Retail Stores

In episode 421 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Chris Wantlin, chief retail officer at Ashley, the No. 1 furniture and mattress retailer in North America. Among other topics, Wantlin discusses the company's recent rebrand, how Ashley is bringing consumer awareness to its brand refresh, and the internal collaboration needed to execute the…

Rite Aid is negotiating terms of a bankruptcy plan that could see a significant number of its more than 2,100 drugstores permanently close, according to a report. People familiar with the company's talks with creditors told The Wall Street Journal that Rite Aid has proposed to close as many as 500 stores in bankruptcy, and either sell…

In episode 419 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Greg Elder, chief retail officer at L.L.Bean, a leading multichannel merchant of quality outdoor gear and apparel. During the wide-ranging conversation, Elder provides an overview of L.L.Bean's recently announced 2023 omnichannel growth plans (0:50), the retailer's approach to wholesale partnerships (2:00), and its decision to…

As we transition from Back to School to Black Friday and full-scale holiday shopping, foot traffic in stores continues to rise. Shopping-related destinations started the year off with a 20 percent increase in foot traffic compared to the year before and the lift is expected to be seen into the holiday season ahead. On the other hand,…

If you were to sit and watch a video of your customers browsing your store, you would undoubtedly see a mix of those who know exactly what they want and can intuitively find it, combined with a sea of shoppers baffled by the array of products offered. Shopping is meant to be a comfortable and…

In the ever-evolving landscape of retail, one trend has resurfaced with undeniable force: the return of brick-and-mortar stores. In fact, this trend presents a unique opportunity for retailers to thrive in an increasingly digital world. The fusion of physical and online shopping experiences isn't just a renaissance for traditional retail; it's a dynamic and unprecedented…

The U.S. Census Bureau announced that overall retail sales in July were up 0.7 percent from June and up 3.2 percent year-over-year (YoY), reports CNBC. The advanced retail sales report showed a seasonally adjusted increase of 0.7 percent for the month, better than the 0.4 percent Dow Jones estimate. Excluding autos, sales rose a robust 1 percent, also against a 0.4 percent…

Eighty percent of back-to-school shoppers are planning to buy their supplies at mass retailers (e.g., Walmart, Target, etc.), while 20 percent plan to shop at dollar stores, and 15 percent plan to shop at club stores. These are a just a few of the findings from data and tech company Numerator's 2023 Back-to-School Preview, which includes data…

Any retail expert worth their salt knows that personalization is the one true key to profitability. This is only becoming more important as the market grows saturated and customer expectations keep getting more demanding. But how will artificial intelligence technology change the ever-evolving retail landscape? Personalization is all about providing engaging customer experiences, which is…

A lot has changed since the pandemic, yet one debate continues to divide retail experts and it involves the uncertain future of brick-and-mortar stores. Pessimists argue that the return on investment is too low, and that the migration to e-commerce is only just beginning. Others believe that in-store shopping serves an experiential purpose, which cannot…