Sat.Jan 04, 2025 - Fri.Jan 10, 2025

article thumbnail

Navigating the Tariff Era: A Strategic Roadmap for Retailers

Retail TouchPoints

The re-emergence of tariffs on the global trade horizon has once again thrust the retail industry into uncertainty. While policymakers often champion tariffs as a mechanism to protect domestic industries, their ripple effects are far-reaching, inflating costs, disrupting supply chains and, ultimately, burdening consumers. As retailers brace for this looming economic shift, learning from past experiences and implementing forward-thinking strategies is paramount to mitigating risk and seizing oppo

Apparel 273
article thumbnail

Why Branded Workwear is Vital for Retail Staff

Retail Focus

In todays competitive retail landscape, creating a memorable brand image and ensuring smooth operations are more crucial than ever. One often-overlooked but highly effective way to accomplish both of these objectives is by implementing branded workwear for retail staff. From enhancing professionalism to boosting brand recognition, branded uniforms provide a range of benefits that positively impact both employees and customers.

Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

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

article thumbnail

12 Proven Customer Retention Strategies in Retail

RETAIL MANAGEMENT SOFTWARE

In the world of retail, the importance of customer retention cannot be overstated. As businesses focus on attracting new customers, it’s equally crucial to invest in keeping existing ones. Retaining customers not only ensures consistent revenue but also fosters brand loyalty and advocacy. In this blog, we will explore proven customer retention strategies that retail businesses can implement to boost customer loyalty and long-term success. 1.

article thumbnail

Why third spaces are the retail trend to tap into in 2025

Inside Retail

If 2024 was all about pop-ups , in 2025, it would appear that retailers are leaning into third spaces. The concept was originally coined by American sociologist Ray Oldenburg in his 1989 book, The Great Good Place , and refers to places beyond work and home where people gather and connect. However, as Nick Gray, founder of the Australian-based retail consultant agency I Got You, observed, the concept has been increasingly adopted by brands amidst the closure of public third places, heightened by

article thumbnail

Protect Your Businesss Online Reputation with These Expert Tips

In today's digital world, your online reputation can make or break your business. Protecting it requires proactive strategies, from monitoring customer reviews and social media mentions to responding professionally and showcasing positive feedback. This guide will help you establish a strong online presence, address negative comments effectively, and leverage SEO to highlight your best qualities.

article thumbnail

How a Ready-to-Drink Beverage Brand Prevented $1M in Losses with Retail Intelligence

Wiser

When operating in a highly competitive space, every dollar counts. For one ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage brand, missing key opportunities to optimize their shelf presence could have resulted in significant losses. By leveraging Wisers Retail Intelligence, they not only mitigated these risks but also recovered $1 million in losses. The Challenge: Missed Opportunities on the Shelf Competition for shelf space is fierce.

article thumbnail

Ulta Taps Instacart for Same-Day Delivery

Retail TouchPoints

Ulta Beauty has teamed up with Instacart to offer same-day delivery from its more than 1,400 stores acrossthe U.S. in as fast as one hour. Instacart customers can now shop a wide selection of skin care, hair care, cosmetics, fragrances and wellness products from Ulta. The partnership also integrates Ulta Beauty Rewards into the Instacart app , allowing members to earn points on every Ulta Beauty purchase made via Instacart by linking their accounts through Ulta Beauty’s storefront.

Grocer 293

More Trending

article thumbnail

After the Christmas high comes the returns, here’s how to break the cycle

Inside Retail

Christmas and end-of-year sales are big business for retailers but they also drive enormous returns. The high volumes of unwanted gifts and remorseful sale purchases have implications beyond the bottom line the environmental impact of emissions, repackaging and damaged goods is becoming excessive. The Australia Institute projected an estimated $1 billion worth of unwanted Christmas gift waste in 2024, with 27 per cent of Australians expected to receive gifts they will not use.

