Retail Stores

Supporting the Retail Store: Be the Superhero for Your District and Regional Managers
January 23, 2018 at 10:49 am

As those of us in the retail industry are aware, life can be very busy, and at times very chaotic, for regional and district managers — and that's an understatement. They're responsible for the correct, on-time and accurate execution of operational plans and directives across all stores. This includes overseeing the dozens and dozens of…

Amazon Opens Automated Grocery Store, Amazon Go, to the Public
January 22, 2018 at 11:14 am

Amazon.com on Monday will open Amazon Go, its automated grocery store in Seattle, to the public. The store replaces cashiers with a checkout-free shopping experience made with with what Amazon calls "Just Walk Out" technology that uses computer vision, deep learning algorithms and sensor fusion — many of the same advances being used to develop autonomous…

Online Startup Blank Label Adds Brick-and-Mortar Stores
January 15, 2018 at 10:52 am

In episode 126 of Total Retail Talks, Fan Bi, founder and CEO of Blank Label, a retailer of custom menswear, discusses the digital-native brand's decision to open brick-and-mortar stores. Bi discusses the role stores play in customers’ purchase journeys, and why Blank Label is committed to the channel going forward.

2017 Strongest Holiday Season Since Great Recession, NRF Reports
January 12, 2018 at 1:39 pm

It was a very merry holiday season for retailers. This morning, the National Retail Federation (NRF) reported holiday sales (November and December) increased 5.5 percent over the same period in 2016. Total sales reached $691.9 billion as growing wages, stronger employment and higher confidence led consumers to spend more than had been expected. The sales…

Kohl's to Partner With Grocers, Convenience Stores to Fill Vacant Store Space
January 11, 2018 at 1:44 pm

Big-box retailer Kohl's plans to partner with grocery stores and convenience stores to lease the white space left in the roughly 300 stores it has "right-sized" over the past several years, CEO Kevin Mansell told CNBC at ICR's conference this week. The department store has created operationally smaller, more profitable stores within its roughly 87,000-square-foot boxes. The…

5 Questions That Can Improve Your In-Store Experience
January 10, 2018 at 11:13 am

Ask and you shall (usually) receive. According to research from Accenture, 35 percent of millennials and 40 percent of Gen Zs say they often or very often provide retailers with direct feedback when prompted. Make the most of this opportunity, especially with the younger part of your customer base, by gathering valuable insights whenever possible. The…

Target Latest Retailer to Report Strong Holiday Sales
January 9, 2018 at 1:09 pm

Add Target Corp. to the growing list of retailers who had a more robust holiday season as shoppers were in a spending mood. The Minneapolis-based retailer reported this morning that comparable sales in November and December rose 3.4 percent, much higher than its forecast for sales to be flat to up 2 percent. The company…

Sears to Close an Additional 100+ Stores
January 5, 2018 at 1:26 pm

Sears Holdings, parent company of Sears and Kmart, told its employees Thursday that it will be closing more than 100 additional stores this year, according to a report from CNBC. The store closings consist of 64 Kmart stores and 39 Sears stores, all of which are expected to shut their doors between early March and…

Macy's Announces New Store Closures, Job Cuts
January 4, 2018 at 2:00 pm

Macy's is planning 5,000 job cuts, including the closure of seven previously unidentified stores and other cuts at remaining locations, as it seeks stability in a tumultuous climate for physical retail. The retailer's cost reductions come after its holiday sales in stores open at least a year rose 1.1 percent. The moves are part of a plan…