Powell's Books has had enough of Amazon

The Portland, Oregon, bookstore has been a marketplace seller from the get-go, but is now calling it quits and staking a claim for independents.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 1, 2020

Walmart plans online sale that parallels Prime Day

The retailer joins Target in competing with Amazon's big sale event as all three giants adapt to a longer and earlier holiday season. 

By Ben Unglesbee • Sept. 30, 2020

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

Target is throwing its own sale party on Amazon's Prime Day

The retailer is hosting its own digital event to launch the holiday shopping period while it plans to extend Black Friday discounts through November.

By Ben Unglesbee • Sept. 29, 2020

Will customer acquisition be the nightmare before Christmas?

While DTC brands have long struggled with acquiring customers online, their problems may be more heightened than ever this year.

By Caroline Jansen • Sept. 28, 2020

Amazon sets October Prime Day dates after months-long delay

A sales event that usually takes place in July could now be a force in a wildly different and uncertain holiday period. 

By Ben Unglesbee • Sept. 28, 2020

The pandemic isn't Stitch Fix's only problem

It’s unclear whether the e-retailer's direct buy sales will hurt or help as people buy fewer clothes and potentially stray from getting regular boxes.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 25, 2020

Neiman Marcus Group plans store layoffs in pivot to e-commerce

The changes are "substantial," according to WWD, which first reported the news. And they represent further erosion of the department store sector.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 24, 2020

The Backroom: Walmart+ vs. Amazon Prime

Why did the retail giant launch a membership service, and can it compete with Prime? Senior Reporters Daphne Howland and Ben Unglesbee break it down.

By Caroline Jansen • Sept. 24, 2020

Walmart hiring 20K in e-commerce ops for the holidays

The retailer is gearing up for an online-heavy season as it also boosts categories in demand amid the pandemic. 

By Ben Unglesbee • Sept. 24, 2020

Basic.Space launches membership-based marketplace with digital storefronts

Consumers can shop through individual creatives' photos and livestreams on a homepage curated from their preferences.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Sept. 23, 2020

Managing your product feeds to thrive in a new retail landscape

To succeed in today’s e-commerce environment, companies must craft an online experience that meshes with the brick-and-mortar brand experience in their physical stores.

By Marcel Hollerbach, CMO at Productsup • Sept. 21, 2020

Google’s new search features let shoppers see curbside, in-store pickup offerings

The tech giant has made changes to accommodate shifts in shopping behavior based on spikes from searches for "safe shopping" and pickup services.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Sept. 18, 2020

Amazon's product quality woes extend beyond its Marketplace

The e-commerce giant is facing Congressional scrutiny after a CNN report that several of its AmazonBasics products present serious safety hazards.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 17, 2020

Study: 20% of retailers 'dependent' on the holidays to survive

To cope with the threats of coronavirus and fewer in-store shoppers, retailers are implementing safety measures and investing in curbside pickup.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Sept. 17, 2020

Is the world's largest retailer letting Amazon set the rules?

Walmart+ trades the retail giant's "always low prices" promise for an exclusive convenience play that, so far, its online rival is winning.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 17, 2020

Chewy's new limited-SKU warehouse is just for volume surges

The DTC pet brand is banking on a new kind of fulfillment center, plus automation, to keep lowering fulfillment unit costs. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Sept. 16, 2020

Amazon launches luxury channel with Oscar de la Renta

The e-commerce giant may capture young fashion consumers who value its convenience, if it can recruit the brands they crave, experts say.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 15, 2020

Verishop debuts Verified Shops program for vetted brands

By evaluating sellers on its platform, the company joins other e-commerce sites in attempting to provide customers with deeper authentication efforts. 

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Sept. 14, 2020

Chewy has already added more customers this year than in all of 2019

The pet e-retailer's sales and margins grew in the second quarter, and analysts see it well positioned to take advantage of an expanding opportunity.

By Daphne Howland • Sept. 11, 2020

Retail's unlikely pandemic winners

Wayfair, Overstock and At Home have made gains while much of the industry faces sales declines, layoffs and, in some cases, bankruptcy.

By Caroline Jansen • Sept. 9, 2020

4 strategies to keep your customers subscribed and buying more

Subscription businesses should focus on these tactics to help reduce churn, increase customer loyalty and drive revenue.  

Sept. 9, 2020

Whole Foods to offer pickup from nearly all of its stores by end of month

The retailer has tripled click-and-collect availability since March and intends to have the service at 480 stores within a few weeks.

By Jeff Wells • Sept. 8, 2020

Fashion rental startup Wardrobe launches nationwide

The peer-to-peer rental company, which is backed by Airbnb co-founder Nate Blecharczyk, partners with local dry cleaners to sanitize items. 

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Sept. 8, 2020

Credit Suisse: Ralph Lauren works to clean up North American business

Digital sales grew just 3% in the region as the brand tries to limit sales on the gray market and shift its focus to more high-end customers.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Sept. 4, 2020

The future of retail is same-day delivery: Are you ready?

What can a retailer do to ensure a seamless transition from in-store only to fast and reliable delivery?

By Kelly Caruso • Sept. 3, 2020