Turn curiosity into customers this holiday season

Today, omni and eCommerce retailers need to exceed the expectations of a new, intuitive shopper – a consumer that already expects a seamless experience that’s personalized to their needs.

By Christina Brandeberry • Aug. 22, 2022

Rising prices have made shoppers choosey, budget-minded and less loyal — but they’re still spending

With some relief at the pump for consumers in July, retail sales held steady against inflation. But the rest of the year could be tough as the holidays approach.

By Daphne Howland • Aug. 18, 2022

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

Inflation drives shopping changes for 85% of consumers: survey

Low- and middle-income consumers could bear the brunt of inflation, creating trouble for retailers this holiday season, Morning Consult suggests.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Aug. 18, 2022

Amazon announces first peak season fee for its fulfillment services

The e-commerce giant said it previously absorbed the higher cost of holiday shipping, but added that seasonal expenses have reached new heights.

By Max Garland • Aug. 17, 2022

In the next few months, 60% of small retailers could shutter for good: report

Inflation, rent hikes and lower consumer spending are among the challenges that some indie stores say are making things worse than during the pandemic.

By Daphne Howland • July 19, 2022

Retail braces for the second half of the year, as cautious shoppers pay more but get less

June’s retail sales reflect a drastic change for consumers, who were supported by the government last year but are now squeezed by inflation.

By Daphne Howland • July 18, 2022

Amazon schedules Prime Day for mid-July

Most U.S. Prime members plan to shop the sale, but there’s evidence they’ll be cautious about spending and will also seek out deals at rivals.

By Daphne Howland • June 16, 2022

5 ways to maximize your revenue this Mother's Day

Gifters are eager to spoil their moms this year. So why not dazzle them during their hunt for the perfect gift?

By Melissa Lagomarsino • April 25, 2022

Urban Outfitters taps Club Monaco vet to lead namesake brand

The company's fourth quarter momentum petered out in January as shipping costs weighed on margins and traffic to stores fell off.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 11, 2022

Google's retail bets pay off during topsy-turvy holidays, ad revenue tops $61B

The tech giant is eyeing more shoppable opportunities in livestreaming, while its TikTok clone YouTube Shorts enters the "super early" testing phase. 

By Peter Adams • Feb. 2, 2022

Adobe: Holiday e-commerce topped $204B in the US

Online spending rose nearly 9% compared to last year, though typical red-letter days like Black Friday and Cyber Monday took a back seat.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 13, 2022

How retailers weathered the holidays in 2021

Some have raised their Q4 guidance after a successful season, while others suffered from supply chain challenges and soft foot traffic.

By Ben Unglesbee , Daphne Howland • Jan. 13, 2022

Holiday hiring in retail dropped 7%

New analysis from Challenger, Gray & Christmas shows seasonal jobs fell to their lowest levels since 2016 as COVID-19 surged once again. 

By Ben Unglesbee • Jan. 12, 2022

Global online sales exceed $1 trillion during the holidays: Salesforce

Despite external challenges, consumers continued to splurge online.

By Maria Monteros • Jan. 12, 2022

Holiday rewind: How the shopping experience changed in 2021

From the return of Macy's Santa visits to augmented reality stores, holiday shopping took on a new form.  

By Cara Salpini , Ben Unglesbee , Kaarin Moore , Daphne Howland , Caroline Jansen , Maria Monteros • Jan. 10, 2022

Holiday spending slowed in December but remained above 2020 levels, data shows

Earlier shopping and the omicron variant shifted spending patterns in the season's home stretch, but sales were still robust, analyses show.

By Ben Unglesbee • Jan. 7, 2022

Retailers tailor holiday paid social to Gen Z, with YouTube grabbing biggest spend

The findings show Gen Z wields growing purchasing power and is more comfortable buying through apps as social commerce booms.

By Peter Adams • Jan. 6, 2022

Report: Over a third of shoppers plan to return a gift this season

Holiday sales were expected to surge this year, which could also spell higher returns for retailers now that the season is over.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Jan. 5, 2022

Victoria's Secret reiterates Q4 guidance, begins $250M share buyback

The lingerie retailer made dramatic changes last year that are already paying off financially.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 4, 2022

The Backroom: Our traditional interview with the retail prophet, Doug Stephens

While the pandemic isn't over, 2021 seemed to show that physical locations remain important to retail. But each store must have something to offer.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 30, 2021

Returns are the new growth strategy

To benefit from returns, retailers need to enhance the customer experience, optimize costs and preserve revenue, write Alvarez & Marsal's Michael Simoncic and Alfredo Lozano.

By Michael Simoncic and Alfredo Lozano • Dec. 23, 2021

Pandemic headlines may be deterring last-minute shoppers

Super Saturday's traffic declines indicate that news of the omicron variant may be interfering with consumer confidence, which could worsen in the new year.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 22, 2021

J.C. Penney taps DoorDash for same-day delivery just ahead of holidays

The department store retailer is building out its omnichannel capabilities as it tries to secure a lasting turnaround after last year's bankruptcy. 

By Ben Unglesbee • Dec. 20, 2021

Can this year's department store recovery last?

The sector is having a good holiday season after bouncing back this year as consumers refreshed their closets. But its problems haven't gone away.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 20, 2021

Consumers could return $66.7B in holiday merchandise this year

For retailers, the cost of returns is also going up, according to a report from CBRE.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Dec. 17, 2021