Deep Dive

Industry insights from our journalists

  • Mannequins and clothing racks in a store's display for Pride Month.
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Are retailers afraid of being ‘woke’?

    Brand values, diversity efforts and customer loyalty are put to the test as extremists come for corporate America.

    Daphne Howland • June 20, 2023
  • A worker organizes packages at a FedEx facility on December 21, 2022 in Houston, Texas.
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    Brandon Bell/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    Deliveries keep getting faster. Will it last?

    Shippers adjusted to pandemic-related disruptions to reach customers faster. But shifting shopper preferences and cost-cutting efforts may slow things down.

    Max Garland • June 14, 2023
  • Maybelline's first-ever CGI avatar, May, which the brand is launching alongside its Falsies Surreal Mascara.
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    Courtesy of Maybelline
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    How legacy beauty brands are aging down to reach Gen Z

    Ever-changing trends and flashy brands like E.l.f. Cosmetics are challenging giants like Estée Lauder and L'Oréal to draw from a new playbook.

    Jessica Deyo • June 7, 2023
  • A store display shows a person looking off to the side and tossing their hair, and the words "take pride."
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    How Target went from loud and proud — to silent

    The mass retailer remains quiet after pulling Pride merchandise from some stores out of safety concerns. LGBTQ+ groups, human rights advocates and marketers say that sends the wrong message.

    Daphne Howland • June 5, 2023
  • People at work in a large warehouse full of boxes.
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    kupicoo via Getty Images
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    After last year’s inventory tidal wave, where do retailers go from here?

    Bare shelves are still a recent memory, but many are learning to live on leaner inventories after overstocking in 2022.

    Ben Unglesbee • May 18, 2023
  • Image of an old fax machine, circa 1980.
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    luoman via Getty Images
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    Out of fashion: Apparel manufacturing needs a tech update

    Tied to fax machines and Excel spreadsheets, many companies are resistant to change and slow to adapt to new ways of doing business.

    Krishna Thakker • May 15, 2023
  • A round mirror with a small shelf holding a plant hangs above a blue bookcase. Items there include a lamp, another plant, books and decorative bowls. A bed with a white pillow is seen on the left.
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    Courtesy of Target
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    Why Bed Bath & Beyond’s private labels were a bust

    The now-bankrupt home goods retailer hired the merchant who led the development of billion-dollar store brands at Target. What went wrong?

    Daphne Howland • May 10, 2023
  • A the interior of a store glows through the front windows, with a sign reading "Bonobos" in white capital letters above.
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    Courtesy of Express, Inc. and WHP Global
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    What’s behind Walmart’s DTC selloffs?

    The retail giant has been ditching its e-commerce acquisitions for years to refocus on its core. But it could also mean a fresh start for Eloquii and Bonobos.

    Dani James • May 3, 2023
  • Piles of unsold multi-colored clothing in a large heap
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    Spencer Platt/Getty via Getty Images
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    An unglamorous solution to fashion’s sustainability problem: make less stuff

    Overproduction, greenwashing and unchecked growth have created a huge problem. Experts say regulation may be the only solution, but it won't be easy.

    Lauren Schenkman • April 17, 2023
  • Four anoraks, (brown, green, blue and navy) hang on a black rack. their collars and the background are cream-colored.
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    Courtesy of J. Crew
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    Resale’s big secret? It may need stores

    To join the secondhand market boom, many apparel retailers and brands have turned to third-party platforms that struggle to sustain a profit.

    Daphne Howland • April 17, 2023
  • A large sign marks the entrance to an outdoor mall, with shops along a walkway, lights strung overhead and bikes parked to one side. A cloudy blue sky in the background.
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    Daphne Howland/Retail Dive
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    Which mall in this California city can survive?

    A real estate mogul made his mark on three major shopping centers in Sonoma County wine country. His original vision from 1950 may be the winner.

    Daphne Howland • April 5, 2023
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    Allison Joyce/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    3 years later: How COVID-19 exposed the vulnerability of suppliers and workers to the power of big buyers

    A tidal wave of order cancellations in early 2020 had dire repercussions for laborers and their families. The consequences are still being felt.

    Ben Unglesbee • April 3, 2023
  • Birchbox SoHo
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    Courtesy of Birchbox
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    What happened to Birchbox?

    Over a year after being acquired by a women’s health company, the subscription beauty brand has a disabled website and outstanding vendor debts.

