Mark Hook

Consumers continue tightening their belts as the cost-of-living crisis bites. And the outlook isn’t ideal. The cost-of-living crisis, combined with the rising cost of raw materials, packaging, transport and labor, is putting insurmountable pressure on retailers and increasingly price-conscious consumers. Many e-commerce businesses, especially those operating in the last decade, were set up on high-growth,…

The last two years have been a roller coaster for online stores. The supply chain disruptions of 2021 led to many merchants struggling to get their hands on enough inventory, and then overbuying to compensate in 2022. But now, with an economic downturn looming and the threat of reduced consumer spending increasing, stores that overstocked…

Caden Lane is a Texas-based online retailer known for its range of personalized newborn clothing along with nursery decor. The brand has gone from strength to strength since switching its focus from wholesale and brick-and-mortar sales to online-only, direct-to-consumer business. Caden Lane recently reported a 132 percent growth rate — earning the company fourth place…

The last two years have been a roller coaster for fashion brands. The supply chain disruptions of 2021 led to many merchants struggling to get their hands on enough inventory, and then overbuying to compensate. Now, with an economic downturn looming and the threat of reduced spending increasing, retailers that overstocked during the pandemic are…

Facing an economic downturn and reduced spending, 2022 was arguably one of the toughest year’s retail has ever faced. As the cost-of-living crisis continues, thoughts are now turning to what 2023 will have in store and how e-commerce merchants will respond to the challenges ahead. We spoke to a range of industry experts to get…

The events of the last few years — Brexit, the pandemic, The Great Resignation, a cost-of-living crisis — have caused evolving challenges that continue to ripple through the retail industry. One of the biggest causes for concern for businesses today is a mass shortage of workers as people switch to remote or at-home working, decide…

Some retail brands are born in boardrooms, others are created in more unconventional circumstances — and J Brooks Boutique, an Atlanta-based online fashion business, is one of those brands. In 2016, its founder, Jessica (Jes) Brooks, bought a sewing machine from a catalog using points she earned as a reward for her performance in her…

When a small to midsize business (SMB) experiences rapid growth its profit margins might go up, but its back-office operations often go into meltdown. Spreadsheets get used to plug gaps between systems; mistakes and delays become commonplace, resulting in poor customer feedback; tedious manual workflows take up the time and energy of team members; and…

For most brands, winning endorsement from Kim Kardashian, with her 290 million Instagram followers, is the stuff dreams are made of. For oral cosmetics brand Snow, the Kardashian seal of approval is one in a long line of celebrity recommendations, including from film stars such as Chris Pratt, TV legends such as Ellen DeGeneres, and…

From ports clogged with containers and raw materials running low, to factories shutting down and truck drivers being in short supply, retailers have faced a steady stream of devastating supply chain issues over the last year. And the worst part? Industry experts and economists now believe the problems could continue into 2023 and beyond, with…