Merchandising

PetSmart Chief Merchant Kristin Shane on Staying Agile, Customer Acquisition and More
April 6, 2023 at 6:08 pm

While at Shoptalk 2023 in Las Vegas last week, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan spoke with Kristin Shane, chief merchandising officer at PetSmart, to learn more about the pet brand's agile merchandising strategies. Shane shares how PetSmart's merchant teams stay agile, the skills needed to be an effective retail merchant today, and how proprietary brands factor into the pet retailer's…

How CPG Brands Can Foster Great Retail Partnerships in a Post-Pandemic Environment
April 6, 2023 at 5:42 pm

There’s no denying that more and more consumers are having products shipped to their homes. Yet the need for brick-and-mortar stores remains strong. And that makes it imperative for consumer packaged goods (CPG) brands to prioritize building and maintaining retail partnerships. Just how important is physical shopping? A March 2022 PowerReviews survey showed that 95…

3 Tactics for Growing Revenue Using Data-Driven Search and Discovery
March 29, 2023 at 1:55 pm

Amid economic turbulence, many retailers are revamping their marketing strategies to try and bring in more customers. However, increasing advertising spend is not the end-all-be-all solution to boosting their bottom lines. Instead, they can increase their revenue by more effectively capitalizing on the customer interactions they already have on their e-commerce platforms and outperforming competitors.…

5 Ways E-Commerce Experiences Must Evolve to Succeed Among Economic Uncertainty
March 21, 2023 at 12:26 pm

The economic downturn is dramatically impacting consumer budgets, making shoppers think twice about their spending. This puts pressure on e-commerce merchants to adapt their online shopping experiences to maximize profitable conversions. Meeting this challenge requires a focus on five key areas: 1. Enhance e-commerce site search with dynamic ranking and merchandising. With every cent counting…

Inside H&M's Strategy to Become a More Sustainable Organization
March 20, 2023 at 1:08 pm

As Total Retail reported last week, H&M launched a resale program in collaboration with thredUP. “H&M Pre-Loved” offers shoppers an easy way to find secondhand pieces for their wardrobes. The new shop also continues the retailer’s sustainability mission of establishing circular business models for itself and customers. To learn more about its new resale program, Total Retail connected with Abigail…

The Story Behind Allen Edmonds' 100 Years of Success
March 13, 2023 at 3:55 pm

In episode 392 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews David Law, senior vice president and general manager of Allen Edmonds, a U.S.-based handmade luxury men’s footwear heritage brand. Listen in as Law provides an overview of the legacy brand (1:00), his professional background and role at Allen Edmonds (2:35), and the factors he believes…

Growing Business After an Economic Boom
March 13, 2023 at 11:32 am

The pandemic years were boom times for numerous sectors of the economy, including home and bedding, furniture, and home workout brands. In a short period of time, Americans spent $118 billion spiffing up their homes (some categories of home goods, such dishwashers, spiked 4000 percent). Home sales also spiked as people sought more space. But…

Target to Launch New Private Labels, Expand Others
March 2, 2023 at 5:05 pm

Target announced earlier this week that it would be stocking its shelves with more products priced under $10 as it tries to appeal to more cost-conscious consumers dealing with once-in-a-generation inflation. The retailer has shifted its focus to selling more food and lower-priced items under its higher-margin private-label brands including Favorite Day, Good & Gather,…

Nordstrom Partners With The Folklore Group to Grow Minority-Owned Brands
February 28, 2023 at 6:17 pm

Nordstrom has teamed with The Folklore Group as part of the retailer’s commitment to build a more equitable marketplace and reduce barriers to access for diverse suppliers, reports Yahoo. Through The Folklore Connect platform, Nordstrom’s merchants will be better able to identify and engage with wholesale fashion and lifestyle brands founded by Black, Latinx, Asian and other people…

Adore Me VP: 'Inclusive Sizing is an Operations Challenge, Not a Marketing Approach'
January 2, 2023 at 3:02 pm

In episode 382 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Christina Chang, vice president, procurement and planning at Adore Me, a leading online women's intimates retailer and Certified B Corporation known for inclusive sizing. Chang discusses the Adore Me business and its products (0:45), her professional background and current role (1:40), and how inclusive…