Kristina Stidham

Kristina Stidham

Kristina Stidham is the digital content director at Total Retail and sister brands Women in Retail Leadership Circle and Women Leading Travel & Hospitality at NAPCO Media. She is passionate about digital media and handles video, podcast and virtual event production for all brands. You can often find her at WIRLC, TR, WLT&H or industry events with her camera and podcasting equipment⁠—or at home on Zoom⁠—recording interviews with thought leaders and business executives.

Kristina holds a B.A. in Media Studies and Production from the Temple University Klein College of Media and Communication in Philadelphia. Go Owls! When she’s not in the office, she loves to go on long walks, sing around the house, hangout with her family and two pet guinea pigs, and travel to new places.

Party City Launches Inside 700-Plus Staples Stores
April 21, 2026 at 6:05 pm

Staples and Party City announced Tuesday a strategic partnership bringing Party City inside more than 700 Staples locations nationwide and on Staples.com, with plans to expand to additional stores by the end of 2026. The collaboration brings Party City’s selection of balloons, décor and party supplies together with Staples same-day print and marketing services. Customers…

Report: Retail Sales Grew in March Thanks to Tax Refunds
April 14, 2026 at 5:31 pm

Retail sales rose again in March as consumers received higher-than-usual tax refunds that made up for increased gasoline prices, according to the CNBC/NRF Retail Monitor, powered by Affinity Solutions, released by the National Retail Federation (NRF). “Retail sales grew for a sixth consecutive month in March as the first wave of tax refunds offset higher…

How Whatnot is Driving the Growth of Live Commerce
April 13, 2026 at 5:30 pm

At Shoptalk in Las Vegas last month, Total Retail Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviewed Tom Verrilli, chief product officer at Whatnot, the largest livestream shopping platform in the U.S., UK, and Europe. They explore the rise of live commerce and the customer experience within the Whatnot platform that combines the ease of e-commerce with the personal…

How David's Bridal is Evolving Beyond Traditional Retail
April 8, 2026 at 8:33 pm

At Shoptalk in Las Vegas last month, Total Retail Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan spoke with Elina Vilk, president and chief business officer, and Lisa Horton, chief communications and creative officer at David's Bridal, the wedding technology company, media powerhouse, and marketplace platform. They discuss the bridal company's "Aisle to Algorithm" strategy, balancing the risks and rewards…

Reddit’s Growing Influence in Retail: Bridging the Discovery to Purchase Gap
April 7, 2026 at 5:11 pm

At Shoptalk in Las Vegas last month, Total Retail Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan spoke with Anna Haffner, senior director, large customer sales, retail at Reddit, a social network of communities where people can dive into their interests, hobbies and passions. They explore how Reddit’s massive collection of human conversations is transforming into a powerful retail engine.…

Amazon Reaches Reduced Deliveries Deal With U.S. Postal Service
April 7, 2026 at 5:06 pm

Amazon.com said Monday it has reached a ‌new agreement with the United States Postal Service (USPS) ‌on package deliveries, reports Yahoo Finance. Sources told Reuters the deal will result ​in Amazon, which is USPS's largest single customer, retaining around 80 percent of its existing deliveries with USPS, or more than 1 billion packages ‌per year.…

Wayfair's CMO Talks AI Strategy and Store Expansion
April 6, 2026 at 7:26 pm

At Shoptalk in Las Vegas last month, Total Retail Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan spoke with Paul Toms, chief marketing officer at Wayfair, one of the world's largest destinations for the home. They delve into Wayfair's multifaceted growth strategy, including the opening of physical retail stores in Chicago and Atlanta (with more locations to come), as well…

Aerosoles Owner American Exchange Group to Buy Allbirds for $39M
March 31, 2026 at 5:14 pm

American Exchange Group, whose brand portfolio includes Aerosoles, has agreed to buy direct-to-consumer footwear brand Allbirds for about $39 million, reports Yahoo Finance. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2026. Allbirds once reached a peak valuation of $4.2 billion, filed an IPO in 2021, and had planned to open hundreds…

Target Announces 3-Day Circle Deal Days Shopping Event
March 17, 2026 at 4:49 pm

Target will launch Target Circle Deal Days, a three-day promotional event scheduled for March 25-27, as the retailer looks to stimulate spring spending while strengthening engagement with its loyalty ecosystem, reports Yahoo Finance. The sale will feature discounts up to 50 percent off thousands of items across categories including apparel, home, beauty and more across…