Pricing

Target to Lower Prices on 5,000 Items
May 20, 2024 at 7:38 pm

Target said Monday it will lower prices on approximately 5,000 frequently bought items as it seeks to stay competitive amid signs consumers are experiencing price fatigue. The company said in a statement that the price cuts are concentrated in grocery staples like milk, meat, bread, fruit and vegetables, as well as paper towels and diapers, with…

Win Customers, Avoid Lawsuits: Minimizing Reference Price Litigation Risk
May 14, 2024 at 12:28 pm

False reference price and deceptive pricing class actions are a growing concern for retailers, with lawsuits multiplying faster than ever. Broadly speaking, these lawsuits allege that retailers that routinely offer items at sale prices or that run regular “limited time” offers are engaging in deceptive advertising. The lawsuits allege the purpose of overfrequent sales is…

The New Retail Reality: Embracing AI-Driven Dynamic Pricing
April 8, 2024 at 9:47 am

In an economic landscape filled with challenges, dynamic pricing emerges as a vital strategy for retailers aiming to maintain and enhance their market presence. According to McKinsey, optimizing pricing decisions could significantly impact profits, indicating that a minor 1 percent price increase might lead to an 8.7 percent profit boost. This modern approach to pricing,…

Price Fluctuations: The Digital Reimagining of Supply and Demand in Retail
April 3, 2024 at 10:57 am

Dynamic pricing has long been a part of the rideshare experience, sparking unhappy social media posts when “surge pricing” kicks in after a night out on the town or a major event. But while the immediate leap from fluctuating fares for a ride home to varying prices for your lunch might seem a stretch, it's…

How Dynamic Markdowns Can Help Mitigate Food Waste
January 2, 2024 at 8:30 am

The United States has a startling food waste problem, much of it caused by the grocery retail market. Thirty percent of food in grocery stores is thrown away in the U.S., and 16 billion pounds of food is wasted by retailers every year, according to RTS data. In fact, the food that grocers waste is…

How AI-Powered Pricing Software Can Improve Decision Making for Retailers and Suppliers
December 18, 2023 at 7:26 pm

With signs that retail sales are slowing and inflation remaining stubbornly elevated, more businesses are turning to artificial intelligence (AI)-powered pricing software to maximize revenue and protect operating margins. While cost cutting will always be important, it's this focus on the top line that now creates lasting competitive advantage. The momentum behind AI shows no…

What Does November’s Discount Explosion Say About the State of the Holiday Consumer?
December 12, 2023 at 5:56 pm

It’s fair to wonder whether merchants will soon pull their hands down from happy high-fiving over strong November sales and begin wringing them over the ample discounts they offered inflation-weary consumers during Cyber Five 2023. The long Thanksgiving to Cyber Monday weekend was a selling success, with e-commerce sales up 8 percent over a year…

Price Pressures Persist: How Retailers and Brands Can Navigate Changing Shopping Behaviors
October 5, 2023 at 11:37 am

As inflation persists, consumers are continuing to be cautious and experience stress. Financial reports from large retailers indicate a transition from discretionary spending to a focus on essential needs, an indicator of monetary strains among consumers. A New York Times article, “U.S. Consumers Are Showing Signs of Stress, Retailers Say,” notes that despite the resilience of…

Simon-Kucher Retail Exec Talks Consumer Behavior and Holiday Planning
October 4, 2023 at 6:15 pm

In this episode of Total Retail Tech Insights, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Shikha Jain, partner and head of North American retail and consumer at Simon-Kucher, a global commercial growth and strategy consulting firm. Listen in as Jain discusses the work that Simon-Kucher does with retail organizations and the positive impact that it has had on…

Adobe: Online Prices Fall 2.6% in June, a 36-Month Low
July 11, 2023 at 5:59 pm

Online prices in June 2023 fell 2.6 percent year-over-year (YoY), the most significant decrease since May 2020, when prices fell 1.5 percent YoY, according to the latest online inflation data from the Adobe Digital Price Index. June marks the 10th consecutive month of YoY price decreases, with over half of Adobe’s tracked categories (11 of 18)…