Retail Stores

Retailers spent the past few years modernizing e-commerce and loyalty programs. 2026 is the year in-store experiences get the same treatment. Two shifts will reshape in-store media: artificial intelligence-powered dynamic content informed by real-time signals, and talent driving innovation with curiosity instead of convention. Together, these forces will close operational gaps between marketing and merchandising,…

Aldi plans to open more than 180 stores in the U.S. this year, including on the traditional turf of rival supermarkets and big-box stores. The German grocer’s latest growth plans follow an already aggressive expansion over the past decade. Aldi, which is known for its low prices, small stores and emphasis on private brands, has…

For years, headlines foretold the demise of brick-and-mortar retail. As e-commerce boomed and digital convenience reshaped consumer behavior, many predicted physical stores would fade into irrelevance. However, today's flagship locations tell a different story. Shoppers, especially digital natives like Gen Z, are showing up in person for immersive brand experiences, hands-on product demos, and personalized…

Barnes & Noble is opening more stores for readers to shop at in the new year. After nearly two decades of "declining store numbers," the bookseller has plans to open 60 new locations across the country in 2026, in addition to the dozens opened this year. While the details are still "being worked out" as…

In episode 497 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Rene Federico, head of marketing for the U.S. at Primark, a global  fashion retailer founded and based in Dublin, Ireland. Listen in as Federico discusses Primark's growth in the U.S., focusing on marketing strategies to support this expansion (2:25). She details her role at…

We've all heard the narrative: brick-and-mortar retail is dying, e-commerce is the future and physical stores are relics of a bygone era. But here's what that narrative misses: for certain categories, especially in retail technology, the physical store isn't just surviving; it's thriving. And there's a very good reason why. At PayMore, we've built our…

U.S. retail sales remained unchanged from September to October as consumers moderated their spending ahead of the holiday season. The U.S. Census Bureau provided the October sales numbers earlier this week; the report was delayed more than a month because of the 43-day government shutdown that occurred earlier this fall. Americans spent $732.6 billion in…

An estimated 158.9 million consumers plan to shop on the last Saturday before Christmas, known as Super Saturday, according to the annual survey released by the National Retail Federation and Prosper Insights & Analytics. The figure is up from 157.2 million shoppers last year and surpasses the previous record of 158.5 million in 2022. …

Target has given its store in New York City’s SoHo neighborhood a new look, reports CNBC. The one-of-a-kind concept store, which opened Tuesday, will have rotating merchandise, curated displays chosen by celebrities and influencers, and other kinds of special programming, Chief Guest Experience Officer Cara Sylvester said. The Minneapolis-based retailer is in the middle of…

In episode 496 of Total Retail Talks, Editor-in-Chief Joe Keenan interviews Ed Evans, CEO of Consumer Cellular, the top-rated wireless provider that provides cell phones and no-contract service plans primarily to those 50-plus. Listen in as Evans details what's driving Consumer Cellular's brick-and-mortar expansion (1:45), the strategy behind determining new store locations (3:40), and building…