Retail Stores

Meta to Open First Physical Store
April 27, 2022 at 4:16 pm

Meta, formerly Facebook, announced Tuesday that it would open its first physical store next month. The social media giant said in a blog post Monday that the store, which will be located in Burlingame, Calif., would be "a space to discover Meta Portal, Ray-Ban Stories, and Meta Quest 2 and try them out in person."…

Rite Aid to Close 145 Stores
April 19, 2022 at 11:14 am

Rite Aid plans to close a total of 145 “unprofitable” stores as part of its optimization efforts. The drug store chain announced it was closing an initial 63 stores in December, and is looking to save in administrative and labor costs and make improvements across payroll and the supply chain, with total savings expected to reach $170…

March Retail Sales Increase 0.5% Amid Inflation Jump
April 14, 2022 at 12:28 pm

Retail sales in March climbed 0.5 percent from the previous month, slightly less than the 0.6 percent Dow Jones estimate and a deceleration from the upwardly revised 0.8 percent gain in February. The data came with inflation rising 1.1 percent for the month as measured by the consumer price index. Inflation rose to its highest level since…

Experiences and Rewards Are the Keys to In-Store Success
April 7, 2022 at 6:01 pm

We’re already into April and retailers are shelving their spring collection items fast. As the temperatures start to warm up, and as COVID-19 restrictions continue to loosen across the U.S., retailers should be preparing for a surge in in-store shopping once more. Akin to the “revenge shopping” trend that we’ve seen emerge during the warmer…

How Ron Thurston is Celebrating the Impact of Retail Associates Across America
March 28, 2022 at 10:23 am

In episode 342 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Ron Thurston, Amazon.com No. 1 best-selling author of "RETAIL PRIDE: The Guide to Celebrating Your Accidental Career" and veteran retail executive. Thurston discusses his career history in the retail industry, what he loves about working in the retail space, and how the frontline store…

How to Prepare Your Organization for the Future of Brick-and-Mortar
March 8, 2022 at 3:18 pm

The past two years have shown us the value of preparation. For the first time in a long time, the average American has had to consider that everything can change at the drop of a dime. Despite new and unforeseen challenges in 2020 and 2021, preparation for the unexpected is nothing new for retailers. As…

Boosting Shopper Safety and Confidence in the Retail Environment
March 7, 2022 at 4:29 pm

The COVID-19 pandemic has hit retailers across the globe particularly hard. Depending on the jurisdiction, some were forced to close temporarily, while most had to limit the number of customers allowed inside at one time. As vaccination rates increased, restrictions were relaxed, and for many stores, it was business as usual — just with everyone…

An Overlooked Key to Gaining In-Store Shoppers' Confidence
March 3, 2022 at 1:29 pm

Even before anyone had ever heard of COVID-19, the brick-and-mortar retail industry was in trouble. Anchor tenants in malls were closing their doors, transforming once vibrant shopping centers into ghost towns. Independent retailers were struggling as they faced strong competition from online stores that didn’t have the high overhead of operating in expensive downtown areas.…

Amazon is Closing its Books, Pop Up, and 4-Star Stores
March 3, 2022 at 11:15 am

Amazon.com is shutting down all of its Amazon Books physical bookstores, as well as its Amazon 4-star and Amazon Pop Up shops, which sold a variety of electronics and other in-demand items. The closures affect 68 stores across the U.S. and U.K., Amazon said. Closure dates will vary by location and Amazon said it would…

Target to Open 250 More Ulta Beauty Shops in Stores This Year
March 1, 2022 at 5:34 pm

More Target stores will get an Ulta Beauty shop added in 2022, reports USA Today. The retailer announced Monday that it plans to open 250-plus additional small beauty shops inside its stores this year after opening 101 locations and an online store since August 2021. Target didn't release a list of the upcoming locations, but…