The European Union (EU) on Tuesday said it was formally opening an investigation into the fast-fashion retailer Shein over the company's sale of childlike sex dolls and what the EU called the company's "addictive design," according to multiple news sources. The BBC reported that the European Commission — the EU's executive arm — will examine…

Walking the floor at the NRF Big Show last month, one thing became obvious very quickly: retail isn’t short on ideas anymore. For the past decade, the industry has been stuck in a loop of pilots, proofs-of-concept and innovation theatre. Every year brought new tools, new buzzwords and new promises, but not always better execution.…

Retail CIOs are juggling expectations that don’t naturally align. Boards want visible artificial intelligence progress. An enhanced customer experience is expected from consumers across all communication channels. Stores need resilient systems that can tolerate anything a weekend rush throws their way. Digital teams want cleaner signals for the tools they’re deploying. None of this is…

Seasonal spikes have long been a feature, not a bug, of running a modern retail business. In the U.S., sales in November and December average about a fifth of the year's total. With holiday sales in 2025 alone expected to exceed $1 trillion, hiring plans must sync accordingly. But it’s about more today than simply…

For customers, returns are often when customer experience and loyalty is really tested. A confusing process, long wait times, or inconsistent answers can undo months of brand trust in minutes. Unfortunately, returns are a simple fact in retail. Post-holiday returns may spike in January, but the pressure they create extends throughout the entire year. The…