Holidays

  • A red Levi's tab sign against a bright blue sky.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
    Image attribution tooltip
    Column

    The Weekly Closeout: Levi’s adds Target vet to board, plus more Black Friday ‘standouts’

    Jeffrey Jones, a former chief marketer at Target, will join the apparel maker in January. Meanwhile, analysts called out On and Hoka as big winners from the sale season.

    By Retail Dive Staff • Dec. 19, 2025
  • People walking by Nordstrom's New York City store at the holidays.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
    Image attribution tooltip

    NRF expects ‘record’ number of Super Saturday shoppers

    Of those who plan to shop, nearly half will do so both online and in stores, with department stores and discount retailers among the top destinations.

    By • Dec. 17, 2025
  • Holiday shopper Explore the Trendline➔
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    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
  • Stressed hispanic man paying for a lot of christmas gifts
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Combating the consumer ‘joy deficit’ this season

    Prices are high, shoppers are stressed out and anxiety-inducing marketing doesn’t help. Here’s what retailers can do instead.

    By • Dec. 16, 2025
  • TJMaxx holiday tour.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of TJMaxx
    Image attribution tooltip

    T.J. Maxx goes on holiday tour in a double-decker bus

    The decked-out “Maxxinista Express” stops in multiple cities and takes superfans along for a full day of shopping. 

    By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Dec. 15, 2025
  • People walk in a shopping mall.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Eduardo Munoz Alvarez via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    When holiday deals cause customer confusion, skepticism

    In an attempt to boost revenue and gain market share, brands often overpromise and underdeliver on holiday promotions. 

    By Michael Brady • Dec. 15, 2025
  • Walmart employee with two crates on a dolly outside of someone's home
    Image attribution tooltip
    Retrieved from Walmart.
    Image attribution tooltip

    Walmart touts delivery for last-minute gifts

    The big-box retailer says it can reach 95% of U.S. households within 3 hours and it is using streamlined delivery to entice consumers to shop — even on Christmas Eve.

    By Howard Ruben • Dec. 12, 2025
  • White exterior of Anthropologie storefront in Washington, D.C., with sale signs
    Image attribution tooltip
    Dani James/Retail Dive
    Image attribution tooltip
    Column

    The Weekly Closeout: Consumers lean on BNPL and Walmart gets excited about Anthropologie

    Reliance on buy now, pay later services has ticked up during the holidays, and the big-box retailer is bringing Anthropologie to its headquarters. 

    By Retail Dive Staff • Dec. 12, 2025
  • A person walks into a retail store. The word "Gap" is displayed outside the store.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Mario Tama via Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Gap’s supply chain productivity gains fuel holiday confidence

    Technology upgrades in fulfillment centers and more rigorous inventory management have the company feeling strong amid the year-end retail rush.

    By Philip Neuffer • Dec. 10, 2025
  • Sienna Spiro for Gap's 2025 "Give Your Gift" campaign.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Gap
    Image attribution tooltip
    Q&A

    How Gap is leveraging the brand’s Katseye success for the holidays

    Global Chief Marketing Officer Fabiola Torres details the recent extension of “Give Your Gift,” a campaign that has generated over 30 million views since its November launch. 

    By Jessica Hammers • Dec. 10, 2025
  • Reflections in a department store window advertising the holidays.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
    Image attribution tooltip
    Deep Dive

    Saks Global is stuck

    The fourth quarter is pivotal for almost any retailer, but especially one that has a lot to prove to vendors, investors and customers. Some observers see a 2026 bankruptcy as inevitable.

    By • Dec. 9, 2025
  • People walking down the street and cars driving in a city.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
    Image attribution tooltip

    Reporter’s notebook: New York City’s last department stores

    A trek around the island of Manhattan at retail's busiest time of year.

    By • Dec. 9, 2025
  • HomeGoods Marshalls store front
    Image attribution tooltip
    "Marshall's Home Goods Store" by Mike Mozart is licensed under CC BY 2.0
    Image attribution tooltip

    Off-price retailers neutralize tariff impact

    Inventory and pricing strategies helped TJX, Ross and Burlington protect margins in Q3, and they expect even greater success in Q4.

    By • Dec. 8, 2025
  • Holiday decorations on the outside of a department store.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Macy's
    Image attribution tooltip

    Macy’s cautiously optimistic about the holidays

    The department store retailer had its strongest Q3 comps in over three years, but said it’s braced for a cautious consumer and the impact of tariffs.

