

Orchard Mile upends luxury retail with new model

The startup is logging impressive sales growth, with a healthy average purchase price.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 23, 2017