Retail Stores

Starbucks Shutting Down All Teavana Stores
July 31, 2017 at 10:55 am

Starbucks announced last week that it will be closing all 379 Teavana stores over the coming year. The move will impact 3,300 workers. "The company concluded that despite efforts to reverse the trend through creative merchandising and new store designs, the underperformance was likely to continue," Starbucks said in its third-quarter earnings press release. Most locations…

GameStop Rolls Out New Concept Store to Penetrate $12B Market
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…

Lane Bryant Launches In-Store Styling Service
July 26, 2017 at 10:26 am

Lane Bryant has launched LaneStyle Studio, a free in-store personal styling service. The service is designed to create an elevated retail experience that will drive consumers in-store. Customers can make one-on-one appointments with in-store stylists who act like personal shoppers. The service will be available in over 40 Lane Bryant stores across the country. Lane Bryant operates…

Can Brick-and-Mortar Retailers Take on Amazon?
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:…

Sephora Introducing New Store Concept, Beauty Upgrades
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…

3 Ways Tech Could Help Brick-and-Mortar Brands Escape the Retail Apocalypse
July 24, 2017 at 9:34 am

While e-commerce has been the fall guy for struggling brick-and-mortar retailers, a recent survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers commissioned by Bouncepad shows how technology could drive foot traffic — and purchase power — back in-store. An overwhelming majority of consumers (three out of four) want more tech in-store to improve their experience, but feel like…

Are Retailers Worried About Amazon's Push Into Brick-and-Mortar?
July 20, 2017 at 11:48 am

Long the undisputed leader in e-commerce, Amazon.com has turned its attention to the other piece of the retail puzzle: physical stores. In the last year-and-a-half, Amazon has opened seven bookstores across the country, with plans to open six more by the end of 2017. In addition, Amazon made a big splash last month with it…

Boosting Retail Sales With a Strong In-Store Cellular Signal
July 18, 2017 at 9:09 am

With everyone glued to their phones these days, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that digital engagement is now a fundamental part of modern retail success. In fact, a 2015 study found that 90 percent of shoppers use their phones while shopping in stores. Engaging customers with digital apps is an increasingly common strategy for…

A New Retail Ecosystem
July 17, 2017 at 8:45 am

In the past, you and I would shop for our wardrobe at a local mall by visiting department stores such as Macy’s and other retailers like bebe, The Limited, Banana Republic and such. It’s safe to say that technology has changed all of that. However, this shouldn’t be news to anyone. It’s happened before. Let’s…