The growth of Internet retail, saturation of mobile devices, faster shipping and more selection is changing the mall environment faster than ever, and nearly one in three properties are not expected to survive. Many of the country’s top malls are steadily raising rents and updating with more lucrative and relevant retailers.

Former FBI lead international kidnapping negotiator Chris Voss believes the art of negotiation lies in mastering the intricacies of “no,” not “yes.” His theories on tactical empathy and emotional intelligence can make a difference in approaching everyday conflicts.

One-third of consumers shop online at least once a week, finds the 2016 Future of Retail study from PR firm Walker Sands; 69 percent of shoppers say one-day shipping is an incentive to purchase.

DGX, a new concept store from Dollar General, adds food and drinks to the discount store’s typical merchandise mix. The stores are designed to go into urban communities with vertical living and work environments.

The digital edition of STORES includes must-read pieces, including the articles featured here. Read the current issue and browse the archives for issues you may have missed.

Expanding internationally is no small feat for any business, even for a large retailer like Walmart. Maggie Sans, former senior vice president and chief corporate affairs officer for Walmart in China, joins NRF’s new podcast Retail Gets Real to share her retail career story and the lessons she learned from working outside the United States.

Consumers have been quick to make new technology a part of their lives and expect retailers to do the same. NRF’s Jessica Hibbard looks at the latest NRF-FitForCommerce Omnichannel Retail Index to see how retailers are adding features that make it easier for shoppers to discover products, get what they want and collect rewards for coming back again.

Consumers say they will spend more than ever on graduation gifts this year as they fill greeting cards with gift cards and cash, according to NRF’s annual survey. With more consumers buying for graduates this year — 36 percent compared with 34 percent in 2016 — total spending is expected to reach $5.6 billion.

Omnichannel fashion retailer Soft Surroundings has selected JDA Enterprise Planning and JDA Allocation to replace manual spreadsheet-based merchandise planning processes to deliver more customer-centric assortments and maximized profitability.

In response to consumer demand for safe, high quality baby products in China’s booming market, California-based retailer Babyhaven announced the launch of its Chinese cross-border e-commerce website in partnership with turnkey e-commerce solutions provider Azoya International. 

Weebly, the website maker powering 4 percent of all sites on the Internet, will announce that soon its 45 million websites will integrate with Android Pay, creating a seamless mobile checkout experience.

BRAVADA International Ltd. has launched the LeggingSuperstore.com, a new e-commerce website on the Shopify platform. The Legging Superstore is a giant online leg fashion superstore that offers over 3,000 legging and leg fashion styles in regular and plus sizes.

Funko LLC, a leading pop culture consumer products company, has entered into an agreement to acquire Loungefly, a premiere contemporary fashion accessories company. Founded in 1998 and based in Southern California, Loungefly designs and sells a wide selection of unique handbags and fashion accessories under licensed brands that include Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Sanrio and Pokémon.

Pitney Bowes, a global technology company that provides products and solutions to power commerce, announced that the United States Postal Service will utilize Pitney Bowes EngageOne Video technology to support its journey to create a more connected, effective and modern mailing experience.

Shoe Palace has selected the Aptos Singular Commerce platform in the cloud to streamline and enhance its omnichannel retail operations to provide the “ultimate experience” for its customers.