Fri.May 19, 2023

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As Legacy Bridal Retailers Flounder, DTC Brand Azazie is Selling 5,000 Dresses a Day

Retail TouchPoints

The bankruptcy of David’s Bridal in April — its second in five years — signaled more than just the potential demise of another ailing retailer, but a larger shift in the U.S. bridal industry. After being significantly disrupted by COVID, an underlying transition that was already beginning to surface pre-pandemic is continuing: couples are marrying later , throwing smaller weddings and shopping for those weddings (including for the dress) online.

Fashion 287
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My Food Bag to delist from ASX after sales plummet

Inside Retail

Subscription-based meal kit business My Food Bag Group will delist from the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX) after its profits slump. For the year to March 31, sales fell 9.4 per cent to $175.7 million while tax-paid profit declined 60.8 per cent to $7.9 million. The company has increased its investments in Bargain Box – a meal kit delivery service – in response to softening consumer demand while growing its active customer base by 12 per cent.

Consumer 246
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What Retailers get Wrong about Tourists

Retail TouchPoints

I love to travel. Most people do. There is nothing like that feeling of stepping out into a country you’ve never visited, the assault on your senses from all the new sights and sounds, and the subtle ways that every part of this world does things differently. It’s this drive that helps tourism make up a substantial portion of the world economy. Before the pandemic, tourism spending was 10% of global GDP and accounted for one quarter of new jobs.

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Apple limits employees’ use of ChatGPT to safeguard secrets

Retail Wire

Apple has restricted its employees’ use of ChatGPT and other outside generative artificial intelligence technology over concerns that confidential information could be leaked accidentally. John Giannandrea, a former Google exec who joined Apple in 2018, leads the tech giant’s AI efforts.

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A Roadmap For Modernization: How To Break Free From Your Monolith Before July 31, 2026

Speaker: Jason Cottrell and Gireesh Sahukar

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.

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Pinterest Engages with Banana Republic for ‘Wedding Week’ Programming

Retail TouchPoints

Wedding season is in full swing, and searches on Pinterest for “wedding guest outfit inspiration” are up a whopping 3,800% year-over-year. To capitalize on the moment, Pinterest has teamed up with Banana Republic as its exclusive partner for a “Wedding Week” programming event. Example of the new Pinterest Premiere Spotlight advertising offering. (Source: Pinterest) Launched on May 17, 2023, the five-day campaign kicked off with a livestream shopping event from the Banana Republic store on Folso

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Americans reign in spending

Retail Wire

Government reports and retailer earnings all point to Americans becoming more frugal in the face of high prices and interest rates. “A consumer slowdown is underway,” said Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData.

More Trending

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Amazon makes slow progress with drone deliveries

Retail Wire

Amazon.com has completed 100 drone deliveries in two small markets in California and Texas, well below its goal of 10,000 by the end of the year, as consumer adoption appears to be lagging. “I would love to see the drones flying around. I can’t wait,” said Ken Thomas, who co-owns a Lockwood, CA, deli.

Consumer 147
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Staples Joins the AI Conversation with New ‘Business is Human’ Campaign

Retail TouchPoints

Staples has launched a new marketing campaign with the theme of “Business is Human,” highlighting the company’s belief that while AI “is and will continue to be a powerful tool, it is most effective when combined with human insights and expertise.” The campaign promotes the retailer’s membership program for business owners, Staples Business Advantage (SBA) , and will run across a number of major U.S. news outlets, print publications and audio and video streaming platforms.

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Strong numbers prove ‘solid outlook’ for Walmart

Inside Retail

The US consumer economy may be weakening, but Walmart is bucking the trend delivering another set of very strong numbers. Overall group revenue increased by 7.6 per cent during the first quarter, supported by a 7.2 per cent uplift in Walmart US sales and 12 per cent growth in the international business. Sales at Sam’s Club increased by 4.5 per cent.

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Human Rights Campaign removes Anheuser-Busch from best employer list

Retail Wire

The Human Rights Campaign has sent a letter to Anheuser-Busch advising that it has removed the company from its Corporate Equality Index, which scores companies based on their policies for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees.

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Humans + Agents = Rethinking Enterprise Commerce with AI

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

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KMD Brands sales grow, shaping optimism for winter trading

Inside Retail

Outdoor apparel retailer KMD Brands has reported sales growth across all brands during the third quarter. For the three months to April 23, group sales grew 15.6 per cent with Rip Curl sales up 7.9 per cent, Kathmandu sales up 11.3 per cent and Oboz’s sales up 120.3 per cent. Group CEO & MD, Michael Daly, said the business is “pleased” with the brand’s performance.

Outdoor 130
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Foot Locker reduces its sales and profit forecasts

Retail Wire

Foot Locker has dropped its annual sales forecast and expects revenues to fall between 7.5 percent to nine percent rather than its previous guidance of a 3.5 percent to 5.5 percent decline. The sneaker retailer also now expects earnings to come in between $2 and $2.25 a share compared to its original estimate of $3.35-$3.

