Since 2017, Nike has significantly slashed its number of retail partners to better focus on DTC. Now, it's reversing course on some of those decisions and is renewing partnerships with Macy's, DSW and Foot Locker.

Newsletter

Sign up below to get daily news and analysis.

Sign Up

Analysis

Footwear retailers are using concept stores to drive localization

May 18, 2023  ■  4 min read

Footwear retailers’ use of concept stores to host their localization strategies is a culmination of some of the latest trends in the industry. Shoppers are craving in-store shopping and brands are increasingly pushing personalization as a strategic brand priority.

Shein bets on third-party marketplace, pop-ups to grow its following in the U.S.

May 23, 2023  ■  5 min read

After building a rabid following online, Shein now aims to further build on its following in the U.S. with pop-ups and a new third-party marketplace.

Other news to know

  • TikTok is working to “more than quadruple” the size of its global e-commerce business this year, Bloomberg reports. That would amount to $20 billion in merchandise sales — compared to last year’s $4.4 billion.
  • Inditex, the parent company of Zara, says that sales of its spring-summer collection jumped 16% in May. “We expect increased sales productivity in our stores going forward,” it said in a statement.
  • Retail jobs have recovered in most parts of the U.S. — but not in New York. In the three years since February 2020, New York City lost 37,800 retail jobs, according to a think tank called the Center for an Urban Future.
13%
Rise in Inditex's in-store and online sales
Top Stories Jun 09

Reddit introduces new ad capabilities to help brands better target communities

June 09, 2023  ■  5 min read

Reddit is introducing two new ad tools, Contextual Keyword Targeting and Product Ads, to build on its ad tech suite. These additions are geared at giving brands more control in targeting specific Reddit users, which marketers have been asking for over the years.

Amazon Briefing: Facing a profit crunch and uncertain economy, sellers are shaking up their Prime Day strategies

June 08, 2023  ■  6 min read

Amazon sellers are expecting a return to normal for Prime Day this year. After the pandemic, they’re better prepared to manage things like inventory, discounting and sell-through rates.

Rent the Runway narrows losses as it reports a record high in active subscribers

June 07, 2023  ■  3 min read

Over the past few years, Rent the Runway has struggled to keep its subscriber base renting as fashion habits shifted. While the company is now enjoying a boost in revenue, it’s still a long ways from achieving profitability.

J.Jill sees sales slide due to consumers’ price sensitivity

June 07, 2023  ■  3 min read

J.Jill’s total net sales were down 4.9% year-over-year in the first quarter to $149.4 million. Its e-commerce sales, which takes up 45% of the company’s sales, dropped 7.7%.

Special Edition
The Great Mall Overhaul

First, the mall was dying, then the mall was the future of retail and then came the pandemic. Now what? In this series, Modern Retail and Glossy go deep into the past, present and future of the mall.

Podcasts

Technology

Shop Cash/Shop Day

Shopify puts spotlight back on its Shop app with the rollout of Shop Cash rewards program

June 02, 2023  ■  5 min read

Shopify has launched a new rewards program called Shop Cash on purchases made using Shop Pay and redeemable only in the Shop app. Shopify’s latest update is taking direct aim at rival Amazon’s marketplace as the Canadian company focuses on its main quest of building retail and commerce software for merchants.

Good Counsel

Why big and tall menswear brand Good Counsel moved from a subscription model to a website

June 02, 2023  ■  6 min read

Big and tall menswear brand Good Counsel is giving its business a new look with its first complete e-commerce site.

How the digital tools retailers already possess are elevating customer experiences

May 22, 2023  ■  4 min read

Kim Melvin, head of global marketing and communications, Sensormatic Solutions The digitalization of daily life has shifted customers’ definitions of meaningful experiences, with personalization at the center of the equation for many.  A recent McKinsey study found that 71% of U.S. shoppers expect retailers to deliver personalized interactions, and a recent survey from PwC revealed […]

Marketing

Instagram and Facebook logos stacked ontop of gold coins on a pink background

Modern Retail+ Research Briefing: How social platform budgets stack up

June 08, 2023  ■  3 min read

In this research briefing, we share focal points from a recently released report about how marketers’ social platform budgets stack up.  

Participants of Champs Run Club

Why Champs Sports developed a local running club in South Florida

June 07, 2023  ■  4 min read

South Florida, a hotbed of active athletes, presented the ideal environment for Champs Sports to cultivate a community of runners. Through the run club, the Pembroke Champs Sports location has become a third space for these athletes to socialize with other members and connect with the brand. 

How GoPro uses its Million Dollar Challenge to source user-generated content year-round

June 07, 2023  ■  5 min read

Since its founding in the early 2000s, GoPro has become known for advertising its cameras with the help of user-generated footage. In the past five years, the company has built an awards program to crowdsource thousands of content submissions to be used throughout its marketing campaigns.

Operations

joann fabrics

As losses continue, Joann promotes a ‘back-to-basics’ mindset

June 05, 2023  ■  4 min read

Fabrics retailer Joann, which saw sales take off in the pandemic, revealed that net sales for its first fiscal quarter of 2024 dipped 4% year-over-year. Going forward, the company is focusing on what works, its executives announced — mainly, its sewing and crafting businesses.

New energy drink startups are hoping to give people a better buzz

June 05, 2023  ■  5 min read

For years, the energy drink shelf was dominated by loud conglomerate brands like Red Bull, Monster and Rockstar. While these brands remain popular, startups offering cleaner ingredients are increasingly entering the category, as part of a wider interest in better-for-you beverages.

Brands like Pact and Cariuma are driving customer loyalty with optimized returns and strategies

June 08, 2023  ■  5 min read

Sponsored by Happy Returns, a PayPal company The dramatic shift from in-store to online shopping during the e-commerce surge of 2020 and 2021 also fueled an increase in the volume and cost of returns.  For example, according to Happy Returns’ ‘Returns Happen’ 2022 survey, more than 60% of shoppers under 30 have purchased multiple items […]