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Retail Therapy: Estée Lauder's $130K moon shot

In the ultimate 2020 partnership, the beauty brand teamed up with NASA to send up to 10 bottles of its Advanced Night Repair serum to space.

Amazon releases holiday gift guides before Prime Day

Shoppers can also use Alexa for inspiration by using prompts like "Alexa, give me holiday gift ideas," or "Alexa, find funny gifts." 

H&M integrates virtual assistant, live chat with Google services

Consumers looking for information about the apparel retailer can now communicate with the company directly from services like Google Maps.

The 5 worst-timed retail decisions of 2020

For many companies COVID-19 was the culprit, for others it was a series of unfortunate decisions. But, this year has hit the industry hard.

Is Costco's winning streak at risk without curbside pickup?

Retailers leaned on the fulfillment service when the pandemic hit. Eight experts discuss the future implications for the club retailer.

Gen Z spending hits all-time low

Piper Sandler found that nearly half of teens think the economy is getting worse and almost a quarter have had their work prospects affected by COVID-19. 

Macy's invests in installment payments firm Klarna

The department store also announced a partnership with DoorDash for same-day delivery through almost 500 locations, with no minimum order.

Will customer acquisition be the nightmare before Christmas?

While DTC brands have long struggled with acquiring customers online, their problems may be more heightened than ever this year.

Lowe's to offer curbside trick-or-treating this Halloween

The retailer is offering candy and pumpkins as shoppers look for safe alternatives to celebrate the season in the middle of a pandemic. 

Party City tapped by Nextdoor for Halloween AR 'treat map'

The collaboration could inspire families to celebrate the holiday in a way that follows social distancing guidelines during the pandemic.

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Retail Therapy: Costco takes its hot dog-soda combo very seriously

A tweet this week resurfaced comments the club's co-founder made to CEO Craig Jelinek, including, "If you raise the effing hot dog [price], I will kill you."

Bankrupt Tuesday Morning is looking for buyers

The off-pricer is seeking a sale as it tries to pave a path out of Chapter 11. 

Venmo launches its first credit card

After teasing it last October, the payment platform this week unveiled the card, which is integrated with the existing Venmo app.

J. Crew parent faces uncertainty post-bankruptcy, says S&P Global

Fragility in the apparel market and the ongoing pandemic threaten to derail the larger namesake brand and Madewell alike, despite a lighter debt load.

David's Bridal debuts AR, 3D dress shopping

The bridal retailer has continued to debut new technology as COVID-19 disrupts in-store shopping.

Instagram brings shopping to Reels, IGTV as commerce commands social spotlight

Tests will hit Reels later this year, which may help Facebook to capitalize on a virtual-skewing holiday season while gaining an edge on TikTok.

Deep Dive

The enduring fan base that boosts Bath & Body Works

The 30-year-old retailer continues to drive loyalty and promise — even in a pandemic. 

No new stimulus could slow or halt consumer spending: NRF

Though it's unclear how consumers will shop this holiday season, the trade group remains "cautiously optimistic" about the all-important fourth quarter.

Nearly 20K US Amazon workers test positive for coronavirus

The e-commerce giant called on other companies to reveal their infection rates, while a major labor union slammed the outcome as a failure to protect workers.

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SKU'd: LVMH & Tiffany's infinite breakup playlist

What started out as a beautiful romance ended up in court in Delaware. Here's the soundtrack to the dissolution of a corporate relationship. 

Study: 11% of U.S. shoppers have signed up for Walmart+

Research firm Piplsay also found that 19% of consumers said they migrated from Amazon Prime to Walmart's subscription service.

S&P Global Ratings sees slow recovery ahead for Neiman Marcus

The pandemic and the recession threaten to undermine the department store retailer's recovery well into next year, according to a note released Thursday.

Is Walmart finally in fashion?

The retail giant has refined its stable of brands through partnership, acquisition, expansion, revitalization and divestment. 

NRF calls on consumers to shop earlier in ad campaign

With the COVID-19 pandemic continuing to spread, the trade group stressed not waiting "until Thanksgiving weekend to kick off your gift shopping."

Walmart sells majority stake in Asda

The sale, which went through numerous hurdles over the past two years, allows the retailer to focus on its U.S. operations.