July, 2024

article thumbnail

Exclusive: Automated Voice Agents are Hurting Customer Retention

Retail TouchPoints

Everyone’s been there — you try your mightiest to get the machine on the other end of the phone to understand what you need, until you give in to frustration and just begin to scream “representative.” Generative AI was supposed to change all that — with this magical new technology, automated voice agents were going to be smarter, more responsive and, most importantly, more accurate.

article thumbnail

Carl’s Jr’s Australian licensee collapses into administration

Inside Retail

Carl’s Jr’s Aussie master franchisee CJ’s Group has placed its 24 restaurants in administration and appointed KPMG Australia’s David Hardy, George Georges and Emily Seeckts as voluntary administrators. After an initial assessment, the administrators will continue to trade four of the restaurants owned and operated by CJ’s Group. The voluntary administration does not include a further 25 restaurants which the CJ’s Group has sub-franchised.

Location 279
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

State Farm Issues Ultimatum to California

Retail Wire

California's largest insurer, State Farm, has issued a stark ultimatum to the California's Department of Insurance: approve significant rate hikes for home insurance or face the company's exit from the market.

Marketing 321
article thumbnail

Co-op launches brand campaign to ‘re-introduce core values’

Retail Gazette

Co-op has launched one of its biggest ever brand campaigns to encourage the UK to turn into a nation of co-operators. The ‘Owned by You. Right By You’ campaign highlights the social and financial benefits of a co-operative business model, and comes as a new survey by the retailer found that more than 50% of consumers don’t understand what it means when a business is a co-operative or a mutual.

article thumbnail

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.

article thumbnail

Brands embraced AR after Apple Vision Pro debuted in China. Here’s what to know

Inside Retail

Since Apple launched the Apple Vision Pro headset in Mainland China, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Japan at the end of June, retail brands have started exploring more ways to offer interactive retail experiences using augmented reality (AR) to capture tech-savvy customers. However, given the humble sales of Apple Vision Pro since it first became available in the US in February, the question is: is it the right time for retailers to invest further in this space?

Fashion 278
article thumbnail

Unionized Virginia Costco Employees Vote to Strike

Retail TouchPoints

In a “near unanimous” vote, Costco employees in Norfolk, Va. represented by Teamsters Local 822 have authorized a strike following more than eight months of negotiations, according to the union. Nearly 250 Costco warehouse workers voted to join the union in January 2024. Additionally, Teamsters Local 174 also is in negotiations for more than 150 Costco drivers in Sumner, Wash., who voted to join the union in April 2024.

ATS 334

More Trending

article thumbnail

Saks Parent HBC to Buy Neiman Marcus Group for $2.65 Billion, Including Investment from Amazon

Retail TouchPoints

Marking the culmination of nearly seven years of on-again, off-again negotiations, HBC , parent company of Saks Fifth Avenue and Bergdorf Goodman , will acquire another storied luxury department store brand, Neiman Marcus , for $2.65 billion. Amazon will be an investor in the newly formed Saks Global , which also will include the Saks Off 5 th brand.

article thumbnail

7-Eleven trials next next-gen Pay & Go tech

Inside Retail

7-Eleven Australia has launched a 10-store trial of the next generation Pay & Go technology to test new ways to give customers a faster way to shop. The new tech uses computer vision to enable customers to pay for their purchases without scanning items. Customers simply tap their debit or credit card or use the app to pay. The system automatically adds up the items, processes payment, and sends the receipt to the customer.

article thumbnail

Fast Food Restaurants Continue Price Wars

Retail Wire

The urgency for discounts has grown as fast food sales have slowed and casual dining establishments have gained market share with their own value offers. Nonetheless, there are worries that continuous discounts might damage profits, similar to the issues experienced with Subway's former $5 footlong deal, which caused operational and financial difficulties.

article thumbnail

Resale Marketplace GoodBuy Gear’s Secret Weapon to Earn Parents’ Trust — AI

Retail TouchPoints

Resale may be a hot sector at the moment, but that doesn’t mean it’s an easy business to be in, especially when it comes to making money. Selling used goods is time-intensive and involves reverse logistics processes and single-SKU assortments that the typical retailer doesn’t have to deal with, all of which can be a drag on the bottom line. Because GoodBuy Gear is a resale marketplace for used baby and kids’ products, however, CEO and Co-founder Kristin Langenfeld counts herself lucky: “Everyone

Consumer 299
article thumbnail

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

article thumbnail

Kroger-Albertsons Merger Threatens Hundreds of Stores Nationwide

Retail Wire

The Kroger-Albertson merger has not yet been finalized, but the list of stores planned to be divested has been revealed.

