At the National Retail Federation Big Show in New York City earlier this month, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviewed Tony Bacos, chief product and technology officer at Stitch Fix, an online personal styling service. Bacos detailed how Stitch Fix works to target common shopping challenges and change the way consumers discover style recommendations through the utilization…

As 2026 gets underway, retail leaders are facing a hard truth. ESG compliance is no longer a box to check. Treating it like one is now a liability. New regulations, rising consumer scrutiny, and investor pressure have pushed sustainability out of the background and straight into the operational core of the business. What’s still missing…

Sustainable footwear brand Allbirds announced Wednesday it would be shuttering all full-price U.S. stores by the end of February in an effort to focus more on e-commerce and partnerships as part of its multiyear turnaround strategy. It will keep its two U.S. outlet stores and its two full-price London stores open. San Francisco-based Allbirds said…

The way people shop during the holidays has shifted so dramatically that the old idea of a single “peak” moment no longer fits. What used to be a frantic sprint around Black Friday and Cyber Monday has stretched into something slower, more deliberate and, frankly, more interesting. Consumers are buying earlier, using artificial intelligence to…

During periods of economic uncertainty, Gen Z is the most inflation-sensitive — and the most digitally savvy — generation. While they may be buying less today, when they do spend it’s most likely through social channels, making brand-building now essential. However, reaching Gen Z in 2026 requires more than showing up on social. This audience…