Fri.Nov 17, 2023

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Retail sales slump to ‘lockdown’ levels as shoppers delay Christmas spending

Retail Gazette

Retail sales dropped unexpectedly last month with figures returning to “lockdown” levels as shoppers delay their Christmas spending amid ongoing inflationary pressures. The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) show sales volumes slipped 0.3% in October following a fall of 1.1% in September. Online retailing was the only sub-sector to report growth, with volumes edging up 0.8% in October following a fall of 2.4% in September.

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America’s Favorite Fast-Food Chains Ranked From Best to Worst

Retail Wire

These are the best and worst fast-food chains ranked by consumers.

Consumer 288
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Amazon to Sell Hyundai Cars Online in 2024; Automaker Selects AWS as Cloud Provider

Retail TouchPoints

No, they won’t arrive on your doorstep in a giant box cushioned by packing peanuts, but Amazon customers in the U.S. will be able to purchase Hyundai cars online next year. Customers will be able to shop for available vehicles in their area based on preferences including model, trim, color and features, check out online and then either pick up their car at a local dealership or have it delivered to their home.

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Walgreens Is Closing for the First Time During Thanksgiving

Retail Wire

Walgreens has decided to close most of its stores on Thanksgiving Day this year for the first time in the company's history.

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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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Even Elves are Using AI This Year: Simon Debuts ‘HolidAI’ Tool in Two Malls

Retail TouchPoints

Since Santa’s magic only works in the vicinity of the North Pole, Simon Property Group has equipped “helper elves” with ChatGPT 4.0-powered AI technology to assist shoppers seeking the perfect gift. Beginning on Black Friday and recurring every Saturday and Sunday through Dec. 23, HolidAI elves carrying tablet devices will be strategically positioned throughout Simon’s Roosevelt Field mall in Garden City, N.Y. and Del Amo Fashion Center in Torrance, Calif.

Fashion 264
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Last-Minute Holiday Shoppers Could Be Fraud Victims

Retail Wire

By taking extra steps against fraud, the holiday can be free of headaches for shoppers.

Shopping 264

More Trending

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Pikachu Squishmallow Toy Might be the Hottest Gift This Holiday

Retail Wire

Get this Pikachu Squishmallow before it's completely gone.

Shopping 246
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Computer Vision-Enabled App Helps Home Depot Improve On-Shelf Availability

Retail TouchPoints

The Home Depot has one major advantage over competing retailers that keep much of their inventory in back rooms, where it’s invisible to customers and associates alike. With its high store ceilings, the retailer can store many items in shelving way above the sales floor, ready to be taken down and put on reachable shelves. The problem, of course, is that storing items so high up means it’s nearly impossible to read their labels, barcodes or QR codes, making it difficult to know not just what’s u

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Mortgage Rates Continue To Decrease Slightly, According to Experts

Retail Wire

Mortgage rates have taken a dip for the third consecutive week, offering a sigh of relief for budget-conscious homebuyers.

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Stitch Fix Launches ‘Holiday Party Hotline’ to Help Shoppers Find the Perfect Outfit

Retail TouchPoints

The Stitch Fix value prop has always centered around its robust data and analytics strategy — with so much insight into consumer behaviors and preferences, stylists can match shoppers to the perfect wardrobe pieces. To better serve shoppers in urgent need of outfit advice, Stitch Fix has launched new services spanning phone and social media for the holiday season.

Shipping 147
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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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Eye Drops Recall: Amazon Pulls Seven Brands Following FDA Warning

Retail Wire

Amazon is taking down seven brands of eye drops from its online marketplace in response to a letter from the FDA.

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REI vows to fight union allegations, puncturing its progressive reputation

Retail Dive

Unionized store workers this week filed 80 unfair labor practice charges against the outdoor retailer, alleging bad faith bargaining and retaliation.

Outdoor 130
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Target Initiates Recall of Toy Mushroom Peg Sorters Due to Safety Concerns

Retail Wire

Target has announced a recall of its 13-Piece Toy Mushroom Peg Sorter due to a potential choking hazard for children.

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Skechers slams ‘baseless’ Nike lawsuit as an abuse of market power

Inside Retail

Skechers USA Inc said it will “vigorously defend” the “baseless” patent lawsuit filed by Nike earlier this month. Nike previously claimed that several sneaker models of Skechers and New Balance misuse its patented Flyknit technology , which uses “high-strength fibres to create lightweight uppers with targeted areas of support, stretch and breathability”.