Planning 299
article thumbnail

Sam’s Club Makes Controversial Membership Policy Changes

Retail Wire

Sam's Club has quietly implemented a policy that requires shoppers to pay extra for access during designated hours, a revelation that sparked discussions among concerned consumers across various social platforms.

Consumer 299
article thumbnail

In-N-Out Burger Proposed Expansion: What We Know

Retail Wire

In-N-Out Burger has announced plans to expand to several locations throughout the United States.

Location 298
article thumbnail

ACCC sues The Good Guys over dodgy promotions

Inside Retail

JB Hi-Fi’s subsidiary The Good Guys is facing legal action from the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) for alleged deceptive misrepresentations around its ‘StoreCash’ promotions. The ACCC said that The Good Guys ran 116 promotions between July 2019 and August last year, offering consumers a store credit or StoreCash if they spent a certain amount on qualifying products in its online or physical stores.

article thumbnail

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.

article thumbnail

Tractor Supply Weeds Out Support for DEI, Environmental and LGBTQ+ Causes

Retail TouchPoints

Citing feedback from its predominantly rural customer base, Tractor Supply will eliminate all DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) roles, withdraw its carbon emission goals and stop support for “nonbusiness” LGBTQ+ and voter registration causes. The 2,250 -store retailer will refocus its charitable efforts on veterans, emergency response, animal shelters and farmers’ markets. “ Going forward, we will ensure our activities and giving tie directly to our business ,” according to a company stateme

Planning 299
article thumbnail

Google’s Anti-Cookie Effort Crumbles; Privacy Efforts in Flux

Retail TouchPoints

After more than four years of efforts to deprecate third-party cookies on its Chrome browser, Google has essentially given up the fight. In a July 22 blog , the VP of Google’s Privacy Sandbox Anthony Chavez acknowledged the pushback Google has received from publishers, brands and regulators as it sought to remove the online trackers. “In light of this, we are proposing an updated approach that elevates user choice,” Chavez wrote.

article thumbnail

Mosaic Brands confirms loss looms for fiscal FY24

Inside Retail

Mosaic Brands has confirmed it will report trading and statutory losses for the last fiscal year, with a pretax deficit in the range of $15 million to $20 million expected. The fashion retailer forecasts an operating EBITDA loss of between $5 million and $10 million. The company said it continues to anticipate a recovery in the first half of the current fiscal year as it works on resolving operational issues.

Fashion 290
article thumbnail

McDonald’s Recent Test Might Lead to the Return of a Fan-Favorite Menu Item

Retail Wire

McDonald's customers have been begging for the return of this item, and they just might get it.

Returns 290
article thumbnail

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.

article thumbnail

Dunkin’ National Drive-Thru Day Offerings Are Here

Retail Wire

Dunkin has announced its National Drive-Thru Day offerings, and they range from free doughnuts to free Padres tickets.

290
290
article thumbnail

Amazon Teams with Better Business Bureau to Sue Fake Review Site

Retail TouchPoints

Amazon and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) have jointly filed a lawsuit seeking to shut down ReviewServiceUSA.com, a site that allegedly attempted to sell fake positive reviews for Amazon product listing pages or BBB business profiles. The suit, filed in King County Superior Court, is the latest effort by Amazon to stem the tide of fake reviews. On its own, Amazon blocked more than 250 million suspected fake reviews on its ecommerce site in 2023.

article thumbnail

In-N-Out Owner Slams Viral Video of Non-Existent ‘Monkey Style’ Burger

Retail Wire

In-N-Out Burger has been the subject of a viral TikTok trend, and the owner of the popular fast-food restaurant has had enough of the monkeying around.

