Retail

These 5 trends will steer retail in 2025

Technology will continue to profoundly impact the retail industry in 2025, pushing the boundaries of traditional sales and e-commerce.

Retail

Meet 5 of the buyers eying 7-Eleven and its sister businesses

KKR and Bain Capital each offered over $5 billion in first-round bids for some assets of Japanese-owned Seven & i company, per Reuters.

Retail

A selection of items that cost less than $5, such as Halloween-themed socks and decorations, sit in a display below a sign that reads "Low Prices! All Under $5" at Big Lots.

I went to Big Lots. I didn't see a reason to go back, which might explain why the chain is fighting to stay alive

Big Lots is fighting to stay alive. A store in Maryland left BI confused about the retailer's purpose.

Retail

A closeup of the Van Cleef & Arpels clover pendant.

4 telltale signs of a fake Van Cleef & Arpels piece, according to a secondhand luxury retailer

The real deal is made with precision, and counterfeiters often miss the small details. Here's what to look out for, from thickness to shape.

Media

TikTok supporters rallied in Washington, D.C. to oppose a US ban.

TikTok sellers could be hit harder than influencers by a ban

If TikTok is pulled from US app stores, brands that sell on its e-commerce platform, Shop, may struggle to find a new home.

Careers

A Cargill meat processing plant in Arkansas.

The full list of major US companies slashing staff this year, including Meta, ExxonMobil, and Boeing

Companies have continued to cut jobs in 2024 after a wave of layoffs last year. Meta, Boeing, Google, and Tesla are among those shedding staff.

Retail

The entrance to a Party City store with a tree and bushes in the parking lot as someone wearing a face mask and carrying a plastic bag walks past.

December's mini-retail apocalypse rounded off a rough year for US stores

Big Lots, Party City, and The Container Store are all facing either bankruptcy or demise. The news rounded off an already tough year for US retailers.

Retail

I shopped at Kohl's to see how stores are taking 'aggressive action' to boost plummeting sales

Kohl's vowed to take "aggressive action" after sales dropped in Q3. A BI reporter visited a store to see how things are changing.

Retail

I went to HomeGoods for some last-minute holiday gifts, and the selection was overwhelming

I went to HomeGoods on December 23 and found a lot of options for great holiday gifts.

Food

five starbucks lattes lined up on a table labeled with different kinds of milk

I tried my regular Starbucks latte with 5 different kinds of milk. There's only one I won't be ordering again.

Now that Starbucks doesn't charge extra for non-dairy milks, I tried my latte with 2%, soy, coconut, almond, and oat milk to find the best one.

Retail

A Starbucks workers' strike will expand to more than 300 locations across the US on Christmas Eve, union says

The strike began on Friday over what the union previously told BI were issues over pay and unresolved cases related to labor disputes.

Retail

The pantry is a new symbol of success and wealth. Now, this CEO wants her grocery store to be the Sephora of food retail.

Pop Up Grocer's mission to be the Sephora of food retail comes as Gen Z is redefining groceries as a luxury and the pantry as a marker of status.

Culture

An influencer's clothing-brand launch was a huge miss for her followers, so she took the site down. She relaunched it 7 months later with better materials and lower prices.

Madeleine White acted fast to relaunch her clothing brand See You Tomorrow after pricing and materials were initially a miss with her followers.

Retail

a two-story Nordstrom in a mall shows the upper landing with the store name while a young mother and child walk in through the lower entrance.

The Nordstrom family struck a deal to take their namesake department store chain private. Here's how they built their retail empire.

The Nordstroms built their empire from a single shoe store in Seattle to one of the biggest names in fashion retail.

Retail

Outside The Container Store in New York City.

I visited The Container Store to see why sales are down. The selection was incredible, but the prices were higher than I expected.

The Container Store just filed for bankruptcy. I visited the store's Manhattan location in September and was disappointed with the pricing.

Food

hand holding up a gingerbread kit at trader joes

I shopped for groceries at Aldi and Trader Joe's, and my go-to budget spot let me down

I went to Trader Joe's and Aldi to see what festive groceries the chains had. I'm usually loyal to Aldi, but Trader Joe's was hard to beat.

Retail

Chocolate bars of various sizes stacked in a display, most of which have purple wrapping

Britain's most-loved chocolate brand was stripped of its royal seal of approval

Cadbury, a storied chocolate maker owned by US company Mondelez, has lost its Royal Warrant from the British monarchy, which it's held since 1854.

Retail

Former employees and supporters join unionized Starbucks employees as they carry signs in support of a strike in Virginia in 2023.

Starbucks baristas extend strike to locations across the country ahead of Christmas Eve rush

The Starbucks Workers United union announced an escalating strike, extending its work stoppage in stores across the country from December 20 to 24.

Food

roast beef sandwiches from subway, jimmy johns, and jersey mikes

I tried roast-beef sandwiches from Jimmy John's, Subway, and Jersey Mike's. None were perfect, but one stood out.

I ordered a roast-beef sandwich from Subway, Jimmy John's, and Jersey Mike's to see which popular chain does the classic sub best. None wowed me.

Retail

Amazon workers pose with a $25,000 check

How to help your Amazon delivery driver get a tip of up to $25,000 this holiday season

Simply thanking your Amazon driver can help them earn thousands by the end of December

Retail

The Walton family empire: Inside the lives of the billionaire Walmart heirs

The three surviving children of Walmart founder Sam Walton have a collective net worth of $340 billion, more than either Jeff Bezos or Mark Zuckerberg.

Retail

I shopped at Walmart in the Midwest and on the East Coast. Here are 7 surprising differences I noticed.

