Wal-Mart store workers now delivering packages

The brick-and-mortar giant is leveraging stores and making the task voluntary for workers to make more money.

By Daphne Howland • June 2, 2017

Macy's expands CTO role amid e-commerce push

As the struggling department store chain shutters physical locations at a rapid pace, e-commerce has become an even more important path to growth.

By Daphne Howland • June 2, 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

Monica + Andy opens second brick-and-mortar store

Once a pure-play e-commerce retailer, the children's clothing seller now has two brick-and-mortar stores, the latest in New York City.

By Dan O'Shea • June 1, 2017

Report: E-commerce fraud declining overall, but not for department stores

Overall e-commerce fraud decreased almost 35% from the start of 2016 to the beginning of 2017 across several industries, thanks in part to machine learning.

By Dan O'Shea • June 1, 2017

Toying with STEM: Marketing educational toys, kits isn't all fun and games

As Amazon and other retailers push into the STEM toy market with subscription services, growth opportunities and challenges abound.

By Dan O'Shea • June 1, 2017

Mary Meeker: Store closures could break a 20-year record, reach 7K this year

Technology is a firmly established driver of commerce and marketing, making Mary Meeker’s report essential viewing for retailers, regardless of sales channel.

By Daphne Howland • June 1, 2017

Best Buy revamps smartphone shopping in-store, online

In response to mobile industry trends toward unlocked devices and prepaid service plans, the company is rolling out a redesign of its shopping experiences.

By Dan O'Shea • May 31, 2017

Why Wal-Mart is betting big on e-commerce acquisitions

The brick-and-mortar giant has been gobbling up online retail startups at a record pace. Is it a path to e-commerce success or an existential crisis?

By Daphne Howland • May 31, 2017

Fitch: E-commerce fulfillment, retail locations are converging

Shopping centers have long been evaluated on demographic measures like population density and income, and e-commerce distribution centers should be similarly considered, according to Fitch Ratings. 

By Daphne Howland • May 31, 2017

Report: Amazon Prime's 'Style Code' live fashion show canceled

The program launched about a year ago as the digital answer to home shopping television, but its social media accounts have been suspended and employees were given notice.

By Daphne Howland • May 31, 2017

Dunkin’ Donuts integrates Masterpass with mobile app, loyalty program

In its latest mobile commerce move, the company is enabling Mastercard's digital payment service to be used to refuel customers' virtual loyalty cards.

By Dan O'Shea • May 30, 2017

Georgia Tech incubator launches retail-focused program

A $1 million gift will help the university's long-standing incubator turn its attention toward cultivating retail technology startups.

By Dan O'Shea • May 30, 2017

BJ's Wholesale primes omnichannel push with new CIO, CDO

The company tapped two retail technology veterans to fill high-level jobs focused on e-commerce and omnichannel strategy just weeks after it was reportedly considering a sale.

By Dan O'Shea • May 30, 2017

Home Depot, Lowe’s flex omnichannel strength

Home improvement retailers are proving to be ahead of the game in executing omnichannel strategies, enabling shoppers to easily pick up online orders in stores, among other things.

By Dan O'Shea • May 30, 2017

AmazonFresh Pickup goes live in Seattle

A test launched in March, offering the service to employees, has apparently showed enough promise for Amazon to open the concept to its loyal Prime customers.

By Daphne Howland • May 26, 2017

Report: Target to stuff $75M into Casper funding round

Casper has broken into the mattress industry with simplified pricing and e-commerce fulfillment, while Target is beefing up its retail partnership by participating in the company's latest funding round.

By Daphne Howland • May 26, 2017

Report: Alibaba doubles down on Chinese food startup, leads $1B funding round

The Chinese e-commerce juggernaut's investment in Ele.me may be part of a long-term strategy to boost its Alipay usage.

By Dan O'Shea • May 25, 2017

Bulletin draws seed funding to play host to startup retailers

The company raked in $2.2 million to construct more flexible rental spaces that allow e-commerce companies to rent on a month-to-month basis.

By Dan O'Shea • May 24, 2017

Ikea’s smart lights plug into voice assistant market

In a move to broaden the appeal of its new Tradfri smart lighting system, Ikea will let Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri control its devices.

By Dan O'Shea • May 24, 2017

Handmade at Amazon is getting into the bridal business

The move is a challenge to rival Etsy, which innovated an artisans marketplace 12 years ago, but is increasingly facing investor pressure to turn around.

By Daphne Howland • May 24, 2017

Warby Parker develops eye tests via mobile app

The once pure-play retailer is testing a new app allowing customers to confirm their vision prescriptions, but claims it isn't trying to replace eye doctors — yet.

By Dan O'Shea • May 23, 2017

Voice AI startup hires Google’s text-to-speech leader

Ian Hodson, an industry veteran and mentor of engineering talent, has left Google to join Voysis as a Distinguished Architect.

By Dan O'Shea • May 23, 2017

Report: 'Ultra-fast' fashion players gain on Zara, H&M

Boohoo, ASOS and Missguided can produce merchandise in two to four weeks, compared to five weeks for Zara and H&M and the six- to nine-month cycle for traditional retailers, according to Fung Global Retail & Technology.

By Daphne Howland • May 22, 2017

Amazon takes early steps to develop Go stores in UK

With approval from the U.K. on Go trademarks, the e-commerce retailer could be paving the way for European expansion of its "checkout-free" concept.

By Daphne Howland • May 22, 2017

Target reportedly offered $1B for Casper Mattress

The price tag on the mattress seller was too steep, sources told Recode, and as merger discussions broke down, executives settled on a partnership.

By Daphne Howland • May 22, 2017