Melissa Campanelli

Melissa Campanelli

Melissa Campanelli is Editor-in-Chief of Total Retail. She is an industry veteran, having covered all aspects of retail, tech, digital, e-commerce, and marketing over the past 20 years. Melissa is also the co-founder of the Women in Retail Leadership Circle.

The Inner Circle Q&A: Natalie MacLennan, CEO, Dockers

We are so excited to feature Natalie MacLennan, CEO of Dockers, in the Women in Retail Inner Circle Q&A this week. As Dockers’ CEO, Natalie oversees all aspects of Levi’s casual lifestyle brand across product, marketing, operations and commercial. Since joining the Dockers team in 2020, Natalie has been pivotal in transforming Dockers into a…

Report: Retail Sales Grew at a Steady Pace in March

Retail sales grew at a steady pace in March in part due to wage gains and easing inflation for goods, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor report, powered by Affinity Solutions, released on Monday by the National Retail Federation (NRF). According to the Retail Monitor report, total retail sales were up 2.72 percent unadjusted year-over-year…

Total Retail Tech Keynoter James Rhee Publishes New Book, 'red helicopter'

James Rhee, the former CEO of Ashley Stewart who will be a keynote speaker at our our upcoming Total Retail Tech event, has published a book that hit the shelves this week. The book, "red helicopter — lead change with kindness (plus a little math)," is based on a specific event in Rhee's life: In…

99 Cents Only Stores Files for Bankruptcy Protection

99 Cents Only Stores announced last week that it had filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States Bankruptcy Court for the District of Delaware, days after it said it was closing all of its 371 locations. Founded in 1982, 99 Cents Only Stores currently operates stores in California, Texas, Arizona and Nevada. Number Holdings, Inc., the parent company…

DoorDash Adds Lowe's as First Home Improvement Retail Partner

DoorDash has entered the home improvement category with a new partnership with Lowe’s Companies. The delivery aggregator announced yesterday that it will offer on-demand delivery from more than 1,700 Lowes' stores nationwide. This partnership marks DoorDash’s first foray into the home improvement category and builds on the significant selection offerings on the platform, with more than 99…

The Home Depot Acquiring Supplier to Professional Contractors

The Home Depot said yesterday it is acquiring SRS Distribution Inc. (SRS) -- a materials provider across several verticals serving professional roofers, landscapers and pool contractors -- in a deal valued at approximately $18.25 billion. It would be Home Depot's largest acquisition in its history. The home improvement retailer expects the acquisition to close this…

Fabric and Craft Retailer Joann Files for Bankruptcy

Joann, the 81-year-old fabric and craft retailer, has filed for bankruptcy as it struggles with customers cutting back on discretionary spending. In a statement released on Monday, the Ohio-based company said it filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection and has secured $132 million in funding with most of its financial stakeholders that helps reduce its…

Macy’s Confirms Receipt of Revised Acquisition Proposal

Macy's confirmed on Sunday that it received a revised proposal from two of its major investors, Arkhouse Management Co. and Brigade Capital Management, to acquire each of the remaining shares in Macy’s they don’t already own for $24 per share — up from an earlier offer of $21 per share — for a deal value…

Report: Amazon.com US Sales Will Surpass $640B in 2024

Amazon.com U.S. retail sales will total $641.3 billion in 2024, an increase of 19.9 percent or $106.6 billion from 2023, according to a new report from digital retail consultancy Momentum Commerce that tracks Amazon's U.S. retail sales as well as hundreds of Amazon product categories. According to the report, the following top-level, physical goods categories…

Target Launches Value-Priced Private Label Brand

Target Corp. announced it has launched a new private label product line for price-conscious consumers called dealworthy. The assortment of 400 everyday basics will include apparel and accessories, essentials and beauty, as well as electronics and home items. Items will start at less than $1 and with most under $10, the prices are designed to…

Report: Retail Sales Up 2.3% YoY in January

Retail sales showed a strong beginning for the year in January, nearly matching December’s busy holiday spending and rising significantly year-over-year, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions, released today by the National Retail Federation (NRF). Total retail sales were up 2.34 percent unadjusted YoY in January, according to the Retail Monitor.…

Levi's to Reduce Corporate Workforce by Up to 15%

Levi Strauss & Co. is planning to reduce its corporate workforce 10 percent to 15 percent during the next six months as part of its “productivity initiative” to drive long-term growth. The initiative, a two-year program named Project FUEL, is designed to accelerate the execution of Levi's brand-led and direct-to-consumer first strategies while fueling long-term…

Macy's, Wayfair Announce Job Cuts

Retail layoffs are hitting especially hard recently. Macy’s is laying off about 3.5 percent of its total headcount, which amounts to roughly 2,350 employees, and the iconic department store is closing five locations. Also last week, online furniture seller Wayfair said it is cutting about 1,650 jobs, or 13 percent of its global workforce. The Wall…

How Walmart is Embracing AI

Artificial intelligence (AI) is enabling Walmart to move from being an omnichannel retailer to an adaptive one, at least according to Anshu Bhardwaj, senior vice president and chief operating officer at Walmart Global Technology and Walmart Commerce Technologies, who spoke at a session during the National Retail Federation Big Show in New York City earlier…

Report: Consumers Dissatisfied With Retail Experiences

Consumers are generally dissatisfied with their retail experiences, at least according to a global study from the IBM Institute for Business Value called "Revolutionize retail with AI everywhere: Customers won't wait." The report points out that only 9 percent of consumers said they were content with their in-store shopping experiences and 14 percent content with…