Merchandising

According to new data from IBM’s U.S. Retail Index, the e-commerce sector has been fast-tracked by five years due to the lifestyle-altering nature of the pandemic. Stay-at-home orders, store closures, and general pandemic-induced hesitancy from shoppers with regard to public places have shifted the balance towards digital shopping at the expense of the in-store experience. In…

Imagine a large catalog brand that decides to stock computer wearables like Hermès Apple watches that monitor the wearer’s health (in style) and sell for a few thousand dollars. Where is the best place in the catalog to display these items? In the tech section? Fitness section? Jewelry? All of the above? The answer depends…

Last week, Lord & Taylor returned from bankruptcy as a digital-only retailer under its new owner, Saadia Group. The Lord & Taylor site will feature exclusive collaborations and merchandise, as well as first-class service and unique events. The revamped website focuses on women’s and men’s apparel, homewares and beauty. Reportedly, children's apparel, fashion accessories and footwear will join…

Target announced it will partner with more Black-owned companies, CNBC reported. The retail chain will also launch a program to identify and support rising minority entrepreneurs, and include products from more than 500 Black-owned brands on its shelves or website. All of these initiatives combined will leave Target spending more than $2 billion with Black-owned businesses…

Nike is reportedly cutting ties with six more key retailers, according to Williams Trading analyst Sam Poser. In August, Nike announced it was closing accounts at Fred Meyer, Zappos, Dillard’s, City Blue, VIM, EbLens, Belk, Bob’s Stores and Boscov’s. While those partners were not insignificant, today’s list includes DSW, Urban Outfitters, Macy's, Shoe Show, Dunham’s Sports, Olympia Sports,…

Coming out of an explosive year, retailers and brands alike are looking to be better prepared to capitalize on the rapidly changing nature of retail. With e-commerce experiencing unprecedented growth during the pandemic, online retailers are looking to automation to enhance their overburdened merchandising teams' capabilities, without massive investment. In 2020, we saw online sales…

Talk of automation in business has historically been linked with conversations of rising unemployment, and the great battle of humans vs. technology in the workplace. However, as retail leaders blend physical and digital channels, many are beginning to see automation as an asset instead of a foe. For example, digital merchandisers got into the field…

In episode 290 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Kendra Stepp-Davis, senior content producer and co-chair of the Black Hive, and Randy Goldberg, co-founder and chief brand officer of Bombas, a comfort-focused sock and apparel brand with a mission to help those in need. Listen in as Stepp-Davis discusses the origin story behind the…

Bed Bath & Beyond launched the first of eight new private-label brands, marking the latest move by a national retail chain to sell its own branded products. The brand, Nestwell, offers a line of sheets, blankets, pillows, mattress toppers, duvets, bath rugs and bath towels. Merchandise in the collection is meant to be used every day, as…

Peloton and Adidas announced yesterday that they’re working together to create a new line of athletic apparel and lifestyle gear that come in inclusive sizes and unisex styles. The merchandise — which includes shorts, hoodies, tees, crewnecks, sports bras and jogger pants — sells for $30 to $85. Sizes go up to 2X, and unisex…