    Dani James • March 2, 2023
  • The indoor main entrance to Sweetwater music's retail store in Fort Wayne, Indiana
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    Permission granted by Sweetwater
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    YouTubers, podcasters help Sweetwater reach a record sales year

    The pandemic led musicians to buy streaming equipment, pushing the retailer to over $1 billion in sales – all with only one physical store. 

    Nate Delesline III • Feb. 21, 2023
  • Handbags in various colors and designs, pictured in individual gray thumbnails.
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    Retrieved from HERMES INTERNATIONAL and HERMES OF PARIS, INC. v MASON ROTHSCHILD, U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York on February 09, 2023
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    ‘MetaBirkin’ NFT creator to appeal Hermès trademark verdict

    A jury ruled against Mason Rothschild and his drawings of fur-covered luxury bags. His attorneys say the new technology doesn’t cancel the First Amendment’s protection of artwork.

    Daphne Howland • Feb. 10, 2023
  • Smartphone in person's hand
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    Courtesy of Shopreme
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    Grocers weigh the pros and cons of scan-and-go

    Despite Wegmans’ decision to abandon the technology last year, other retailers continue to offer the convenience-focused service — and more are showing interest in it, industry officials said.

    Sam Silverstein • Jan. 25, 2023
  • Interior shot of a busy mall.
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    danielvfung via Getty Images
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    9 retail trends to watch in 2023

    With the threat of a recession looming, the new year brings about a slew of challenges for retailers — but not all is gloomy.

    Retail Dive Staff • Jan. 9, 2023
  • Leah Daniels is behind a counter at her Hill's Kitchen store.
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    Kaarin Vembar/Retail Dive
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    How small businesses are navigating the holiday season

    With the impact of the pandemic ongoing and inflation adding pressure, neighborhood stores are facing similar challenges as their big-box counterparts.

    Kaarin Vembar • Dec. 19, 2022
  • Line up of Revlon products inside of a store with the Revlon sign.
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    Kaarin Vembar/Retail Dive
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    What is Revlon’s next chapter?

    The brand was exploring a sale even before the pandemic, but the current environment isn’t ideal for a bankrupt company trying to figure out next steps. 

    Kaarin Vembar • Dec. 14, 2022
  • A child holds a toy box for the 'Star Wars Boba Fett Starship.'
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    Dan Kitwood via Getty Images
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    Retail looks beyond its old love — the movies

    Toys and feature films go together like butter and popcorn. But with lower ticket sales and fewer blockbusters, “it's not just about movies anymore.”

    Cara Salpini • Dec. 12, 2022
  • A blurry figure walking into a store.
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    Courtesy of Amazon
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    Is Amazon done disrupting retail?

    The e-commerce giant is looking past the industry to expand its reach, and rivals have figured out ways to compete.

    Daphne Howland • Dec. 5, 2022
  • A person on a video call/filming/taking photos of a family toasting for a holiday dinner at home.
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    FG Trade via Getty Images
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    Gift giving meets revenge living: Why experiences are so important this holiday season

    Consumer spending this year could meet last year’s totals, but with fewer gifts expected to be given, landing the sale just got harder.

    Jessica Deyo • Nov. 15, 2022
  • A display showcasing Lululemon's women's footwear collection.
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    Cara Salpini/Retail Dive
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    Lululemon didn’t change activewear, it changed apparel

    The Canadian brand introduced retail to athleisure. Now Brooks Brothers sells stretch dress shirts and Levi’s owns a yoga business.

    Cara Salpini • Nov. 9, 2022
  • A warehouse with rows of packages
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    Courtesy of Medline
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    Holiday hangovers: Can retailers clear out their inventory piles as the season ramps up?

    After declarations about “decisive” actions to clear excess goods earlier this year, levels are still high and markdowns rampant. 

    Ben Unglesbee • Oct. 31, 2022
  • Lana Provost, a UPS package handler, loads packages into a truck at the UPS Centennial Ground Hub on December 6, 2021 in Louisville, Kentucky.
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    Jon Cherry/Getty Images via Getty Images
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    UPS and FedEx rate increases are coming. Here’s how shippers can prepare.

    Experts note that shipping rates are negotiable, but how amenable the delivery giants will be to concessions is up for debate.

    Max Garland • Oct. 28, 2022