Today on Total Retail

Ikea to Provide AI Literacy Training to 3,500 Employees
April 24, 2024 at 12:36 pm

Ikea announced earlier this month that it will be providing 3,000 staff and 500 leaders artificial intelligence (AI) literacy training in an effort to embed the technology across its organization and embrace the "future of technology and humanity," the company said in a news release. The courses offered include AI Fundamentals, Responsible AI, and Mastering…

E-Commerce Tips to Boost Father's Day Sales
April 24, 2024 at 12:13 pm

Even though moms will be celebrated in a few weeks, the time is right for e-commerce businesses to start planning for a successful Father’s Day selling experience. The holiday presents a prime opportunity for online businesses to produce new sales and increase customer retention. According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), three-quarters of consumers celebrated…

Making AI Really Work for Retail
April 24, 2024 at 11:49 am

Like every industry, retail is experiencing an artificial intelligence boom — and like other industries that operate with such small profit margins, any competitive edge is not only welcome but necessary to survive. AI offers benefits in five key areas for retailers: personalization, visual search, virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR), predictive analytics, and…

5 Reasons Why VIP Customers Are the Key to E-Commerce Growth
April 24, 2024 at 11:19 am

In the crowded and rapidly changing world of e-commerce, understanding the importance of loyal customers is key to achieving sustainable growth and long-term success. VIP customers significantly impact a business’ bottom line, often contributing a substantial portion of total revenue. For context, these are the customers who continue to buy from you over and over…

Best Practices for Boosting Digital Gift Card Sales
April 24, 2024 at 9:51 am

As part of the Benchmark Report: 2024 Digital Gift Card Leaders, U.S. Edition, a comprehensive report produced by NAPCO Research in conjunction with Blackhawk Network, 100 U.S. merchants’ e-commerce gift card programs were evaluated, including the purchaser and recipient experience for both digital and physical cards of the brands’ own gift card, based upon 135…

UK-Based JD Sports to Acquire Rival Hibbett in $1.08B Deal
April 23, 2024 at 6:02 pm

JD Sports Fashion has proposed to buy American athletic fashion retailer Hibbett Inc for about $1.08 billion, reports Reuters. JD Sports will pay $87.50 per Hibbett share in cash, representing a premium of about 20 percent to the U.S. firm's last closing price. The combined company would have a global portfolio of about 25 brands…

Crunch, Crackle, Chomp: Why CPG Brands Are Turning Their Sound On With Sonic Branding
April 23, 2024 at 8:04 pm

In a world with endless snack options, many CPG brands are looking to stand out in the supermarket aisle by taking a sound-on approach to marketing and investing in a sonic identity. Consumer packaged goods have long used sonic cues in advertising to give their products personality, such as those with familiar brand mascots like…

Is B2B E-Commerce a Side Project? Think Again
April 23, 2024 at 7:27 pm

A great web store experience is critical to growth for business-to-business (B2B) companies. However, many B2B sellers are failing to meet buyer expectations, which is a significant business risk. According to insights from our B2B Buyer Report, 91 percent of buyers in the U.S. would switch suppliers after a bad experience trying to purchase on their…

The Inner Circle Q&A: Natalie MacLennan, CEO, Dockers
April 23, 2024 at 5:51 pm

We are so excited to feature Natalie MacLennan, CEO of Dockers, in the Women in Retail Inner Circle Q&A this week. As Dockers’ CEO, Natalie oversees all aspects of Levi’s casual lifestyle brand across product, marketing, operations and commercial. Since joining the Dockers team in 2020, Natalie has been pivotal in transforming Dockers into a…

The Unseen Ethical Considerations in AI Practices: A Guide for the CEO
April 23, 2024 at 4:28 pm

Adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) is only accelerating among global corporate enterprises, thus CEOs and business leaders are positioned at the confluence of innovation and ethics as it relates to implementing AI projects within their businesses. While technical prowess and business potential are usually the focus of conversations around AI, the ethical considerations are sometimes…