Before everyone put up their out-of-office responders, Modern Retail polled a group of executives to talk about what's on their wish lists for 2026. We asked them one simple question: If you could wave a magic wand and change one thing about the retail industry in 2026, what would it be?
It was the year of bifurcation, with endless headlines talking about how the economy has now become K-shaped. Here's what it meant for brands.
On this week's Modern Retail Podcast, the editorial team looks back at the trends that defined retail in 2025, from private label domination to everything AI.
The CEO of Wolverine Worldwide, owner of brands like Saucony and Merrell, believes the company has been generally very good at developing products. But, he said, "I think we have to get better at telling stories."
It was the year of bifurcation, with endless headlines talking about how the economy has now become K-shaped. Here's what it meant for brands.
PopSockets CEO Jiayu Lin explains how the phone accessory brand is trying to adapt its offerings and reach new customers through unique partnerships with Target, Walmart and Best Buy.
The Athlete's Foot, a 54-year-old specialty footwear retailer, is launching a U.S. e-commerce site after discontinuing it roughly six years ago.
Secondhand gifts are shedding their stigma this holiday season as shoppers, squeezed by tariffs and inflation, turn to thrift stores and resale platforms for thoughtful, lower-cost presents.
Turmoil from tariffs and pressure on margins are forcing some brands to play it safer this Cyber Week.
Some Amazon sellers are reducing or skipping their Black Friday and Cyber Monday promotions as tariffs and platform fees squeeze margins.
Amazon sellers are experimenting with new ways to optimize product listings for the AI chatbot Rufus, adding more conversational language and product details despite limited guidance from Amazon on how the tool ranks products.
Lowe’s 2026 digital commerce strategy includes more AI shopping tools, plus more marketplace sales and video content.
Cori Voorhees, Partner Marketing Manager, Adobe It’s a busy evening in early December, and a shopper is trying to squeeze in some quick gift buying after work. She finds a site with a gift on her list and adds it to her cart. Prompted to log in or create an account, she chooses guest checkout […]
In the seventh edition of our Modern Retail Dictionary, we look back at the most overused buzzwords that drove retail conversations in 2025, from tariffs to value to AI everything.
As tariffs and DEI rollbacks squeeze Black female founders, Essence launched WeLoveUs.shop as an alternative marketplace to help brands diversify sales and reach consumers.
Starbucks has hired a senior marketing manager of fashion and beauty, a first-of-its-kind dedicated role as the company seeks to reestablish its role in culture.
Some may call this Target’s terrible, horrible, no good, very bad year. Others, sitting in Minneapolis, hope this year was when the retailer started to get back on track.
Nearly two years after hitting pause on sales, Minneapolis-based Rae Wellness is back with a slew of products and a renewed strategy of sustainable growth.
Tony D’Onorio, president, Sensormatic Solutions With consumers’ economic anxieties high and the holiday season right around the corner, retailers are looking for ways to preserve the cheer (and their own bottom lines) this winter. Closing in on the all-important holiday rush, leaders are hard at work refining and finalizing their holiday plans — and for good […]
