Why September is prime time to acquire mobile shoppers for the holidays

Back-to-school shopping season just ended, and the holidays are on the horizon. This quiet period is the perfect time for retailers to make noise on mobile.

By Jason Ankeny • Sept. 27, 2016

Cowen: Amazon Prime threatens Costco, Sam's Club membership models

By the end of the year, the e-commerce giant’s membership program could reach half of U.S. households, according to new research.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 27, 2016

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's Ignite initiative spotlights startups in stores, online

A store in Silicon Valley already features a dedicated Ignite space with products from the program, including a selection of crowdfunded gadgets.

By Dan O'Shea • Sept. 26, 2016

Online grocer FreshDirect snags $189M in funding round

The grocery delivery space is highly competitive and fraught with logistical challenges, but investors believe FreshDirect can fulfill its potential.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 26, 2016

Target chief digital officer exits abruptly

Jason Goldberger is leaving the retailer just four months after accepting the newly-created position.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 26, 2016

Macy's makeover continues with beGlammed beauty services deal

The partnership enables customers to book at-home grooming and makeup services through the retailer’s website.

By Dan O'Shea • Sept. 25, 2016

Handmade at Amazon expands into five European countries

The Etsy rival offers shoppers in Germany, France, Italy, Spain and the U.K. access to more than 30,000 items from European artisans.

By Dan O'Shea • Sept. 22, 2016

Report: Amazon pricing algorithm works against non-Prime shoppers

Research from ProPublica finds that non-Prime shoppers must be on their toes to find the best deals themselves once shipping costs are factored in.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 21, 2016

Etsy snares AI startup Blackbird Technologies

Blackbird's machine learning solutions analyze user behavior, unstructured data and other variables to suggest relevant and personalized product search recommendations.

By Dan O'Shea • Sept. 20, 2016

Amazon adds chatbot expertise by hiring Angel.ai co-founder

Angel.ai, an artificial intelligence startup that develops chatbots and natural language processing technology, last year raised about $8 million in Series A funding.

By Dan O'Shea • Sept. 20, 2016

Costco, Sam's Club target businesses via new express delivery offerings

Costco Business Center in San Diego will start offering two-hour grocery delivery, while Sam's Club is offering next-day delivery in the Dallas, Tulsa and Miami markets. 

By Dan O'Shea • Sept. 19, 2016

BigCommerce unveils Facebook advertising, shopping tools

The new additions allow BigCommerce merchant partners to more easily launch and measure cross-device advertising campaigns through Facebook dynamic ads.

By Dan O'Shea • Sept. 19, 2016

NPD: Echo device owners spend more on Amazon

Owners of the hands-free speaker spend about 10% more on Amazon than they did before purchasing the device.

By Dan O'Shea • Sept. 18, 2016

Moody's: Wal-Mart, Best Buy proving brick-and-mortar can thrive in e-commerce

Online sales will account for over 20% of total retail sales in seven years, more than double the 9% they represent today, according to a new report from Moody’s Investor Service.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 16, 2016

USDA recruiting retailers to test online food stamps transactions

Officials plan to select up to five retailers in three states to participate in the program, which is likely to begin next summer.

By Dan O'Shea • Sept. 15, 2016

Will Lands' End sink or swim on Amazon?

Struggling Lands’ End has agreed to sell selected apparel via Amazon. Eight retail experts share their perspectives on the potential risks and rewards.

By Jason Ankeny • Sept. 15, 2016

Forrester: Robots will eliminate 6% of all US jobs by 2021

The ongoing evolution of artificial intelligence, machine learning and related technologies is expected to directly impact retail employment trends as well as segments like banking and healthcare.  

By Dan O'Shea • Sept. 14, 2016

BigCommerce adds support for Apple Pay transactions

Apple Pay eliminates manual entry of payment and shipping details when shopping on supported mobile or desktop devices.

By Dan O'Shea • Sept. 13, 2016

Fanatics, NFL's Rams kick off on-demand delivery partnership with Uber

Los Angeles Rams fans can order Rams merchandise, signed memorabilia and game day food via the UberEATS LA tab of the Uber app.

By Dan O'Shea • Sept. 12, 2016

Office Depot, Pocket Points to reward students for staying off phones

The Pocket Points program gives college students discounts on school supplies if they steer clear of their mobile devices during class time.

By Dan O'Shea • Sept. 11, 2016

Facebook fashion bot promotes Tommy Hilfiger's Gigi Hadid line

The bot allows users to type questions or select pre-made queries, shop for clothing and access behind-the-scenes content from the collection’s runway show.

By Dan O'Shea • Sept. 11, 2016

Report: Amazon handily trumps Jet on price, assortment

The e-commerce startup has slipped in comparison to its larger rival since a similar study conducted last year.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 9, 2016

Amazon to make Prime Now tailgate deliveries to 49ers' stadium

Prime subscribers can order deliveries directly to the Levi's Stadium parking lot in the hours preceding San Francisco 49ers home games this football season.

By Dan O'Shea • Sept. 8, 2016

Google's new Shop the Look connects fashion bloggers, retail shoppers

The new feature pulls images of outfits that have been posted on social media by fashion bloggers into Google search results, along with relevant links for purchasing.

By Dan O'Shea • Sept. 7, 2016

Amazon expands smartphone lockscreen ad program

Customers can tap their discounted Android smartphone to learn more about a deal or product recommendation, or unlock the device to dismiss it.

By Dan O'Shea • Sept. 6, 2016