290
290
article thumbnail

Etsy to Beta Test Loyalty Program

Retail TouchPoints

In mid-September, Etsy will launch a closed beta test of Etsy Insider, the marketplace’s new buyer loyalty program. Select U.S. buyers will be able to take advantage of benefits including free U.S. domestic shipping on many items, first access to special discounts and merchandise and a limited-edition annual gift designed by an Etsy seller. The program will be funded by Etsy and through a planned membership fee, with no cost to Etsy sellers.

Shipping 289
article thumbnail

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.

article thumbnail

How FedEx Leverages its Data and Expertise to Help Merchants Win Post-Purchase

Retail TouchPoints

Not too long ago, if you wanted to get a package somewhere there were three primary choices — FedEx , UPS and USPS. But times have changed — both customers and merchants can now choose from a range of same-day delivery offerings in addition to traditional mail carriers. Not to mention that many retailers ( Amazon , Walmart , Target and American Eagle Outfitters , to name a few) have cut out the middle man and are handling the last mile themselves.

article thumbnail

Universal Store Holdings forecasts annual sales to rise 9.7 per cent

Inside Retail

Universal Store Holdings expects higher sales for the fiscal year ending June 30, thanks to improved performance in the majority of its segments. The fashion retailer – which sells more than 100 ‘trend-led’ apparel, footwear and accessories brands including Champion, Perfect Stranger, Tommy Jeans, Thrills, and Wrangler – forecasts annual group sales to rise 9.7 per cent from last year to $288.5 million.

Wholesale 290
article thumbnail

Retailers beware, the Lululemon greenwashing lawsuit could be just the start

Inside Retail

Retailers beware: the legal hit job on Lululemon, the world’s leading athleisure brand, because of alleged deceit regarding its environmental practices could well be the tip of the iceberg. No one is safe. As reported by Inside Retail on July 19 , Lululemon is being taken to court in a class action lawsuit in Florida, following a complaint lodged by environmental activist group Stand.earth with the Canada Competition Bureau.

ATS 289
article thumbnail

Behind Booktopia’s demise and what it says about the future of indie bookstores

Inside Retail

The collapse of Australian online book retailer Booktopia has not come as a shock but rather a reminder that retailers, especially in publishing need to maintain a competitive edge. The compounding reasons that led to the voluntary administration have been cited as a slowdown in book sales, reduced discretionary spending and overspending on a distribution centre.

article thumbnail

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.

article thumbnail

Olive Garden Owner Darden Restaurants To Buy Chuy’s for $605M

Retail Wire

The Tex-Mex chain restaurant will be added to Darden's large portfolio of brands.

289
289
article thumbnail

Delta, United, & American Airlines Flights Grounded Due to Worldwide Communication Outage

Retail Wire

Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and American Airlines flights nationwide were grounded this morning due to a communication outage.

289
289
article thumbnail

Athletic Brewing $50M Equity Round: What We Know

Retail Wire

The Athletic Brewing Company is the largest non-alcoholic beer company in the United States.

290
290
article thumbnail

KFC unveils Christmas in July at world-first Colonel’s Lodge

Inside Retail

KFC is creating Christmas in July this year by opening its first Colonel’s Lodge. The fast food chain is offering three two-night stays in the festive-themed KFC lodge. With every purchase of $30 or more in the KFC app this month customers can enter the draw to win a trip for four people. The winners will enjoy an unlimited supply of KFC Christmas spreads and the services of a KFC lodge butler.

ATS 290
article thumbnail

Staying Ahead of UFLPA Enforcement: Best Practices for Retail Supply Chains

Speaker: Ethan Woolley, Director at Kharon

This webinar will explore how companies can proactively address compliance risks–rather than reactively responding to–UFLPA enforcement actions. Ethan Woolley will provide insights into the latest CBP enforcement trends, entity list updates, and industries under increased scrutiny, with a look at potential shifts under the Trump administration. Ethan will also explore how predictive data and strategic due diligence can help organizations stay ahead of regulatory challenges and strengthen complia