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The retail industry has entered a new era, one in which fragmented omnichannel strategies are no longer enough to meet rising consumer expectations and mounting operational pressures. According to Manhattan Associates’ latest report, Unified Commerce Powers Future Retail Success, the retailers pulling ahead are those that have moved beyond omnichannel and embraced unified commerce: a…

For years, the marketing industry has been nudged toward a narrative of convergence: that influencer marketing and affiliate marketing are on an inevitable path to becoming one. The argument is tempting. Both involve third-party partners. Both thrive on digital platforms. Both have been swept into the same vendor pitches and industry conference tracks. However, this…

Retailers have long allowed customers to trade old devices for credit toward new purchases; it’s a well-established industry practice. And yet, most retailers still don’t treat it as a core sales driver. With consumer interest in trade-ins growing, now is the time for retailers to examine how they structure and market their programs. Currently, there’s…

Inventory data has quietly become the most important customer experience (CX) system in modern retail, and the foundation of true, storewide intelligence that connects what customers see on shelves with what systems believe is available. When shelf reality and system reality match, every other experience promised — from personalization to buy online, pick up in-store…

Apple said on Monday that John Ternus is succeeding Tim Cook as CEO, with Cook assuming the role of executive chairman on Sept. 1. Ternus, a senior vice president of hardware engineering, will join Apple’s board of directors when he becomes CEO. Apple’s non-executive chairman Arthur Levinson will become the iPhone-maker’s lead independent director on…

A steady stream of new customers keeps revenue moving even as earlier customers fail to convert into repeat buyers. However, over time the imbalance builds and catches up, pushing growth toward constant replacement instead of repeat behavior and putting more pressure on spend. When that strain shows up, teams often double down on what looks…

When times get tough, the old playbook says to tighten your belt and cut costs wherever you can. But small businesses in 2026 are flipping the script. For Constant Contact’s latest Small Business Now report, we surveyed more than 1,500 small business owners to understand their concerns and strategies around marketing for 2026. While they…

Retail’s retreat from self-checkout (SCO) is swift and highly visible as major chains are aggressively scaling back lanes. Even local governments are beginning to get involved, with proposed legislation in places like New York City aimed at restricting usage and increasing staffing requirements. SCO feels like it’s assumed the most significant amount of blame for…

Artificial intelligence-driven traffic to U.S. retail websites increased 4,700 percent in 2025. Retailers that have developed an agentic AI digital commerce space, or are exploring that possibility, are facing new challenges and risks as consumer use explodes. What is Agentic AI? Retailers have to meet current customer expectations by providing an omnichannel shopping experience that…

Allbirds, known for its eco-friendly shoes before losing its valuation and closing all full-priced stores, announced this week it was pivoting to become an AI infrastructure business. The company announced Wednesday it had entered into an agreement with an unnamed institutional investor for $50 million and will change its name to NewBird AI, the Associated…

After attending NRF Big Show earlier this year and EuroShop more recently, it’s clear that retailers aren’t short of ideas. They’re focused on what actually works, consistently, across stores, day in and day out, and that shift points to a broader reality the industry has been circling for some time. Retail’s biggest challenge is execution…

“We centralized our data. Where are the insights?” I hear this from marketing leaders every week. They thought bringing all of their data  together would make their decision-making easier. Instead, they got a clean dashboard. The data’s there, but it’s not telling them what to do next. So, they start shopping for answers elsewhere. Maybe…

The retail industry spent the past decade building big. Scale was every CIO's mantra — massive systems designed to support millions of users and petabytes of data. And for a while, that strategy worked. E-commerce platforms handle holiday spikes. Cloud infrastructure powers businesses of every size. The engineering challenge of scale has largely been solved.…

The 2025 holiday season may be behind us, but the pressures that shaped it like persistent inflation, cautious consumer sentiment, and shifting expectations are carrying directly into the summer 2026 retail season. According to the National Retail Federation, consumers remain value-conscious, with spending growth expected to be modest as households continue to prioritize essentials and…

Retail sales rose again in March as consumers received higher-than-usual tax refunds that made up for increased gasoline prices, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions, released by the National Retail Federation (NRF). “Retail sales grew for a sixth consecutive month in March as the first wave of tax refunds offset higher…

If there's anything consistent when it comes to global trade at present, it is its constant inconsistencies. Global sourcing is entering a new phase defined less by cost optimization and more by resilience and flexibility. So far this year, retailers and brands are navigating a complex environment shaped by tariffs, geopolitical tensions, and shifting trade…

Privacy regulation in the U.S. has moved out of policy and into production. As new state laws emerge in Indiana, Kentucky, and Rhode Island, businesses are navigating a growing patchwork of rules that now shape how digital commerce actually runs. For years, privacy compliance lived with legal and security teams. Today, it shows up in…

Physical retail is fracturing into specialized formats. Some locations function as micro-distribution centers processing online orders. Others prioritize in-person engagement and product discovery. The shift isn't cosmetic. It reflects a fundamental change in why shoppers visit stores at all. Instant availability has become the baseline, and retailers are reconfiguring entire networks to match that expectation.…

Before signing on the dotted line, many last-mile carriers promise perfection. However, strong partnerships aren't built on flawless service guarantees. They're built on how quickly issues are resolved, how clearly teams communicate, and how both sides take accountability when something goes wrong. Because, inevitably, something will go wrong. A winter storm shuts down major hubs…

David's Bridal has launched Shopify's Agentic Storefronts across ChatGPT and Microsoft Copilot, further cementing its reputation as the leading artificial intelligence-powered marketplace, media network, and planning ecosystem for life's most meaningful celebrations. The move unlocks a new, high-growth commerce channel where products are discovered, recommended, and purchased through AI conversations. David's is among the first…