Today on Total Retail

Walmart is laying off hundreds of corporate workers across the country as it relocates many employees to its Arkansas headquarters. The big-box retailer confirmed the layoffs and relocations in a memo sent to employees Tuesday. In the memo, Chief People Officer Donna Morris said the move is meant to bring more of its employees back…

In the retail industry, success hinges on the retailer’s ability to engage with both potential and returning customers. However, considering the number of options available to consumers — from e-commerce platforms offering same-day delivery to online ordering with pickup — it's becoming increasingly difficult for retailers to make these all-important connections. Thankfully, innovative tools are…

Live shopping is revolutionizing the e-commerce landscape, providing sellers with comprehensive solutions to enhance customer engagement and elevate the shopping experience. By creating ultra-low latency livestreams, interactive chat, product demonstrations, transactional video and more, live shopping is empowering sellers to showcase their products and drive sales at an unprecedented scale.  As e-commerce evolves, live shopping…

The social commerce landscape is relatively new and still evolving, but it’s easy to see what makes it so enticing for online sellers. However, its potential is accompanied by pitfalls, and the brands that stand out most will be the ones to tweak their strategies to account for nuance, new trends, or price competition from…

By this point, we've all seen the eye-watering growth projections for the e-commerce sector. But the truth is, those multitrillion dollar valuations are very hard-earned, and entrepreneurs often don’t get to experience those dividends until they're knee-deep in backorders, supplier delays, and frustrated customers. Today, even experienced SMB merchants are struggling to deliver on their…

Shein has attempted to become a member of the National Retail Federation (NRF), the industry’s largest trade association, numerous times but has been rejected, reports CNBC. It’s unclear why the NRF rejected Shein’s membership application, but according to one of the people familiar, someone with sway is strongly against the company’s admittance. The NRF hasn’t totally…

Climate change was presented as “an inconvenient truth” less than 20 years ago. For many in 2024, it’s no longer a fringe issue but a cornerstone concern. As younger generations have matured into the modern-day consumer class, the role environmental realities play in purchasing decisions has never been more pronounced. For brands, this focus on…

False reference price and deceptive pricing class actions are a growing concern for retailers, with lawsuits multiplying faster than ever. Broadly speaking, these lawsuits allege that retailers that routinely offer items at sale prices or that run regular “limited time” offers are engaging in deceptive advertising. The lawsuits allege the purpose of overfrequent sales is…

The tides have turned for artificial intelligence in retail, and the stakes are growing: retailers know they must embrace AI or be left behind. As a result, I talk to dozens of C-level retail executives every week about how to best incorporate AI into their business strategy. CEOs and CFOs face heightened interest from their boards of…

Over the past few years, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has dramatically intensified its scrutiny of companies’ claims, on labelling and in advertising, that their products are “Made in the USA.” The FTC has launched numerous investigations to uncover potentially deceptive trade practices, asserting that untruthful claims impede businesses, mislead customers, and burden small business…