Store Associates

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, frontline employees have been referred to as heroes — and rightly so. Retail and grocery store associates have been the backbone of communities, ensuring businesses could stay open during the crisis. Despite an appreciation of frontline employees, however, businesses are letting them down during this crisis. Frontline employees do not…

Prior to the rise of the COVID-19 pandemic, retailers were investing in stores by rightsizing their real estate footprints and reshaping the store experience around customer engagement. Now retailers are challenged with maintaining the same level of engagement, while also providing a contactless, safe experience and managing social distancing. Putting a mobile device into the…

Launching new in-demand products across a national retail chain during a global pandemic isn't an easy task. In this video, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan talks with Lane Mansell, vice president and general manager, Rocky Mountain region at AT&T Mobility, about how the company's retail arm is bracing for one of its largest product releases, the launch of the…

Holiday shopping in the COVID era will be unlike anything modern retailers and consumers have experienced. With deals beginning in October and extending through December, U.S. retailers are downplaying the importance of Black Friday. Instead, they're focusing on making every day of the 2020 holiday season count. When it comes to the impact of COVID-19,…

Retail has undergone seismic shifts since the outbreak of COVID-19, when we radically changed the way we behave outside our homes — and whether we ever even leave our homes at all. Brick-and mortar retailers have had to radically restructure their operations, from click-and-collect options to refocusing on online shopping. As states gradually open back…

Look at how a robust software solution identifies stores in greatest need of a visit and “prescribes” actions for store operations.

Many retail categories saw an uptick in online sales over the past couple of months. By mid-April, U.S. retailers’ year-over-year revenue growth was at 68 percent. Buy online, pick up in-store (BOPIS) orders also experienced quite the surge. In fact, Walmart Grocery quickly became the No. 1 most downloaded shopping app in early April. However,…

COVID-19 has proven to be both a unique challenge and an unprecedented opportunity for furniture retailers. Prior to the pandemic, consumers were already starting to feel more comfortable purchasing furniture online. In fact, spending in the category saw an increase of nearly 20 percent annually. This shift has accelerated even more rapidly in recent months as…

We’ll address how, through proper communication and training, Sephora was able to set its employees up for success while reopening.

The retail landscape looks completely different today compared to the beginning of 2020. COVID-19 has caused stores to shut down and employees to be furloughed. Retailers were already challenged before the pandemic began, and now many consumers are wary of returning to stores. Furthermore, social distancing regulations limit the number of people allowed in a…