Top retailers have many mobile-only customers

A third of e-commerce consumers at the top 10 retailers shopped exclusively via phones and tablets in 2013.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 4, 2014

Coldwater Creek can’t find a buyer

The women’s clothing retailer is in hot water and seeks financing.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 4, 2014

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How artificial intelligence is shaping retail

More retailers are leaning on AI as a tool, tapping into the tech to improve customer service and support supply chain functions.

By Retail Dive staff

5 directions retail tech is headed in 2014

It’s not going to be enough to embrace the dazzling advances in technology now available — retailers have to get it right.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 3, 2014

Could facial recognition tech catch on in retail?

A common law enforcement tool can also catch shoplifters, spot celebrities, or just recognize a retailer's biggest fans — sending a text when they arrive.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 3, 2014

American shoppers expect in-store amenities

Many consumers say they’ll be shopping at physical stores, but they also have high expectations about product availability and shipping options, a new study shows.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 3, 2014

Consumers find value in Facebook before, during, and after shopping

In a small survey, a vast majority of shoppers found Facebook posts at least somewhat useful, and many actually bothered to post about their shopping experience.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 3, 2014

Is 'Twitter Commerce' almost here?

An intriguing, prototype-ish 'buy' button for Twitter users was discovered on online retailer Fancy, but has disappeared from public view.

By Daphne Howland • Feb. 3, 2014

7 retail marketing campaigns that show weirder is sometimes better

For better or worse, retailers often take the cake when it comes to odd ads.

By Wendy Parish • Jan. 31, 2014

Weather, food stamp cuts batter Wal-Mart’s sales

Fourth-quarter profits will be worse than expected, an unusual outlook for the retail giant.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 31, 2014

Amazon posts $239M profit but downgrades expectations

The company's stock fell despite it making money because, at least for now, the ambitious online retailer’s potential may not be what it was.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 31, 2014

GameStop thinks customers have all day

The gaming retailer's m-commerce page is almost as fun as Tomb Raider, but it takes a whopping 13 seconds to load.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 31, 2014

Physical stores key to Apple’s success

Not even slowing revenue growth dents the shining success that is the Apple retail store — for both the computer giant and the third-party companies selling products there. 

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 31, 2014

JCPenney CEO raising prices

As returned CEO Mike Ullman rolls up his sleeves and begins cleaning up the mess, prices are climbing — to make way for discounts.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 31, 2014

Realistic mannequins on the rise

More retailers are adopting display models with wider proportions and even, in some cases, body hair.

By Roger Riddell • Jan. 30, 2014

H&M profits miss projections

Its competition is stiff, but the Swedish retailer says it will head into the wind, continuing its expansion in the U.S. and China.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 30, 2014

Ship-from-store gives Best Buy an edge over Amazon

While most retailers assume shipping efficiency resides in well-placed, big warehouses, Best Buy and others have found that their established stores make useful mini-warehouses.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 30, 2014

Amazon may provide payments for brick-and-mortar stores

A variety of Kindle-based systems and services may or may not come to pass, according to unnamed sources.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 30, 2014

Bitcoin dealt a blow in New York

Officials in the empire state say it’s time to saddle bitcoin with some regulation, raising questions about its usefulness.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 30, 2014

Homegoods e-retailer Wayfair may go public

Growing some 50% and outpacing competitors like top-performing Williams-Sonoma, the e-retailer is seeing robust business.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 29, 2014

Videogame retailers playing hardball with online competition

To keep gamers coming to their stores, GameStop and other retailers are fighting digital distribution of games, and fighting hard.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 29, 2014

Zappos, Sunglass Hut, L.L. Bean winners in customer service

A recent study found that fewer clicks to order, fast shipping, and ease of communication are customer priorities.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 29, 2014

Consumer confidence at a surprise 5-month high

To affect spending habits, such optimism will have to stay steady for a good while, economists say.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 29, 2014

Abercrombie & Fitch to split chairman/CEO roles

The troubled teen clothing retailer made other moves, too, that are seen as an effort to soothe the nerves of its investors.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 29, 2014

Many retailers already capable of taking safer credit and debit cards

Contrary to what many believe, many retailers are ready with point-of-sale systems that take payments resistant to fraud — customers just don't have the new cards.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 28, 2014

Ikea posts record profits

The furniture retailer posted record profits for the year, despite its tepid embrace, so far, of e-commerce.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 28, 2014