Gap will team with fashion resale platform ThredUp on a program that will let customers trade used apparel for credits they can spend at Gap stores and other company-owned banners, including Athleta and Banana Republic. The retailer joins stores such as Macy's, J.C. Penney and Madewell that have joined with ThredUp on secondhand apparel programs designed to boost sales.

Floor plans for Amazon's first supermarket in Woodland Hills, Calif., show space for a micro-fulfillment center along the perimeter of the new store. Reports indicate that Amazon is working with Dematic, an Atlanta-based software company, to fashion a robotic picking area in the 33,574-square-foot store.

Trader Joe's is no stranger to innovative moves when it comes to locating its stores, and it appears the California-based grocer could soon move into a historic spot under the Queensboro Bridge in New York City. The space at East 59th Street and First Avenue, formerly occupied by The Food Emporium, was designed by the renowned Spanish engineer who introduced the "Tile Arch System" in the US in 1885.

Personalizing the shopping experience can be difficult to do at a retailer that brings in more than three-quarters of US consumers, said Rick Gomez, Target's newly named chief marketing, digital and strategy officer. The Target Circle loyalty program, launched last fall, gives the retailer a jumping off point to turn the data it gathers into specialized offers and unique experiences, he said.

Outdoor brands and retailers including Patagonia, Fjallraven and Backcountry have flocked to New York City's SoHo neighborhood. Utah-based online retailer Backcountry used its SoHo pop-up to build brand awareness and gain insights through in-person interactions with avid fans of the outdoors.

The coronavirus outbreak in China threatens to cause supply chain disruptions for US retailers, but shifting sourcing to other countries is a process that can't be accomplished overnight. "There's a lot that goes into the movement of the supply chain, from infrastructure to capacity and testing," said Jonathan Gold, NRF's vice president of supply chain and customs policy.

To mark its launch of Sky Dreamer in Chicago, Puma worked with Whisk, Firefly and Havas Media on holographic displays of the basketball shoe on vehicles parked at city landmarks. "Holograms have never been used as an integration into a D-OOH channel before, so [the] stunt is not only delivering the Puma brand message but also celebrating the innovation in one of the fastest growing media channels," says Whisk co-founder Matt Wilkinson.

While more Americans than ever plan to put their tax refunds into savings this year, they are also putting some money toward purchases, according to NRF's annual survey. Of the 65% of taxpayers expecting a refund, 10% say they will make a major purchase and 9% say they will make a "splurge purchase." Additionally, 10% plan to use their refunds for home improvement. See the data here.

Of the 65% of taxpayers expecting a refund this year, 13% say they will spend it on a vacation. Source: NRF/Prosper Insights and Analytics.

Thanks to mobile technology and social media, consumers have been rewired on shopping, and it may usher in one of the industry's biggest shifts in consumer behavior. NRF's latest survey with the IBM Institute for Business Value looks at shopping habits, drivers of brand and product choice, consumption patterns and willingness to change behavior based on personal values. Read more.

KFC will roll out Kentucky Fried Chicken & Donuts menu items nationwide for a limited time beginning on Monday, after testing them in two markets last fall. The options are a chicken sandwich served on two glazed doughnuts or a chicken and doughnut meal served in a basket, and customers will also be able to order the doughnuts with other menu items.