Marketing

  • Pink Suede products from Bath & Body Works
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    Courtesy of Bath & Body Works
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    Bath & Body Works expands partnership to all Ulta stores for the holidays

    Pink Suede is back as a limited-edition scent exclusive to Ulta. Meanwhile, customers can shop a curated selection of seasonal products at the beauty retailer through Dec. 26.

    By • Oct. 16, 2026
  • A building with a sign that says "The Real Real."
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Column

    The Weekly Closeout: The RealReal secures fresh financing, Roots buyout advances

    The resale marketplace refinanced to help strengthen its balance sheet, while the apparel brand's shareholders approved its acquisition by Marquee Brands.

    By Retail Dive Staff • Oct. 16, 2026
  • A Macy's building with the word "Believe" written on it in bright lights. Explore the Trendline➔
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    Cara Salpini/Retail Dive
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    Trendline

    A look at the 2026 holiday season

    From price-conscious shoppers to ever-changing tariffs, retailers have a lot to juggle this holiday season.

    By Retail Dive staff
  • Bealls holiday campaign For the Haul of It.
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    Courtesy of Bealls
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    Bealls to debut mobile app

    The app is intended to create a more connected shopping experience across channels, while also supporting the retailer’s strategy around loyalty.

    By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 15, 2026
  • People crossing the street in front of a Saks Fifth Avenue storefront
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    Courtesy of Saks Fifth Avenue
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    Saks channels ‘main character energy’ for first post-bankruptcy holiday

    A few months after its parent company exited Chapter 11, a leaner Saks Fifth Avenue is out to show it still has holiday heft.

    By Nicole Silberstein • Oct. 14, 2026
  • FAO Schwarz at Nordstrom in New York City.
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    Courtesy of Nordstrom
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    Nordstrom expands FAO Schwarz offerings, debuts new app features for holidays

    The department store revamped its Nordy marketing character and is offering same-day beauty deliveries at select locations this season.

    By • Oct. 13, 2026
  • Shoppers pause at an acquarium tank inside a Scheels store in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
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    Cara Salpini/Retail Dive
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    Column

    Reporter’s notebook: Inside Scheels’ sporting goods wonderland

    Come for the sporting goods, stay for the animatronic Abe Lincoln. And whatever you do, don’t expect your average retail experience.

    By • Oct. 13, 2026
  • A group of people in grey sweatpants and hoodies pose inside a hair salon.
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    Courtesy of Nike
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    Deep Dive

    Gen Z, Gen Alpha and the AI-ificiation of retail this holiday season

    AI is “rewiring” the brains of today’s youth, at the same time that they’re craving physical experiences. Can retailers strike the right balance?

    By • Oct. 13, 2026
  • A Lowe's storefront with the company's blue and white signage
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    Nate Delesline III/Retail Dive
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    Lowe’s launches Black Friday deals in October

    As shoppers seek Black Friday and Cyber Week discounts, Lowe’s is spreading out its sales events.

    By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 12, 2026
  • Storefront of Spirit Christmas
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    Courtesy of Spirit Halloween
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    Spirit Halloween to transform dozens of locations to Spirit Christmas

    The spooky retailer will expand its Christmas concept, now in its third year, to 44 locations this season.

    By • Oct. 12, 2026
  • Panelists at Advertising Week New York
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    Permission granted by Sarah Merians Photography for Advertising Week New York
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    Why Free People prioritizes cultural co-authorship in celeb tie-ups

    At Advertising Week, chief marketer Jack Reynolds explained why the Urban Outfitters-owned retailer ceded control when working with musician Willow.

    By Chris Kelly • Oct. 12, 2026
  • A customer presses the image of the ChatGPT app on their phone.
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    Getty Images
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    Virtual try on launches on ChatGPT

    Users can take or upload a selfie to generate images and see how clothing and accessories look on them prior to purchase. 

    By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 9, 2026
  • A building with a pitched roof and "Athleta" in big block letters is seen at a slant from below.
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Column

    The Weekly Closeout: E.l.f. Brands pushes into fragrance and is Athleta’s C-suite shakeup an opportunity?

    The beauty brand has launched its first fragrance and body care collection, while the Gap Inc. brand is searching for a new CEO after Maggie Gauger went to Lululemon.

