Collectibles drive toy sales up 7% through September

The results indicate a return to growth after two years of stagnation, though Q4 performance will rely on how shoppers react to tariffs, a Circana report found.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Nov. 4, 2025

4 retailers that need a win this holiday season

From nailing their merchandise offerings to ensuring inventory levels remain healthy, these retailers are striving to land on consumers’ nice lists.

By Caroline Jansen • Nov. 4, 2025

Explore the Trendline➔

How retailers can win over shoppers during the holidays

Retailers are pulling all the levers to drive loyalty during the industry’s all-important quarter.

By Retail Dive staff

Best Buy bets on sports, creators to serve up holiday gifting inspiration

The tech retailer will feature creators in its CTV ads for the first time and will advertise during 30 different NFL games throughout the season. 

By Jessica Hammers • Nov. 3, 2025

The Weekly Closeout: Lululemon links up with the NFL, Parade shuts down

The activewear brand is launching an apparel collection tied to the league’s teams, while the intimates brand abruptly ceased operations after six years.

By Retail Dive Staff • Oct. 31, 2025

Target brings back ‘Hot Santa,’ adds new characters to holiday push

Americans are prioritizing small moments of joy to combat a tough economic climate, according to internal research that informed Target’s holiday strategy.

By Jessica Hammers • Oct. 31, 2025

J.C. Penney, iHeartRadio partner on holiday collection

The move is part of the department store’s broader plans for the season, which also include special 24-hour deals throughout November.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 30, 2025

The Backroom: Halloween casts a spell over retail

The creepy-crawly event has grown into a monthslong celebration and a $13 billion business. But is it a harbinger for the holidays?

By Retail Dive Staff • Oct. 30, 2025

Nordstrom relaunches holiday catalog

The department store will host more than 1,500 events this year and will also have Santa Claus at all of its locations for the first time.

By Howard Ruben • Oct. 29, 2025

Walmart balances whimsy with value in Dr. Seuss-inspired holiday ads

Spots taking place in a town called WhoKnewVille reinforce a messaging platform that challenges consumer perceptions around the retailer’s image.

By Peter Adams • Oct. 29, 2025

True Religion targets women, college sports fans in holiday campaign

The brand doubles down on the growing intersection of fashion and sports in its first holiday campaign since being acquired earlier this year.

By Jessica Hammers • Oct. 28, 2025

How skeletons transcended Halloween

Once a standard spooky time decoration, these figurines now play sports, walk their dogs and otherwise hold court in yards year-round.

By Cara Salpini • Oct. 28, 2025

Walmart debuts 2 Black Friday events

The mass retailer will hold multiple deals events in November as it markets its value to price-weary consumers.

By Dani James • Oct. 27, 2025

At Home exits bankruptcy with nearly $2B in debt eliminated, most stores open

The furniture retailer is now owned by a group of lenders, which is providing $500 million in new financing to support a turnaround.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 27, 2025

Half of shoppers plan to use BNPL this holiday season

Affordability and budget control are the top reasons U.S. consumers are using buy now, pay later services, according to a PayPal survey. 

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 27, 2025

More pressure for US consumers as most states warn food assistance could dry up next month

Grocery stores will be directly affected, but discretionary spending will also take a hit if consumers can’t feed their families, analysts warned this week.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 24, 2025

Amazon celebrates holiday beauty event with flash sales, livestreaming

The annual event will see sales of up to 40% off as the e-commerce giant continues to gain market share in the category.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 24, 2025

Want to make a good impression online this holiday? Be reliable

The holidays are not the time to test exciting new innovations, experts say, but a good first impression can win customers long term.

By Bryan Wassel • Oct. 23, 2025

Target needs a win. Will the holidays deliver?

The retailer is emphasizing exclusive merchandising and affordability this season as part of a long-term effort to regain growth.

By Dani James • Oct. 23, 2025

After disappointing Q3, Mattel needs a good holiday more than ever

To mitigate tariffs, retailers are pushing the importation and warehousing of goods onto the toy maker, and their orders are more frequent but smaller.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 22, 2025

Best Buy to kick off holiday deals on Halloween

The retailer, which has added 10 times the number of products this year, said it will roll out new doorbusters on tech every Friday.

By Howard Ruben • Oct. 22, 2025

Walmart taps Stadium Goods for marketplace expansion

The mass retailer announced that exclusive sneaker styles from the collectibles resale company are now available ahead of the holidays.

By Dani James • Oct. 22, 2025

Gen Z, millennials drive adoption of AI for holiday shopping

Those groups are harnessing artificial intelligence for gift ideas and to compare prices this season, a new survey states.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 21, 2025

Consumers embrace AI for research, but few have allowed it to make purchases

Customers are worrying over payment security, privacy and potential mistakes with autonomous AI purchases, a Riskified survey found.

By Bryan Wassel • Oct. 21, 2025

Why Halloween is a ‘master class’ for retailers

The season’s broad emotional appeal and delivery on in-store experiences means that shoppers, especially Gen Z, are ready to spend. 

By Kaarin Moore • Oct. 21, 2025

Nearly all generations, income groups plan to pull back on holiday spend

Only Gen X plans to increase spending slightly, as consumers search for deals and trade down on brands and retailers, per a Deloitte report. 

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 20, 2025