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Why Wilson is bringing its A-game to physical retail in the US market

Inside Retail

Wilson Sporting Goods Co recently unveiled its first retail store in California, located within the well-known Third Street Promenade shopping district in Santa Monica. The 4,500 square foot space is the company’s first bricks-and-mortar location on the West Coast. The store will feature an in-store area for consumers to trial products, including a basketball hoop, hitting wall and on-site racquet stringing.

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Bath & Body Works will launch hair care products in 560 stores this summer

Retail Dive

The chain is looking for ways to grow and find new customers as its booming pandemic-related sales subside.

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5 Tips for a Winning Category Management Strategy in 2025

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.

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Century 21 is back

Retail Wire

Century 21 closed all its stores after declaring bankruptcy in 2020. The discount retailer of designer labels is back with a new four-story store in Lower Manhattan. The store’s point-of-sale system crashed due to the crush of shoppers during Tuesday’s grand opening.

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Peloton co-founders beta launch rug brand Ernesta

Retail Dive

The direct-to-consumer company ships to 30,000 zip codes and allows customers to order custom-sized rugs after being approved from a waitlist.

Shipping 116
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Circle K debuts private label wine line

Retail Wire

Circle K has rolled out its Sunshine Bliss line of 13 wine varietals priced at $8 and up. “Our wines are curated specifically for customers seeking both quality and convenience,” said Sophie Provencher, senior vice president, global merchandising at Circle K.

ATS 100
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Five Below expanding in Simon-owned centers

Retail Dive

The youth-focused discount retailer plans to open 9 new spots at locations owned by Simon this year.

Location 116
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Cut Costs & Complexity: Smarter Fulfillment for Home, Furniture & DIY Brands

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.

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Starbucks is downsizing its ice cubes

Retail Wire

Starbucks is changing its ice cubes to smaller “nugget ice,” which has been given a “resoundingly positive response” in tests run by the coffee chain. Some consumers are worried that the new ice will change the texture of Frappuccinos or lead to more watered-down drinks.

Consumer 100
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Foot Locker sales fall 11% as consumers pull back on spending

Retail Dive

Planning for larger declines than anticipated, the retailer slashed its full-year guidance and brought on a Kohl’s veteran as chief financial officer.

Consumer 116
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Understanding Application Aware Routing (AAR) in Cisco SD-WAN

Cisco Retail

This guest post was authored by Cisco Designated VIP David Peñaloza Seijas. One of the main features used in Cisco SD-WAN is Application Aware Routing (AAR).

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Pacsun names CEO

Retail Dive

Co-CEO Brie Olson was named to the top role, while CFO Russell Bowers will take on the additional position of COO.

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What Your Financial Statements Are Telling You—And How to Listen!

Speaker: David Worrell, CFO, Author & Speaker

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.

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Deliver the Experience Your Customers Want with a Data-Informed Hybrid Work Strategy

Cisco Retail

Introduction: The Evolution of Hybrid Work While hybrid work is not a new concept, it continues to evolve as we gather more information about employee work preferences and customers’ workplace and r… Read more on Cisco Blogs

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The Weekly Closeout: Toys R Us goes to the airport and retailers exit San Francisco

Retail Dive

The toy company will open a store at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, while retailers are shutting locations in the California city.

Location 105
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World Bee Day: Meet Cisco’s Connected Bees in Amsterdam

Cisco Retail

We have already shared a lot about the beehives at Cisco’s Research Triangle Park (RTP) North Carolina campus on this blog.

ATS 98
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Nuuly partners with plus-size brand Eloquii

Retail Dive

The deal between the Urban Outfitters-owned clothing rental service and the plus-size DTC brand is exclusive, and it debuts with 25 styles.

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State of AI in Sales & Marketing 2025

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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How Cisco’s SaaS Solutions on AWS Deliver Unbeatable Value to Customers and Partners

Cisco Retail

The cloud has become a vital tool for businesses of all sizes, providing flexibility, scalability, and cost-effectiveness that are necessary to compete in today’s fast-paced digital landscape.

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B. Riley acquires equity interest in Scotch & Soda through Bluestar

Retail Dive

The arrangement solidifies financial ties between the financial group and the brand management company, and adds to a growing stable of fashion labels under their control.

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Georgia Knows How to Break Into Export Markets

LS Retail

©iStock/f11photo Twenty-seven (27) Georgia companies were honored this week (May 18, 2023) with an annual recognition for their expansion of export sales into new markets over the previous year. While some were seasoned exporters that simply found buyers for their goods or services in one additional new country, at least three of the firms sold internationally for the first time ever in 2022.

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Grove Collaborative adds Costco, Kroger and Hannaford to list of retail partners

Retail Dive

The DTC brand is steadily building out its wholesale roster, which also includes Walmart, Target, Amazon and CVS.

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SEO vs. PPC: Which Strategy Is Best for Your Business?

When it comes to driving traffic and growing your online presence, businesses often ask: SEO or PPC—what’s the better choice? This guide breaks down the key differences between search engine optimization (SEO) and pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, highlighting their pros, cons, and best use cases. Whether you’re looking for long-term organic growth or immediate visibility through paid ads, we’ll help you determine which strategy—or combination of both—is right for your business.