Returns 276
article thumbnail

Aldi to invest over £40m in Scotland over the next two years

Retail Focus

Aldi is set to continue its expansion in Scotland, confirming today it plans to invest more than 40m over the next two years, opening three new stores in Arbroath, Baillieston and Kirkintilloch in 2025. The investment supports the retailers growth ambitions north of the border and will allow it to keep up with growing consumer demand. In 2024, Aldi celebrated 30 years in Scotland, having opened its first store in Kilmarnock in 1994.

article thumbnail

Barnes & Noble Plans to Open 60 New Stores in 2025

Retail TouchPoints

Barnes & Noble will open approximately 60 stores this year, according to reporting in the Financial Times (FT). The retailer, owned by Elliott Investment Management along with the UK bookseller Waterstones , opened 57 stores in the U.S. and 12 in the UK last year. The retailer currently operates 650 stores. Waterstones Managing Director James Daunt, who also leads Barnes & Noble, told FT that last year represented a really significant expansion, and that the company plans to do that or m

Planning 332
article thumbnail

Macy’s To Close 66 More Stores in 2025, Store Closures Span 22 States

Retail Wire

Macy's is set to close 66 stores across 22 states nationwide in 2025.

262
262
article thumbnail

5 Ways You Can Win Faster with Gen AI in Sales

Incorporating generative AI (gen AI) into your sales process can speed up your wins through improved efficiency, personalized customer interactions, and better informed decision- making. Gen AI is a game changer for busy salespeople and can reduce time-consuming tasks, such as customer research, note-taking, and writing emails, and provide insightful data analysis and recommendations.

article thumbnail

How Mitre 10 personalised its e-commerce site for every store in its network

Inside Retail

As head of digital at Metcash’s Independent Hardware Group (IHG), the $2.1 billion business behind Mitre 10 and Home Hardware, Anna Kismet is a firm believer in using technology to solve unique business problems. One problem she has been working on since joining IHG in 2022 is how to manage the backend systems and processes for a business, Mitre 10, with over 500 stores that are all individually owned and operated. “From a technology point of view, you have multiple point-of-sale sys

article thumbnail

Pricer Plaza now available on Google Cloud Marketplace

Retail Focus

Pricer , the leading in-store automation andcommunication solutions provider, has announced its availability on Google Cloud Marketplace, allowing retailers to quickly deploy and seamlessly integrate Pricers ESLsolutions within their Google Cloud engagement as part of their digital transformation strategies for their store networks. Google Cloud Marketplace offers a universal catalogue of solutions, both from Google Cloud and its certified best-in-class technology partners, which help enterprise

article thumbnail

Returns Fraud: Identifying and Addressing a Growing Threat

Retail TouchPoints

With the holiday season out of the way, next to come is a wave of returns that will stretch into the new year. Given the heightened focus on return policies during this period, it is an opportune time for customer fulfillment leaders to raise awareness within their organizations about a persistent challenge confronting retailers: the rise in retail returns fraud.

Returns 274
article thumbnail

Cracker Barrel’s New Menu Additions Bring a Taste of Country to Beloved Restaurant

Retail Wire

Cracker Barrel is heating up this winter with delicious new menu offerings.

264
264
article thumbnail

The Evolving Retailer's Fulfillment Strategy: Meeting Demands with Agility

Speaker: Becky Parisotto and John Vurdelja

Fulfillment is no longer just about getting products from point A to point B – it's about crafting seamless, scalable, customer first experiences. Flexible fulfillment strategies are more important than ever for those aiming to stay ahead and build resilience as retail enters a new era in 2025. Learn how to optimize fulfillment processes, tackle complex, multi-vendor orders, and create seamless customer experiences – from white-glove delivery for high-value items to quick-ship solutions for ever

article thumbnail

Woolworths and Coles drew consumer ire for cost-of-living pressures in 2024

Inside Retail

Woolworths and Coles, Australias supermarket goliaths, have gone from Covid-19 heroes to cost-of-living villains in the last two years. Two of the nations major employers, with a combined workforce of 320,000 staff and about a 66 per cent share of the grocery market, Woolworths and Coles endured a 2024 they would no doubt rather forget. There has, of course, been political and media scrutiny of the supermarket sector in the past but in 2024, Australias two largest retailers were caught in a poli

