Retailers boosted social commerce ads for Cyber Weekend

Retailers funneled 45% of their online media budgets into paid social ads, which accounted for 33% of total revenue from Thanksgiving to Sunday.

By Robert Williams • Dec. 3, 2019

PayPal: Consumers plan to ramp up social shopping this holiday season

Nearly two-thirds of Canadian social media shoppers said they are more inspired by gift recommendations on the platforms than those in stores.

By Robert Williams • Dec. 2, 2019

Explore the Trendline➔

What's shaping the e-commerce landscape?

From pivots in digital strategies to challenges retailers must overcome with reverse logistics, here are some of the forces shaping online retail.

By Retail Dive staff

Mobile shopping to drive in-store visits

A new survey from The NPD Group reports that one in five online purchases will be picked up in stores.

By Lisa Rowan • Nov. 27, 2019

Black Friday cybersecurity responsibility falls to customers

Cybercriminals feed on shoppers with weak personal cyber hygiene. Have companies done enough to protect customers?

By Samantha Schwartz • Nov. 27, 2019

Want to appeal to young holiday shoppers? Invest in tech

Shoppers under the age of 35 will spend more this season but want streamlined technology and environmentally friendly practices, a survey found.

By Lisa Rowan • Nov. 27, 2019

Pensa Systems raises $10M to expand its inventory management tech

The technology uses computer vision, AI and autonomous drones to track what's on store shelves, allowing retailers to better manage merchandise.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Nov. 26, 2019

Pinterest’s new curated marketplace gives smaller merchants a holiday boost

Pinterest Shop gathers hundreds of shoppable posts from 17 hand-picked businesses ahead of Small Business Saturday.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 25, 2019

Over half of consumers plan to buy gifts via smartphone this year

Additionally, 41% of consumers have a better perception of brands that offer multiple payment options, according to a BillTrust study.

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Nov. 25, 2019

Will retailers avoid Black Friday website outages?

A new survey reveals that nearly one-quarter of retail companies don't have a plan in place if their websites go down.

By Lisa Rowan • Nov. 25, 2019

How mobile ads are powering a social commerce surge this holiday season

Platforms like TikTok and Instagram are increasingly blending ads and shopping.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 25, 2019

PayPal buys rewards app Honey for $4B in e-commerce push

As the payment company's largest acquisition to date, the deal adds product discovery to its platforms and expands merchant services.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 22, 2019

JC Penney rings in holiday proposal season with AR ad driving virtual try-ons

The mobile campaign with Verizon Media includes immersive, full-screen spots and a "wedding personality" quiz.

By Natalie Black (Koltun) • Nov. 22, 2019

Amazon introduces smart shelf reordering system for businesses

The Dash Smart Shelf measures designated products by weight to determine when it's time to replenish supply.

By Lisa Rowan • Nov. 22, 2019

Simon Property Group launches GuesstHouse space for DTC brands

The space at The Westchester shopping mall is the latest move Simon has made to woo brands and further blend the offline and online experiences. 

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Nov. 21, 2019

Instagram curates shoppable holiday collections inspired by 2019’s top trends

Popular hashtags on the platform like #PartyLewk and #NewParents informed a selection of products users can purchase directly in-app.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 21, 2019

Target bets on homegrown inventory system, distribution automation

With shelves stocked and replenished more efficiently, employees are free to take on more important tasks. 

By Samantha Schwartz • Nov. 21, 2019

Adidas’ AR activation drops shoppers into a trash-filled virtual ocean

Immersing app users in a littered ocean around the holidays highlights environmental issues and shows how the brand turns plastic waste into shoes.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 20, 2019

7-Eleven’s delivery app now handles Alexa, Google Assistant orders

New convenience-minded features arrive months after the chain debuted delivery hot spots, mobile checkout and AR loyalty tie-ins.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 20, 2019

Dick's Sporting Goods brings gear to life in CGI holiday spot

Videos of animation and live-action filming help tell the story of what happens in the retailer's store at night when the merchandise comes alive.

By Barry Levine • Nov. 20, 2019

Macy's suffers another data breach

The hack, which went undetected for about a week, comes at a particularly inopportune time for the department store.

By Daphne Howland • Nov. 20, 2019

Saks creates multichannel experience for 'Frozen 2' holiday windows

The annual window unveiling will include a live event featuring a musical performance by Idina Menzel, who voices Elsa in the film.

By Dianna Christe • Nov. 19, 2019

Walmart links mobile Scan & Shop with printed holiday toy catalog

Browsers can scan pages with their smartphone and add items to their online cart or wish list.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 18, 2019

Aveda taps AI for virtual hair color sampling

The try-on experience features 64 hair colors and a "color melt" effect for another 30 shades.

By Robert Williams • Nov. 18, 2019

Customer marketing solutions firm Punchh raises $40M

The funding will be used to improve the company's AI capabilities as it moves into convenience stores and other brick-and-mortar retail segments. 

By Tatiana Walk-Morris • Nov. 18, 2019

TikTok opens door to social commerce with test of shoppable video links

Footage shows how links embedded in posts can go directly to an influencer's curated Amazon page.

By Peter Adams • Nov. 18, 2019