Thu.May 13, 2021

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Full House: Steven Lew’s GRB unveils new homewares brand

Inside Retail

Global Retail Brands Australia (GRBA) is making an aggressive push into the home furnishings market with the launch of a new brand, House – Bed & Bath. The brand builds on GRBA’s House cooking, dining and entertaining stores with the introduction of bed linen, bath and living ranges. A new concept store opens at Doncaster Westfield shopping centre today, the first of two to open in Victoria this month, with more than 50 additional sites selected as part of a national roll-out.

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Making It Work! Squad Shopping Edition

Retail TouchPoints

Join Alicia Esposito of Retail TouchPoints, and Aptos’ Dave Bruno and Richard Willis for this dynamic livestreamed conversation on May 25 at 2 p.m. ET. Add To Your Calendar. During the peak of lockdowns, social distancing consumers were craving connectivity. Squad Shopping let them do just that, empowering them to chat, share products and vote on purchases with family and friends.

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Retail appointments of the week

Inside Retail

Vans co-founder dies at 90. Paul Van Doren, the co-founder of sneakers company Vans, has died at age 90. The company announced his death in a tweet on May 7. “It’s with a heavy heart that Vans announces the passing of our co-founder, Paul Van Doren. Paul was not just an entrepreneur, he was an innovator,” the company wrote. Van Doren started Vans with his brother James Van Doren and business partners Gordon Lee and Serge Delia in Anaheim, California in 1966 and led the company at various times o

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Saks.com Completes $465 Million in New Financing

Retail TouchPoints

Saks.com has secured a new round of financing to back its growth strategy as it aims to take advantage of the continuing ecommerce boom and economic recovery. The luxury ecommerce platform has closed on a syndicated $350 million asset-based five-year revolving credit facility arranged by Bank of America, N.A., and a $115 million senior secured term loan arranged by Pathlight Capital LP.

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From Data to Decisions: Maximizing Retail Potential with AI

Speaker: David Azoulay, Marc Stracuzza, Román Tejada, and guest speaker Sucharita Kodali

Imagine a retail landscape where every interaction is personalized, every decision informed, and every opportunity maximized 🤔✨ Join us for an exploratory journey into the heart of AI-driven retail innovation. We’ll unveil the transformative potential of AI and data analytics in shaping the future of omnichannel personalization and e-commerce.

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Q&A: Why I swapped aeronautics for activewear

Inside Retail

Last year, former Air NZ aeronautical designer Geoff Gates decided to swap aeroplanes with activewear to launch his sustainable brand, Zovari. Zovari’s range of leggings, sports bras and tank tops are all made from recycled products such as old fishing nets, plastic bottles and wetsuits. Gates describes the brand as bridging the gap between high performance and fashion.

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Retail Recruiters Boosting Hiring Efforts for Job Market Recovery

Retail TouchPoints

Though the industry was already transforming, the pandemic accelerated a change in how and where people shop, and many brick-and-mortar jobs were lost as a result. While the past year has been difficult for retailers and recruiters alike on a global scale, employment is looking up — 41,000 retail jobs were added in February 2021, and the industry has recovered 2 million of the 2.4 million jobs lost in March and April 2020, according to the U.S.

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U.S. Military Exchanges Add New Platform for Sourcing American-Made Goods

Retail TouchPoints

The Army & Air Force Exchange , Navy Exchange , Marine Corps Exchange and Coast Guard Exchange are partnering with RangeMe to source American-made products for their shelves. The effort is part of an ongoing commitment from the exchanges to bring more American-made products into their retail stores while enhancing categories including pet supplies, PPE, housewares and toys.

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Six years after leaving fashion, Aussie designer Jayson Brunsdon returns

Inside Retail

Six years after leaving fashion to pursue his passion for fine art, Australian designer Jayson Brunsdon has returned to the rag trade with the launch of his JB Jayson Brunsdon collection at Harris Scarfe. Inspired by American sportswear designers such as Claire McCardell, Halston and Donna Karan, the range includes mix-and-match pieces that can be dressed up or down, from knit dresses and cardigan coats to chic jogging pants.

