Birchbox to pop up in 500 Walgreens stores for the holidays

The shop-in-shops will be positioned in a "grab-and-go holiday gifts" format and feature themed boxes, subscription gift cards, travel-sized items and more.

By Cara Salpini • Nov. 5, 2019

UPS expects 26% jump in returns this peak season

The carrier projects 1.9 million returns on Jan. 2 and 1.6 million returns per day in the week preceding Christmas Day. 

By Emma Cosgrove • Nov. 5, 2019

Explore the Trendline➔

The state of holiday shopping and the consumer

Consumers are signaling they want value when it comes to quality, convenience and experiences. 

By Retail Dive staff

More than half of holiday shoppers plan to buy gifts for themselves

The percentage increases for consumers with more money to spend: Nearly 74% with budgets over $500 plan to indulge themselves this year.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Nov. 4, 2019

How to get on Gen Z's wish list this season

A unique assortment is just one part of the challenge, as the young group has high expectations and low loyalty. Here's what brands need to know.

By Cara Salpini • Nov. 4, 2019

Half of shoppers would give up low online prices for personalized service

In-store shopping is still the preferred choice for categories including appliance, clothing, beauty and home decor.

By Lisa Rowan • Nov. 1, 2019

Retail Therapy: Tiffany wants to add a little $112K sparkle to the holidays

The jeweler is selling an over-the-top advent calendar filled with things absolutely nobody needs, like sterling silver paper cups and clothespins.

By Caroline Jansen • Nov. 1, 2019

‘Cyber Week’ will generate 20% of holiday revenue

Adobe Analytics anticipates online spending will surpass $143.7 billion this holiday season, with substantial growth for mobile commerce.

By Lisa Rowan • Nov. 1, 2019

3 Black Friday marketing automation workflows that create lifelong customers

What if your automated processes could even earn you extra revenue on top of doing the things you don’t have time to do?

Nov. 1, 2019

Nearly half of consumers will buy holiday gifts on Amazon

The e-commerce giant leads the way in online product searches in all product categories except for apparel, according to a new study.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 30, 2019

Macy's unveils holiday experiences and services

The retailer may have an edge thanks to its long association with the season but must contend with fiercer competition from discounters.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 29, 2019

Amazon is dominating the holiday price war

The e-commerce player is out-pricing other online retailers by 20% on average, with Walmart not too far behind, according to Profitero. 

By Ben Unglesbee • Oct. 29, 2019

Etsy's holiday hotline pushes personalization, free shipping

Callers during the three-hour event will receive an emailed list of shopping ideas and a gift card.

By Lisa Rowan • Oct. 29, 2019

A quarter of consumers have already started holiday shopping

Online spending is expected to peak in November, according to a new survey from e-commerce platform Profitero.

By Lisa Rowan • Oct. 28, 2019

Welcome back, Toys R Us. Your market is tougher than ever.

After knocking the retailer out of existence last year, Walmart, Amazon and Target took over the toy category. This holiday season, they're playing to lock down market share. 

By Ben Unglesbee • Oct. 28, 2019

What do people want this holiday season? Gift cards

Consumers on average will spend just under $1,050 during the holidays, according to a report by the National Retail Federation. 

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 25, 2019

How the $160B gift card market can catch up to the modern age of retail

Retailers risk losing revenue and customers unless they upgrade the gift card experience, writes Loop Commerce CEO and co-founder Roy Erez.

By Roy Erez • Oct. 25, 2019

Shoppers to spend more than $700 during the holidays

According to a study by The NPD Group, 25% of consumers expect to shop on their smartphones this season.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 25, 2019

Retail Therapy: 7 Halloween costumes we didn't know we needed

A "sexy" college admission scandal costume and scary adorable items for dogs round out the best and worst products available.

By Caroline Jansen • Oct. 25, 2019

Target takes on Amazon with enhanced holiday fulfillment

This season, the mass merchant is spending nearly $50 million more in payroll to bulk up customer service and is adding special loyalty perks.

By Daphne Howland • Oct. 24, 2019

Walmart kicks off holiday discount festivities early

The retail giant is touting its discounts across gifting categories and an expanded suite of customer services as it goes to war with Amazon.

By Ben Unglesbee • Oct. 24, 2019

Best Buy kicks off peak season with free next-day delivery

The company is looking to leverage its brick-and-mortar footprint and the growing popularity of buy online, pick up in-store as it heads into the holidays.

By Morgan Forde • Oct. 23, 2019

Peak holiday shopping season to shift into December this year

More than half of consumers surveyed by Deloitte plan their purchases around Cyber Monday, which falls later on the calendar this year.

By Lisa Rowan • Oct. 23, 2019

Holiday shopping kicked off in ... July?

A new survey from RetailMeNot indicates shoppers are distributing their holiday spending beyond November and December.

By Lisa Rowan • Oct. 21, 2019

Smartphones are most popular devices for online shopping, survey says

Less than a third of shoppers plan to use a desktop or laptop for purchasing, while just 16% will browse on a tablet.

By Robert Williams • Oct. 21, 2019

How much does Halloween actually matter?

This year is expected to be the third-highest in terms of sales, but the glow of potential payoff — and the threat of disappointment — haunt some retailers.

By Cara Salpini • Oct. 21, 2019