In episode 368 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Brendan Lokes, brand media manager at Carhartt, a manufacturer of premium clothing and workwear known for exceptional durability, comfort, quality and fit. Lokes discusses why Carhartt has formed a partnership with Snapchat and Bitmoji (0:48), how the brand listened to customer demand for Carhartt…
Joe Keenan
NAPCO Research, in conjunction with Blackhawk Network, recently executed a comprehensive review of the state of U.K.-based merchants’ gift card offerings. The subsequent report included an assessment of retailers’ e-commerce/digital, mobile, and in-store gift card offerings, providing an omnicommerce view into the consumer gift card purchase and recipient experience. The report features data and analysis from the assessment of…
Gap Inc. is cutting about 500 corporate jobs as the apparel retailer struggles with declining sales. The job cuts, which include open positions, will be primarily at Gap’s offices in San Francisco, New York and Asia, and hit various departments, a representative for the retailer confirmed Tuesday. The moves were first reported by The Wall Street…
This episode was recorded live at CRMC 2022 in Chicago. In episode 367 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Bryan Yuris, vice president of performance marketing at Express, a modern, multichannel apparel and accessories brand for men and women. Listen in as Yuris discusses his career background and current role (0:45), as well…
The White House struck a tentative deal Thursday to avoid a rail strike that risked major disruptions across the United States, with freight workers securing a key demand. The agreement between major freight rail operators and two large unions — the Brotherhood of Locomotive Engineers and Trainmen and SMART Transportation Division — highlights the labor movement’s growing…
In episode 366 of Total Retail Talks, Michael Cleavinger, global commercial data science lead at PepsiCo, discusses the organization's data strategy for both customer and product data, and its unique data collection process. He shares examples of how PepsiCo is leveraging data to inform decision making, as well as how his data science team shares information with other departments across the organization.
Lowe’s and Instacart announced that same-day delivery is now available from more than 1,700 Lowe’s stores nationwide. Nearly 30,000 items can be ordered for delivery in as fast as an hour. Lowe’s is one of the first retailers on the Instacart App to roll out same-day and scheduled delivery for large items, up to 3x3x5…
In episode 365 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Brigitte Barron, director of global CRM and customer growth at e.l.f. Beauty, vegan, cruelty-free professional affordable makeup and skincare products. In the wide-ranging interview, Barron discusses her responsibilities at e.l.f., the brand's recently enhanced omnichannel loyalty program, how the company tracks loyalty rewards data on customer purchases across its retail partners, and much more.
Walmart-owned Sam’s Club said Wednesday it will raise its annual fees this fall, as the warehouse club’s membership hovers at a record high and inflation-pinched shoppers seek deals on bulk items. Fees will increase to $50 from $45 for club members and to $110 from $100 for members of its higher-tier level, “Plus,” which includes…
This episode was recorded live at CRMC 2022 in Chicago. In episode 364 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Isabelle Darby, director of marketing at Paper Source, the premier paper store for unique gifts, crafts, stationery and more. Darby discusses her current role and career background (0:47), why Paper Source is investing in…
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced on Wednesday that the state reached a settlement of $1.2 million with Sephora for breaching the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) after it was determined the beauty retailer sold people’s data without telling them. After conducting an enforcement sweep of online retailers, Bonta found Sephora failed to process people’s requests to opt out…
This episode was recorded live at CRMC 2022 in Chicago. In episode 363 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Yan Cote, director of consumer marketing at ExxonMobil, the world's largest publicly traded international oil and gas company, and Jerry Filipiak, CEO of North America and director of research and development at Comarch, a global…
Lowe’s is offering hourly employees $55 million in bonuses to help offset the sting of inflation, which has remained near 40-year highs all summer, the company announced on an earnings call Wednesday. The home improvement retailer is offering this incentive even as inflation moderated slightly, with gas prices softening in July from their peak the previous month, a…
As part of the recently released report, 2022 Merchant Gift Card Omnicommerce Evaluation, US Edition, the authors, NAPCO Research and Blackhawk Network, provided tips for improving the performance of gift card programs across three primary channels: e-commerce/digital; in-store; mobile. Retailers and brands should consider implementing these tips into their own organizations to capture market share…
Walmart has reached a deal to offer Paramount Global’s streaming service as a perk of its Walmart+ membership program, the companies confirmed on Monday. Starting in September, customers who belong to the retailer’s program will get free access to an ad-supported plan on Paramount+, which includes movies and shows such as “Star Trek,” “Paw Patrol,” “The…