    By • Dec. 3, 2025
  • White exterior of Anthropologie storefront in Washington, D.C., with sale signs
    Image attribution tooltip
    Dani James/Retail Dive
    Image attribution tooltip

    BNPL drives over $1B in online spend on Cyber Monday

    Overall spending on the digital shopping day topped $14 billion in the U.S., per Adobe Analytics. Shopify also touted record sales despite technical difficulties.

    By • Dec. 2, 2025
  • Interior J. Crew storefront with mannequins modelling red winter clothing next to holiday gifts
    Image attribution tooltip
    Dani James/Retail Dive
    Image attribution tooltip

    E-commerce growth surpasses stores on Black Friday, with sales up over 10%

    Top-selling sectors over the holiday weekend included apparel and athletics, according to early data.

    By • Dec. 1, 2025
  • A mall entrance to a clothing store named "Pacsun."
    Image attribution tooltip
    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
    Image attribution tooltip

    Pacsun, Camping World and Lush launch on-demand delivery with Uber

    In the midst of the busy holiday shopping season, customers can now use the Uber, Uber Eats and Postmates apps to order from the retailers.

    By Howard Ruben • Dec. 1, 2025
  • Crowds in front of Mall of America on Black Friday
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Mall of America
    Image attribution tooltip

    Winners and losers of Black Friday 2025

    Online discounts were flat year over year. However, some retailers won with exclusive giveaways that enticed customers into stores.

    By • Nov. 29, 2025
  • A Free People clothing store in New York City.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
    Image attribution tooltip

    Urban Outfitters expects highly promotional holiday

    Traffic, sales and profits surged in Q3, but now customers are waiting on discounts. “They know that the promotions are coming,” CEO Dick Hayne said.

    By • Nov. 26, 2025
  • Martha Stewart poses in a denim-wrapped kitchen for American Eagle's 2025 holiday campaign.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of American Eagle
    Image attribution tooltip

    Why American Eagle tapped Martha Stewart to extend its reach beyond Gen Z

    After making headlines with its fall campaign, the retailer is targeting gift givers and recipients alike for the next chapter of its “Give Great Jeans” holiday push. 

    By Jessica Hammers • Nov. 25, 2025
  • Artificial trees from the National Tree Company.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by National Tree Company
    Image attribution tooltip

    Can artificial Christmas tree companies spruce things up for next year?

    No one wanted to put tariffs on Christmas, says the National Tree Company CEO. But what happens when your raw materials are made outside the U.S.?

    By • Nov. 25, 2025
  • Woman sits on couch typing on laptop.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip

    Almost all Gen Zers plan to shop Black Friday week

    While average spending is down, participation in the event is up across generations, an encouraging sign for the blockbuster holiday.

    By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Nov. 24, 2025
  • Khalid at Urban Outfitters LA Holiday Preview
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of Urban Outfitters
    Image attribution tooltip
    Deep Dive

    How Gen Z is reshaping holiday marketing — and what brands can do about it

    The cohort’s reliance on social media and influencers for product discovery remains, while new levels of comfort with retail media and AI take shape.

    By Jessica Hammers • Nov. 24, 2025
  • Two people shopping for a holiday gift in a small business.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Getty Images
    Image attribution tooltip
    Sponsored by Kinetic Business

    Black Friday vs Small Business Saturday

    Black Friday is a consumer-oriented race for the best deals, while Small Business Saturday is a celebration of community. Get to know the nuances of both events.

    By David Oliveira, Kinetic Chief Revenue Officer • Nov. 24, 2025
  • A Walmart storefront showcases its refreshed brand identity, with a new typeface and the spark logo set apart as a standalone asset.
    Image attribution tooltip
    Permission granted by Walmart
    Image attribution tooltip
    Column

    The Weekly Closeout: Walmart heads to Nasdaq and October lacks federal sales data

    The move signals the mass merchant’s “tech-powered” growth strategy. Meanwhile, it’s now two months without government data on retail sales.

    By Retail Dive Staff • Nov. 21, 2025
  • A rendering of the exterior of QVC's holiday pop-up in New York City
    Image attribution tooltip
    Courtesy of QVC
    Image attribution tooltip

    QVC launches holiday pop-up in New York City

    The two-day event, featuring Kathy Hilton as Mrs. Claus, is spread across 10 rooms including the Claus-et, Yuletide Lounge, Kringle Kitchenette and Haute Chocolate Bar.

    By Howard Ruben • Updated Nov. 20, 2025