Deep Dive: Page 2

Industry insights from our journalists


  • A person window shops at store at a street corner. An orange corner is parked on the right, next to a stop sign.
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    Courtesy of Gap Inc.
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    What Gap Inc. needs from its new CEO

    Longtime Mattel executive Richard Dickson is taking the reins of an apparel conglomerate — whose brands all need some help.

    Daphne Howland • Aug. 16, 2023
  • American Eagle Back to School 2023 Campaign featuring Maddie & Kenzie Ziegler.
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    Courtesy of American Eagle
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    Back to school 2023: Can marketing transcend the turbulence?

    Top marketers from American Eagle and Amazon weigh in on strategy as the season’s spending forecast paints a gloomy picture.

    Jessica Deyo • Aug. 9, 2023
  • A UPS driver makes a delivery on June 30, 2023 in Miami, Florida.
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Why some UPS shippers haven’t diverted volume even as a potential strike looms

    As many businesses firm up contingency plans, others are maintaining their current delivery activity with UPS, according to parcel shipping experts.

    Max Garland • Updated July 25, 2023
  • Adidas CEO Bjørn Gulden speaking in front of a white background with a Yeezy logo on it.
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    REUTERS/Heiko Becker

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    Yeezy was only part of Adidas’ problems. The retailer has been falling further behind Nike for years.

    Since 2013, Adidas’ net sales have grown by less than $5 billion as it struggles to keep pace with the broader market. Could a new CEO and a clean slate reverse those trends?

    Cara Salpini • July 24, 2023
  • 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 remained 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
  • ‘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