Social Commerce

E-commerce accelerated through the pandemic, and consumers are increasingly expecting to purchase products on platforms they already use. The established digital commerce leaders, such as Google Shopping, Amazon.com, and Etsy, have seen substantial usage increases since the onset of the pandemic, which is emblematic of the broader digital storefront trend. Historically, retailers have had a…

Social commerce, the latest darling of digital marketers, continues its meteoric rise with the latest predictions putting the industry at $1.2 trillion in purchases by 2025. With more than $958 billion spent in 2021, it’s clear that social commerce represents a very real, profitable tactic for brands. No wonder there’s hunger to invest. But at…

If 2020 was a year of unprecedented disruption and 2021 was the year that necessitated business agility in order to survive and thrive, then 2022 is most certainly the year of turning resilience into undeniable strength. This series is a peek behind the curtain of eight key initiatives that the January Digital consulting team is…

In episode 339 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Jason Kuipers, CEO and co-founder of ZOX, an inspirational wristband brand. Kuipers discusses his professional background, how he and his brothers founded ZOX following a family arts-and-crafts night, and the goal behind the uplifting, wearable product line. He shares why ZOX sells direct-to-consumer to…

The convenience of online shopping is indisputable — and it continues to give brick-and-mortar retail a run for its money. While 2021 saw a rise in brick-and-mortar retail as a result of lifted pandemic restrictions and vaccine availability, e-commerce sales still grew at nearly three times the rate of brick-and-mortar. But digital retail does not…

The retail landscape has reached a permanently hybridized state, with shopping flourishing both online and offline alongside stretched supply chains. Amidst this landscape, more traditional brands are working through a dramatic shift toward more e-commerce, while direct-to-consumer (D-to-C) natives consider expansion into retail distribution. Large, established CPG brands typically focused on selling in-store now face…

Over the last 20 years we’ve seen social media shift from simple, text-based updates to increasingly visual content, championed by app-based platforms like Instagram and Snapchat, with new entrants such as TikTok and Pinterest taking the trend even further. Social media now goes way beyond communicating with friends and family. The impact and growth of…

This past holiday season wrapped up with mixed reviews. While many retailers were bracing for stronger sales, the emergence of Omicron caused consumers to revert back to 2020 levels when it came to discomfort with entering brick-and-mortar stores. Supply chain issues moved up many consumers’ purchasing plans, elongating the holiday shopping season. While we wait…

Petco is among a growing number of retailers and brands that have begun testing livestream selling as another digital channel to engage with customers and sell their product. In the case of Petco, the retailer has partnered with Facebook to host livestream events via the social platform. In an exclusive interview with Total Retail, Jay…

Brand consistency is fundamental to sustaining a successful and dynamic e-commerce ecosystem. However, its true meaning, in practice, is often forgotten. It means much more than the consistency of appearance across all channels, but the consistency of messaging, interaction and seamless interlinking from one customer touchpoint to the next. This consistency is essential in fostering…