A fresh batch of stimulus checks sent consumer purchases surging in March as the U.S. economy continued to get juice from aggressive congressional spending, according to CNBC. Advance retail sales rose 9.8 percent for the month, the Commerce Department reported Thursday. That compared to the Dow Jones estimate of a 6.1 percent gain and a…
In episode 293 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Chase Fisher, founder and CEO of Blenders Eyewear, a direct-to-consumer (D-to-C) lifestyle eyewear brand specializing in fresh, vibrant and affordable eyewear. Listen in as Fisher discusses the origin of Blenders Eyewear, his professional and personal background as a semi-pro surfer, and the first steps…
E-commerce in the grocery industry was already climbing in the past few years, with 23 percent of U.S. households shopping for groceries online in 2017. Today, however, a growing number of households have picked up the online grocery habit throughout COVID-19, with 43 percent saying they’re likely to continue with this even after the pandemic…
In this episode of Retail Right Now, Total Retail's Ashley Chiaradio and Kristina Stidham discuss Nike’s announcement that it’s ending wholesale partnerships with six more key retailers, including DSW, Urban Outfitters, and Macy's. This is the second time in the past year that the athletic brand has cut ties with multiple wholesale partners. However, Nike isn’t…
Most retailers haven’t used words like “thrive” very often in the past year, at least not with respect to their business. For the first time in recent memory, consumers were barred from most forms of in-person shopping by stay-at-home orders, while many stayed away from stores by choice. Concerns about health have defined every aspect…
Shoppers should expect retailers to help them turn the page on a turbulent 2020 by offering price value built into memorable experiences in 2021. The combination of (hopefully) loosened regulations, a COVID-19 vaccine, and consumer desire to re-establish their pre-2020 shopping routines should permit retailers to attract and retain more consumers in 2021 than they…
During the January Women in Retail and Total Retail Virtual Exchange event, Oliver Chen, managing director, retail and luxury sector head at Cowen and Company, shares his insights and analysis on multiple industry-related topics in an interview with Jennifer DiPasquale, president of Total Retail. In this video clip from the session, Chen identifies the retailers and…
In this bonus episode of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Brian Lange, co-founder of Future Commerce, a retail media research startup focused on helping e-commerce businesses create strategic vision. Listen in as Lange discusses his career background, the inspiration behind starting Future Commerce, and what he finds compelling about working in the retail…
The retail industry is among those most impacted by the societal changes the pandemic has created. Retailers have been catapulted into an era that's heavily reliant upon online shopping and curbside pickup. Under the current circumstances, up to 64 percent of consumers have reported that they don’t feel comfortable engaging in routine activities outside of…
Women's apparel and fashion accessories retailer Charming Charlie announced last week that it plans to open 14 new locations between March and April, with a focus on Texas, California, New York, and the Midwest. The stores will include Charming Charlie's usual color-grouping merchandise model and offer product categories including apparel, handbags, fashion jewelry, gifts, beauty, shoes, scarves, tech, travel, and…
