The past year has been an eye-opening one, but industry watchers say the retail sector is quite healthy. New technologies, changing shopping patterns and an abundance of excess retail space mean that many of these developments are more a sign of evolution than trouble.

From the early days, STORES Magazine has focused its editorial coverage on how to better serve the changing customer and the importance of building relationships and developing services to cater to shoppers’ needs. We’re still discussing those same topics 100 years later.

Consider the convenience of online shopping, add a personal shopping assistant who is also an experienced stylist, and the result is close to Boon + Gable, which debuted in 2016. Co-founder Diane Loviglio sees her startup as a tech-enabled, in-home channel for established bricks-and-mortar retailers.

Executives at the Tommy Hilfiger Group had an idea: Wouldn’t it be great if people attending a fashion show could see something they liked on the runway and immediately buy it?

STORES' annual Retail Industry Buying Guide, the retail industry's definitive buying guide, is now available! Take a look at the digital edition of this annual directory, designed to help retailers of all sizes and in all channels find the applications they need to run a successful enterprise.

Technology has helped children imagine and create things in a whole new way. A unique invention from toy and consumer products manufacturer ZURU is doing the same — with something as traditional as building blocks.

Parents aren’t the only ones offering a care package for their college-age kids. Amazon recently announced a new monthly payment option for Prime Student.

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.

HSN prides itself on bringing new products to a large television audience. On this week’s episode of NRF’s Retail Gets Real podcast, HSN Vice President of New Business Development Dara Trujillo discusses how the company elevates entrepreneurs through business education, guidance and exposure.

NRF believes the landmark tax reform law will dramatically benefit businesses, workers and consumers. NRF analysis shows that the measure’s cut in the corporate tax rate will save businesses enough to create between 500,000 and 1.5 million jobs.

What will payment methods look like in the future? From contactless to cryptocurrency to peer-to-peer, Visa CEO Alfred Kelly will focus on how new payment methods impact both the retailer and the customer during a session at NRF 2018: Retail’s Big Show.

Dentsu Aegis Network has acquired Detroit-based HelloWorld, a digital marketing solutions provider focused on promotion and loyalty solutions. The business will be rebranded HelloWorld, A Merkle Company.

Vuzix Corporation, a leading supplier of smart glasses and augmented reality technologies for the consumer and enterprise markets, is pleased to announce a strategic partnership with Powershelf to deliver a comprehensive wearable Internet of Things smart glasses solution for stocking retail store shelves.

Self Point, a digital transformation partner for supermarkets, specialty food retailers and consumer packaged goods brands, announced the launch of a mobile-first, online store for Western Beef’s Bronx, N.Y., location. The new, customized promotions engine from Self Point allows Western Beef customers the convenience of online shopping, the ability to find special offers and fast, secure check-out.

Frank And Oak, the omnichannel men’s and women’s apparel brand, has selected Centric Software to provide its Product Lifecycle Management solution.

CashStar, a market leader in gift card ecommerce solutions for large merchants, announced the launch of a new digital gifting program with Belk, the department store that offers an appealing assortment of products focused on “Modern. Southern. Style.” To power a personalized gift card ecommerce experience for shoppers, Belk deployed CashStar Consumer; to enable shoppers to digitally send physical gifts directly from their ecommerce site, the company deployed CashStar Product eGifting.

BigCommerce and Visa announced a new partnership to provide Visa Checkout to BigCommerce merchants, enabling 55,000+ small and mid-market retailers to easily set up and accept the payment method on their branded websites.

Happy Returns, a technology, logistics and service provider of in-person returns for online retailers, announced the opening of its first Return Bar in New York City, at Rockefeller Center. The company’s new Manhattan flagship is located in the Rockefeller Center retail concourse and occupies a former ticket booth for Radio City Music Hall.

KeyMe, the leading resource for total key management, announced the completion of a major new expansion that increases the total number of self-serve kiosks within Bed Bath & Beyond locations across the country to 470.