Marketing 130
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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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Starbucks Red Cup Rebellion Is the Largest Work Stoppage in Company History

Retail Wire

The Starbucks Red Cup Rebellion was the largest work stoppage in the coffee chain's history.

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Amazon confirms ‘several hundred’ will be let go from Alexa unit

Retail Dive

The decision comes during a year when the e-commerce giant has eliminated tens of thousands of roles.

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GM’s Cruise Halts Robotaxi Operations Due to Safety Concerns

Retail Wire

General Motors’ autonomous vehicle division, Cruise, recently put forward a major operational decision. This GM-owned robotaxi company declared a suspension of.

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In pictures: Flannels and Sports Direct’s ‘revolutionary’ Metrocentre stores

Retail Gazette

Frasers Group has opened the doors to its new ‘revolutionary’ stores for both Sports Direct and Flannels at Gateshead’s Metrocentre. The retail group has transformed the former Debenhams unit into new homes for its luxury and sports retailers, alongside a new flagship space for its Everlast Gym. The 50,000sq ft Flannels flagship on the ground floor boasts an expansive new luxury fashion collection from brands including Givenchy, Marc Jacobs, Tom Ford and Vivienne Westwood, as well as

Outdoor 122
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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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Alibaba Cancels Cloud Unit Spinoff as US-China Tech War Rises

Retail Wire

Alibaba has decided to halt the spin-off and public listing of its $11 billion cloud business.

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5 tips for overcoming retail bottlenecks during holidays

Retail Customer Experience

The holiday season is an opportunity for retailers to make a lasting impression on customers, which can translate into long-term loyalty and increased business throughout the year.

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Old Navy regains momentum in Q3 as Gap Inc. shows signs of recovery

Retail Dive

But Athleta's promise as a growth engine seems further away as both sales and comps plunged nearly 20%.

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Cisco and Our Partners: We Are Greater Together!

Cisco Retail

Co-authored by Rodney Clark , SVP of Partnerships and Small & Medium Business Thank you to all of our Partners who joined us digitally or traveled to Miami Beach for Cisco Partner Summit 2023.

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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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Foot Locker, NBA sign multiyear marketing deal

Retail Dive

The footwear retailer, which has seen sales fall for three consecutive quarters, will become an official league marketing partner in the U.S.

Marketing 116
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Small Global Companies Are Hidden Champions

LS Retail

©iStock/jacoblund Smaller technology companies are Europe’s “hidden champions” that need to be connected to develop alternative solutions to the big tech companies, Secretary General of the European DIGITAL SME Alliance Sebastiano Toffaletti told Euractiv. For Toffaletti, there is a misconception that everything is owned and invented by Google, Amazon, Microsoft, and other Big Tech companies.

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Under Armour ‘really excited’ about progress on inventory

Retail Dive

Growth in stock levels has shrunk considerably as the sportswear brand sells through pack-and-hold products and funnels excess stock to its outlet stores.

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How to Build a Brand Story for Your Retail Store in 2024

Shopify

Retail branding experts give you the scoop on how to craft an effective brand story that resonates with customers and makes them loyal for life.

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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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Simon introduces AI-driven holiday shopping tool

Retail Dive

The HolidAI Gift Finder experience will roll out at two properties — one in New York and another in California — this season.

Shopping 105
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Five Restaurants to Join The Shops at Broad in Texas 

Shopping Center

Mansfield, Texas — Five restaurants have signed new leases at The Shops at Broad, a retail center located in Mansfield. Portillo’s, Outback Steakhouse, Carrabba’s Italian Grill, Boomer Jack’s Grill and Chuy’s… The post Five Restaurants to Join The Shops at Broad in Texas appeared first on Shopping Center Business.

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Odele secures private equity investment

Retail Dive

The hair care brand snagged capital from Stride Consumer Partners, with its three co-founders retaining a majority stake.

Consumer 105
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Kimco Signs Leases Totaling 50,133 Square Feet at Shopping Centers in California Bay Area

Shopping Center

Jericho, N.Y. — Kimco Realty has signed leases totaling 50,133 square feet with 15 new tenants at 12 of its shopping centers located throughout the Bay Area in California. Round Table Pizza… The post Kimco Signs Leases Totaling 50,133 Square Feet at Shopping Centers in California Bay Area appeared first on Shopping Center Business.

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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.