Tag: retail

December 27, 2023

Returns totaled $743 billion in 2023, amounting to 14.5% of all retail sales, according to a report from the National Retail Federation and Appriss Retail. This means that for every $1 billion in sales, the average retailer incurred $145 million […]

December 26, 2023

A two-week delivery window used to be the norm, while next-day delivery was a premium service. Today, if a package isn’t on the customer’s doorstep within a day or two, they’ve already fired off an angry tweet. This is mostly […]

December 22, 2023

The next era for retail is already underway, and it all starts with the simple but powerful scan of a code. Nearly 50 years ago, UPC barcodes changed the game for retailers everywhere, and now we’re on the cusp of […]

December 22, 2023

Costco workers in Norfolk, Virginia, voted “overwhelmingly” Wednesday to unionize with Teamsters Local 822. It’s the union’s first organizing victory at the big-box wholesale retailer in two decades, the Teamsters said in an announcement. At the Norfolk store, which is […]

December 21, 2023

The holiday season brings joy, magic, beautiful decorations and a soundtrack of carols and standards that we revisit year after year. Sure, these tracks may get us in a festive mood, but for retail workers listening to them on what […]

December 21, 2023

Ulta Beauty will kick off 2024 with a fresh look for its loyalty program a decade after its debut in 2014. Beginning Jan. 1, 2024, the Ultamate Rewards loyalty program will become Ulta Beauty Rewards, and along with the new […]

December 20, 2023

As more cargo ships grapple with escaling attacks at the Suez Canal, led by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, retail industry groups are monitoring the problem and devising possible solutions. The violence is leading some shippers to take precautions and […]

December 20, 2023

Though the holiday rush currently sits at the top of most retailers’ priority lists, there’s another industry-wide event just around the corner: the 2024 NRF Big Show. The annual gathering of retail leaders and innovators brings together over 6,000 of […]

December 19, 2023

The Federal Trade Commission’s antitrust lawsuit against Amazon isn’t likely to start until some time in 2026, if not later, according to a joint statement by the parties filed this week. In estimating when it would be ready for trial, […]

December 18, 2023

In the ever-evolving world of retail, personalization has moved from a nice-to-have to a must-have. In response to this shift, Dynamic Yield by Mastercard recently launched Shopping Muse, a cutting-edge artificial intelligence (AI) tool that’s refreshing the way consumers discover […]

December 18, 2023

You’re already staffing up your store, stocking up on inventory, and putting up the decorations – it’s that time of year when all retailers are preparing for the holidays, and anxiously awaiting to see if they’ll get the expected influx […]

December 15, 2023

The National Retail Federation on Thursday announced the launch of a Center for Retail Sustainability. The center is intended to support retailers’ efforts to generate economic value while creating net positive environmental, social and community benefits. The center’s initial focus […]

December 15, 2023

Back in 2022, the message was clear — retail crime was on the rise: “There’s no two ways about it,” said Gautham Vadakkepatt, Director of the Center for Retail Transformation at the George Mason University School of Business in an […]

December 14, 2023

The National Retail Federation (NRF) has introduced the Center for Retail Sustainability, designed to help retailers generate economic value while also creating benefits for the environment, communities and societies. Initial efforts will focus on leveraging consumer insights around sustainability products […]

December 14, 2023

When it comes to Christmas – the shopping season, not the part about the eventful birth several centuries ago in Bethlehem – the last few years were packaged in considerable challenges to the retail and logistics industries. The weather wasn’t […]

December 12, 2023

The FTC and a coalition of 17 state attorneys general sued Amazon in September. They alleged that the e-commerce giant engaged in “punitive and coercive tactics” to maintain various retail monopolies. The alleged monopolies include actions and policies that affect […]

December 12, 2023

Uniqlo made headlines in 2023 by creating the year’s hottest handbag, according to Lyst, which ranks brand buzz. Its half-moon mini shoulder bag, which retails for about $20, repeatedly sold out after going viral with more than 119 million views […]

December 11, 2023

In today’s consumer landscape, the customer experience (CX) is everything. As innovation in CX advances, the customer likewise comes to expect even better experiences when they engage with a brand. Enter artificial intelligence (AI) — one of the most promising […]

December 11, 2023

In an era where self-checkout is the retail norm, we’ve come to appreciate its convenience, speed, and the power it places in the hands of the shopper. Nowadays, you walk into a store expecting self-checkout. Yet, envision a checkout experience […]

December 8, 2023

From Barbie to the Super Mario Brothers movie and even the debut of Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift’s electrifying relationship, the last few months have been filled with pop culture moments that have captivated almost the entire world. Everywhere you […]