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Every year, failed payments cost merchants an estimated $118.5 billion globally. That’s not just a number – it’s abandoned shopping carts and frustrated customers who may never return. In some sectors, the damage is even worse. Ecommerce businesses, for example, experience false decline rates as high as 10%, meaning that legitimate transactions are mistakenly rejected, costing merchants $443 billion annually in lost sales.
From barcode comparisons to instant resale authentication and artificial intelligence (AI) models guiding purchasing behaviour, the next evolution of artificial intelligence in retail isn’t happening in the cloud but on the shop floor. As AI reshapes both digital and physical experiences, the store is emerging as a high-stakes frontier, where value, trust and speed must collide in real time.
When you make a high-consideration purchase: a luxury mattress, custom flooring, high-end appliances, you’re not just buying a product. You’re buying confidence. You’re trusting that someone, somewhere, will know what customer service is and have your back if something goes wrong.
Visual merchandising is an essential tool for retailers aiming to boost sales and improve customer experience. It involves strategically presenting products in a physical space to engage customers and encourage purchases. This blog post will explore how effective visual merchandising can positively impact sales and offer practical tips retailers can implement to enhance their display tactics.
The rapid rise of AI-powered displays, touchless technology, and sensory marketing is reshaping the future of in-store engagement. Yet for many retail executives, the real challenge is not identifying new tools - it is knowing which signals to trust, which inputs to prioritize, and how to architect decisions that elevate in-store leadership rather than dilute it.
Grocery inflation hit 4.7% in June — the highest level since March 2024 — as UK shoppers made 490 million trips to supermarkets in the four weeks to 15 June, according to the latest data from Kantar. Despite rising prices consumers shopped more frequently, averaging almost 17 grocery trips per household and marking the highest footfall since March 2020.
This article first appeared in our sister publication Shop Eat Surf Outdoor (SESO). Journeys , one of the largest footwear retailers in the country with over 1,000 stores in North America, has been one of the most important large wholesale accounts for footwear brands for decade. However, leaders of several large industry footwear brands have expressed frustrations with the retailer over the years because they believed Journeys wasn’t evolving, even though good people and good merchants worke
The Good Guys, a subsidiary of JB Hi-Fi, has paid a $13.5 million fine for misleading advertising and store credit promotions. Joint submissions from the ACCC and the appliance company have been filed with the Federal Court for approval of an agreement settlement between the two parties, which includes the penalty and $200,000 in costs towards the ACCC’s legal proceedings.
The Good Guys, a subsidiary of JB Hi-Fi, has paid a $13.5 million fine for misleading advertising and store credit promotions. Joint submissions from the ACCC and the appliance company have been filed with the Federal Court for approval of an agreement settlement between the two parties, which includes the penalty and $200,000 in costs towards the ACCC’s legal proceedings.
While attending Momentum 2025 by Manhattan Associates last week in Las Vegas, I had the opportunity to moderate a panel conversation that hit home for every retailer in the room.
Far too many brands are still failing to implement a personalised loyalty program when it comes to promotions and loyalty – stuck in a vicious circle of blanket discounting, poor data, and squeezed margins, at a time when profitability is under scrutiny. That’s according to new research carried out by Harvard Business Review and sponsored by Talon.One , the leading incentives platform.
The recent ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court is a significant win for small businesses across the country, affirming their right to challenge government regulations they deem excessively harmful. In a decision handed down on June 20, 2025, the Court reversed a controversial ruling from the D.C. Circuit Court that had imposed stricter standing requirements for indirectly regulated entities when contesting federal actions.
In today’s fast-paced world, retailers are generating more data than ever before. From customer transactions to inventory management, retailers need to be able to manage, integrate and govern their data to make informed decisions that drive growth and profitability. Many vendors are now launching retail-specific data management solutions in response to this demand.
Retailers know the clock is ticking–legacy SAP Commerce support ends in 2026. Legacy platforms are becoming a liability burdened by complexity, rigidity, and mounting operational costs. But modernization isn’t just about swapping out systems, it’s about preparing for a future shaped by real-time interactions, AI powered buying assistants, and flexible commerce architecture.
A confluence of economic, geopolitical and cultural headwinds is prompting luxury consumers to reassess not only how much they spend but why they spend at all. The latest Saks Global Luxury Pulse survey found that optimism among wealthy shoppers is sharply declining, with confidence in the economy, personal finances, and the market’s future all hitting new lows.
