The retail winners and losers of 2016

Some retailers spent the year readying for the industry's future, while others grappled with the ghosts of its past. Here are the companies, technologies and trends that soared or sank in 2016.

By Corinne Ruff • Dec. 22, 2016

Lidl eyes small-format stores with online order pickup

The new Lidl Express concept incorporates a dedicated in-store location for customers to pick up online orders and shop for fresh products.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 22, 2016

Explore the Trendline➔

How personalization shapes the retail industry

As consumer data becomes more readily available, a host of new opportunities have opened up for retailers that want to tap into shopper data.

By Retail Dive staff

The new look of fashion: How 2016 made over apparel retail

Amazon disrupted and dominated apparel throughout the year, but it wasn't the only trendsetter: Mobile made waves, omnichannel became omnipresent — and much more.

By Lara Ewen • Dec. 21, 2016

Wal-Mart holiday videos hit more than 75M views on YouTube

Paid media and a holiday-themed channel are driving views for the retailer. 

By David Kirkpatrick • Dec. 20, 2016

Starbucks, Walgreens use Promoted Places on Google Maps for holiday marketing

As location data becomes more essential during key moments, brands are staking out their territory. 

By David Kirkpatrick • Dec. 19, 2016

American Eagle, Aerie debut bots for bra browsing, holiday shopping

Customers may browse bra styles using filters like fit, style or occasion. The bot also promotes company culture through photos, videos and social media.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 18, 2016

Obama signs law protecting negative consumer reviews

The legislation makes it easier for customers to post honest assessments of retailers, restaurants and other businesses by shielding them from threats of legal action and/or monetary damages arising from negative feedback.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 16, 2016

5 tech trends that transformed retail in 2016

Artificial intelligence and related breakthroughs steered retailers toward more effective customer engagement, while virtual reality and augmented reality redefined how shoppers experience the world.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 15, 2016

Under Armour expands connected footwear lineup

Automatic run tracking technology from the athletic apparel retailer's MapMyRun mobile app and global digital running community provides runners with workout and fatigue data.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 14, 2016

Report: Coach inks $10M branding, design deal with pop star Selena Gomez

Former Disney star Gomez is a surprise pick for the new face of Coach considering she previously collaborated with struggling discount chain Kmart.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 14, 2016

Kohl's to stay open 107 hours straight before Christmas

The end of the marathon opening, Super Saturday, falls on both Christmas Eve and the first night of Hannukah, but heavy discounts could hurt margins.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 14, 2016

Adidas makes 3D-printed running shoe available for sale via Confirmed app

The 3D Runner, priced at $333 per pair, includes "an engineered 3D web structure with dense zones in high force areas and less dense zones in the low force areas, allowing for the optimum level of performance."

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 13, 2016

L'Oreal builds out influencer marketing with shoppable video

The beauty brand taps tech firm dubdub for video content that can "generate direct sales."

By David Kirkpatrick • Dec. 13, 2016

Nielsen, Foursquare connect online ads with physical stores

The partnership is designed to help marketers tie digital campaigns to in-store actions based on Foursquare’s geolocation capabilities.

By David Kirkpatrick • Dec. 12, 2016

How Costco appeals to millennials and Gen Z without specifically targeting them

Execs attribute its appeal among young consumers to a focus on organics and partnerships with coupon websites like LivingSocial.

By Carolyn Heneghan • Dec. 12, 2016

Holiday discounts up 52% over last year, returns surging

Retailers should brace themselves for reduced margins and more returns than last year, according to DynamicAction’s Retail Holiday 2016 Index.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 12, 2016

Sears, Wayfair under fire for merchandise decorated with Hindu imagery

Rajan Zed, president of the Universal Society of Hinduism, says the image of Hindu deity Ganesha should be found only in temples or home shrines — not on items where people or dogs would sleep or put their feet.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 12, 2016

Target takes programmatic in-house

The retail giant has taken data management into its own hands with an internal private marketplace.

By David Kirkpatrick • Dec. 9, 2016

Sears, Uber expand Shop Your Way rewards partnership to 23 more markets

Since the program rolled out in New York City and Chicago in late September, more than 10,000 Shop Your Way members have linked their accounts to the Uber app, collectively earning more than $250,000 in points.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 8, 2016

Starbucks embraces conversational commerce, boosts personalization

The forthcoming My Starbucks Barista conversational ordering feature allows customers to place orders via voice command or messaging to improve efficiency and encourage stronger customer loyalty and engagement.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 7, 2016

Khloe Kardashian's Good American denim brand logs $1M in first-day sales

The denim line, available on Good American's website and at Nordstrom, sold out twice since its launch, buoyed by a savvy social media marketing push.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 7, 2016

Oh, Superman: The 10 worst toys of 2016

Slimeballs, elephant pillows and Doomhammers are just a few of the dangers lurking in gift boxes this holiday season.

By Jason Ankeny, Corinne Ruff • Dec. 7, 2016

Wayfair app lets shoppers visualize decor in their own homes

View in Room allows customers to envision furniture and other Wayfair items inside their own living spaces.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 6, 2016

Rent the Runway boosting physical store strategy with new flagship

Like many e-commerce startups, the apparel rental company believes that stores are important to growing sales and connecting with customers.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 6, 2016

Fanatics, Under Armour awarded 10-year MLB licensing deal

While Under Armour gets the on-field glory, Fanatics may be the bigger winner in this deal.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 5, 2016