Today on Total Retail

On Monday, VF Corporation, the U.S.-based owner of apparel brands including Vans, Supreme, and The North Face, confirmed a cyberattack has impacted the company’s ability to fulfill orders ahead of Christmas, reports TechCrunch. The company first detected the attack on Dec. 13, according to a filing with federal regulators. Hackers disrupted the company’s operations “by…

With signs that retail sales are slowing and inflation remaining stubbornly elevated, more businesses are turning to artificial intelligence (AI)-powered pricing software to maximize revenue and protect operating margins. While cost cutting will always be important, it's this focus on the top line that now creates lasting competitive advantage. The momentum behind AI shows no…

With the holiday season underway, retailers of all sizes have been preparing themselves for a festive surge in sales. However, the post-holiday months bring in a wave of returns that can serve as a financial challenge for small businesses. Recent data from Xero, the global small business platform, reveals that a staggering 53 percent of…

Heralded as the latest phenomenon in e-commerce, "shoppertainment" — the convergence of shopping and entertainment — is making colossal waves within the retail industry. According to recent research from TikTok and the Boston Consulting Group (BCG), this growing trend is expected to present Asia-Pacific (APAC) brands alone with a trillion-dollar opportunity by 2025. While APAC…

For many retail brands, the holiday season is the "Golden Quarter" and prime time to deploy strategies to maximize revenue gains. After all, Black Friday has evolved from a one-day sale to (for some retailers) a multiday event demonstrating consumer demand. This is further supported by KPMG research that saw a 5 percent year-over-year increase…

'Tis the season to start shopping. For retailers, this means delivering stellar customer service at every step of the customer journey. Salesforce data shows that 94 percent of consumers say good service makes them more likely to buy again while 80 percent will abandon a brand after three bad experiences. But rather than wait for the “three strikes…

Temu, the popular low-cost online marketplace, is suing fast-fashion brand Shein over using “mafia-style” methods to lower competition, according to a lawsuit filed Dec. 13 in the U.S. District Court of the District of Columbia. The suit was filed by WhaleCo, Temu's U.S.-based parent company, alleging that Shein has intimidated Temu employees and suppliers and…

In episode 432 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Matt Kaness, CEO of GoodwillFinds, an online, curated selection of hundreds of thousands of unique items, showcasing a wide variety of secondhand clothing, books, home decor and more. Listen in as Kaness provides an overview of GoodwillFinds (0:55), discusses his professional background and what…

The holiday season, synonymous with joyous celebrations and bustling retail activity, also brings a notable surge in product returns. But while many retailers perceive returns as a challenge, our data reveals a surprising and valuable insight — returns are an untapped opportunity for amplified customer retention. Providing customers with a straightforward and hassle-free return policy…

This holiday season, U.S. online sales are projected to grow nearly 5 percent over last year’s numbers, which is good news for retailers hoping to close out the year with a strong Q4. Unfortunately, cybercriminals are targeting retailers with growing regularity. During the holiday season, any website downtime or service outage can result in significant…