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China’s Antimonopoly Fine Leads to First Quarterly Loss for Alibaba Since Going Public

Retail TouchPoints

The number of active users on Alibaba Group ’s ecommerce platforms topped 1 billion for the first time in fiscal year 2021, but this milestone was tainted by the company’s first quarterly operating loss since it went public in 2014 — a result of the historic antitrust penalty levied against the company earlier this year. The ecommerce giant posted a 7.7 billion yuan ($1.2 billion ) loss in Q4 2021, which ended March 31, 2021.

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The one thing frontline teams must have to increase sales

Inside Retail

Despite the fact that store teams are the ‘face’ of retail, many businesses aren’t investing enough in their frontline staff to gain a competitive edge, according to Mita Bedi, CEO of Resonate Solutions, a customer experience management platform. “People talk about data, they talk about strategy, they talk about technology – they don’t talk about the frontline,” Bedi said.

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The Personalization Playbook: 2024 Strategies

Did you know—74% of IT leaders are looking to improve their tech stack to offer better personalization? It’s impossible to ignore the importance of personalization, but it comes with challenges. How do you do it with a tight budget? What about customer privacy and the use of data? The Personalization Playbook is packed with research and insights from Orium, Talon.One, and Bloomreach and gives IT leaders answers to these tough questions, helping them shape 2024 strategies for personalization.

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Gunwharf Quays welcomes regional debut outlet store for Ghost London

Retail Focus

Landsec has announced that iconic British womenswear brand, Ghost London, has launched a new 1,624 sq ft unit at Gunwharf Quays, the brand’s first outlet store in the region. Located between global fashion retailers Belstaff and Calvin Klein, the Ghost London Gunwharf Quays outlet features the brand’s trademark contemporary vintage feel across all designs, including bridal and ready to wear clothing.

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PayPal Acquires Happy Returns

Retail TouchPoints

PayPal has acquired ecommerce returns solution Happy Returns as it continues to expand beyond payments, with the aim of becoming a “digital commerce enablement engine.” Terms of the deal were not disclosed. The Happy Returns purchase follows PayPal’s acquisition of coupon plug-in Honey in January 2021. These new additions, in combination with PayPal’s existing checkout solutions — which include both online and in-store offerings via PayPal and Venmo — will enable PayPal to serve a broader sectio

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Why being a good leader is all about putting people first

Inside Retail

In this profit-driven world we live in today, it’s no surprise that sales, margins, shareholder return and revenue is at the forefront of most leaders’ minds. It is true that performance and profit is essential for businesses in order to allow for reinvestment, innovation and growth. However, an area that can often be overlooked is not one solely found on a spreadsheet, it’s people — with research showing that organisations where people feel engaged are 21 per cent more profitable.

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Walmart Plans Acquisition of Virtual Fitting Platform to Boost Customer Experience

Retail TouchPoints

Walmart plans to acquire Zeekit , a female-founded, Israeli-based virtual fitting platform. The deal will help Walmart enhance its customer and social experience by offering virtual try-ons designed to provide shoppers with more inclusive, immersive and personalized experiences. Once the experience goes live on Walmart.com, shoppers can upload their picture or choose from a selection of models that best represent their height, shape and skin tone.

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Mapping Digital Transformation: Retail’s Strategic Shift

Speaker: Jennifer Wright, Michael Scholz, Jasmin Guthmann, and Scott Canney

Digital transformation in retail is so much more than new technology. You need to get your whole organization, from entry-level workers to executives, on board with the new tech, new skills, and culture changes that digital transformation brings. Leading this mindset shift can be a daunting task… but that’s where this webinar comes in! Join our panel of experts as they guide you through the challenges of digital transformation, preparing you to avoid common mistakes and make the most of incredib

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Modibodi introduces paid menstrual leave

Inside Retail

Period- and leak-proof underwear brand Modibodi’s recent decision to provide an additional 10 days of paid personal leave per year for menstruation, menopause or miscarriage has prompted many companies to consider whether or not their leave policies go far enough. In addition to traditional ‘sick leave’ entitlements, Modibodi employees who suffer a miscarriage or experience menstrual or menopause symptoms that interfere with their ability to work can avail of this additional paid leave.