Consumer 246
article thumbnail

Sensible gifting took centre stage as consumers embraced practicality this Christmas

Retail Focus

This Christmas, UK shoppers showed a clear shift towards sensible spending, prioritising useful, practical gifts over luxury and indulgence. New data from leading eCommerce provider Visualsoft saw that while overall Christmas revenue dropped by 4% compared to 2023, average order value (AOV) rose by 21%, reflecting the growing impact of thoughtful shopping and retailer incentives.

Consumer 147
article thumbnail

The North Face Appeals to All 5 Senses to Bring the Outdoors into its London Flagship

Retail TouchPoints

Want to enjoy the best of the outdoors without, you know, actually going outside? Then the recently opened London flagship of The North Face is the place for you. The retailer, working with Mood Media , has created an experiential retail location equipped with a large-scale LED visual wall displaying curated content, carefully chosen music and even a custom fragrance, White Pepperwood, carrying the scent of the outdoors through the air.

Outdoor 273
article thumbnail

Delta Announces Partnership With Uber, Google During AI-Heavy CES Keynote

Retail Wire

Delta Air Lines is partnering with Uber and Google, while also launching its Delta Concierge AI assistant.

263
263
article thumbnail

Modernizing the Frontend Experience on Salesforce Commerce Cloud

Unlock agility, boost performance, and gain control over your Salesforce frontend with the latest masterclass from Composable.com : Modernizing the Frontend Experience on Salesforce Commerce Cloud Featuring experts from Algolia, Ember, Netlify, and Stripe, this masterclass focuses on practical strategies for optimizing your Salesforce Commerce Cloud storefronts using modern composable commerce integrations.

article thumbnail

Amazon is set to take off in Australia this year, get ready

Inside Retail

Amazon, the $2 trillion gorilla, arrived on our shores officially in December 2017, just in time for Christmas. And some seven years on, much to the dismay of retailers, it is now starting to shake the tree and become a real force in the market , as Australian shoppers increasingly turn to alternatives to manage the cost-of-living crisis. Amazon announced it posted over $3.1 billion in sales revenue (across cloud, advertising and marketplace sales) in calendar year 2023, up from $2.63 billion in

article thumbnail

Mass brand premiumisation; a promising brand strategy?

Retail Focus

Ghalia BOUSTANI. Retail Consultant | Published author | Visiting lecturer Mass brand premiumisation has emerged as a pivotal trend in recent years, with brands striving to secure higher-value market segments while retaining their broad consumer appeal. This approach enables brands to boost profitability, elevate their image, and sustain growth in fiercely competitive markets.

Boutique 147
article thumbnail

Amazon Launches Advertising Service for Retailer Apps, Websites

Retail TouchPoints

Amazon has unveiled a new offering, the Retail Ad Service , which will allow any retailer to easily offer advertising on their digital platforms using the same technology that powers ads on Amazon.com. The service, which is built on the Amazon Web Services (AWS) cloud infrastructure, enables online retailers to show product ads on their search, browse and product pages.

article thumbnail

Trader Joe’s To Open New Stores Nationwide in 2025. Here’s Where

Retail Wire

Trader Joe's continues to expand its footprint.

264
264
article thumbnail

5 Tips to Build a Strong Web Presence for Your Small Business

Creating a solid web presence is crucial for small business success in today's digital world. This blog covers five essential tips to help you build and strengthen your online presence. Learn how to create a professional website, optimize it for search engines, and leverage social media to engage with your audience. We'll also guide you on the importance of local listings and how to maintain a consistent brand across all platforms.

