Finance leaders at retail organizations that run their own trucks, moving product from distribution centers to stores and from stores to customers' doors, are being asked to defend EBITDA, justify capital allocation decisions, and protect shareholder returns using data that was never designed to answer those questions. Fleet investments are a significant capital commitment, competing…

It’s almost that time — long lines, crazy sales, and the mad dash to check everyone off the holiday shopping list. While the in-store holiday rush can send many into a frenzy, more shoppers are making their purchases online, searching, comparing, and buying from the comfort of home. In response, online retailers are increasingly leaning…

Retail and supply chain leaders are being told that agentic artificial intelligence adoption is a straightforward cost-saving decision. The pitch is simple: automate a task, reduce headcount or hours, and watch the savings appear. However, the financial case for AI can be harder to establish than the technology itself, particularly for omnichannel retailers whose initiatives…

In episode 519 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Jillian Cueff, chief merchandising officer at Claire's, a global specialty retailer known for tween and teen fashion accessories, costume jewelry, and iconic ear-piercing services. Listen in as Cueff shares how she's implemented her own vision for the brand's merchandising organization (1:25) and how Claire's…

Chinese fast-fashion giant Shein has agreed to pay $100 million to settle an investigation by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission over delivery delays and other customer complaints, a source with direct knowledge told Reuters late last week. The settlement, equivalent to 44 percent of Shein’s second-quarter profit, ​is ⁠the latest to hit the online fast-fashion…