Merchandising

It’s a great day for a merchant when a shopper decides to make a purchase. Not only have they made a sale, but they’ve also created an opportunity for a lasting customer relationship. But to build a successful customer relationship, retailers and brands must remember that their job doesn’t end with a transaction. The customer…

J.C. Penney announced on Monday that it's adding Forever 21 to its portfolio of national fashion brands. Shoppers will be able to find Forever 21 products at 100 of the 650 J.C. Penney stores across the nation, as well as on the retailer's website. Apparel items that will be available include tops, bottoms and dresses. The…

As retailers prepare for yet another pandemic-altered holiday shopping season, there are a higher-than-usual number of uncertainties they must address to best serve their customers and drive sales. The good news is that sophisticated and increasingly accessible technology solutions are making that task easier. In particular, artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a valuable tool…

In episode 324 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Sarah Philips, vice president of marketing, and Tim Pitt, former senior vice president of marketing and merchandising, at Rent-A-Center, a rent-to-own industry leader. Philips and Pitt discuss how consumer behavior has shifted among Rent-A-Center customers in the last year-plus, how the business has reacted to those…

Customers have high expectations for online shopping. Not only do online retailers need to imitate the experience of in-store shopping, they also need to make online shopping worthwhile to their customers. For consumers, online shopping can be risky. Is the ordered product what they were expecting? How soon do they need the product? Will it…

Today’s shoppers expect a lot from online retailers. In a June PwC survey of global shoppers, respondents ranked important e-commerce attributes. Coming in at the top were fast, reliable delivery; in-stock availability; ease of returns; and convenient site navigation. These results underscore that the most important thing an online retailer can do to drive sales…

Retailers and brands are expecting strong consumer demand this holiday season, with major forecasts predicting a 7 percent to 9 percent increase in sales. Even with prices continuing to rise due to higher materials, labor, shipping and marketing costs, consumers seem unfazed and set to celebrate and spend. However, shoppers’ shifting behaviors and ongoing supply…

Spanx founder Sara Blakely says the business will expand into denim and other product categories following its sale to Blackstone, reports CNBC. Blackstone announced last week that it was taking a majority stake in the shapewear maker, valuing the business at $1.2 billion. Spanx is pushing into other categories of apparel in hopes of making…

Amazon.com sometimes speaks in mysterious ways. For example, sellers on the platform recently received a message saying, “Effective April 22, 2021, FBA products will no longer be subject to ASIN-level quantity limits. Instead, restock limits will be set at the storage-type level, offering you more flexibility in managing your shipments.” In plain English this meant…

When lockdowns first started, brands that lacked strong online storefronts scrambled to move their products online. The crisis resulted in many brands failing to take advantage of below-the-fold e-commerce content, also known as rich vendor syndicated content. But now that the world is reopening, it’s time for brands to rethink the content they’re presenting to…