Record retail closures to continue apace in 2018

Department stores face an increasingly bleak future and stores will continue to shutter, but that doesn't mean that sales are all going online.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 29, 2017

Amazon slipping in search

The priority that Google has set for mobile appears to be cutting into Amazon’s previous dominance, though the e-commerce giant still tops in search.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 28, 2017

Explore the Trendline➔

Inside the 2024 holiday season

Retailers are navigating the effects of inflation as retail’s most important quarter looms.

By Retail Dive staff

Study: 5B pounds of retail returns end up in landfills

Returns have increased with the growth of e-commerce, and voice-enabled shopping will likely propel only more, according to a study by Optoro.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 27, 2017

Holiday sales surge 4.9%

The bountiful holiday season is thanks to high consumer confidence, according to the latest Mastercard SpendingPulse report, but there are clouds on the horizon.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 26, 2017

Amazon Prime raked in 4M trials in one holiday week

It was the "biggest holiday season" yet according to the e-commerce giant, which acknowledged it sold "millions" more Echo devices over last year.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 26, 2017

Retail Therapy: The 8 funniest holiday retail moments of 2017

Whether retailers totally missed the mark or made a hilariously on-brand marketing move, here are our favorite happenings from the holiday season.

By Cara Salpini • Dec. 22, 2017

Fraud attempts rise 30% during the holidays

Data breaches, identity theft, account takeover, phishing attacks and friendly fraud are on the rise, according to a new report. 

By Dan Alaimo • Dec. 21, 2017

ProFlowers enters chatbot frenzy with one-click buy button

​Most chatbots have suffered to deliver conversions, but one-click buying could be the answer to reducing friction and closing sales on Messenger.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 21, 2017

Santa's migrating his toy workshop to the cloud

At the North Pole, the elves were suffering and couldn't keep up with the high volume of orders. Because Santa failed to check the list twice, elves were fulfilling orders from Christmases long past, leading to inefficiency and wasted work.

By Naomi Eide • Dec. 21, 2017

Holiday shoppers shift to long-term financing

Consumers are applying for financing even before they put items in their carts, and many want at least a year to pay, according to new research.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 21, 2017

How Toys R Us is letting Target and Amazon steal Christmas

The bankrupt toy seller is losing the pricing game and reportedly readying another round of store closures. Toys R Us is facing its biggest challenge yet.

By Ben Unglesbee • Dec. 21, 2017

12 news stories that shaped retail in 2017

From The Limited's bankruptcy to Terry Lundgren's Macy's retirement announcement, here's a look back at the biggest news events from the last 12 months.

By Corinne Ruff • Dec. 20, 2017

76% of online holiday shoppers headed to Amazon

The e-commerce giant is dominating this season thanks to free shipping perks and high conversion rates, according to CNBC's All-America Economic Survey.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 20, 2017

Amazon, Ralph Lauren, Gap show healthy overseas growth

Not surprisingly, the online giant has been the most popular U.S. website with international consumers this holiday season, according to a new report.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 19, 2017

Holiday 2017 may show strongest growth since 2010

Home-related purchases in particular are "way up," with home improvement sales up 11.6% and home furniture sales up 3.5% since November, according to a new report.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 19, 2017

Foot Locker returns to its roots with new West Coast flagship

The athletic shoe retailer is under pressure as sporty styles give way to more urban fashion, particularly with younger shoppers.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 19, 2017

Pop Box brings subscriptions to brick-and-mortar

The storefront showcases the contents of subscription boxes, allowing customers to see items in person before they buy.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 19, 2017

Amazon is bringing back 'digital day'

The Dec. 29 sale is the second manufactured promotional event from Amazon, which uses Prime Day to boost sales in July.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 19, 2017

Amazon, Target extend 'free shipping day' as Christmas approaches

Online sales have surged this holiday season and 94% have taken advantage of free-shipping offers. 

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 18, 2017

What nobody wants for Christmas: An Amazon-Walmart price war

The world's biggest retailer is closing the gap with Amazon in online prices and the technologies that control them. Can anyone keep up?

By Ben Unglesbee • Dec. 15, 2017

75% of holiday tech shoppers bought online

Most of the research for consumer electronics purchases also took place online, too, according to a study by GfK.

By Dan O'Shea • Dec. 15, 2017

November retail sales lift 0.8%

It's been a healthy start to the holiday, according to numbers from the U.S. Commerce Department and the National Retail Federation.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 15, 2017

Ivanka Trump opens a store in Trump Tower

The brand has struggled to make physical stores work, and its location of choice offers a mixed bag.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 15, 2017

Signet Jewelers losing customers over sexual harassment claims

The fallout has allowed rival Pandora to move ahead in certain brand awareness metrics, according to YouGov research.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 15, 2017

Retailers are understaffing stores — and losing sales

Store staffing is more important than ever yet one of the biggest expenses for retailers, and MIT researchers say they have developed a platform to achieve optimal staffing levels.

By Daphne Howland • Dec. 14, 2017