In this episode of Retail Right Now, Total Retail's Joe Keenan and Kristina Stidham discuss Amazon.com’s plan to open a grocery store concept, one that will be separate from its Whole Foods subsidiary. Amazon will reportedly be testing the grocery store chain in three markets, Chicago, Los Angeles, and Philadelphia, potentially as early as the…
Consumers today are savvy. The traditional hard sell approach doesn’t move products off of shelves and into homes as it once did. However, what shoppers will open their wallets for (across all demographics) is an experience, whether technology-enhanced or immersive. To entice consumers in-store or online, brands must evolve alongside – if not ahead of…
RSR has been conducting an annual benchmark on the state of the store since the company launched in 2007. It’s one area where we always hope to see change from the previous year’s respondents. After all, many of us have grown disillusioned with how little the shopping experience has changed in the physical world. As…
The National Retail Federation (NRF) forecasts that holiday sales will rise between 3.8 percent and 4.2 percent, even as uncertainty looms over an escalating trade war with China. The holiday sales forecast, announced Thursday, marks an increase from the disappointing 2.1 percent growth seen in the November and December 2018 period that came well short…
Amazon.com reportedly is moving forward with the opening of grocery stores separate from its Whole Foods Market subsidiary, according to SupermarketNews.com. Store locations will begin opening in Philadelphia, Chicago, and Los Angeles, possibly as early as the end of this year, as Amazon has reportedly already signed more than a dozen leases in the Los…
Fashion chain Forever 21 has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The privately held company based in Los Angeles said Sunday it will close up to 178 stores in the U.S. According to the bankruptcy filing, the company operates about 800 stores globally, including more than 500 stores in the U.S. Forever 21 said it would focus…
Don’t count out brick-and-mortar retailers. While it’s true that clicks haven't overtaken bricks in total retail sales, e-commerce has fundamentally changed consumer behavior and heightened their expectations for customer experience. Claiming just 8.9 percent of total retail sales in 2017, according to the U.S. Department of Commerce, e-commerce is still a relatively small bite of…
When customers can only get their favorite products exclusively at your stores, it drives brand loyalty. Chandra Holt, senior vice president and chief operating officer of Sam’s Club and SamsClub.com, discussed this and more in a session at Groceryshop on Monday. Holt was interviewed by Krystina Gustafson, vice president of content for Groceryshop. Before Holt…
It began with “groceraunts,” but it has extended throughout the retail industry. The concept of community spaces within retail stores has been used to drive more foot traffic and offer a more complete customer experience. Whether it's a café, wine bar, bistro, or even just a sitting area with free Wi-Fi, community spaces have been…
GameStop is planning to close between 180 and 200 underperforming stores by the end of its fiscal year, according to CNBC. The video game retailer made the announcement earlier this week after it posted disappointing fiscal second quarter earnings. “Optimizing our store base for an increasingly digital world is essential for the future and increasing the…
