Digital Innovation

The latest Consumer Price Index confirmed that inflation is up 7.9 percent year-over-year (YoY), proving again that the United States is experiencing the highest inflation levels in 40 years. While those in the retail and CPG industry expect price fluctuations, sustained cost increases across the board, from wheat to packaging, are putting severe strains on…

The pandemic accelerated e-commerce growth and there’s no going back. Gartner reported that 86 percent of marketing leaders believe digital commerce will be the most important sales channel within the next two years. E-commerce leaders need a clear maturity road map to stay ahead of the competition, add differentiating value for customers, and improve commerce…

In episode 344 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Scott Saeger, senior vice president, chief information officer and chief technology officer at GNC, a trusted leader in clinically studied dietary supplements for weight loss, strength and performance. Saeger discusses GNC's recent launch of Amazon Alexa voice ordering capabilities, including how consumers can utilize…

Young brands led by tech-savvy, marketing-aware entrepreneurs are snapping at the heels of established, more traditionally led brands, and their growth illustrates the success of their model. Emerging as “blands,” these B-to-C businesses are disrupting the e-commerce market by focusing on a holistic and true multichannel experience for customers. What are blands? In a recent…

During Shoptalk 2022 in Las Vegas last week, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviewed Antonino Guichard, chief digital officer of Liverpool, the leading department store chain in Mexico. In this video, Guichard discusses some of the challenges Liverpool has faced in growing its e-commerce business, as well as how the retailer's customers' behaviors have shifted as a result of some…

In a session last month at Shoptalk 2022 in Las Vegas, executives from Kroger and Nordstrom discussed the new technologies and business models their companies have embraced to succeed during retail's rapid transformation.  Ken Worzel, Nordstrom's chief operating officer, and Yael Cosset, The Kroger Co.'s senior vice president and chief information officer, agreed the past two years presented…

A little over a year ago, McKinsey announced that COVID-19 crammed 10 years worth of expected growth in e-commerce into just 90 days (a claim I think is open for debate). While the world focused on e-commerce, spectacular growth was actually occurring in another part of the market: Web 3.0. It’s fair to say that…

In episode 343 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Brian Beitler, chief marketing officer of QVC U.S. and HSN, part of Qurate Retail Group. Listen in as Beitler discusses how QVC is incorporating new livestream shopping tools to enhance the customer experience, why he believes consumer adoption of livestream shopping is rising, and…

It feels like the ongoing non-fungible token (NFT) boom has touched every industry. Whether it’s in the auto, real estate, media, retail, sports or entertainment sector, brands of all types are racing to join the NFT party. Where NFTs fit in sports or gaming is fairly intuitive, as those industries have long cherished collectibles and…

In a session earlier this week at Shoptalk 2022 in Las Vegas, Sam's Club CEO Kath McLay detailed how the retailer is delivering better experiences for its members across both physical and digital channels. Sam's Club, the warehouse club owned by Walmart, has posted an impressive 27 percent growth in its e-commerce business over the…