Today on Total Retail

The fashion industry thrives on anticipation. Brands stake billions on predicting trends, yet many still rely on outdated decision-making processes. Data is often siloed across departments, leaving even the most iconic fashion houses struggling to personalize customer experiences, optimize supply chains, and maximize revenue. The True Cost of Fragmented Data Fashion brands thrive on anticipation…

Email is the lifeblood of online retail. It drives sales, nurtures customer relationships, and delivers important notifications. However, email is also a prime target for cyberattacks. From phishing schemes to domain spoofing, the inbox is now a battleground where brand trust is tested daily. In this environment, securing email communications isn't optional — it's essential…

Levi Strauss has agreed to sell Dockers to brand management firm Authentic Brands Group (ABG) for $311 million, the companies announced Tuesday, reports CNBC. Under the terms of the deal, ABG will own Dockers’ intellectual property while Centric Brands will take on operations, handling manufacturing, sourcing and distribution. Under the brand management business model, Levi’s…

Retail media ad spending is projected to reach over $165 billion this year, making up more than a fifth of digital ad spend worldwide. However, this booming industry is built on shaky ground: retail media networks (RMNs) can’t actually prove who is seeing their ads. While retailers promise targeted advertising through first-party data, most can’t…

Retail is experiencing a spending surge as consumers shop ahead of the looming tariff enactment dates. While this provides a welcome sales boost, retailers need to prepare for potential spending slowdowns that will occur should prices simply get too high, particularly for specialty items consumers can do without. Here are five customer-focused strategies to navigate…

The direct-to-consumer (DTC) landscape is shifting under the weight of rising customer acquisition costs, tariff threats, overdependence on Meta and Google, and a lack of long-term strategic planning. While performance marketing has fueled explosive short-term growth, it's also created fragile business models that often falter under pressure. The most resilient and profitable brands are those…

Regulators have increased their focus on addressing workplace violence risks, including some with particular attention to risks associated with retail employers. Retailers from New York to California should monitor continued developments within state legislatures and adjust their workplace policies to account for these rules — new and old. California now requires virtually all employers in…

Bath & Body Works has a new chief executive officer, its second in less than three years. The personal care, home and beauty retailer has named Daniel Heaf as its new CEO, effectively immediately, succeeding Gina Boswell. Heaf was most recently Nike’s chief strategy and transformation officer until his role was eliminated by the sneaker…

The fate of TikTok in the U.S. is still in flux. At DMi Partners, from the beginning of regulation discussions, we’ve done more than stay the course for our clients; we’ve doubled down on channel investment, with great return on ad spend to show for it. One of the primary reasons? TikTok Shop. In this…

Imagine a customer support agent who never sleeps, learns faster than any employee, and can juggle dozens of complex tasks at once. Sounds like science fiction, right? It’s not. Welcome to the world of agentic artificial intelligence — a new frontier in retail innovation. AI was a major theme at the NRF Big Show this…