How Best Buy is winning against all odds

The electronics retailer is opening a new chapter in how to compete by taking advantage of opportunities everywhere. Even, sometimes, at Amazon.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 13, 2017

Take that Amazon: Target buys Shipt for $550M

The acquisition comes with a new goal of bringing same-day delivery services to half of Target stores by early next year.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 13, 2017

Explore the Trendline➔

How the purpose of stores is evolving

Stores have always evolved in order to compete as times, technology and tastes change. And, most of all, to please customers.

By Retail Dive staff

ThredUp launches a 'Goody Box'

As a second-hand apparel retailer, ThredUp's hands are tied when it comes to an actual subscription service, but these curated boxes aim to get a stream of steady orders.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 13, 2017

David Yurman unwraps holiday gifting bot

Yet another luxury brand is going the chatbot route. This one, on Facebook Messenger, offers a plethora of gift guides.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 12, 2017

Amazon has more private labels than previously thought

L2 researchers have identified 41 private brands — seven more than flagged by Morgan Stanley analysts, according to a new report.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 12, 2017

Google, Facebook win big as online ad revenue jumps

After holding steady earlier in the year at around 25% growth, online ad spending jumped to 29.6% in the third quarter, according to Forrester.

By David Kirkpatrick • Dec. 12, 2017

J.C. Penney launches 'Big and Tall' subscription box

In collaboration with Bombfell, the discount department store is looking to pique interest in men's apparel with a cheaper Stitch Fix-like concept.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 12, 2017

Is Amazon losing its low-price edge?

Some deals weren't that different from a month before Black Friday, and while Amazon handily beat rivals on many items, it didn't always have the best price, research shows.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 12, 2017

More users are outsourcing shopping to voice tech

An SAP survey finds the chances are growing that more holiday gifts this season will be purchased with the help of virtual assistants like Amazon's Alexa.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 10, 2017

Pottery Barn inks online deal with Leesa Sleep

The move comes weeks after Williams Sonoma sibling West Elm partnered with the mattress startup to sell its products in more than 80 stores and online.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 8, 2017

The cost of fraudulent transactions is rising

For every dollar lost to fraud this year, retailers have suffered $2.77 in overall losses, up from $2.40 a year ago, according to a new report.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 8, 2017

Online holiday spend could break $100B

That number, courtesy of Adobe, could be hundreds of millions higher if not for technical issues, Shoppimon found.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 8, 2017

Walmart strikes a ‘Tasty’ deal with BuzzFeed

The partnership with the recipe app allows the retailer to sell kitchenware and appliances on the network's video pages, challenging Amazon's string of deals with recipe sites.  

By Jeff Wells • Dec. 8, 2017

Wired: 7 retail tech startups to watch

Stowga, a marketplace for warehouse space, Localisto and MishiPay are among the promising technology companies.

By Dan O'Shea , Cara Salpini • Dec. 7, 2017

UPS swamped with shipments, warns of delays

Retailers may need to offer buy online, pick up in store options to avoid blame for delayed deliveries.

By Jennifer McKevitt • Dec. 7, 2017

Walmart drops 'stores' from legal name

While most consumers won’t notice the change, it signifies a big shift in how the retail giant views itself as an omnichannel operator.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 7, 2017

American Eagle trades profits for e-commerce sales

After a healthy third quarter at both its flagship and Aerie lingerie brands, executives say they have "never been more ready" for the holidays.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 7, 2017

3D shopping tech startup rakes in $23M

Modsy, which combines 3D technology and personalization, is picking up funding at a time when many online furniture retailers are testing similar capabilities.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 6, 2017

10 surprising retail predictions for 2018

The industry is hitting a tipping point, writes consultant Christopher Walton, and retailers should brace themselves.  

By Christopher Walton • Dec. 6, 2017

Online holiday sales take a big but fleeting dip

Online sales retreated by 18% year-over-year on the Saturday following the Black Friday weekend, but have bounced back, according to Verizon's Holiday Retail Index.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 6, 2017

Amazon, Home Depot, Walmart boast top-notch digital experiences

Big-box retailers have come a long way on digital — now nearly 70% offer barcode scanning through their apps, a new survey found.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 6, 2017

Handmade at Amazon deals a blow to Etsy

The company has started offering Prime Now delivery for its handmade goods, which allows for gift-buying as late as Christmas Eve and could be a boon to Handmade sellers.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 6, 2017

Senator: 'Grinch bots' are stealing Christmas (deals)

Third-party sellers are unleashing bots to find holiday blockbuster deals in order to mark them up and gouge desperate parents, according to Senator Charles Schumer.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 6, 2017

The costs, and benefits, of the influencer economy

Influencers on social media have the power to control retail brand conversations and impact consumers' purchasing decisions. But what price are retailers paying to make these connections?

By Lara Ewen • Dec. 6, 2017

Poor personalization cost businesses $756B last year

Retailers are facing a major conundrum — how to balance consumer frustration with bad recommendations and their fear of giving up personal info.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 4, 2017