A Business Insider reporter compared grocery prices and store amenities at Walmart locations in the Midwest and the East Coast.

Retail

Vehicles are parked in front of a Party City in Alberta, Canada.

Party City is reportedly going out of business and closing all stores

Party City CEO Barry Litwin told employees on Friday that the specialty retailer is "winding down" operations starting immediately, CNN reported.

Retail

Big Lots says it will hold going-out-of-business sales at its remaining stores as it tries to find a buyer

Big Lots doesn't expect to close a deal to sell itself to Nexus Capital Management, but it's not officially going out of business.

Retail

Vintage woman with perfume bottle and twinkles around

The fragrances successful women are wearing this year, from expensive Aesop scents to a Gucci perfume dupe

One of the most popular luxuries of 2024 has been fragrance. Successful women specifically love scents from Aesop, Victoria's Secret, and Dossier.

Retail

Pedestrians walk past a Nike store in China.

Nike's new CEO said the company messed up 3 key areas that he's trying to fix — and it's bad news for customers who like cheap stuff

CEO Elliott Hill said that Nike would rein in the number of promotional events and focus on five categories of sports clothing, among other changes.

Retail

Racks of Skims clothing and mannequins line a wall. A large platform features a vase with greenery.

I visited the Skims flagship store in New York City. It embodied Kim Kardashian's monochromatic and modern branding.

Kim Kardashian's Skims brand opened a flagship store on Fifth Avenue in New York City. It features the brand's monochromatic aesthetic.

Retail

Teamsters president Sean O'Brien appears with Amazon workers outside an Amazon facility.

Some Amazon warehouse workers are striking. The company says it isn't affecting holiday deliveries.

Some Amazon warehouse workers walked out at several fulfillment centers Thursday. Amazon says it's not seeing holiday delivery effects.

Retail

A list of companies that have backed down on DEI, including Walmart, Ford, and Harley-Davidson

While some companies are moving away from diversity programs, it's something a majority of Americans support, per an April poll.

Retail

A Starbucks barista works at an espresso machine

Starbucks' new CEO said he wants to improve work for its baristas. They aren't happy yet.

A potential strike by baristas with Starbucks Workers United presents a test for CEO Brian Niccol, who has talked about improving working conditions.

Food

taco bell chicken nugget dipped in sauce

We ranked chicken nuggets from 6 fast-food chains. Taco Bell's new nuggets came out on top.

We tried chicken nuggets from six famous fast-food chains, and Taco Bell emerged as the winner.

Retail

I shopped in Target's dollar section and loved its options for last-minute gifts and stocking stuffers

I went to Target's "Bullseye's Playground" section for last-minute gifts and was impressed with the wide range of options.

Retail

A robot putting a poo emoji in a gift box

I outsourced my Christmas shopping to a bot. The results were spooky.

Finding the perfect gift is a nightmare. Having an AI-powered bot do the shopping for me was even worse.

Retail

People picketing outside a Starbucks store in New York's East Village in 2023 during the last Starbucks Workers United strike.

Starbucks is on the cusp of a major barista strike

The union said that the coffee chain had not settled hundreds of unfair labor practice cases or brought a comprehensive pay package to the table.

Retail

Walmart is testing body cameras for some front-line employees in Texas

Walmart says it is testing out body-cams for store employees in one market as a possible way to improve worker safety.

Retail

These affordable Chili's menu options aren't going away anytime soon, its CMO says

Chili's value meals have boosted sales, and the CMO confirmed these affordable menu options will remain amid inflation challenges.

Personal Finance

Engagement Ring Financing: A Comprehensive Guide

Learn how to buy an engagement ring with a credit card, choose the right card, find strategies for budgeting, and manage credit effectively.

Finance

Ray Dalio wants you to ditch unwanted Christmas gifts and give charity cards instead. Here's how they work.

Billionaire investor Ray Dalio has partnered with TisBest since 2020 to give away 90,000 charity gift cards worth a total of $5 million.

Retail

A Starbucks barista puts caramel sauce on a drink.

The latest change for Starbucks under its new CEO? Baristas can get triple the amount of paid parental leave

Starbucks will offer baristas up to 18 weeks of paid parental leave starting in March as new CEO Brian Niccol works to turn the coffee giant around.

Retail

Amazon employees sort through boxes at a Robotic Fulfillment Centre in England.

Bernie Sanders says Amazon's warehouse worker injury rates are far worse than the company lets on

In a sweeping new report, which Amazon disputes, Sen. Sanders says the company's focus on speed leads to "uniquely dangerous" workplaces.

So Expensive

Freshly cut oxtail is stacked on top of itself to reveal the cross section.

Why has oxtail become so expensive?

In the US, oxtail was once a throwaway cut of beef. But as it's become more popular in recent years, its price has jumped to $14 a pound.

Big Business

An employee moving frozen lobster claws on a stainless steel table.

Maine traps $1 billion of lobster a year. But is that at risk?

Maine catches 90% of America's lobster. Many have worried the population will collapse because of warming waters. But will it?

Retail

May Berthelot wears a white latte ribbed wool with brown buttoned sleeves pullover, a matching ribbed wool midi skirt, diamonds rings, a gold Serpenti ring from Bulgari, and a beige leather Birkin handbag from Hermès in Paris in March 2023.

The artistic director of Hermès explained why he thinks their $10,000 bags aren't 'expensive'

Pierre-Alexis Dumas, artistic director of Hermès, said the brand's bags aren't expensive because that would mean the quality wouldn't justify the cost.

Retail