Co-op will stop sourcing products from countries with “community-wide human rights abuses” this month — including Israel — as part of a sweeping new ethical sourcing policy. The retailer will phase out goods and ingredients clearly and solely sourced from 17 countries identified by the international community, starting this month. That includes removing Israeli carrots, Russian vodka and mangoes from Mali from shelves and own-brand products.
Ghalia Boustani- Ephemeral Retailing Specialist | Published Author | Podcast Host In the ever-evolving lexicon of retail and brand culture, LUXENTAINMENT emerges as a telling synthesis—a fusion of luxury and entertainment. It’s more than a clever portmanteau; it is a cultural signal, capturing a pivotal transformation in how luxury is imagined, staged, and consumed today.
Key Takeaways Timing is Crucial: Sending offers during peak shopping hours, such as after 5 PM on weekdays and during weekends, can significantly increase open rates and engagement. Understand Customer Behavior: Analyzing when customers are most receptive helps tailor your marketing efforts and boosts conversion rates, especially for small retail businesses.
AI agents already analyze trends, draft content, and trigger actions across leading commerce platforms. Yet most organizations still rely on workflows built for human‑only teams, losing speed, margin, and customer loyalty. Humans + Agents: Rethinking Enterprise Commerce in the Age of AI Collaboration shows how to close that gap. In one concise read you’ll see where agent gains surface first, how early adopters prove ROI, and which lean controls keep innovation moving without risking data or bran
It’s rare for a retailer, or any business for that matter, to last for 100 years, which is what makes Bealls such a standout — the Florida-based off-price chain is celebrating its 110 th anniversary this year. Not only that, but the company remains family owned and operated to this day, with CEO Matt Beall representing the fourth generation to lead the retailer.
Over 500,000 Australians face daily barriers in accessing everyday products. From identifying a shampoo bottle to using sunscreen, much of the beauty industry still caters to a narrow definition of the consumer: sighted, able-bodied and unreflective of diverse lived experiences. A new movement led by Guide Dogs NSW/ACT is calling time on this systemic exclusion.
Successful retailers are set apart by their ability to balance innovation with connection, and technology with authenticity. And when they get that emotional connection right, brands earn something far more valuable than sales — they earn loyalty, advocacy, and longevity.
Supermarket shelves look calm, yet the prices behind every carton of milk or bag of rice can shift overnight. Weather, geopolitics, energy costs, even a ship stuck in a canal can nudge a commodity upward and squeeze retail margins. If the past few years have taught purchasing teams anything, it is this: price risk is no longer a distant finance issue.
Category Management is a cornerstone of a successful retail strategy. While it promotes collaboration between manufacturers and retailers to optimize category performance, challenges persist in its effective implementation due to hurdles in communication and collaboration across teams and partners, and more. In this guide, we outline five essential strategies for success in 2025 that will touch on all the essential pieces of a successful strategy and implementation.
Key Takeaways Nostalgic Charm: Vintage retail stores offer a unique and inviting atmosphere that captivates shoppers with their curated collections and storytelling capabilities. Impact of Photography: Quality photographs play a crucial role in showcasing the essence of vintage stores, attracting customers by highlighting vibrant colors and inviting storefronts.
Saks Global has expanded its partnership with NuORDER by Lightspeed , a B2B assortment planning platform, adding Neiman Marcus and Bergdorf Goodman as users alongside Saks Fifth Avenue. Saks Global completed its acquisition of Neiman Marcus Group in December 2024. “With the continuous evolution of luxury consumer shopping preferences, we’re committed to building a luxury fashion assortment that is both relevant and inspiring for our customers,” said Paolo Riva, Chief Brand Partnerships and Buyin
Banks, retailers and other industry participants have been granted conditional authorisation by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to collaborate on the continuity of cash-in-transit services in the country. The authorisation allows the Australian Banking Association (ABA), major banks, major retailers and supermarkets, and Australia Post to provide financial support to Armaguard.
To speed up AI adoption across industries, HPE and NVIDIA today launched new AI factory offerings at HPE Discover in Las Vegas. The new lineup includes everything from modular AI factory infrastructure and HPE’s AI-ready RTX PRO Servers (HPE ProLiant Compute DL380a Gen12), to the next generation of HPE’s turnkey AI platform, HPE Private Cloud AI. The goal: give enterprises a framework to build and scale generative, agentic and industrial AI.
