Why REI and Modcloth will close on Black Friday, and prosper

Not all retailers are open on Black Friday, nor should they be. There are benefits to both, particularly when it comes to branding. 

By Cara Salpini • Nov. 21, 2017

Saks launches gift-themed Messenger chatbot ahead of Black Friday

The offering could help the retailer reach young shoppers earlier in the buying journey than the typical customer service bot. 

By Natalie Black (Koltun) • Nov. 20, 2017

Explore the Trendline➔

Gen Z and millennials

If there's anything retailers want more than financial stability right now, it's to understand Gen Z. 

By Retail Dive staff

Foot Locker pumps up Nike partnership with new store concepts

The athletics retailer had its best day on Wall Street in years as analysts show confidence that it can hold its own.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 20, 2017

Conversational Commerce: Black Friday predictions for 2017

With a fierce price war brewing this season, in-store and mobile experiences will be critical differentiators for retailers not named Amazon, Moody's Charlie O'Shea told Retail Dive on the podcast.

By Corinne Ruff • Nov. 17, 2017

Retail Therapy: Stranger Things sends sales upside down

Truth was stranger than fiction this week as a vintage sweatshirt from the hit Netflix series helped the Science Museum of Minnesota rake in big bucks.

By Cara Salpini • Nov. 17, 2017

Williams-Sonoma gets an edge in the augmented reality race

The home goods retailer acquired Outward, a 3-D imaging startup, in what looks to be a dedicated move toward using more of the tech.

By Dan O'Shea • Nov. 17, 2017

Calvin Klein opens holiday pop-ups with Amazon

Like Nike and Kohl's before it, Calvin Klein is forging a partnership that brings a host of challenges.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 17, 2017

Study: Black Friday mobile shopping to jump 45% from 2015

Americans are forecast to spend 45 million hours on Android shopping apps alone during the holiday week.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 16, 2017

Nordstrom, Home Depot put Pinterest’s Pincodes in stores

Shoppers can use the app in brick-and-mortar locations to unlock content.

By David Kirkpatrick • Nov. 15, 2017

Robot manufacturer gains $17.5 million in funding

Bossa Nova Robotics gets a financial boost as it looks to leverage growing interest in robots for retail.

By Dan O'Shea • Nov. 15, 2017

Amazon, eBay start the clock on Black Friday deals

Amazon is making it really easy, especially for Prime members and voice users, to get discounts early. And eBay, unlike many, is price-matching from now through Cyber Monday.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 15, 2017

50% of store associates say shoppers have better tech tools

Consumers aren't the only ones who think store associates could use a little mobile help — store associates feel the same way, according to a new survey. 

By Dan O'Shea • Nov. 14, 2017

Costco outpaces Walmart, Jet and Amazon on grocery delivery ad clicks

After a reluctant entry into the market, the club store earned 11.4% of all hits on searches related to the service, placing it second behind Instacart during a recent two-week span.

By Jeff Wells • Nov. 14, 2017

Alibaba flaunts AI-powered touchscreen on Singles Day

The e-commerce giant debuted "FashionAI" in stores on the big shopping day to help consumers with clothing and style recommendations.

By Dan O'Shea • Nov. 14, 2017

7 retailers that are ripe for acquisition

Walmart and Amazon have been hungry for acquisitions, and the big fish are looking for deals to make them more competitive.

By Ben Unglesbee • Nov. 13, 2017

Social media-engaged shoppers spend more on purchases

According to a study from Shareablee, that number could be as much as 51% more over a given shopper's lifetime.

By Dan O'Shea • Nov. 13, 2017

American Girl debuts experiential NYC flagship

A new Girl-and-Doll Salon allows girls to book appointments with their dolls for hairstyling, ear piercing and manicures.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 13, 2017

Glossier fuels holiday sales with pop-up shops

The cult brand is expanding swiftly, adding deliveries abroad and a series of brick-and-mortar efforts.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 13, 2017

3 ways to reach Gen Z during the holidays

The youngest generation might not be the biggest spenders, but they have influence over family purchases — and they're growing up fast.

By Cara Salpini • Nov. 10, 2017

Amazon opening holiday pop-ups in Whole Foods

Alexa, tell me a Thanksgiving recipe. Now shoppers can ask holiday-related questions at staffed areas inside Whole Foods stores.

By Dan O'Shea • Nov. 10, 2017

Zappos goes up against Adidas and Nike with sneaker shops

The Amazon-owned e-commerce site is putting a new shine on classic sneaker styles with a campaign that features pop-up stores and a shoppable Instagram.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 10, 2017

What Gen Z girls want from holiday gift-giving

Research finds nearly 60% of the younger set value gifts that are Instagram-worthy or can drum up social currency.

By David Kirkpatrick , Peter Adams • Nov. 9, 2017

Athleta puts a personalized twist on holiday cards

The retailer is putting an e-commerce twist on the traditional gift card as it launches in-store GiftNow cards.

By Dan O'Shea • Nov. 9, 2017

Shopgate rolls out in-app chat tools

While some have hopes of chatbots becoming an increasingly common form of customer engagement, marketers aren’t yet sold on the idea.

By Dan O'Shea • Nov. 9, 2017

Nearly 60% of marketers say chatbots aren’t a priority

Despite marketer enthusiasm for chatbots, many don't have confidence in the current messaging platforms.

By Cara Salpini • Nov. 8, 2017