Today on Total Retail

At times of economic uncertainty, retailers look closely at costs to ensure they're spending efficiently. Because of how difficult it is to truly assess return on investment, many cost-conscious business leaders cut advertising dollars early and often. While this tends to be a first line of defense against economic headwinds, it's not the most effective.…

The holidays are big business. That’s not going to come as a shock to anybody — but just how important are they to America’s economy? The latest figures from Adobe Analytics show that from November 2023 to December 2023, Americans spent more than $222 billion shopping online. That activity was largely driven by an increase…

In a keynote presentation at the ICR Conference in Orlando, FL earlier this month, Jim Conroy, chief executive officer of Boot Barn, detailed four growth strategies the retailer is focused on in 2024. Boot Barn, the nation's leading lifestyle retailer of western and work-related footwear, apparel and accessories, is one of the fastest-growing companies in the…

It's no secret the holiday season is the most crucial time of the year for most retailers, and for good reason. In the United States, consumers were expected to spend a record amount to celebrate the season. To capitalize on last year’s holiday rush, retailers needed to provide fast, personalized online and in-store shopping experiences,…

The fashion industry is still struggling to meet the expectations of a consumer base that has become increasingly conscious of the environmental and social impact of their clothing choices. In the U.S., 80 percent of consumers indicate that sustainability is a crucial factor when selecting a fashion brand. Younger shoppers in particular have shown that…

The end-of-year season is always a make or break time for e-commerce brands that can accrue earnings that see their businesses through quiet first quarters. Although inflation eased in the third quarter of 2023, the holiday season can be unpredictable and stiff competition will fight you for every sale. Therefore, you must familiarize yourself with…

While e-commerce adoption accelerated in the last three years — with nearly three-quarters of Americans (73 percent) now shopping online multiple times a month — e-commerce has become much more competitive. One strategy brands should consider to differentiate is to offer a seamless, enjoyable and personalized shopping experience, enabled by generative artificial intelligence. E-commerce leaders…

Artificial intelligence (AI) is enabling Walmart to move from being an omnichannel retailer to an adaptive one, at least according to Anshu Bhardwaj, senior vice president and chief operating officer at Walmart Global Technology and Walmart Commerce Technologies, who spoke at a session during the National Retail Federation Big Show in New York City earlier…

Retail has historically experienced high employee turnover, leading many companies in this sector to simply accept and incorporate this trend into their business models. The prevailing logic has been that it's more cost effective to continually hire and train new employees than to increase wages or invest in other strategies to retain staff. This approach…

In episode 435 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Mary Ellen Coyne, CEO, and Kevin McLaughlin, co-founder and creative director of J.McLaughlin, an American lifestyle brand. Listen in as Coyne and McLaughlin provide an overview of the J.McLaughlin brand (0:55), detail the origin of the company (1:55), and identify the customer behaviors they…