Omnichannel
August 3, 2017 at 8:08 am
Retail is changing (big surprise). First, there was retail in all its traditional forms, from national chains to department stores to mass merchandise, along with local retailers. Then came big-box retail and large specialty retail. And since the turn of the millennium, we’ve seen the long expected powerful growth of online sales, including megalithic Amazon.com,…
August 2, 2017 at 3:29 pm
We’ve all seen the landmark acquisitions happening this summer: Amazon.com announced its $13.4 billion purchase of Whole Foods, and Wal-Mart is building out its online retail fashion business by buying Bonobos. The recent buying spree is no coincidence. Very few retailers have a full understanding of both online and brick-and-mortar, but the new reality is…
August 1, 2017 at 9:15 am
When it comes to the fate of brick-and-mortar stores, the jury is still out; for every store closing, there seems to be another one opening. Yet the numbers don’t lie. In the first quarter of 2017 alone, nine major retail chains filed bankruptcy. This is equal to the total number of all filings in 2016.…
July 27, 2017 at 12:24 pm
Birkenstock's CEO had a few choice words for Amazon.com. The Washington Post reports David Kahan, CEO of Birkenstock USA, sent a five-page email to the brand's retail partners about the online behemoth contacting shop owners and offering to purchase their products at full price. In the email, Kahan called the entreaty a "desperate act" and a "personal affront."…
July 27, 2017 at 11:38 am
Blue Apron announced this week a change in leadership. CNBC reports Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer Matthew Wadiak is out as COO, and will transition to a senior advisory role. "As a co-founder and member of our executive leadership team, Matt Wadiak has played an instrumental role in driving forward Blue Apron's mission to make incredible…
July 27, 2017 at 8:00 am
Summer 2017 has brought many superhero-themed movies to theaters. From "Wonder Woman" to "Spider-Man: Homecoming," people have been flocking to the theaters to get in on the excitement. And yes, these franchises do make a lot of money from ticket sales, but that’s not where the money train ends. The global collectibles category is expected…
July 25, 2017 at 11:57 am
Amazon.com has been in the news recently with its acquisition of Whole Foods Market and record-setting Prime Day. However, traditional brick-and-mortar brands still feel they have a competitive advantage against the (predominantly) online retailer — the in-store shopping experience. Consider that 45 percent of retailers surveyed for Total Retail's most recent research report "The Amazon Effect:…
July 25, 2017 at 10:27 am
Sephora said it's planting its "smallest footprint" in the U.S. yet with the launch of freestanding makeup studios. The beauty retailer announced plans last week to roll out the new Sephora Studio concept across the U.S., with the first location opening in Boston this week. The studios will be about 2,000 square feet, less than half…
July 25, 2017 at 9:59 am
The idea of "conversational commerce" has gained traction in recent retail conversations, particularly emphasizing the rise of online technology like chatbots and how retailers are using them to engage customers. The term, coined by ex-Uber, ex-Google product and UX designer Chris Messina in 2015, continues to grow in popularity in many retailers’ strategies, but a…
July 24, 2017 at 9:16 am
In an era when you can search for anything online in a matter of seconds, how do you encourage customers to ditch the search and, instead, return to your store again and again? I’d argue the key is genuine personalization … with a healthy dollop of seamless delivery. Personalization has been bantered about for years…