Late deliveries. Split shipments. Spiraling freight costs. For home, furniture, and DIY brands, fulfillment has never been more complex—or more critical. This report outlines how a smarter, AI-ready order management system (OMS) helps you reduce shipping costs, streamline project-based fulfillment, and ensure accurate inventory across every channel.
Your favourite vintage treasure trove just got even better. Beyond Retro is introducing a brand-new Weekly Colour Tag Deal System across all stores — offering customers 50% to 75% off specially marked vintage items every week. How does it work? It’s simple: each week, a new colour sticker will mark the discounted pieces in store. Shoppers just need to follow the colour of the week to uncover standout vintage finds at unbeatable prices.
In a stark reminder of the ongoing challenges related to pandemic relief efforts, Jasmine Unique Mallard-McCarter, a Riverside County woman, has been sentenced to seven years in federal prison for her role in a $1.7 million COVID-19 benefits fraud scheme. This case highlights the need for vigilance and integrity among small business owners and individuals seeking government assistance, especially during unprecedented times like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Kroger will close approximately 60 stores in the next 18 months and already has taken a $100 million impairment charge related to the closings in its fiscal Q1, which ended May 24, 2025. The supermarket giant reported $45.1 billion in Q1 sales, down slightly from the $45.3 billion generated during the same period last year. Interim CEO Ronald Sargent downplayed the closings’ impact: “There’s really minimal financial impact on company results as a result of the store closures,” he said on a call
Cotton On Kids has unveiled a new concept store at Highpoint Shopping Centre in Melbourne, along with its new Fun Day Club platform. The store is inspired by the nostalgia of the classic Australian neighbourhood milkbars and will include features like a ‘dial-a-story’ telephone and sticker gumball machines to provide children with a hands-on, sensory experience while their guardians shop the collection.
Your financial statements hold powerful insights—but are you truly paying attention? Many finance professionals focus on the income statement while overlooking key signals hidden in the balance sheet and cash flow statement. Understanding these numbers can unlock smarter decision-making, uncover risks, and drive long-term success. Join David Worrell, accomplished CFO, finance expert, and author, for an engaging, nontraditional take on reading financial statements.
Mulberry is in discussions to raise over £20m in new funding as the luxury brand faces widening losses and a tough trading environment. The retailer expects an underlying pre-tax loss of around £23m for the year ending March 29, up from a £22.6m loss the previous year. Revenues are forecast to fall 21% to approximately £120m. The fundraising talks involve majority shareholder Challice, controlled by Singaporean entrepreneur Christina Ong and husband Ong Beng Seng, alongside major investor Mike A
JET Go gives partners of all sizes access to Just Eat’s delivery network – from national grocers to local independents Leading quick commerce grocery supermarket, Co-op, is the first to roll out JET Go nationwide Delivery-as-a-Service also represents an opportunity for smaller businesses, with the solution set to go live on Co-op’s newly launched app, Peckish, which enables independent grocers to offer an online delivery service to their local customers Just Eat, the UK’s largest delivery networ
Key Takeaways Engagement is Key: High-quality, engaging content is essential for boosting brand awareness, increasing interaction, and cultivating customer loyalty on social media platforms. Diversify Content Types: Utilize a mix of interactive polls, behind-the-scenes content, user-generated content, videos, ads, and influencer partnerships to maximize your social media impact.
For years, ecommerce has been stuck in a transactional rut. Shoppers type in a keyword, scroll through product grids, maybe filter a few options, and if the stars align — convert. It’s a model built to manage massive product catalogs efficiently — and for a long time, that was enough. Or perhaps simply the most a shopper could hope for. But today’s shoppers expect more than efficiency; they want experiences that understand their context, preferences and intent in the moment.
AI adoption is reshaping sales and marketing. But is it delivering real results? We surveyed 1,000+ GTM professionals to find out. The data is clear: AI users report 47% higher productivity and an average of 12 hours saved per week. But leaders say mainstream AI tools still fall short on accuracy and business impact. Download the full report today to see how AI is being used — and where go-to-market professionals think there are gaps and opportunities.
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