In episode 329 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Tom Ripley, chairman and CEO of Lids, the largest licensed sports retailer in North America, selling fan and fashion-oriented headwear and apparel across the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. Ripley discusses his professional background, Lids' partnership with the National Hockey League (NHL) to open…
Whatever convenience e-commerce provides, it can never replace the in-person shopping experience. Therefore, it’s no surprise that consumers are returning to brick-and-mortar shops as the economy slowly recovers from the COVID-19 pandemic and more retailers offer in-store shopping. How Does This Impact the Retail Industry? Increased consumer traffic could lead to a new outbreak if…
Sometimes less is more. CVS recently shared its plans to close 900 stores over the next three years as part of its brand strategy to make healthcare more affordable, accessible and convenient for consumers. Though the move means there will be 10 percent fewer CVS stores, this change makes way for “new store formats” better…
Retail sales rose .3 percent in November, contributing to the fourth straight month of increases, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced Wednesday. The increase is significantly less than October, when retail sales rose 1.8 percent. Multiple news sources reported the increase fell well short of predictive models for November. Some of the highest spending in November…
In episode 328 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Melissa Gonzalez, founder and CEO of The Lionesque Group, an experiential retail firm, as well as a principal and shareholder in global architecture firm MG2. Listen in as Gonzalez discusses the presentation she gave at CRMC 2021 focused on brick-and-mortar stores as a point…
It's not news that the global pandemic has continued to complicate both back-of and front-of-house operations for retailers, but the holidays are coming, nonetheless. Several factors will serve to increase the pressure on physical retail locations this year. There's an increased desire to shop in stores and to shop earlier. Consider: 47 percent of consumers…
The past 18 months have reshaped many industries, especially retail. As consumer expectations continue to evolve and many expect a spike in online shopping as we move forward with the recovery period, retailers will need to meet consumers where they are at, which will rely heavily on the workforce composition and the role of the…
Wayfair announced Tuesday it will launch three brick-and-mortar stores in 2022, bringing two of its specialty retail brands to life, reports MarketWatch. The company is planning two store openings for its AllModern brand and one for its Joss & Main brand in the retailer's home state of Massachusetts. Customers will be able to purchase goods…
The 2021 holiday season appears to be on track to exceed the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) forecast for record spending, despite ongoing supply chain disruptions, inflation and challenges like the new COVID-19 omicron variant, NRF Chief Economist Jack Kleinhenz said on Friday. “Now that we’re in December, the holiday shopping season is nearing the finish…
Toys R Us is taking another shot at opening up a store in the United States after its comeback plans were thwarted earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic. The toy retailer’s parent company, WHP Global, said Wednesday that it will open a two-level, 20,000-square-foot Toys R Us location at the American Dream megamall…