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VNTANA Introduces 3D Digital Showroom

Retail TouchPoints

VNTANA , a 3D content management software company, has launched its 3D Digital Showroom solution, designed to help brands create secure, shareable 3D digital showrooms with their existing designs. The 3D Digital Showroom is structured to look like a traditional line sheet with interactive 3D versions of products. The VNTANA platform uses patented algorithms, with the goal of ensuring 3D models load fast with high quality images.

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Analysis: How five luxury brands won digital fashion week

Inside Retail

A year into the Covid-19 pandemic, there’s no question the global crisis has disrupted just about everything in the fashion world, from how we dress, to how we shop, to how the industry itself operates. The widespread cancellation of in-person Fashion Weeks in 2020 and 2021 forced luxury brands to radically rethink their collection debuts, as labels sought to translate their traditional runway shows into virtual experiences.

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Retailers and restaurants losing workers over poor pay and crazy customers

Retail Wire

Some retail industry workers are finding the combination of low pay and difficult if not outrightly abusive customers to be more than they can stomach with many leaving their jobs in search of better opportunities. Many of those who remain are tethered to their current positions by healthcare and benefits as they too look for better work.

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Planning the Architecture of Your Modular DXP

Are you considering moving away from a monolith platform and over to composable architecture? Join experts from Google Cloud, GroupBy, and Orium as they discuss the benefits of moving to a modular digital experience platform. In this masterclass, uncover key indicators that show your brand is ready for a modular DXP, and learn how to lay the foundation for composable commerce.

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Streetwear store Culture Kings makes New Zealand debut

Inside Retail

Australian streetwear brand, Culture Kings, makes its New Zealand debut as it opens its first store in Sylvia Park. Opening this July, the store will feature over 100 street, sport, and fashion brands from around the globe like Carre, Aaliyah, Saint Morta, Timberland, Vans, Champion, Lacoste, and Asics, to name a few. Aubrey Cheng, Leasing general manager, Kiwi Property, said that landing Culture Kings at Sylvia Park is a massive win for Kiwi Consumers. “With the streetwear scene becoming

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Analyst says Shipt gives Target a competitive edge

Retail Wire

Goldman Sachs retail analyst Kate McShane thinks that Target’s ownership of Shipt, the same-day delivery service, provides it a competitive edge over retail rivals that rely on third-party providers. Target’s ownership of Shipt reduces some of the cost disadvantages of using third parties and minimizes the barrier on data sharing,” said Ms.

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HanesBrands aims to boost its sales by US$1 billion, largely targeting Asia

Inside Retail

Apparel company HanesBrands aims to boost its sales by US$1.2 billion within the next three years, largely targeting Asia on the back of its Champion brand. An athletic fashion brand, Champion’s sales are expected to grow from $2 billion to $3 billion by 2024, with Asian markets driving demand. In a growth plan dubbed Full Potential, strategies include investing in key markets such as China, Japan and South Korea, along with the US and some European markets.

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Spar launches new virtual event

Talking Retail

Spar UK will host its first virtual conference on 27 May 2021. The live event, which will be an opportunity for retailers and suppliers to hear from key personnel, will focus on innovation, growth and learning from the past year, and how Spar will invest in what it has learned going forward with retailers, suppliers. This story continues at Spar launches new virtual event.

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How Personalized Customer Experiences Drive Retail Growth and Revenue

Speaker: Shaunna Bruton - Associate Director of Product Strategy at Orium | Sam Panzer - Director of Industry Strategy at Talon.One | Frank Passantino - Director of Product Management at Bloomreach

More and more, customers are expecting a better personalized CX. But can retailers actually deliver? Data from McKinsey shows that companies that excel in personalization increase their revenue by 40%, but despite these numbers, retailers struggle to implement customer personalization strategies. So what are the potential solutions? Join us to gain a better understanding of the current retail landscape and learn what you can do to translate personalization strategies into practical implementatio

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Anti-monopoly fine pushes Alibaba to first operating loss as public company

Inside Retail

China’s top e-commerce platform Alibaba Group Holding Ltd on Thursday posted its first quarterly operating loss since going public in 2014 due to a record anti-monopoly fine by the country’s market regulator. Its U.S.-listed shares fell nearly 3% in choppy trading, even as the company forecast strong 2022 revenue, betting that the pandemic-driven shift to online shopping will remain resilient.

