Strategy
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Courtesy of Choice Hotels International
Hotels tap into experiences as travelers seek maximum value this summer
Consumers are “prioritizing experiences that deliver a strong emotional return,” Priceline's Christina Bennett said.
By Jenna Graber • July 7, 2026 -
Brandon Bell / Staff via Getty Images
What CX leaders should do when a brand dies
The right approach depends on the type of shutdown and whether there's a customer relationship to preserve.
By Michael Brady • July 6, 2026 -
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TrendlineTop 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 -
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Why United Airlines is teaming up with Lyft on loyalty
The partnership demonstrates a key aspect of successful collaborations: Both sides get something specific from the deal, and neither has to worry about the other stealing its customers.
By Michael Brady • July 2, 2026 -
Lauren DeCicca via Getty Images
For luxury, the in-store experience still reigns
Some luxury maisons are getting the online experience right, EY's Rachel Daydou said. The key is creating this experience for items that are not available in store.
By Kristen Doerer • July 1, 2026 -
Scott Olson via Getty Images
Customers don’t expect tariff refunds. They expect fairness, experts say.
As businesses recoup billions in tariffs ruled illegal, how they communicate the windfall matters more to customers than whether they cut checks.
By Michael Brady • June 30, 2026 -
Courtesy of Rob Tannenbaum/CommerceNext
Ulta, Tapestry executives on modernizing omnichannel experiences
While AI offers new ways to drive traffic, stores still need to focus on customer experiences and brand loyalty, executives said at the CommerceNext Growth Show.
By Lara Ewen • June 26, 2026 -
Valerie Terranova via Getty Images
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 Kristen Doerer • June 25, 2026 -
Courtesy of KeyBank
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 -
Brandon Bell / Staff via Getty Images
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 Bryan Wassel • June 18, 2026 -
Courtesy of Starbucks
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 Bryan Wassel • June 16, 2026 -
Courtesy of USAA
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 Kristen Doerer • June 15, 2026 -
Permission granted by Stitch Fix
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 -
David Ryder via Getty Images
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 Kristen Doerer • June 12, 2026 -
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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 Kristen Doerer • June 12, 2026 -
Joe Raedle via Getty Images
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 Bryan Wassel • June 10, 2026 -
Courtesy of Sam's Club
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 Bryan Wassel • June 9, 2026 -
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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 -
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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 -
Daphne Howland/CX Dive
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 Bryan Wassel • June 2, 2026 -
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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 -
Justin Sullivan / Staff via Getty Images
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 Bryan Wassel • May 29, 2026 -
Valerie Terranova via Getty Images
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 Kristen Doerer • May 29, 2026 -
Joe Raedle / Staff via Getty Images
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 Bryan Wassel • May 28, 2026 -
Justin Sullivan via Getty Images
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 Bryan Wassel • May 27, 2026 -
Courtesy of Walmart
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 Bryan Wassel • May 27, 2026
