Branding

More than 122 million Americans plan to shop online today, Cyber Monday, up from the 121 million who planned to participate last year, according to the National Retail Federation’s Cyber Monday Expectations Survey, conducted by Prosper Insights & Analytics over the weekend. More than 28 million people, or 23 percent of Cyber Monday shoppers, plan…

As 2017 approaches, marketers are finalizing their strategies and budgets for next year. 2016 marketing has implemented augmented

Sears and Kmart are the latest major retailers to lose market share to Amazon.com. Many spectators doubt that these proud store brands will survive after years of decline, and according to Business Insider, Sears and Kmart employees agree. ‘Welcome to Sears, How May I NOT Help You?’ Who can blame Sears and Kmart employees for being so disgruntled? As depressing as it…

A perfect storm of demographics, economics and technology is taking direct aim at the retail industry. Demographically, millennials have become the largest consumer group. And this group has expectations and habits that retailers must accommodate. Along with this demographic change, the physical economy of retail is quickly shifting. Clearly, the brick-and-mortar store isn't dead. In fact, McKinsey…

Retailers have a new generation to market to, and it’s more important than ever to respond to their wants and needs. Generation Z is unlike any cohort we’ve seen in the past, which presents a challenge to retailers and brands that are looking to target and engage with Gen Z shoppers. While there are a…

As increasing returns inspire U.S. companies to spend over $2 billion a year on loyalty programs, competition to keep members engaged

Traditional retailers are struggling. In the spring of 2016 alone, we saw Sports Authority declare bankruptcy, Aeropostale lose 93 percent of its share price before declaring insolvency, and sales at Kohl's drop. Even as recently as August 11, Macy’s announced it will close another 100 stores. There's little doubt that competition from online retailers has…

After a roller coaster of a week last week, Amazon.com is providing some clarification on "brand-gating" and what it means for merchants. As a quick refresh, Amazon implemented new rules last week requiring merchants to supply dozens of invoices and pay up to a $1,500 fee to sell certain popular (and frequently counterfeited) brands, such…

Abercrombie & Fitch Co. announced that it will be closing 60 stores in the U.S. after reporting a wider loss for its second quarter. This represents about an 8 percent closure of its store count in the domestic market. Abercrombie reported that sales have been hurt by a decline of tourists to its flagship cities.…

It's called Apple, not the Apple Store. The Cupertino, California company has decreed that its chain of retail stores will now only be referred to thusly in what seems to be part of an ongoing attempt to rebrand its stores from shopping destinations to community gathering places. Apple's new flagship store in downtown San Francisco…