Strategy


  • Target staff assist customers.
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    Valerie Terranova via Getty Images
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    Brands that amplify customer experience are 2.5x more likely to grow market share

    Customers’ direct and indirect experiences build 71% of brand equity, according to a JKR and Kantar report.

    By June 25, 2026
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    Courtesy of KeyBank
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    KeyBank modernizes its digital experience with customer relationships front and center

    The regional bank is positioning a forthcoming personalized insights feature at the heart of its mobile app and deploying a mobile app-only strategy to better serve its younger customers.

    By Caitlin Mullen • June 24, 2026
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    Top 5 stories from CX Dive

    The top stories from CX Dive look at customer experience trends, generative AI use cases and the components of a good tech stack.

    By CX Dive staff
  • Kroger, R-22 refrigerant, greenhouse gas emissions, leakage rates, April 29 settlement with DOJ
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    Brandon Bell / Staff via Getty Images
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    Kroger wants to shrink the CX gap between its top stores and others

    “We need to be more competitive, more consistent and easier for customers to understand,” CEO Greg Foran said.

    By June 18, 2026
  • A Starbucks worker holds a beverage.
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Why 3 major brands see a consistent experience as key to their turnarounds

    Metrics at Starbucks, Target and Kohl’s are on the rise, and all three brands are aiming at maintaining or improving consistency to keep customers coming back.

    By June 16, 2026
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    Courtesy of USAA
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    What brands provide the best overall experience?

    Among U.S. brands, just over half increased their total experience scores, while 4% saw declines, according to Forrester. USAA led the way.

    By June 15, 2026
  • A woman sits in front of Stitch Fix boxes.
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    Permission granted by Stitch Fix
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    Stitch Fix’s efforts to cultivate active clients pay off

    In the third quarter, the company posted higher retention rates and its first active client growth since 2021.

    By Daphne Howland • June 12, 2026
  • A person with a shopping bag stands in front of a grocery store display labeled snacks.
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    David Ryder via Getty Images
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    Consumers are worried about a recession. How should brands respond?

    Consumers are becoming choosier about how they spend their money, creating greater competition among businesses.

    By June 12, 2026
  • Soccer fans holding country flags
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    Getty Images
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    The World Cup scores companies new subscribers. Retaining them is another problem entirely.

    Fans from around the world are signing up for streaming platforms to watch the World Cup. But turning short-term subscribers into loyal customers is no easy feat.

    By June 12, 2026
  • A Cracker Barrel sign hangs on the outside of a restaurant.
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    Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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    Cracker Barrel reports rising guest metrics, but sales remain on the decline

    The restaurant’s Google star rating is up 4% year over year, but the company has yet to return to sales growth after the fall out from a botched rebrand attempt last year.

    By June 10, 2026
  • Sam's Club
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    Courtesy of Sam's Club
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    Sam’s Club’s first CXO to depart

    Diana Marshall made Sam’s Club “a lot more customer centric,” GlobalData Retail’s Neil Saunders said.

    By June 9, 2026
  • View of woman from behind examining bread aisle at store
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    Getty Images
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    Connecticut becomes latest state to ban dynamic pricing

    The law prohibits retailers from using personally identifiable data to customize prices for shoppers.

    By Sam Silverstein • June 9, 2026
  • An image of a McDonald's with a playplace
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    M. Suhail via Getty Images
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    McDonald’s to invest in CX tools, worker support for growth plan

    The McDonald’s > NEXT plan aims to improve the experience with automated ordering tests, hospitality improvements, and new tools for on-boarding and training.

    By Julie Littman • June 3, 2026
  • People walking past a mall store.
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    Daphne Howland/CX Dive
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    Victoria’s Secret rides cohesive brand experiences to strong sales growth

    The retailer is digging deeper into the customer journey to optimize its connections, CEO Hillary Super said. In turn, it's winning trust and growing sales.

    By June 2, 2026
  • Header image for "Consumer Confidence Falls 3 Points, But Spending Remains Resilient"
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    Getty Images
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    Consumers feel the economic squeeze, pull back on spending

    Write-in survey responses from consumers this month leaned toward pessimism, with two-thirds of consumers cutting back on spending, the Conference Board said.

    By Jim Tyson • May 29, 2026
  • Customers enter a Kohl's store on an elevated walkway.
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    Justin Sullivan / Staff via Getty Images
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    Kohl’s CX changes score minor wins, but the business remains challenged

    Improvements to digital friction and in-store consistency helped the retailer narrow its comparable sales loss, but sales growth is elusive.

    By May 29, 2026
  • Staff package Taylor Swift's new album, "Life of a Showgirl," at Target store.
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    Valerie Terranova via Getty Images
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    How Target is putting CX front and center

    The retailer wants to revive its store experience by focusing on the store basics, from employee engagement to carts and bathrooms.

    By May 29, 2026
  • A Best Buy associate rings up a sale for a customer.
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    Joe Raedle / Staff via Getty Images
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    Best Buy’s incoming CEO sees customer experience as core to its evolution

    Jason Bonfig plans to approach every decision, process and customer interaction by asking how it makes the customer experience better.

    By May 28, 2026
  • A sign is posted in front of a Dick's Sporting Goods store in Daly City, California.
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    Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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    Dick’s continues to reap the gains from its experiential stores

    Customers continue to spend more time and money at House of Sport locations, and stores are still driving comparable sales growth years after opening, CEO Lauren Hobart said.

    By May 27, 2026
  • Two customers with long dark hair standing in the beauty section of a Walmart store
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    Courtesy of Walmart
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    How major retailers are investing in their associates to better serve customers

    Lowe's is reporting success putting AI companions in the hands of employees, while Walmart and Home Depot are betting specialized positions will better meet customers needs.

    By May 27, 2026
  • A woman presents her business plan in front of colleagues
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    Getty Images
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    What CX leaders need to know about customer journey mapping

    The most common failure isn't creating the map. It's what happens after.

    By Michael Brady • May 26, 2026
  • An empty Starbucks redesigned for on-premise occasions with couches and nice chairs.
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    Courtesy of Starbucks
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    Inside Starbucks’ atmospheric and experiential renovations

    At a remodeled Chicago cafe, the proportion of on-premise traffic has doubled as consumers enjoy couches, comfy seating, outlets and warm lighting. 

    By Aneurin Canham-Clyne • May 22, 2026
  • people checking out at Target
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    Michael M. Santiago via Getty Images
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    Target’s CX investments lead to 3-year highs in store metrics

    The retailer’s first quarter results beat expectations, but there is more to be done before Target has “the most delightful shopping experience in retail,” CEO Michael Fiddelke said. 

    By May 20, 2026
  • The outside of a Target store.
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    Brandon Bell / Staff via Getty Images
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    Can Target’s small upgrades to carts, bathrooms lead to big wins?

    The retailer's efforts to modernize its experience aim to create durable long-term value for a key demographic: busy families.

    By May 19, 2026
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    Getty Images
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    Shutterstock agrees to pay $35M for subscription practices

    The Federal Trade Commission accused the company of misleading consumers for years about its subscriptions and making it difficult to cancel.

    By May 15, 2026
  • Frustrated person talks on mobile phone, sitting on sofa at home.
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    Customer satisfaction with US business stagnates, despite billions invested: ACSI

    U.S. businesses have poured over $100 billion annually into customer experience since 2013, according to ACSI. Thirteen years later, their satisfaction score is the same.

    By May 14, 2026