Today on Total Retail

Many entrepreneurs have turned to e-commerce thanks to its incredible flexibility and extraordinary earning potential. However, as is the case with any business, there are challenges to be aware of — and the challenges in the e-commerce sector can be particularly unique, especially in the light of a tumultuous economy. How the Economy Affects E-Commerce Recent…

Amazon.com U.S. retail sales will total $641.3 billion in 2024, an increase of 19.9 percent or $106.6 billion from 2023, according to a new report from digital retail consultancy Momentum Commerce that tracks Amazon's U.S. retail sales as well as hundreds of Amazon product categories. According to the report, the following top-level, physical goods categories…

The months after the holiday season can be chaotic due to a flurry of returns, accompanied with the pressure to meet new sales goals and start the year off strong. This year, retailers anticipate an approximate $25 billion in fraudulent return claims, representing approximately 16.5 percent of the total returns during this period. For retailers…

In episode 441 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Yikun Shao, head of supply chain, North America at Alibaba.com, a leading platform for global B2B e-commerce. Listen in as Shao discusses his professional background and current role at Alibaba.com (0:55), leveraging the organization's supply chain capabilities to empower small businesses (3:45), the adoption…

Grocery stores have been in a state of flux in recent years, influenced broadly by the economy and supply chain issues and, at the store level, by how consumers want to shop. This year, grocery bills are expected to exceed $300 a week, which in turn will impact the choices consumers are making at the…

For small businesses, resonating with as many potential customers as possible is a unique but critical task. With limited resources and more targeted product offerings, SMBs need the right plan and tools in place to effectively reach different demographics and drive sales year-round. Shopping journeys and preferences look different across generations, and retailers looking to…

Walmart said this week that it's planning on easing its requirements for in-full and on-time shipments from suppliers. According to The Wall Street Journal, Walmart said that it wants its suppliers to deliver shipments on-time 90 percent of the time and in-full 95 percent of the time, down from the 98 percent threshold the company…

Artificial intelligence (AI) may be the next big thing, yet most retailers wait on the sidelines, watching what other businesses reap from this new digital technology. It’s not that they don’t want to pursue this new technology. Working in low-margin businesses, retailers understand the value of a technology that can promote significant organizational change and…

With the best talent in high demand, businesses are turning to creative solutions to hire and retain productive employees. As these businesses look for innovative incentives, their employees are pointing to a simple yet highly effective solution: gift cards. There's a reason why gift cards are a mainstay in our wallets and the preferred gift…

Nearly every retailer is heavily investing in improving their online and in-store channels. However, not every retailer is considering the scenarios in which online channels are being used in a retail store. In fact, nearly half (46 percent) of global in-store shoppers reported using a smartphone to enhance their most recent shopping journey. Despite this…