article thumbnail

Black Friday boosts Australia’s November retail sales

Inside Retail

Australian retail sales saw significant year-on-year increase in November, largely attributed to the Black Friday sales. “Black Friday sales events proved once again to be a big hit, with widespread discounting and higher spending across all retail industries,” said Robert Ewing, head of business statistics at the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). “The popularity of Black Friday sales continues to grow with promotional activity now stretching across the entire month of Nov

article thumbnail

Holland & Barrett upsizes on Oxford Street, opening their latest wellness destination on The Langham Estate

Retail Focus

Holland & Barrett joined The Langham Estate at 146/148 Oxford Street on 20 December, relocating from 52 Oxford Street as part of its strategic expansion on the famous shopping thoroughfare. The deal takes the 11.3-acre Estates total ground floor retail to 87.5% let, with a number of further deals in progress as demand for prime retail space in the West End continues.

Location 147
article thumbnail

Coresight, NextRivet Join Forces to ‘Bridge Strategy and Execution’ for Retail Initiatives

Retail TouchPoints

Retail research and advisory firm Coresight Research has teamed up with NextRivet a digital innovation consultancy that specializes in retail real estate to launch CoreRivet , a new consultancy aimed at offering retail and real estate executives more client-centric advice and services around technology and other implementations. CoreRivet aims to combine Coresight Researchs expertise in market intelligence and digital strategy with NextRivets track record in digital innovation and implementati

Marketing 281
article thumbnail

Costco Recalls Cold and Flu Meds Amid Contamination Fears

Retail Wire

Costco's Kirkland Signature brand "Severe Cold and Flu Plus Congestion" medication may contain foreign material.

264
264
article thumbnail

10 Ways to Leverage Buyer Signals and Drive Revenue

In today’s ultra-competitive markets, it’s no longer enough to wait for buyers to show obvious signs of interest. Instead, sales teams must be proactive, identifying and acting on nuanced buyer behaviors — often before prospects are fully ready to make a purchase. In this eBook from ZoomInfo & Sell Better, learn 10 actionable ways to use these buyer signals to transform your sales strategy and close deals faster.

article thumbnail

Sage & Clare, Supre, Midas offer Australia’s best customer service experience

Inside Retail

Midas, Supre, and Sage & Clare have ranked the highest for Customer Service Experience in the Online CX Index , Australias first and only online retailer performance platform powered by real data. The Online CX Index, a partnership between Inside Retail and Humii, covered the customer service experience in December on metrics such as the availability of self-service support options, quality of on-site FAQs, live chat, email support, support responsiveness, resolution times, and overall quali

Fashion 277
article thumbnail

The O2 celebrates highest volume of visitors and sales ever recorded

Retail Focus

The O2, the live entertainment, leisure, and retail destination, has recorded its best-ever year for sales and footfall. These standout results have been strengthened by significant leasing across the Entertainment District and Outlet Shopping at The O2, as well as the growing importance of social spending, and reaffirm The O2s position as a market-leading retail and leisure destination in the UK.

Shopping 147
article thumbnail

JCPenney Joins SPARC Group to Form Catalyst Brands

Retail TouchPoints

JCPenney and SPARC Group, which holds a portfolio of brands including Aropostale, Brooks Brothers, Eddie Bauer, Lucky Brand and Nautica , have formed a joint venture in an all-equity transaction to create Catalyst Brands. The new company launches with more than $9 billion in revenue, 1,800 store locations and 60,000 employees. Catalyst Brands also has sold the U.S. operations of Reebok and is exploring strategic options for Forever 21 soperations.

Apparel 284
article thumbnail

Target Shoppers Looking for More Organic Produce Items

Retail Wire

Target shoppers are looking for more organic produce options than ever.

246
246
article thumbnail

Less Stress, More Success: Accounting Best Practices & Processes for 2025

Speaker: Duke Heninger, Partner and Fractional CFO at Ampleo & Creator of CFO System

Are you ready to elevate your accounting processes for 2025? 🚀 Join us for an exclusive webinar led by Duke Heninger, a seasoned fractional CFO and CPA passionate about transforming back-office operations for finance teams. This session will cover critical best practices and process improvements tailored specifically for accounting professionals.