Walmart is raising hourly wages for more than 565,000 workers in the latest example of a large employer trying to attract and retain employees in a challenging labor environment. In a memo to employees obtained by CNN Business, Walmart President and CEO John Furner said that starting Sept. 25, associates working in the retailer's front…
We’re now well into 2021, and we can say with certainty that retail’s rebound is legitimate. By continuing to invest heavily in in-location experiences, retailers have bounced back admirably from unprecedented adversity. As of early June, the National Retail Federation (NRF) forecasts retail sales to continue growing between 10.5 percent and 13.5 percent throughout the remainder…
Generations are often shaped by common experiences and major historical moments, and the COVID-19 pandemic is sure to leave an indelible mark on current and future generations for years to come. Millennials and Gen Zers who endured the global health crisis will be shaped not just by the grief, loss and financial damage they faced,…
Consumers made one thing clear in our State of Consumer Behavior 2021 report: experiences matter. Ninety percent of consumers say they’ll return to your store if you provide a “positive experience.” It’s also clear that there's no catch-all approach to customer experiences. Shoppers are diverse in their tastes and demands. Retailers must offer a variety…
For decades, big-box stores drew in foot traffic by offering a combination of convenience mixed with a healthy dose of selection and savings. Shelves were fully stocked with a variety of trusted brands, all available at the low price only large-scale chains can offer. Because the stores created a one-stop retail experience outside of urban…
Target announced that it plans to nearly triple the number of Disney shops inside its stores by the end of year in an effort to help drive foot traffic as the holiday season approaches. The national retailer, which has about 1,900 stores in the U.S., began opening Disney shops in select locations in 2019. With the…
Amazon.com is planning to open large retail locations that resemble department stores, The Wall Street Journal reported. The newspaper, citing people familiar with the plans, reported that some of the first Amazon department stores are expected to be in California and Ohio. The locations will take up roughly 30,000 square feet, around the size of a Kohl’s or T.J.…
It's become commonplace for a number of industries in the past year to have customers booking in advance to do things. Yet, as things mercifully get back to normal with widespread vaccine rollouts, the idea of booking in advance to visit the grocery store is beginning to fall out of favor given the immediate danger…
All retailers, and supermarket operators in particular, devoted most of their resources since the start of the pandemic to accommodating shoppers who wanted to avoid the store for safety reasons by upgrading their digital presence and installing new systems for store pickup and delivery. As those shoppers are returning to physical stores in droves, and…
The recently revised National Retail Federation (NRF) forecast for even higher retail growth in 2021 makes one thing very clear to me: the resurgence of the brick-and-mortar store is definitely upon us. And as such, it’s important that retailers in every category ensure their omnichannel experiences are in excellent working order. As shoppers embark on…
