E-Commerce

Reuters reports U.S. retail sales rose less than expected in June, increasing 0.2 percent month-over-month, the Commerce Department said on Tuesday. Data for May was revised higher to show sales gaining 0.5 percent instead of 0.3 percent as previously reported. Economists polled by Reuters had forecast retail sales gaining 0.5 percent. Excluding automobiles, gasoline, building materials and food services,…

In episode 410 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Jeffery Fowler, CEO at Hodinkee, an influential editorial and e-commerce site for new and vintage wristwatches. Fowler provides an overview of the Hodinkee business, including its start as a blog (0:58), his professional background that led him to join the brand (7:00), and the drivers…

Shopping for back-to-school essentials, such as clothes, shoes and electronics, will be a bigger struggle for families this year who are trying to manage their household budgets with less disposable incomes because of inflation. Back-to-school spending by parents with children in grades K-12 is expected to decrease 10 percent this year over last year to…

Consumers love bargains. At the time of this writing, 12 of the 13 top Chrome extensions in the Shopping category offer some flavor of automated coupon codes, price comparisons or cashback. For consumers, these browser-based tools are a way to find the best bargains at a time of global belt-tightening. For online stores, they're a…

Amazon Prime Day, which began at 3 a.m. July 11 and ends at midnight July 12, saw average orders up from last year, according to data provided by Numerator, a data and tech company serving the market research space. As of 4 p.m. July 11, the average Prime Day order was $56.64,  compared to $53.14 in…

A recent consumer survey revealed that 76 percent of shoppers say they will stop doing business with a company after only two poor experiences, and these experiences can even occur in the same transaction. As consumers demand more value for their money during an uncertain economy, retailers must deliver a seamless, efficient customer service experience by leveraging automation.…

There are some brands out there that may think Prime Day is all hype. As the CEO of Volcanica Coffee, I promise you that's not the case. In 2022, Prime Day increased our sales by a staggering 52 percent vs. the previous year and we're optimistic for the upcoming event on July 11-12. If done…

In episode 408 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Sarah Townsend, digital experience manager at DVF (Diane von Furstenberg), a global luxury fashion brand renowned for its iconic wrap dress and signature prints. Listen in as Townsend discusses why DVF decided to launch its new ReWrap resale program (0:50), how the fashion brand is…

Jim Gilbert is co-founder and chief marketing officer of direct-to-consumer (DTC) brand Premo Natural Products. In this video interview, Gilbert discusses why, after years of marketing consulting work, he decided it was time to build his own e-commerce company with its flagship product, Premo Guard Bed Bug & Mite Sprays. He shares how Premo has grown over 100 percent year-over-year…

While having a product page with images and a simple description may have sufficed a few years ago, now the e-commerce landscape demands that your product pages are both optimized and effective. A considered, well-designed product page can boost search engine optimization, improve customer experience, and increase your conversion rate. For perspective, average e-commerce conversion…