The Backroom: Delta's looming impact on retail

On this episode, Daphne Howland and Ben Unglesbee discuss the implications of the new variant on the industry.

By Retail Dive Team • Aug. 26, 2021

Target triples Disney shop-in-shops ahead of holiday season

Nearly two years after its initial rollout, the companies plan on increasing the number of toy stores to over 160.

By Maria Monteros • Aug. 23, 2021

USPS shippers need 2-day notice of disruption to avoid hectic peak, watchdog says

The Postal Service didn't announce embargoes and volume redirections during the 2020 peak season early enough for mailers to adjust. 

By Max Garland • Aug. 20, 2021

FedEx outlines peak surcharges for Ground, Express that will extend into 2022

Surcharges for peak season are in line with UPS, setting up another costly holiday for companies shipping high volumes with the major parcel carriers.

By Max Garland • Aug. 17, 2021

USPS boosts sortation capacity, plans surcharges ahead of peak season

Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said USPS is adding facilities and equipment "at a magnitude not endeavored here in a long time."

By Max Garland • Aug. 12, 2021

Party City to open four times more Halloween pop-ups as in 2020

But the physical footprint still falls far short of the store count before the pandemic and acceleration of multi-channel shopping. 

By Ben Unglesbee • Aug. 10, 2021

NRF: Supply chain challenges not over as demand for back-to-school, holiday increase

"This part of the recovery is not a pretty sight," Hackett Associates Founder Ben Hackett said in a joint report with the trade organization.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Aug. 10, 2021

Amazon rushes to boost fulfillment capacity as it plays 'catch-up' to demand

The company doubled its fulfillment network size, but it wasn't enough to meet demand for one-day delivery. (And peak season is yet to come.)

By Max Garland • Aug. 2, 2021

UPS: Peak demand projected to exceed capacity by 5M packages daily

The company is adding sortation capacity, leasing aircraft and sitting down with about 300 customers to understand their demand projections for the holidays.

By Max Garland • July 28, 2021

Kohl's is the latest retailer to crash Amazon's Prime Day party

Consumers increasingly see the e-commerce giant's sales event as a time to get deals anywhere, and rivals are taking advantage.

By Daphne Howland • June 11, 2021

Walmart follows Target in closing stores on Thanksgiving Day

The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retailer said it will operate on regular hours on Nov. 24 and release Black Friday store hours at a later date.

By Maria Monteros • June 7, 2021

The new Mother's Day: Help shoppers create a day fit for the leading ladies in their lives

As customers start thinking about the upcoming holiday, retailers can help ease the shopping journey for customers looking to honor the leading ladies in their lives.

March 29, 2021

What the holidays mean for retail in 2021

The pandemic altered the season in various ways, with consequences for this year and beyond.

By Daphne Howland • Jan. 20, 2021

By the numbers: Holiday retail sales in 2020

Kohl's comparable sales fell by 11% during the fourth quarter — an improvement over earlier periods — while it focused on cutting costs.

By Daphne Howland , Ben Unglesbee , Kaarin Moore • Updated Feb. 4, 2021

GameStop adds former Chewy execs to board as digital holiday sales balloon by 309%

The founder of the pet products e-tailer has taken an activist stake in GameStop and called on it to transform — immediately.

By Ben Unglesbee • Jan. 12, 2021

Will the e-commerce boom be a bust this season?

An unprecedented number of packages are taxing retailers' ability to deliver. A lot are going to be late, and that will have consequences beyond the holidays.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 22, 2020

Congress agrees on $900B pandemic relief package

The second round of support includes $600 in direct payments, half that of the first, but all told could steady the economy as COVID-19 vaccines roll out.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 21, 2020

Walmart and Amazon launch return options as some predict holiday onslaught

The retail giants are vying to be the most convenient option not just for buying but also for sending goods back. 

By Ben Unglesbee • Dec. 21, 2020

Most shoppers plan on making a return after the holidays

This year's online surge means a record number of items could make their way back onto shelves. Retailers should see it as an opportunity.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 21, 2020

Advantage shifts to stores as a holiday dominated by e-commerce wraps up

At this point, even many online orders will be fulfilled via brick and mortar.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 18, 2020

USPS experiencing 'historic' volume of packages

The agency is also undergoing a temporary employee shortage due to the COVID-19 surge and warns of short-term delays. 

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Dec. 18, 2020

46% of shoppers more likely to shop small this year: survey

Research from Comcast Business suggests features like BOPIS and curbside pickup could lure consumers to small businesses.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Dec. 18, 2020

Amazon, Walmart tout last-minute holiday delivery options

In a year when the industry worked to get the season started early, the retail giants are encouraging customers to shop as late as Christmas Eve.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 17, 2020

The Backroom: What Black Friday tells us about retail in 2021

The shopping holiday was defined by the COVID-19 pandemic. Its trends and repercussions will likely follow the industry into the next year. 

By Retail Dive Team • Dec. 17, 2020

Retailers did not achieve one-day delivery in 2020: study

Companies took about three days to fulfill orders, while brick-and-mortar locations leveraged BOPIS and curbside pickup services.  

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Dec. 17, 2020