Store of the Future

The store isn't dead, but its positioning in retailers' business models is changing. Technology, customer data and personalization is taking shape in new stores.

By Digiday

‘There was almost a bit of arrogance’: Why Topshop failed in the US
Digiday - Danny Parisi
When Topshop announced last week that it was filing for bankruptcy in the U.S. and liquidating all U.S. stores, it should not have come as a surprise. …
May 30
Target’s profitable same-day delivery strategy is driving digital sales
Digiday - Hilary Milnes
As Walmart and Amazon race to deliver online orders to customers in a one-day window, Target is reaping the profits of its store-centric same-day …
May 22
Why retailers are using their stores to promote their websites
Digiday - Anna Hensel
Stores aren’t dead, but what they’re being used for is changing. One trend: using signage in stores to drive customers to websites to make the most …
May 7
Retailers are still wary of mobile wallets
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
On Tuesday, JCPenney customers were informed via Twitter that the company would no longer be accepting Apple Pay, after a customer complained about …
April 24
‘Amazon Prime was a game changer’: Retailers are rethinking loyalty programs
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
Members of Sephora’s Beauty Insider program know they’re not joining a discount club with the occasional cut-price coupon arriving in their inboxes …
April 23
Point-of-sale loans gain traction among retailers
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
Point-of-sale loans, or loans offered to customers at checkout, are quickly picking up pace among retailers. The latest is Mastercard, who this week …
April 18
Retailers are testing in-store robots to support fulfillment operations
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
As store locations double as e-commerce order fulfillment hubs, big-box retailers are deploying robots to make operations faster and more efficient. …
April 16
A ‘savvy operator’: Why Dollar General dominates the discount retail category
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
Among discount retailers, Dollar General, with its 15,432 stores, is a force to be reckoned with. It’s not an easy category to win. Discount chain …
April 15
How Walmart uses money services to grow sales
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
Walmart is using money services to lock in customers, grow sales, and stave off e-commerce rivals. The retailer offers its customers menu of money …
April 9
‘Everything is well thought out’: How the Apple store has become a template for retailers
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
At a distance, McDonald’s 19,000 square-foot flagship location in Chicago could be mistaken for an Apple store. Its boxy, glass-paneled design, and …
April 5
Office supplies retailers want to become co-working and business service companies
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
Staples no longer wants to be thought of as a place to buy office supplies. In a brand revamp, Staples this week repositioned itself as “the Worklife …
April 4
Wayfair defines its offline strategy as it pushes into permanent retail
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
Wayfair is moving beyond pop-ups into permanent retail stores, joining the likes of online-first brands like Casper, Warby Parker and Everlane that …
March 27
Starbucks
With new store types and upgraded digital chops, Starbucks is evolving its retail strategy
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
Starbucks is looking to the next phase of its digital and in-store strategy that it’s calling “new retail.” The coffee retailer recently crossed the …
March 21
Advertising Industry
A ‘cutthroat market’: Amazon wants to reach lower-income customers
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
The company is in talks with EBT app startup Propel on future collaboration, according to Propel CEO Jimmy Chen. It’s also running a discounted $5.99 …
March 18
Advertising Industry
The future of the DTC mall
Digiday - Hilary Milnes
You can get the Retail Briefing delivered to your inbox every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Subscribe here. The openings of two new retail …
March 15
Advertising Industry
How Target is getting more DTC brands to sell in its stores
Digiday - Hilary Milnes
Target is out aggressively pitching so-called DTC brands with new deal terms, signaling a balancing of power in wholesale retail. The company now …
March 14
Dick's Sporting Goods
Dick’s Sporting Goods is strengthening its private-label assortment to lessen reliance on brands
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
Dick’s Sporting Goods is accelerating its strategy to grow its collection of private-label brands, in an effort to become less reliant on wholesale …
March 13
Advertising Industry
‘A takeoff moment’: Edible Arrangements rethinks its digital strategy
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
Edible Arrangements, the Atlanta-based fresh fruit bouquet brand, is embarking on a digital reset to drive more traffic to its stores. The 20-year-old …
March 11
Advertising Industry
Retail bankruptcies are driving growth at TJ Maxx
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
The retailer’s sweet spot is meeting a consumer need for discounted brand products while helping vendors offload unwanted merchandise. As more …
February 28
Aldi uses private-label products to fuel U.S. expansion
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
Aldi is pushing to become the third-largest grocery retailer in the U.S., but instead of e-commerce, its path to scale is hinged on an aggressive …
February 22
Curbside pickup is becoming a critical part of retailers’ Amazon-proofing strategies
Digiday - Hilary Milnes
Curbside pickup — the service that lets customers fill orders online and then have them delivered to their car upon store pickup — is becoming more …
February 20
How Samsung is planning its store strategy
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
Samsung is breaking out of Best Buy and opening its first permanent retail stores this Wednesday inside malls: The Americana at Brand in Los Angeles; …
February 19
Wayfair to open outlet store to recoup costs from excess inventory
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
While traditional retailers are beefing up their digital presence, online furniture retailer Wayfair is opening a big-box outlet store. The store, …
February 14
How delivery company DoorDash is pitching retailers
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
Restaurant delivery service DoorDash is expanding its reach to last-mile delivery for physical retail. The 6-year-old company, which reportedly raised …
February 13
‘A lot of problems would start at the top’: How Payless bungled its post-bankruptcy comeback
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
Nearly two years after emerging from a bankruptcy filing, Payless ShoeSource is reportedly preparing to file for bankruptcy protection again. Payless …
February 12
Why Target is focusing its mobile strategy on a single app
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
Target is on a path to consolidate its suite of mobile apps into one, combining mobile shopping, the loyalty program and payments in a single place …
February 8
‘HGTV effect’: Ikea is testing a subscription model for furniture
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
In an effort to grow repeat revenue and appeal to customers’ desire for newness, Ikea is testing a subscription-based furniture leasing model. The …
February 5
‘A new experience that plays off the nostalgia’: How Toys ‘R’ Us could rebuild
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
The effort is backed by a company called Tru Kids, led by former Toys “R” Us chief merchandiser Richard Barry. It has rights to the Toys “R” Us brand …
January 29
‘High end of the hype cycle’: Retailers are testing autonomous vehicles
Digiday - Suman Bhattacharyya
The race is on for retailers to incorporate self-driving vehicles into their last-mile strategies, but the technology is still far from mainstream …
January 25