Digital Innovation

Kellogg Company recently announced the election of Carter Cast to its board of directors. As Kellogg continues to grow its presence online, Cast brings extensive experience in the digital arena. He previously helped build and then lead Walmart.com as its CEO. Cast also was the CEO of online retail company Hayneedle, Inc.; led the launch of the…

Later this month, Best Buy will start advertising try-before-you-buy rentals on its website for cameras, audio equipment and fitness trackers, the company recently told Recode. Best Buy is partnering with a San Francisco-based startup called Lumoid on the trial. The electronics retailer will feature the try-before-you-buy option on BestBuy.com and then send interested customers to Lumoid’s…

Johanna Tzur, chief marketing officer at James Allen, a diamond bridal jewelry retailer, spoke at IRCE last week about how her company uses video to showcase products. By using 360-degree video imaging and technology to zoom in on the diamonds 40 times, James Allen helps consumers feel confident in their shiny new purchases.

America has too many stores, too much inventory and too few shoppers. Macy’s, J.C. Penney, Sears, J.Crew and other retailers have announced that they will be closing stores because they can’t justify the return on these expensive fixed assets — and because consumers no longer choose to spend their money there. The internet’s influence on…

It's a bird, it's a plane … never mind, it's just my Amazon Fashion order. It was announced this week that Amazon.com received a patent for a shipping label with a built-in parachute to help drone and air craft deliveries make a soft landing. GeekWire reports the newly issued patent would have the shipping label look…

Good retailers are all about nurturing. If you’re doing it right, you’re perpetually taking care of the customers you have — even as you look to the future to attract and nurture the next generation of consumers. However, for many long-established physical retailers, built for an era that no longer exists, it can feel challenging to…

The athletic footwear, apparel, accessories and equipment brand continues to chug along despite increased competition in the marketplace. Nike increased year-over-year net sales by 5.8 percent in its 2016 fiscal year. In addition, the company increased its net earnings for the year by nearly 15 percent. (Nike ranked No. 44 on Total Retail’s seventh annual ranking…

Albertsons Companies announced the hiring of two key digital leaders who will collectively add 30 years of digital leadership experience in product and digital technology, respectively. Karl Varsanyi, who helped develop macys.com into one of the largest e-commerce sites in the United States; and Ramiya Iyer, who was instrumental in building and scaling Levi Strauss & Co.'s platforms…

Total Retail is excited to present its seventh annual ranking of the 100 fastest-growing publicly traded retailers. This year’s list, as in years past, is based on companies’ year-over-year net sales growth, comparing the 2016 fiscal year to the 2015 fiscal year.

With e-commerce now a normal part of everyday life, the number and frequency of in-person interactions is decreasing, and sometimes disappearing altogether. However, even as online shopping pervades, brands are finding important value connecting with customers face-to-face, whether through local pop-up shops, brand-sponsored community events or new brick-and-mortar locations. In-person experiences are often the best…