Social Commerce

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…

The days of having just one or two places to sell your products or services on the web have long passed. These days, you have myriad options for moving merchandise digitally. As you craft or refine your business plan for online selling, it's important to know which avenues are most strategic. This starts with understanding the pros…

Pinterest, the social app and website best known for "pinning" recipes, craft ideas and DIY tips, is the latest platform to offer its users livestream shopping. Pinterest TV is a series of live, original and shoppable episodes featuring product creators that streams on Pinterest. "Pinterest TV episodes are refreshed each weekday and will be recorded and available…

TikTok turned five years old last month, which might be a surprise to many who thought the social media platform only emerged last year. And while it certainly gained enormous popularity and global appeal during the pandemic, this little app has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a lip-syncing app, or for…

In a digital world with so many choices on where to exert your effort and budget, the question for direct-to-consumer (D-to-C) merchants is really where you should be spending your time and what channels — new or old — can deliver the desired results. Smaller brands cannot be everywhere all the time nor do they…

Live selling, which some describe as “QVC on Steroids,” is rapidly emerging as one of the most innovative sales channels in the retail industry today. The technology builds on the proclivity of millennials and Gen Z audiences to live their lives through their smartphones, allowing prospective customers to view items they want on a livestream…

The concept of “social commerce” can be confusing. Some people think of it as when retailers use social media to promote their products. Still others think of it as “Influencer marketing,” aka getting endorsement from social media stars who share products and services with their followers. But it isn’t necessarily either of these things. Truthfully,…

A breadth of new social commerce tools and features will make shopping online this holiday season look very different from years past. Throughout the past year, e-commerce has seen an enormous boom fueled by physical retail limitations and closures caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. During this time, businesses have sought innovative ways to connect with…

Urban Outfitters announced Tuesday it would launch a secondhand apparel and accessories marketplace for consumers to resell their clothes. The new online thrift store, called Nuuly Thrift, is launching in the fall in the form of an iPhone app. Users will be able to post their clothing and accessories from any brand and can choose…