What retail has in store for 2022

Just a few weeks into 2022, the retail industry has already seen signs for what the year ahead could bring — some good and some bad. President Biden’s vaccine mandate for large employers was struck down by the Supreme Court in mid-January, but that doesn’t mean retailers are done dealing with vaccine regulations. The U.S. Department of Labor is still pursuing a permanent standard and some companies have chosen to keep mandates in place despite the ruling.

The spread of the omicron variant, like COVID-19 surges in the past, is once again putting retailers on their toes, causing some to shift operations even as analysts predict the strain’s economic impacts will be short term rather than long term. Store closures are down over last year and retail sales finished out the year strong, but supply chains are still challenging the industry and causing significant financial hits.

Some of the forces that will shape the retail landscape in 2022 will only become clear later on in the year, but for the moment, we’ve gathered a collection of stories that speak to where the industry is now and what retailers could face going forward. That includes everything from the next phase of growth at beauty retailers to what we expect from DTC brands. Here’s a glimpse at retail in 2022.

• 10 retail trends to watch in 2022

  By Daphne Howland, Ben Unglesbee, Cara Salpini, Kaarin Vembar, Caroline Jansen, Maria Monteros

  • Jan. 4, 2022

  Last year upended some trends and accelerated others. What will 2022 bring for retailers?
  Read the full article ➔

• As 2022 kicks off, store closures are down 65%: Coresight

  By Ben Unglesbee

  • Jan. 31, 2022

  A slowdown in bankruptcies and a strong consumer have stemmed the tide of closures. Meanwhile, discounters have been on a building spree.
  Read the full article ➔

• The pandemic forces Walmart and Macy's to shift store operations

  By Daphne Howland

  • Jan. 5, 2022

  Uncertainty prevails in the new year as COVID-19 surges nationwide, leading some retailers to temporarily close locations or cut hours.
  Read the full article ➔

• Supply chains were made to be broken. Will the industry fix them?

  By Ben Unglesbee

  • Jan. 31, 2022

  All kinds of things can go wrong with long, complicated networks of firms spanning the globe and often concentrated by geography. Last year, it all went wrong. 
  Read the full article ➔

• 6 DTC trends to watch in 2022

  By Caroline Jansen

  • Jan. 18, 2022

  While 2021 marked a year of growth for DTC brands, existing problems became more apparent. Brands will need to address those challenges in the year ahead.
  Read the full article ➔

• The Backroom: Our traditional interview with the retail prophet, Doug Stephens

  By Daphne Howland

  • Dec. 30, 2021

  While the pandemic isn't over, 2021 seemed to show that physical locations remain important to retail. But each store must have something to offer.
  Read the full article ➔

• Supply chain snags could knock out $17B in apparel and footwear profit in 2022: report

  By Ben Unglesbee

  • Jan. 26, 2022

  Backups and bottlenecks persist, putting pressure on profits. And only 12% of organizations in the sector are leading in resilience, according to Kearney. 
  Read the full article ➔

• 5 tech trends to watch in 2022

  By Maria Monteros

  • Jan. 20, 2022

  In an increasingly digital consumer environment, brands need to pick up the pace to stay relevant.
  Read the full article ➔

• Are Sephora and Ulta on a collision course?

  By Cara Salpini

  • Jan. 18, 2022

  Signs point to yes. Here's what the retailers' new shop-in-shop partnerships mean for their own competition and the rest of the space.
  Read the full article ➔

• Omicron 'unlikely to derail' economic growth: Moody's

  By Ben Unglesbee

  • Jan. 13, 2022

  Analysts expect the disruption from the new variant to pass quickly. But supply hiccups and inflation will likely last longer.
  Read the full article ➔