    By Retail Dive Staff • Oct. 9, 2026
  • People walking down the street, past storefronts.
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Bloomingdale’s merchant jumps to Bluemercury

    Stacie Borteck Dattner will report to Bluemercury CEO Alexandre Choueiri, the former Kering Beauté executive who arrived in August.

    By • Oct. 9, 2026
  • A phone with Tik Tok Shop pulled up.
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    Photo illustration by Ezra Acayan/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    TikTok to add AI-powered discovery and one-click checkout

    The social media platform is hoping to capitalize on its role as a product discovery engine by adding a conversational AI agent and simpler checkout.

    By Bryan Wassel • Oct. 7, 2026
  • NRF Big Show 2026
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    Courtesy of Jason Dixson Photography
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    Top retail trade shows in 2027

    These events feature C-suite speakers who will discuss AI-driven solutions, understanding consumer behavior and leveraging technology, among other subjects.

    By Retail Dive Staff • Oct. 6, 2026
  • Visa Mastercard interchange fee litigation merchants Brooklyn federal court Walmart
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    Getty Images
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    Walmart defends pricing practices, again

    The retailer says it won't renew a key patent that could leverage scan-and-go tech to personalize prices. It's one of several that has drawn the attention of activists.

    By • Oct. 6, 2026
  • A person with long blond hair wearing jeans and ankle boots sits on a bed with a pink spread.
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    Courtesy of Target
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    Target reprises another partnership in merchandise overhaul

    The retailer is bringing back “Simply Shabby Chic” home goods, a few months after announcing the return of fashion designer Isaac Mizrahi.

    By • Oct. 6, 2026
  • Spirit Halloween storefront.
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    The image by Mike Mozart is licensed under CC BY 2.0
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    Halloween spending creeps up this year

    While budgets for the holiday increase, one in five shoppers plan to use buy now, pay later or other financing services, according to Deloitte.

    By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 5, 2026
  • Target releases a digital holiday kids catalog.
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    Courtesy of Target
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    Target’s digital holiday catalog features toys — and a way to incorporate handwritten wish lists

    The retailer’s kids catalog is focused on interactive experiences, including demonstrations and video reviews. 

    By • Oct. 5, 2026
  • People walking down a city street.
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Gap unveils AI-assisted shopping, three decades after its first website

    Customers can now get recommendations from the Alta Daily and Daydream platforms. Banana Republic and Old Navy are also launching conversational shopping agents.

    By • Oct. 5, 2026
  • Teyana Taylor lounges in a black leather chair as part of a photograph for Revolve Magazine.
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    Courtesy of Revolve Group
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    Column

    The Weekly Closeout: Revolve debuts magazine and Cato closes 120 stores

    The fashion retailer wants to connect more deeply with shoppers through a print publication. Meanwhile, the specialty apparel brand is accelerating closures.

    By Retail Dive Staff • Oct. 2, 2026
  • Ann Taylor store New York City.
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    KnitWell Group names chief digital and customer data officer

    Angelica Munson was appointed to the newly created role for the Ann Taylor and Chico’s parent company. 

    By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Oct. 1, 2026
  • A series of wood shelves stocked with food items at a Nordstrom store.
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    Courtesy of Nordstrom
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    In New York, Nordstrom brings gourmet foods to its evolving pop-up space

    The Corner Market features a selection of locally and globally sourced comestibles and housewares, with a focus on luxury gifting. 

    By Lara Ewen • Oct. 1, 2026
  • Matthew Stafford, his wife, Kelly, and their four daughters star in Wayfair's new "Wayfair Delivers" campaign.
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    Courtesy of Wayfair
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    Wayfair ups investment in sports for values-focused brand platform

    The retailer is amplifying its latest effort by increasing advertising investment across the networks airing football games to five times its previous spend.

    By Jessica Hammers • Sept. 29, 2026
  • Cars, bicyclists and pedestrians in a city.
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    Courtesy of Sephora
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    Sephora furthers UK ambitions via M&S shop-in-shops

    The tie-up resembles the beauty retailer’s partnership with Kohl’s in the U.S., which was a sales and traffic driver until this year.

    By • Sept. 29, 2026