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Chick-fil-A puts limits on sauce packages

Retail Wire

Chick-fil-A is limiting to one the number of sauce packages that customers can get with their purchases due to supply shortages. “We are actively working to make adjustments to solve this issue quickly and apologize to our guests for any inconvenience,” the company said in a statement.

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UK consumers still prefer to shop in-store, poll reveals

Talking Retail

The majority of UK consumers still prefer to shop in-store following months of only being able to shop online, new research reveals. The research from News UK shows that 56% of The Times and The Sunday Times’ readers and 65% of The Sun’s readers want to see products in person before making a purchase. In. This story continues at UK consumers still prefer to shop in-store, poll reveals.

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Leigh H. Perkins, leader who built Orvis, dies at 93

Retail Wire

Leigh H. Perkins was looking to combine his interest in business and the great outdoors when he took out a loan and acquired Orvis in 1965 for $400,000. Mr. Perkins, who had been an Orvis customer before buying the company, built the brand from its niche in fishing tackle to sell a wide variety of goods across multiple categories even as it remained true to its outdoors heritage.

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Retails Next Frontier: Exploring and Proving the Value of AI

AI is everywhere. It’s in customer service interactions, product recommendations, marketing outreach, and yes, even commerce experiences. But not every use of AI provides the same value to your brand. In this masterclass, experts from Constructor, commercetools, Contentstack, and Orium discuss how AI can complement your composable tech stack and help bring in immediate ROI.

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Delivering simplified cybersecurity to small businesses

Cisco Retail

Virtually every week brings news of yet another high-profile cybersecurity attack on citizens, companies or governments. Over the last year, large parts of our world moved online. This unprecedented, large-scale digital migration has also made us ever more exposed to cybersecurity risks. Our security stance has fundamentally changed as the pandemic accelerated the transition of applications.

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McD’s giving restaurant workers a raise

Retail Wire

McDonald’s announced that it will give hourly workers at company-owned restaurants an average raise of 10 percent, which would boost pay rates to $11 to $17 based on location. The increase only affects five percent of McDonald’s in the U.S. as most locations are operated by franchisees.

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Shoplifting down in pandemic, data reveals

Talking Retail

Shoplifting offences recorded by the police decreased by 29% in the year ended December 2020, according to new figures. Figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show overall crime recorded by police in England and Wales fell by 8% to approximately 5.6 million offences in 2020. The ONS said the annual reduction in crime. This story continues at Shoplifting down in pandemic, data reveals.

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Numbers of Americans filing for unemployment falls to pandemic low

Retail Wire

Recent declines in Americans filing first-time unemployment claims fell again last week to 473,000, a record low since the novel coronavirus pandemic hit the U.S. in 2020. “Employers are really clinging to their talent,” said Jay Denton, chief analyst for ThinkWhy. “There’s a lot of demand there. We will start to see more hiring.” Employers, particularly those employing low-wage workers, have complained about issues recruiting new workers due to a variety of factors including childcare and curre

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2024’s Retail Odyssey: Going Small, Artificial, and Augmented!

Speaker: Kelly Goetsch - Chief Strategy Officer at Commercetools | Jason Cottrel - CEO & Founder at Orium | and guest speaker Brendan Witcher - VP, Principal Analyst at Forrester

Significant modifications are on the horizon for digital commerce in retail and customer experience come 2024. The pace of tech shifts will intensify, businesses are set to defund legacy solutions, and attractive opportunities will surface as social and retail media players join forces. To stay ahead of the curve, digital leaders are experimenting with less risky initiatives and scaling back on outdated projects that no longer yield impactful results.